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Don’t Slack on Those You Hire

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handshake-1513228_640In order to give your small business the best chance to succeed, much of course depends on those you hire.

That said are you doing the best job possible when it comes to hiring talent?

In some instances, you’re going to miss on a few choices. If you can hire 90 percent or better successfully, you can oftentimes survive those cases where you made the wrong choice.

So, what goes into hiring the best possible talent out there for your small business?

While research on your part is certainly key, a little bit of luck certainly doesn’t hurt too.

From this day forward, will you do everything possible in hiring the right people time and time again?

Put Time and Effort into Your Review Process

When the time comes again for you to hire the right employees, keep in mind the following pointers:

  1. Experience

What employer would tell you that experience isn’t all that important? If you said very true, you’d be correct.

That said a person’s job experience up to this point can mean a myriad of things.

Were they in a position of management? Were they responsible for making key decisions for the employer or employers they worked for up to this point? Were they tasked with overseeing large sums of money? Lastly, were they someone who managed to climb the corporate ladder wherever they were at?

As you look at any candidate’s experience level, dig down deep to see just how thick it truly is.

  1. Research

Assuming you take your time to properly screen each and every prospective employee, that research should include a number of factors.

Along with standard items like education, job experience etc. you really need to be socially active in the process.

Yes, what a potential employee does on social networking sites is having more of an impact today with employers than even just a few years ago. While you should not automatically discount a qualified individual because of political posts etc. that you disagree with, look for the obvious.

If someone exhibits signs of racism, bigotry, questionable acts like inappropriate pictures or videos, yes, those are red flags you should not overlook.

  1. Education

Although some employers will tell you job experience is the overriding factor when it comes to hiring individuals, others certainly do not discount the importance of a quality education.

As you look at hiring educated talent for your small business, be sure you don’t neglect the value of those educations.

For instance, if you are hiring someone to work with your company in the criminal justice system, that education is as important as anything else you will review.

Hopefully, each prospective employee has used what they learned through schooling to put themselves and their experiences in the right position, the position of contributing to your business needs.

Lastly, as crucial as that education is, street smarts are imperative too.

That is especially true if you plan to offer someone a job in a field where snap decisions in law enforcement and related positions of higher responsibility are oftentimes required.

Personalities Can’t Ever Be Overlooked

  1. Personalities

Even as important as experience, education, and social media etiquette are, don’t ever discount the value of each and every personality you come across.

While someone can have fantastic experience and an education that is second-to-none, you want personalities that will mesh with your current team of employees.

That said be sure to keep the current makeup of your office in mind whenever you interview a prospective employee.

Ask yourself if this potential team member would in fact work well with the present team you employ. Could you see any personality clashes, perhaps people with personalities that are too strong or even too weak?

Finally, look to hire those individuals who exhibit a desire to go that extra mile for you and your employees.

In many instances, employees will have to do more than they’re originally hired for. The last thing you want is someone who complains about that.

Remember, when the team effort is in place, it is hard for a company to lose.

Photo credit: Pixabay

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business topics on the web.

 

 

It Is Your Business to Know Who You Hire

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How much time in running your small business do you devote to actually knowing who comes into your office as a new employee?

In some cases, those running companies will give input and even sit in on a number of or all interviews with prospective candidates. In other cases, however, they leave it to a staff member or members to do the interviewing and ultimately hire the individual for the needed job.

So, the question then begs if you should be more active in the hiring process, especially given how too much turnover and training of countless individuals can have a negative impact on your business finances?

In the event you decide to become more active, here are some things you should look at when considering each and every applicant who walks through your doors:

* Are they truly qualified? – While many candidates who come to you seeking a job are truly qualified, others will try and pass off their experience as suitable for the job. The danger with the latter is that you could end up hiring several times until you get the right fit. Some companies will test applicants on their knowledge of the position they would be doing if hired, while others base their decision off of the person’s work background. Either way, make sure you get the most qualified man or woman in order to hopefully fill that spot for several years to come;

* Will they fit with the team in place? – Chemistry in the office is key to any successful business, so keep that in mind when you interview candidates. Does their personality seem like a good fit for the employees they would be working with? Are they outgoing and seem like they will pitch in whenever asked? Do they have a positive attitude that will help them get through stressful times, including constant deadlines? It just takes one wrong piece to mess up the puzzle of office success that you have worked to put in place;

* Is their background too social for me? – Even though there is nothing wrong with prospective candidates being on social media, more companies are checking the social backgrounds of individuals they interview, looking for any red flags. In the event they have questionable comments and/or images on their social media pages, it should at least give you pause to think about if they’d be a good fit for your business. When you look at the judgment they used in some of their tweets or shares, should you worry that they might use similar questionable judgment when working for you? If you do have such concerns, feel free to bring them up during an interview;

* Long-term plans – Finally, while it is not uncommon for workers these days to move from job to job, this unlike the days when people stayed at a company for several decades, you do not want a revolving door at your business. That being said, question each candidate on what their career plans are, where they see themselves in three to five years, and if they feel they can achieve long-term success with you. While most candidates will say the “right thing” in order to increase their chances of attaining the job, some will be very honest and tell you what their plans are. Even though you should not discount those that can’t make a long-term commitment to you, it does give you pause to think about whether or not to hire them.

As a small business owner, what do you look for when a prospective candidate walks through your doors?

Photo credit: ehow.com

About the Author: With 23 years’ writing experience, Dave Thomas covers small business topics for a variety of websites, including Reputation.com.