Julia Weeks
When it is time to hire for your small business, it can be easy to get caught up in the sense of urgency and forget the important things we must consider when adding a new employee. By stopping, planning, and determining what your business needs and what you are looking for, you will find it much simpler to make the best hire for your startup.
1. Position
If you are adding a new position to your business, you must first determine the specifics of the position. Is this a management position or an administrative position? Decide what the position is based on your company’s needs. Developing a clear and concise job description will help you in advertising your available position to the appropriate candidates and will provide you with a guide throughout the consideration process.
2. Skills
When you are developing your job description, think about the skills that someone would need in order to properly perform the job functions. Will you need someone with 15 years of experience in finance or sales, or will someone who has 1-2 years of experience be able to do the job?
This is the time to think about how much training you will be able to provide to the new hire. If you are able and willing to spend weeks and months training the hire, perhaps you should opt for more of an entry level candidate. If you prefer to only train for a short amount of time, getting the new hire up to speed on your company and then expecting them to know what needs to be done based on specific experience, you should probably opt for a more experienced veteran.
3. Compensation
Depending on the position responsibilities and skill set required, your compensation will vary. Being a small business, it may be wiser to consider candidates with a few years of experience rather than candidates with many years of experience under their belt. The reason for this is because the more experienced the candidate, the higher the compensation. When you are growing your small business, you typically have budgets you must stick to. Decide on the most cost effective method for your business and adjust compensation plans accordingly.
4. Cultural Fit
You started your small business because you have a passion for what you do. It is only natural that you will want to hire people who also have this passion. When you are interviewing, it is key to interview for cultural fit in order to make a successful hire. Be sure to find out as much as possible about each candidate you are considering – their past work experiences, environments they have worked in, what gets them going each day, etc.
Also, make sure that you are sharing your vision and dream with the candidate. Express your desires when it comes to your business and the type of company culture you want to see. When you are making your initial new hires, you are hiring the leaders of your company. These are people that you will mold and train, in preparation for them to be with your company and help to grow the dream.
What are some things that you have considered when hiring for your startup? Please share your thoughts and recommendations below.
Image:
Josh Tolan
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