When it comes to the most essential elements responsible for achieving business success, human resources ranks high on the list. Whether it’s a handful of employees or hundreds of them, workers are crucial. They’re the boots on the ground, the eyes always watching, and the talent required to turn ideas and visions into products and services.
photo credit: Gustavo Fring / Pexels
With this in mind, it’s easy to see how finding the right workers is critical to small business success. However, doing so can be easier said than done. There are billions of people out there and only so many positions. How do you find the needle in the haystack, the diamond in the rough?
While every business is different – thus every hiring process is different as well – the following serves as a useful guide for finding the right workers for your business, regardless of sector, size, and type:
Go global
It’s never been easier for small business owners to outsource responsibilities overseas. In doing so, they open themselves up to an exceptionally vast pool of potential candidates. While hiring overseas workers also means relying on international payroll solutions, the move will still lead to significant savings without compromising quality.
It’s just one way for business owners to find the best workers for their operation.
Be competitive
If you want to find the best candidates, you need to offer competitive pay and benefits. Due to the Great Resignation, doing so has never been more important. People are less willing to go to bat for minimum wage than ever before, requiring small business owners to do what it takes to offer good pay along with a respectable benefits package.
Failure to do so will lead to difficulty finding anyone willing to work for you, let alone the very best candidates.
Interview correctly
The job interview process is traditionally considered to be a high-stakes situation for the candidates. However, as the number of applicants drops, the pressure grows for the company doing the hiring. Interviews become less about weeding out the bad apples and more about detecting the diamond in the rough.
Do your best to learn how to screen job candidates and hire the right people. Doing so saves time and money while also minimizing hassles and headaches.
Prioritize experience
The gig economy and general trend towards freelancing and independent contracting means more people are working without an established track record. Rather than eliminate them from the pool of candidates, make a point to prioritize experience over credentials. It’s not about who they know, it’s what they know.
Sit candidates down and go over the basic responsibilities. Follow up by throwing a few curveballs their way. Trust your gut and go with the one who seems to have the best grasp on what it takes to succeed.
Spot red flags
One of the most critical aspects of the hiring process is learning how to spot potential red flags. For instance, is the candidate avoiding eye contact? Does their work history reveal a pattern of suddenly quitting? Potential red flags may appear after you’ve hired them, requiring vigilance in the days and weeks to follow.
Given the events of recent years, you may want to overlook gaps in employment and inconsistent career paths, which are traditionally considered red flags.
Use recruiters
Running a business is hard work. Many small business owners don’t have the time to effectively scour the globe for the best employee candidates. This is where a recruitment service enters the picture. Recruiters do the work on your behalf, sending you a small pool of candidates they’ve vetted as qualified and reputable.
It’s perhaps never been harder for small business owners to find qualified job candidates. The reasons are many, and it boils down to a combination of factors. The bottom line is that human resources are too important to put to the side. While the hiring process is time-consuming, distracting, and increasingly difficult, it remains as essential as ever.
Will you run the risk of hiring people who bring your company down, or do what it takes to ensure everyone on your payroll is the best possible choice? It’s your call.
Julie Steinbeck is a freelance writer from Florida. She enjoys covering topics related to business, finance, and travel.