You’ve decided that you need full-time employees for your small business–Congratulations! If you are like most, the instinct is to dive in–write that job description, advertise, and wait for the flood of responses from applicants. While this common practice provides an immediate sense of satisfaction, when it comes to building a professional staff, it is wiser for the small business owner to invest in a process and materials that will draw the caliber of individuals she expects–now and in the future.
To be on the successful hiring path, attract a viable pool of candidates, and ultimately have the right person on board, you’ll want an advisor and a consultant who can take the burden off you. However, should you insist on going it alone, these steps will help frame your approach:
Examine the role(s) you will need based on your true business goals and align your hiring decision accordingly. Although it sounds simple, you’ll want to look closely at your perceived need and how it relates to your ultimate goal. For example, if the invoices, word processing, mail, and phones are leaving little time for you to focus on critical tasks, such as increasing your customer base, you might decide to hire an administrative assistant. But, through some tough introspection, you might discover that, even with front-office support, you’d still be without a clearly defined plan or the expertise to gain more customers. Given your most pressing goal–more customers–and this new perspective, there is a wider range of hiring possibilities now (e.g., an entry-level inside sales, marketing, or business developer position, etc.) to meet your true need head-on and result in a better investment of your hiring dollars. Because a company’s true needs are varied and sometimes hard to see from within, a trusted external advisor can help you to identify them.
Determine a competitive salary based on market expectations and your budget. Market research is your best approach, but you will also want to consider the scope of the position. If it is too broad and your salary is too low, it may be a losing battle. Scrutinize the description for tasks that can be outsourced at a lower rate and what tasks might be tackled with existing resources. Without research, you may be overestimating your salary offer, thereby missing out on cost savings. Web sites like salary.com and payscale.com can help you determine appropriate pay ranges for specific skill sets. Continue reading this post…