04 Dec 5 Things to Avoid When You Recruit for Your Small Business

A business in its initial stage can be compared to a freshly modeled clay pot – if you take good care of it and take the right steps, it will turn out great, but there is also lot of room for mistakes to be made. No business person learns the skills from the first day and with every mistake they commit, there is something that they get to learn. No matter what your business is based on, running it all on your own can be extremely difficult. Whether it is client acquisition, branding or handling finances, no one can do it all alone and excel in it.

There is always the need for an extra helping hand. When it comes to hiring employees, you need to know about the human resources that the business requires. You should hire people who are capable of helping your business grow and not someone who would make things difficult for you at every step that you take towards growth.

You should check their work experience and expertise, their interpersonal skills, the way they communicate and how they intend to bring about a positive change. Here are a few mistakes that you could avoid before hiring them, so that you can later watch as your team develops into a well-oiled business machine.

Being in a hurry to recruit

Well, just because you are an ambitious person intent on doing business, you cannot expect yourself to know all the norms and best practices related to recruitment. Attending training programs to learn what you need to do during recruitment can help bring you up to speed fairly quickly.

When you set out to find people to handle different business tasks, you should perform the recruitment one at a time, and not rush into taking care of everything at once. This would prevent you from focusing on a single requirement and eventually creating a big mess.

The inability to convey job descriptions

Whether you are advertising for a vacancy in a newspaper or putting it up online, you are to ensure that you mention the details of the job that you are hiring employees for. Specifying the job description is likely to make you come across applications from prospective employees who are adept at the job and have relevant degrees and expertise. You wouldn’t want to waste your time entertaining people who aren’t fit for the job or are probably clueless about what you have to offer them.

When it comes to letting people know about the job vacancy that you need to fill, they need to know what their role would be and the type of business they would be working for. Giving them details about your business website and any other information is likely to make you receive prospective employees who are genuinely interested in the job and would perform their best.

Hiring people based on first impressions

Well, anyone going out for an interview intends to put their best self out during the interview. Most people won’t make a fool of themselves, but only a few can actually live up to your expectations. The majority of your potential candidates might seem like a good choice, and hiring them on the basis of how they appear or communicate with you on the day of the interview is something that you should avoid.

You are to look at their skills, their degrees, their work experience, the expertise in the type of job that they claim to excel in and the accolades that they have received for each of these points. This would allow you to judge whether they are perfect for your business or not. You could give them tests that could allow them to prove their mettle.

Forgetting to perform reference checks

Whenever you sit down for an interview with a prospective employee, you are to ensure that you perform reference checks and not hire them for what they say. When you hold their resume in your hand, you are likely to come across details of their past experiences, their jobs, the role that they played in the betterment of the company, etc.

While you talk about such details, you can judge their skills and their expertise. The interest that they show while talking to you about their expertise will help you understand whether they are a good fit for your business or not.

You aren’t there to chit chat with the interviewee, so go straight to the point and ensure that they are perfect for your company and not someone who would put you in doubt.

Unrealistic expectations from the employees

Well, it is your business, and you should know what’s best for it. Even if you hire adept employees with ample experience and expertise to help you out, you have to brief them well about your company after you hire them.

Having unrealistic expectations and assuming that they will learn all there is to know about your business on their first day is just wishful thinking. It is your responsibility to convey details about your business, the plans that you have in mind, the way you intend to execute things, the input that you receive from the employees and the strategy that will allow the business to prosper and grow.

Making arrangements for formal training sessions on your business model, and how you intend to expand it in the days to come, will let you effectively convey the information. This also allows you to get interactive with the employees and make them feel comfortable to work for you.

In Conclusion

While it is a formal business that you intend to start with, you must ensure that the employees that you have hired are a perfect fit for your company. Of course, following the right employment rules and regulations will also allow you and your business to stay away from legal issues. As long as you follow the above tips, you can rest assured that you will find the best people and won’t face any major issues as your team and your company continue to grow.