4 Hiring Tips for Small Businesses and Startups

The first few employees that your small business or startup hires make a huge difference in how the company is able to move forward. When you’ve got a small business or startup, employees need to be willing to take on tasks that may not necessarily be in their job description in order to benefit the overall good of the company. In order to make your new talent a success, keep these small business and startup hiring tips in mind:

Have a job description

Though you’ll need someone who is flexible and can take on different roles when needed, you also don’t want to overlook the importance of creating a job description when hiring. People need to know what’s expected of them when they take on a new position. They should also have set goals defined for them so they can understand what constitutes success at work.

Know what your competitors are up to

Some small business owners don’t like to pay attention to what their competitors are doing because it makes them flustered. While you don’t want to be so wrapped up in your competition that you lose sight of your own goals, you also need to be aware of what’s out there and what the marketplace looks like. If another business is unveiling some new product or service that could change the industry, you need to be aware of this so you can act accordingly. Pretending it’s not happening won’t do your company or your employees any favors.

Focus on a few key traits

While you’re still trying to spread the word about your brand, you may find that getting people to apply for jobs isn’t as easy as you thought. For this reason, you’ll need to be a little less picky as you’re sorting through resumes. Go through and make a list of key traits that are absolutely essential for a new hire to have. For instance, they must have people skills or they must be a good writer. When you have this list, focus only on these traits when hiring for a specific role and be more relaxed about others. Does it really matter if they went to the most prestigious college? If necessary, couldn’t you train them on that computer program that you wish they knew how to use? Instead of focusing on 10-15 traits and getting frustrated when no one is meeting your requirements, pick only the most important.

Know what you can offer

Thought you may not be able to offer the cushy salary and benefits packages that major corporations can provide, small businesses have a level of flexibility that is highly appealing to candidates. Focus on these traits when you’re recruiting. Consider allowing candidates to work a flexible schedule or to work from home, perhaps. Maybe even employees to bring their dogs to work. These unexpected perks can make your business highly appealing, thus helping you to land great hires even when you’re working with a more limited hiring budget.

What does your small business or startup do to excel at recruiting? Share with us in the comments!

Image: monkeybusinessimages/BigStock.com