Small Business Advice Blog
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February 20, 2010
10 Easy Tips to Hire and Maintain Employees
The interview process can be exciting and annoying at the same time. Many small business owners are very excited to be hiring employees, sometimes, for the first time. This is definitely exciting because it means there is growth. The problem that this brings is needed advice and direction on who are the best individuals to hire. Where do you start? I know this was a little scary for me when I started my first business.
The tips below are to help you see the true personality of possible new hires, show you where to look for them, and give you ways around expensive job posting boards.
Tip 1: Start with the Right Environment
Why would I want to come work for you when I have heard that the environment is not very good. I have left good paying jobs for better environments before and have known plenty of others to do the same. As a matter of fact, I personally witnessed an individual turn down 2 offers for bonus and raises if he would stay because he hated the environment.
Some would think that this phenomenon is focused more in the design and artistic world, but us business people hate a bad environment just as much. Your “employees” should be team members. They should be respected and told they matter. Look at those “Best Places to Work” companies and note why they are noted as such. People are respected and appreciated. The pay is not all that matters and many times it is lower on the list than you might think.
Yes, in this economy, people will still leave. If you want your best team members to stay, be sure they have a reason. I hear my team members say all the time that they feel like “family.” This means the world to me, especially when I wish I could have paid them more in times when I could not. They turned down, and I do mean they – ALL OF THEM – much, much higher paying jobs because they loved where they worked.
Don’t get me wrong, my people do not goof off. They work hard. But I reward them with little lunches, outings, and praise where I can. They know I respect them and I have no problem telling them that I couldn’t run this business without them. Some managers and business owners think that this is a sign of weakness; I think that it is a sign of trust and “transparency.”
Tip 2: To keep costs low, try the free boards.
- Many states have job boards. In Louisiana, we have LAWorks.net. Search around for a state program.
- Craigslist. The con to this is so many solicitors using the site, but I have actually hired a few really good team members through this site.
- Facebook. If you have a lot of friends, let them know you are looking. Believe me, everyone knows someone looking for a job. This is a good resource because you can get a personal reference on the individual that you can trust.
- The Job Spider. This is a relatively new one to me, but you can try it. It can’t hurt… too much.
- Google. Just Google “Free Job Posting.” There are new ones popping up all the time and job seekers will look everywhere for that good paying job.
Tip 3: Don’t interview EVERYONE
I have made this mistake. I know you are afraid that if you don’t interview them all, you will miss out on that perfect one. This is a risk you should really take. If you interview everyone, you will wear yourself out.
Most unemployment systems require that individuals search for at least one position per week. This means that many people that are not really interested in the position will apply for it just because it will keep them out of trouble with the unemployment office. Your time is valuable; don't waste it. Be ready for this and only interview the truly qualified individuals.
Tip 4: Be ready for No-Shows
I could not believe in this economy that people would not show up for an interview, but it happens all the time. I have had individuals call 2 or 3 times just to get that appointment only to not show and not call. I have even had people come in, fill out the application, and walk out without ever talking to anyone. Still don’t understand that one. I know the job wasn’t intimidating, they hadn’t really heard about it yet.
I normally book 2 individuals at the same time in 30 minute intervals for about 2 to 3 hours. This allows me time to speak with everyone for at least 15 minutes and gives me a better possibility of not allocating time for individuals who will not appear.
Tip 5: Know what you want
Are you sure you want someone with a degree or will someone with less qualifications do? What are your personal preferences? Do you have the duties lined out or will it be a work in process? This is not a bad thing. It's very normal for job duties to change in a new business. New needs appear and new duties form. Just be sure the individual you hired can handle change.
Whether you like it or not, most people hire based on whether someone will “fit in” or not. This is not a bad thing. Chemistry in a place of employment is crucial. Look around and see what your chemistry is.
Tip 6: Match the qualifications with the pay
Be sure you are willing to pay for that degree if you just have to have it. Understandable, some positions require a degreed individual, but many times I have run across new business owners who are only willing to pay minimum wage and need people with exceptional experience. The frustration grows after 2 or 3 individuals do not fit the position or once turn-over starts to grow.
