Human Resources Blog - Spark Hire
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How to Hire Well on a Limited Budget

Even if your business can’t offer huge salaries or weeks and weeks of time off each year, you can still remain competitive when it comes to hiring. Small businesses have many advantages, and should utilize these perks to appeal to jobseekers. Here are some of the ways your company can recruit effectively, even if your resources are limited:

Focus on the Positives of Being a Smaller Company

While you might not have company retreats in exotic places, there are a number of perks that small businesses can offer that the bigger guys can’t. Identify these benefits and talk about them proudly during the interview process. For example, if you allow employees to pursue passion projects that would help better the company, such as a company-wide volunteer initiative, talk about this. Many people fear being pigeon-holed, so knowing that your business allows employees to use their talents even if it’s not totally in their job description is a huge plus.

Make Decisions Quickly

Larger companies often have to go through various levels of approval before they extend an offer to a new hire. As a smaller business you’re able to move quickly, and should use this to your advantage. Make it a point to streamline your hiring process so that you can make an offer as soon as you have identified the best candidate for the role. It’s likely that while you’re extending an offer, large corporations are still getting approval from various levels of management, thus giving you the advantage.

Talk About your Company Culture

While salary and benefits matter to potential employees, people searching for jobs today also care about a number of other factors, including company culture. Showcase why your business is a great place to work through company culture videos. Do you have free lunches? Do you allow companies to work from home? Talking about these advantages helps to showcase why your business is an ideal place to work.

Use Social Media to Set Your Business Apart

Use your social media accounts to give potential employees a peek at what it’s like to work for your business. Platforms like Instagram and Twitter are great for showcasing company culture through social media, and help to make a job posting much more 3D than just bullet points on a page describing duties.

Be Okay with Receiving Fewer Applications

If you’re a small business you might only receive a dozen applications when you have an opening, as opposed to the hundreds that a large company will get. However, this doesn’t mean that you’ll be unable to find a high quality candidate. Have some flexibility about your requirements (does the candidate really need a degree from an Ivy League school?) and you’ll probably find that at least a handful of people who have applied would be a good match for you.

How does your small business stay competitive as you recruit and hire well on a limited budget? Share with us in the comments!

Lauren Levine

Lauren Levine is a copywriter/blogger who contributes to a number of magazines and websites including The Frisky, USA Today, and others. She also authors her own blog called Life with Lauren. She loves cooking, anything on the E! network, and is trying to convince herself that running isn't so bad.