When hiring new employees small businesses can be frustrated trying to find individuals who can do many tasks necessary to the operation of the business. In a typical scenario, a small business does not need a full-time janitor, receptionist, or data entry clerk. They need someone willing and able to do all of those tasks and perhaps a few more.
Beyond doing assigned tasks, a business with few employees needs people who can see things that need to be done and do them. For some potential employees, this flexibility is desirable. They find the expectation of independent thought and action a plus. The challenge for the small business owner is finding those individuals.
Where Small Businesses May Find New Workers
The business with few employees should look in nontraditional places for potential workers. This approach may have a big payoff as opposed to just using classified ads.
For example, individuals who work as volunteers in local organizations often demonstrate the variety of skills, vision, and work ethic a business wants. The same is true for stay-at-home spouses of people known to the owner or his/her family.
If a business is able to consider hiring part-time employees, a person recently retired and looking for extra money can bring the initiative and motivation to step into several roles without expecting a career. Older workers have experience working and tend to be less likely to move on to greener pastures or to return to school.
Let others know that your small business is looking for a generalist to help out. Neighbors, friends, and local business networks may know of someone that is available and well-qualified, but who is not actively looking.
If, in the course of daily activities, an employer encounters someone that impresses them with their friendliness, attention to detail, and quality of work, give that person feedback and give them a business card.
What to Look for in Hiring for a Small Business
In many cases, new hires should be considered based on aptitude and work habits rather than a specific skill set. That person may be young and lacking experience or older and out of the job market. Finding employees to fill multiple roles in a small business and work compatibly with existing staff is more a matter of personality and attitude than a piece of paper or a license required in professional hires.
Of course any time an organization wants to employ a new hire there are some basic procedures and cautions that should be followed. Ohio State University has put together a fact sheet that provides suggestions and processes that improve the chances of a good long-term match between employer and employee. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom from their report:
- Past Performance indicates how a candidate may perform.
- Include interviewing and reference checking.
- Check Negative Factors- “Success on the job is a product of many factors, but failure may be the result of only one.”
- Motivation and Personality- “Most failures on the job are not because of a lack of skills, which can be taught, but a lack of motivators or an inappropriate personality.”
The report also makes suggestions on screening, background investigations and references.
Small businesses are challenged to find people with the skills and traits they need. However, small businesses are also creative, resourceful and great places to work for the right person. As a business owner looking to hire the right kind of help, consider being nontraditional in searching and look for traits and work habits that will help your business.
Barbara Brown - Internet readers are looking for answers to their questions, so that is what I try to do - provide useful information from the perspective ...
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