Are you looking to hire the right people for your business? This can be a very challenging process because hiring the wrong people can be both costly and time-consuming. On the flip side, the right people can grow your business, improve productivity and set you up for success. But when it comes to hiring good people, it goes beyond instincts. There are, in fact, some key strategies and skills required to hire good people. So, here is what you need to know in order to hire the best employees for your business.
1. Know your company values
Before you can figure out who is going to be a good fit within your business, you first need to understand exactly what your company stands for. As the company leader, you embody these core values. You are central to the culture already embodied in the customer experience. Remember that when you run a business, you are actually at the helm of a group of people with needs and feelings, in addition to skills and roles. So you need to start there and communicate your company vision in order to attract and hire the right people.
2. Know how to leverage your network
Leverage is an important business skill that calls on you to use your resources in order to achieve your goals. As Tony Robbins says, “It’s not the lack of resources; it’s your lack of resourcefulness that stops you.” The first place to find your future staff is within your existing network. This may include getting referrals from current employees, mentors and social media. If you surround yourself with shrewd like-minded people, you can then ask them to share your job listing. Like will attract like, and you will find yourself in the position of having many high-calibre referrals to choose from.
3. Find someone who fits well in the team
Collaboration is a key component of any working business. If your staff don’t like each other, it doesn’t matter how competent they are, the business will fail. This often comes down to soft issues like personality and communication style. All of these will have a big impact on the way a team gels and collaborates on tasks.
4. Review credentials and screen applicants
Your time matters. As a small business owner, you may not have in-house HR to conduct your interviews. This means that you need to carefully screen all applicant’s credentials, cover letters and reference letters in order to ensure that when you meet with your desired applicants, they are well-positioned for your business.
5. Prioritize communicative ability
Those with natural charisma and good communication skills are always noticed first when it comes to recruiters. Communication skills like listening, writing, speaking and presenting rank the highest on a recruiter’s wish list. This is because good communication is a very elusive skill that can’t necessarily be taught. Whereas professional skills and technical expertise can always be developed through training.
6. Engage daily
Once you have hired your staff member, the real work begins. It is a mistake to leave them to get on with things themselves without your guidance. Rather, the onboarding process should continue with daily check-ins. This is your opportunity to dig deeper and understand what this new recruit is really made of. Here you can assess their incremental results, understand the challenges they may be facing and also make yourself available for questions and mentoring.
The bottom line
Your hiring practice and approach can make or break your business. When you figure out how to spot and hire a top recruit you will be able to build a robust culture of passionate and dynamic people who work as a team and grow your business from the inside out.
