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When you are a small business owner you are usually competing against other well-established and bigger companies than yours. As a result, finding and hiring the right people can be quite difficult. Understandably, people who are searching for work are looking for security and a chance of getting promoted. Often, they see working for a larger firm as the safest way to tick those two boxes
However, as you will see, there are things you can do to level the playing field a bit. Or, even give yourself an edge over bigger companies.
Streamline your hiring process
Usually, someone who is looking for work will apply for several jobs at once. Typically, the firm that gets to them first is the one that they end up working for. So, you need to move fast. The moment you receive their application put their name through a person search like this one https://www.whitepages.com/person.
This enables you to check simple things like whether they have used their real contact details on their application. If they have been honest and their experience and qualifications fit your hiring criteria, you can then do a simple background check.
Provided they pass that, take a look at their social media accounts and any websites they run or contribute to. As you do so, make notes of a question or two to ask them. The interview will flow better if you do that.
It will also make a better impression on them. Remember that a job interview is a two-way process. The candidate is assessing you and your firm as much as you are them.
Interview as soon as possible
Invite anyone who passes these small checks to interview and do it straight away. Don’t wait. If you do there is a real danger that they will take a job elsewhere.
Consider doing the interview remotely. Often, the potential candidate you are interested in will be able to speak to you much sooner. If you were to ask them to physically come to you they would have to take time off work and find the time to travel to meet you. Offering them a remote interview provides them with the chance to do the interview in their lunch break or at another quite time in their day. Therefore, you can usually get the interview done much sooner.
Talk your company up
Remember to sell what you have to offer to any prospective employee. For example, most small firms expect their employees to cover a range of tasks. As a result, people who work for them usually pick up a wide skill set and find the work more interesting. If you sell it right, the person you are interviewing will see having to multi-task more as being a positive rather than a negative thing. This is especially the case if you can demonstrate to them that you are growing and considering branching out into other areas. This handy article contains some great ways to highlight the benefits of working for you to potential candidate.
Hiring stock photo by nitsawan katerattanakul/Shutterstock
