10 tips for hiring your first employee
- By Lauren Tessin -
- May 10, 2012
Once your business starts to really take off, you may feel a little overwhelmed and need an extra hand. Though it may cost money to hire some new employees, it’s hopefully the start of allowing your business to grow and become more profitable. Here's a guest blog on ten tips to help you with the process of hiring the right person for you...
1. Write a good job description.
The first step you will want to take when hiring a new employee is to create a good job description for the position you have open. Write up all the details that the job entails, and try to be as straight forward as possible. By letting a person know whether the job is part-time or full-time or it requires a degree, you can increase your chances of finding the right employee.
2. Submit the job listing.
Once you have a good job description written up, you will want to submit the listing to different job boards. From submitting the listing to the local newspaper to submitting it online, you can increase your chances of finding potential employees. The more people you can reach, the better, so think big!
3. Create a checklist beforehand.
You will also want to create a checklist that will define your perfect employee. For example, on your checklist you could write down that you want someone with good references, a good job history and something as in depth as a certain age group or college degree. When you write down what you’re looking for, you can review job applications easier and remember what you truly want in an employee.
4. Review job applications.
When you receive your first couple of job applications, review them immensely and try to compare them all to each other. Which applications stand out the most and why? Think back to your checklist and ditch the ones that don’t fit all your requirements.
5. Check their resume.
When someone fills out an application, they will often place their resume along with it. If they do, that means they’re willing to go the extra mile to get the job. By submitting a resume that is well written, nicely laid out and has some great facts, you can determine whether or not they’re a good fit almost immediately. Go through the resumes carefully and see what they have to say.
6. Prescreen candidates.
Once you have a few employees in mind, be sure to pre-screen them. When you call up the potential employees by phone, you will want to ask them some basic questions. By making sure they have the right skills, qualifications, and some references, you can make a quick mental note on whether or not you think they’re a good fit for the job. If you get a bad first impression right away, this will help you avoid wasting your time with a scheduled interview.
7. Set up interviews.
After you’ve already called the applicants and have gotten a good vibe, you will want to set up the official interview. Be sure to interview each one individually and to allow them time to really talk and open up. When you see them for the first time, what is your impression? Do they look like a good fit for your business? Do they have a friendly personality with all the right answers to your questions? If not, continue looking. It may also be helpful to refer back to your checklist and even tell them personally what it says on it. If they can agree to be everything on your checklist, you may have a winner.
8. Run a background check.
Since we want to keep our work atmosphere safe and healthy, we will want to run a background check on any employee that seems like a good fit. Though they may look well put together and have a sweet smile, they may have a history or drunk driving, drug possession or even be a registered sex offender. It’s also beneficial to tell an applicant that you will run a background check, so that way they may just be upfront with you and tell you the truth about their history.
9. Contact the references.
After you’ve reviewed a person’s application, resume, set up an interview and even ran a background check on them, it’s time to call their references. When you call their references, you will more than likely get a good vibe on whether or not they’ll be a good employee. If previous employees were sad to see them move on to another job, you may have a winner.
10. Don’t hire friends or family.
The last tip to take into consideration is who you’re going to hire. Try to always avoid hiring friends and family members. Though you may know them on a personal level and feel they are the best fit for the job, it can lead to making relationships worse down the road.
By Lauren Tessin. blogs at HowtoGetFinanced.com
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