By Henry Brown
If you’ve been managing your own small business for a while now and think it’s time to expand a little further, hiring some employees is a great way to do so. It’s a very exciting and rewarding moment to know that you are now making enough to be able to create your own team. Having said that, it can also be a daunting one, because your business is your baby, and are you ready to share that with others? Well, as long as you find the right people, there’s no reason that they won’t make a great addition.
Here’s how to find the ones.
Allow your brand to shine.
When writing a job description, as well as including all the important facts and information, you will also want it to sound appealing. Remember that although you’re looking for people to work for you, you will still need to stand out in order to get interest. As you’re a small business, you may not be well known yet, and if that’s the case you will want to mention why working for you will be an exciting and rewarding journey. Make it memorable.
Consider a group interview.
This may sound a little strange to begin with, but if you are trying to build a brand new team from scratch, this technique may greatly work to your advantage. The idea is to choose two of the best applicants in every category that you need. So for example, two floor managers, two bookkeeping assistants, two sales members, and so on. Then hold an interview as you would normally, the only difference being you are able to see beforehand how people interact with others. This will give you insights into how they might behave when they’re part of your new team.
Be honest about the challenges.
It’s no good trying to make a job role sound fun and exciting, while leaving out all of the hard work that will be required to go into it. Explain what possible hurdles they will likely end up having to face, and mention how much responsibility the job requires. If the employees are right for your business, they will welcome any struggles and problems as a challenge. You don’t want someone that’s intimidated; you want someone who’s ready.
Think about the impact they will have.
It’s important to remember that although the business was created by you, the kind of people you employ with have an impact on that. That’s why it’s so important to interview them as a person and get to know their personality, and not just their skills and experience. Having just one person with a negative attitude can greatly change the dynamics of your team, and may even go as far as tarnishing your business. You obviously don’t want this to happen, so get to know your potential employees before making any final decisions. Everything they do will essentially reflect you and your business.
The last piece of advice that can be given is to always listen to your gut and your head. If something doesn’t sit right with you, it’s most likely for a reason. Don’t let a resume persuade you that someone is right for your business; go with your intuition.
Build a talent pipeline
Finally, it’s essential to know how to build a successful talent pipeline. This involves actively recruiting talent and keeping them in the loop about any job opportunities before they become available. You can do this by subscribing potential employees to your newsletters or sending email updates on upcoming positions. That way, you will have access to some of the best talent as soon as you need them. This will also benefit your current employees; it shows that you take an interest in their development and want to ensure they have access to better opportunities when the time comes. Building a talent pipeline is not only good for your business, but it’s great for employee retention too.
____
Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop he’s roaming the streets of London, uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.
