So you’ve built a good foundation for your small business – your start-up is off the ground, and you need help. Though the most common piece of advice you’ll find is to put off hiring as long as possible, you’ll know when the time comes that you need at least one employee. It’s a landmark moment for you as a business owner and a very big decision, and there are a lot of factors to consider. The type of worker you need and the areas you need them to be skilled in will vary by the size and type of the business you own, but there are some common guidelines that apply to most prospective first-time employers and some common mistakes you can easily avoid.
Ways to Prepare
- Know what you want from your new hire – what responsibilities are you expecting them to have? What do they need to know how to do? What will their schedule be like?
- Research employer guidelines. Know your legal boundaries – what you can and can’t ask in interviews, and what is involved in conducting background checks. Also have a good idea of what your training program will entail, and your method of dealing with employee concerns and discipline.
- Contact your insurance provider to find out what kind of insurance you’re responsible for when it comes to employees. Also download the form to obtain an employer ID number from the IRS, so you can start withholding taxes from paychecks.
- Young people. When you hire workers that are just out of school, they often possess valuable skills, even if they are untested. Plus, they’re more likely to be flexible when it comes to benefits and schedules because they’re jumping for a chance to make their mark at a company.
- Independent workers. Your time as a business owner should not be divided between running the business and supervising the employees. Of course, every employee is going to need guidance, but you want to look for people you can trust to take a task and run with it.
- Workers with a positive outlook. You will find it easiest to work with people whose attitude towards business matches your own, even if your work tactics are much different. Someone who is going to be easily overwhelmed or irritated can zap productivity.
- Friends and family. It’s a tempting way to go for many first-time employers, but it can damage your relationship, especially if their work abilities are not what you thought they were, or you have to fire them for any reason.
- Someone who was successful at a large corporation. They’re used to the shiny perks associated with big companies and not the legwork of a business just getting off the ground – in this different environment, studies show they rarely perform as well.
- Criminals. This goes without saying, but you want to make sure and perform accurate background checks – new businesses are especially vulnerable to people trying to take advantage.
Types of Employees to Look for
Types of Employees to Avoid
Keep in mind that many types of work such as accounting, web design, and marketing can be outsourced – you want to make sure you are hiring someone you really need, because even one employee can be a large drain on cash and resources. But with the right hiring techniques, hiring help for your small business should increase revenue, and make sure that your first employee is the first of many.
– David Greer writes for education blogs where you can learn more about the best online mba.
