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Considering how important it is to just about everything a business does, it’s a surprise that hiring isn’t given more strategic attention. The quality of the team you have around you is the single best predictor of future success for any venture. Those who follow my articles know that I frequently write on the positive trends and the big ideas that small business owners need to be aware of. However, I have not often written about the biggest strategic challenges or problems that you face while recruiting the right team for your small business.

Knowing exactly what you want in your team member illustrates the value of effective baiting, which is a useful principle to apply to recruitment. Remember, Steve Jobs made sure to train people who could fill in for him at Apple. Consider both short-term openings and long-term needs, factoring in how company expansion, personnel changes or industry developments might affect your needs. Identify gaps between your current talent and missing skills by reviewing your organizational chart, functions and personnel.

Of course, no one wants to dwell on the negative, but I thought it makes sense to at least be aware of our largest current and upcoming challenges, since I am predicting that during the next few years we will all encounter a completely transformed world of recruiting. Act proactively to mitigate these major challenges. Don’t let them grow out of control, causing exponential damage to your firm.

The Requirement

At this stage, when your company is still small, it probably doesn’t have a dedicated recruiting team. The tools you use weren’t designed for recruiting. Hiring tends to come in waves, so everyone just pitches in. Spreadsheets are great for accounting, they kind of suck at hiring. And you are amazed at how much a single open position can clog your inbox. This is indicative of you not having much that amounts to a recruiting strategy. As you identify positions that need to be filled, consider your hiring options. Once you’ve identified positions that need filling, write up a profile of your ideal candidate, describing their skill set, experience level and work habits, to create the right recruiting bait.

 

What is it that you can you offer talented employees to make them want to work for you instead of a competitor? Build a job description that offers value to prospective recruits in exchange for the skill you’re seeking. Determine exactly what kind of help you need, instead of saying “I need help”.

Do you need a full-time staff member, part-time employee, ongoing vendor or project contractor? Each has its pros and cons. Full-time staff can increase expense but brings long-term experience and loyalty. Part-time employees offer flexible pay and hours, but may get hired away, and can complicate your benefits and tax liabilities. Vendors and contractors can limit your supervisory authority, but cut your costs. Choose the most applicable option.

Tip: assign full-time employees to your company’s core strengths, and use additional personnel to fill out peripheral duties, such as IT and accounting. It is important to define the job duties and company’s needs. Writing a clear, detailed job description with tasks outlined and skills identified will help you find the ideal employee.

The Hunt

Do you have underutilized employees with skills that could be put to use? Do you have training systems to develop your workers? Look for talent in your own team before looking for it outside. A winning talent search focuses on leveraged recruitment venues. I have always emphasised on the importance of sharing benefit within. So, the first place to look is within.

In this age of technology, you can always take advantage of many of the tools, techniques and resources that larger organizations use to attract and land highly sought-after candidates. Contact HyperEffects to get a website for your company, or chart out a tailor-made tool for your website, to make the process swift, organised and easy. Also, if your site is not mobile-ready, make that a priority. A mobile-ready site helps you in more ways than you would think. It enables you to be available to respond to queries immediately.

What tips do you have for building the right business team? Share them in the comments.

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