Employees are the biggest assets and play an important role in the growth (and success) of a business or a company. Many small businesses struggle to grow alongside the economy because they cannot fill key positions with the right people fast enough.
Even spikes in market demands and sudden workloads are much more difficult to handle when the business doesn’t have the right people for the job.
Hiring the right employees for your small business is a challenge, especially in a market as competitive as it is today. There are hundreds – even thousands – of other start-ups and small businesses trying to win the expertise and skills of potential candidates. To have the best chance of building a strong team, you need to be able to attract the best candidates for your small business. There are several things you can do to make the process more manageable.
Present Yourself
A lot of small business owners forget that candidates evaluate their future employers as much as employers evaluate candidates. It is a two-way process that involves both parties. You can’t expect valuable candidates to apply for a position in your business if they don’t find your business interesting.
Before posting your next job vacancy ad, do some cleaning and take steps to improve your online presence; just like candidates maintain their CV online, businesses need to maintain a strong online image and presence. Make sure candidates can search for information about your business easily, and that the details they get are positive and encouraging.
When candidates show interest, give them the opportunity to ask more about the company. Instead of asking them to apply right away, provide a separate email address or contact information for candidates who want to learn more about the business and the position first. It is a new approach that is proven to be effective.
A Clear Job Description
Trying to hire someone that can do everything is a waste of time and energy in today’s market. The best employees are steering towards specialisation. They sharpen a specific set of skills and they are very good at what they do. You have to recruit several key employees to cover your business needs, but you get better employees with higher skills in return.
This means that recruiting employees with a broad job description is a big no. To attract the best candidates, you want the job description you post in vacancy ads to be as specific and targeted as it can be. Focus on the tasks that need to be completed and limit the potential scope of work accordingly.
Don’t forget to make it clear too. As a matter of fact, the entire ad needs to be clear enough and easy to understand. Even the best candidates will only spend a few seconds to scan your vacancy ad before deciding to read it in full, so you have to be extra certain that the ad itself contains key phrases that allow it to be understood within seconds.
Search Your Network
You often don’t need to look far for the best candidates. The people within your professional network and that of your existing employees can be the best people to consider for key roles in your business. Instead of spending more time trying to reach new candidates, don’t forget to think about the people around you.
The next time you need a new marketing officer, for example, ask the existing marketing team to recommend candidates. People in the same industry will have a strong network filled with potential candidates for you to consider. You can also use social media – including your LinkedIn profile – to personally ask for recommendations.
Another way to tap into your existing network is through business operations. If you are used to attending trade shows or working closely with clients, you will find more sources of potential candidates in them. There is nothing wrong with asking a client for recommendations when you are looking for candidates.
Maintain Your Candidates
Last but not least, make sure you maintain good relationships with the potential candidates that have come your way. Recruitment is never a one-time thing. As the business grows, you will need to hire more capable people and fill key roles. Why struggle to find candidates every time you need to hire an employee when you can develop a pool of potential candidates over time?
During the screening process, you should be able to identify candidates that aren’t really a perfect fit for the current opening but may suit the company in the future. Set aside details for those candidates and make sure you contact them to build a more personal relationship. Your future recruitment is much easier to manage this way.
With the tips and tricks that we covered in this article, attracting great candidates to fill key roles in your small business should not be a problem. Use these tips to your advantage and find the best people to support the growth of your company.
