5 Tips for Hiring in your small business

LEADERSHIP, RECRUITMENT

December 12, 2023

I spent my afternoon helping a small business owner interview people for a role they are trying to fill after an employee resignation. It reminded me that whilst on the surface it seems like an easy task, there is actually an art to conducting a good interview. Afterall, the quality of the interview process directly impacts the success of your team, and hiring the wrong person can cause many headaches. There are many elements that should be considered in small business recruitment and finding the right employee.

The person you put in the role needs to have the right skills, the right personal attributes, and they need to complement other team members. And if you want them to stick around for awhile, you need to make sure they will be challenged and excited by the role you have. If you don’t give the interview process the respect it deserves, it could end up costing you in the long run.

So how does a professional approach the interview process? Here are my top 5 tips that will ensure you make sound hiring decisions in your business.

  1. Preparation is key. Most managers that I have interviewed with tell me that they are going to ‘wing’ the interviews (ie make it up as they go). This is a terrible idea if you want a quality outcome (= the right person in the role). Spend some time getting clear on what skills, experience and attributes you want the ideal person to have. Write them down. Then craft some questions that are going to give you the information that will tell you if they meet these ideals.
  1. Approach the interview as a two-way street – interviews are not meant to be one sided (the interviewer asking the interviewee endless questions or worse – talking too much about the business and forgetting to ask questions!). Your job is to get them comfortable enough to speak honestly and to open up about their experiences and goals.
  2. Draft a plan for the overall structure of the interview – everybody’s time is valuable, and this will ensure you stick to what you need to know and not run drastically over time by getting side tracked.
  3. Don’t talk in hypotheticals. When you are asking questions of the candidate to find out more about their experience; don’t ask how they might do something. Ask them how they HAVE dealt with a similar situation. Use phrases like, “Tell me about a time in a previous role where you have………”
  4. Keep an open mind. Some of the best hiring decisions I have been involved with were people who didn’t exactly meet the brief of what we originally were looking for, but they were so impressive they made the hiring panel think we had to employ them in the business somewhere. So we offered them roles that would suit them. I have not once seen a business regret doing this. When you stumble upon a standout job seeker, be flexible and do what you can to make them part of your business!

Of course, there are more elements to a quality hiring process, but these tips will set you up to make more informed choices. Implementing these five interviewing tips will set you on the path to a great outcome and ensure your small business recruitment is set up professionally. Can you think of any you might add?

As always, if you think that hiring is not in your wheelhouse, or you don’t have the necessary time to devote to it, I can help. Get in touch via direct message and we can set up a call.