Recruitment Ideas For Small Businesses

Small businesses are responsible for many of the new jobs being created these days, and are an important part of the engine of economic growth. At the same time, the economic downturn reportedly has led to a surge in the number of people launching their own businesses.   When such a business is successful, what is the best way to hire additional people?   

Each person working for a small business can impact how well that business performs. So getting the right people on your team is integral to your success.   Employment placement agencies can cost more than a small business owner has budgeted for recruitment.  Posting an ad on the major paid online job boards can also be costly.  

Craigslist, despite recent bad publicity, is still one of the best tools to help a small business manager find well-qualified work applicants. When you want to advertise that you have work available, look at similar ads on Craigslist and other online job boards to see how to write a job ad. Post your ad for free on Craigslist, and if your first run doesn’t get suitable applicants, revisit your ad and your subject line. Sometimes running the same ad with a different subject line gets different results.  

When you get candidates who look good on paper, listen to your instincts when you talk with them. Meet them in public places such as coffee shops. Use common sense as part of your hiring and look for people who are good at what they do. You can also look for people who you personally like, but prioritize their ability to do the job over how much you like them. Even though as a small business owner you can work to make your business an enjoyable part of your life, the quality of work produced by people you hire directly impacts your business.  

Another place you can find good candidates, particularly if you’re looking for self-employed people, is through networking events. Hiring people who have their own business, whether it’s graphic design, virtual assistant, or other, often means hiring someone who is working from their strength.  These people will tend to care about their work because they’re running their own business.

You can also find good candidates through friends, although it’s probably not a good idea to hire friends because of the lack of objectivity you may have in assigning them work and judging the quality of their work.  

Whether you find the best-qualified candidates through advertising, networking or word-of-mouth, hiring the right people is an important step towards helping your business succeed.

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