Hiring for your small business

By Renee Wednesday December 22, 2010

When contemplating your approach to the hiring process, it is essential to emphasize the attributes and qualities that accompany successful individuals in the business world. Nearly all managers would agree that ideal employees display exceptional work ethic, strong organizational and communication skills, and a consistent tendency to exceed goals. Qualities such as these can often be superficially determined by a brief look at a resume, however a piece of paper (or .doc file) does not provide a detailed perspective of a candidate’s complete skill set.

Yes! A Statement of Purpose, a brief description of Education, and a list of previous Work Experiences and References do enable us to determine whether an applicant is qualified for a position on a basic level. However, this does not provide us any information about the intangible attributes of a candidate. When interviewing an applicant, remind yourself of what it is you are really looking for in your employees and how you will identify it. Far too frequently, employers fail to notice and utilize the nonverbal communication offered by their candidates.

“The concentration and dedication – the intangibles are the deciding factors between who won and who lost.” – Tom Seaver

Unflinching eye contact and a firm handshake versus anxious facial expressions and nail-biting nervousness? An attentive and professional posture versus over-confidence and arrogance? Nonverbal cues such as these can offer valuable insight into an applicant’s personal accountability and interpersonal skills. Effective communication skills are not reflected on a CV, however they often translate to more effective customer service and more cohesively efficient work as a team.

Basically, we hire employees to increase the likelihood/level of success for our business. Depending on the situation, this could be accomplished by hiring individuals that share our business ideology or complement us by offering a different perspective and set of skills. When preparing your strategy for the hiring process, it is necessary to identify what is beneficial for your business and how it will be obtained. Keep in mind that a holistic and comprehensive approach to the hiring process often guarantees the best results.

Here are the top nine tips for hiring the right candidate:

1. Know what you need

2. Recruit continuously, even if there is no position open. You never know who may quit unexpectedly.

3. Interview MANY candidates. Don’t settle

4. Ask probing questions

5. Check references

6. Clarify expectations

7. Offer an attractive compensation package. If you want to keep the candidate around for a long time, make sure they are well taken care of.

8. Develop your employees to their full potential once hired.

9. Conduct exit interviews.