Whether you run a large multinational organisation or a small local start-up, one of the most important factors is your employees. These people can be the difference between success and failure – particularly if you are a small- or medium-sized business. Which is why it is so important to hire the right employees from the very start.
The employees are the mechanism that ensures the business runs – if they stop working or do a bad job, your business will suffer as a result. They are the ones who take what was initially just an idea and turn it into a reality. And each new starter should bring something to the table – whether this is an idea, a new way of working or a new set of skills.
Outside of the business your employees are the face of it and a representation of it to both current and potential clients and customers. This reputation can take many years to build and only seconds to destroy and of course you want those people who will help to grow this reputation and not destroy it.
Where do you find these people?
Don’t limit yourself when it comes to advertising roles – you want the available positions to reach as far and wide as possible, to give you the best chance of finding the right candidates. Advertise on all the job sites, get the word out on social media and get yourself to job fairs – invest in rollup banner printing and you are guaranteed to draw attention to your stand.
Don’t be afraid to go after the people you want. If you need to fill a certain role and you know that another company was transformed when they employed a certain person for that role – approach them! The worst they can say is no, and perhaps your e-mail will arrive in their inbox just at the time they are thinking they need a new challenge!
Who are these people?
Firstly to hire the right people you need to look past their CV and cover letters and see them as people. Of course employees need the right skills and experience to do the job, but they also need to fit in with company culture, be able to take direction and tackle any challenges that come their way.
- Focus on candidate’s potential: don’t write anyone off because their experience doesn’t match up exactly with what you were looking for. Look at the overall package or you could miss someone with great potential.
- Look at personality alongside skills and experience: As well as having the right skills and experience for the job, having the right personality is extremely important.
- Check social media profiles: where you will be able to find out more about the candidate as a person.
- Ask the right questions: the correct questions, and perhaps a few curveballs, will help you discover a lot about a candidate and whether or not they are right for your business.
- Know that it may not always work out: despite your best efforts – in some cases it may not work out. If these people are only hindering your business then don’t be afraid to let them go – learn from any mistakes and move forward with the right person!
The most important thing is to take time over the recruitment process, thinking carefully about what your business needs from an employee to ensure lasting success.