Look for the average pay for the specific job duties needed in your area and go high or low within the average depending on your needs.
Tip 7: During the interview look for the following
By now you might have heard that looking down and to the right is a sign of lying; however, a person that cannot look you in the eye might not be as trustworthy as you would like. Be sure they look you in the eye. Here is an interesting article about eye movement and what it means.
Ask them “If I were to ask your best friend what your best trait is, what would he/she say?” Then follow up with the opposite. They are going to be more apt to tell the truth on this question because they are thinking of what their best friend would really say rather than what they think of themselves. People are not as ready for this question as they are “Tell me the best thing about yourself.”
My husband told me this one. Ask them “What do you think I am going to say next?” This one brings all kind of answers and it can really bring true personalities to life. I have had some weird answers to be sure. Many tell me “I don’t know.” And this is ok. There is no right or wrong answer because they truly have no idea.
Be sure to follow everything up with “Is there anything else I should know about you?” If they have come prepared, they should be able to sell themselves at this point. Let them. Everyone should be able to sell themselves in an interview if they truly want the job and will be ready to get to work for you.
Tip 8: Have an Evaluation Period
You want to be sure you hired the right person, so let them know up front that there is a 2 week, 30 day, or 60 day evaluation or “probationary” period. This ensures that they will perform better at the beginning, know they are expected to perform at a certain level, and gives you more flexibility if they are not the right fit.Many times you just don’t know if they are the right fit until they start working. I have had people work for one day and leave. No one was mean or rude. They just didn’t know enough about the position to be prepared for it. Even if you are as upfront as you can be about the difficulty of a position, many individuals are only listening to “new job” and nothing more in the interview.
Tip 9: Don’t fix it if it Ain’t broken
If you have someone who performs a task in a way that works well, don’t change the manner in which they work just because you have a preference. People work differently, just like they learn differently. This is especially true in sales. There are many that are better door-to-door, some that are better on the phone, and others that are a mix. There are many different “Sales Dogs” and they need to find their way themselves. Same thing goes in an office or other area.
Some things have to be done in a certain way but in the cases where this is not necessarily the case, sit back and watch your employees. Sometimes you just might learn something from them and find a better way to implement structure or procedure. Changing their way of working might affect their ability to complete their work in the same time or accuracy level and can bring the attitude of your workplace down.
Tip 10: Keep Communication Open
Be sure that your employees or team members have a way of communicating with you openly. I hate it when companies make it against company policy to discuss their pay. I wonder if they realize that because they say “don’t look” it makes people want to look that much more. I you don’t want it talked about, try not to talk about it. But people will talk no matter what you say or do. Get over it. If you don’t want them talking, be sure you are fair when it comes to pay and be sure that that is not their only reason for working with you. Now that I am over my rant on that, the next communication issue.
Be careful with family employees. Others feel that they can’t say anything if it pertains to a family member. Let them know that this is not the case and they will be treated exactly the same as any of team member. They need to know that there will be fair treatment otherwise you can have quite a lot of tension…even if you never hear about it. [You will be the last to hear when it finally blows up in your face.] All team members need to be able to talk to you about any and all issues including those pertaining to your family in the office or on the job.
Have more than one way to communicate. If team members are a little too intimidated to speak with the “boss,” be sure they have another route to talk to you. Either give them a suggestion box that is truly anonymous or set another person as a alternative to speaking with you and be sure that that person is not only trustworthy but also clear on relaying the information. For example, my husband and I own a properties company. If our team members are unhappy about something or someone including either of us, they are free to speak with either without us judging or defending ANYONE. We will hear it out and be sure to either correct the problem or address it in some way. We do all we can to be sure that that individual feels comfortable relaying their complaint, idea, or issue and feel no repercussion from open communication.
All of these tips are to help you in your process. They are definitely not comprehensive of the perfect team building needs, but they will give you a great start. Pair these tips up with as much research as you can about good management skills and you will be fine.
For reference be sure to read The One Minute Manager by Ph.D. Kenneth Blanchard & M.D. Spencer Johnson, Sales Dogs by Blair Singer, the writer of Rich Dad Poor Dad, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. These are great places to start. A great blog about management skills is by Tom Foster
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