Recruiting and Hiring

  Find the right addition to your company!


When most people think of recruiting a new employee, they tend to think only of classified ads and interviews.

But, there is much more to successful hiring than that.  It begins with determining if there really is a need for and ability to pay a new employee.

Should you hire someone? 

We see businesses make the mistake of confusing lack of organization for labor shortage.  The impact of disorganization is very real for many businesses, but, there are far more cost effective ways to managing that situation as opposed to adding new staff.  Grasslands Business Services business consultants can work with you to examine your day and improve your own organization and efficiency.

You have decided you need to hire new staff 

What type of position should you recruit for?  

  • Full-Time Employee
    • PROS: Most people only work one full time job and you are most likely to have increased control over their time and loyalty.  Full time employees also get a much better view of the business and make excellent buyers should you elect to sell your business.
    • CONS: Expense of adherence to labor laws, additional insurance/benefits and paid time off. Can you offer enough to be competitive for quality personnel?
  • Part-Time Employee
    • PROS: You are able to control their work at a lower cost as well as reduced benefits expense.
    • CONS: They may have another job elsewhere, or be looking for one, and loyalty may be sacrificed. 
  • Temporary Help
    • PROS: Fill in for a full-time employee who is on vacation, leave of absence or illness. Reduced payroll administration and fringe benefits as well as a short term commitment.
    • CONS: Increased labor expense to the recruiter.
  • Leased Employee
    • PROS: Reduced expenses, economies of scale effect
    • CONS: Employee morale decrease, they may see it as a threat to their job.
  • Independent Contractor
    • PROS: Useful when you need a particular skill or technical knowledge for a specific project that is expected to last a relatively short amount of time.
    • CONS: Additional risk of offsite person acting on behalf of your company or brand and requirement of an Independent Contractor Agreement to outline the terms of their service.

Government Regulations

It is extremely important that you become aware of the state and federal laws that affect your relationship to you new employee.  Here are some links to sites discussing some of these regulations; however this is not intended to be a complete list for each business in each state.  Please consult with a professional to determine which regulations will impact you and your business. 

While you must have 15 or more employees to become subject to the most complex and comprehensive federal anti-discrimination laws, similar laws sometimes apply to employers with only one employee.  State laws can be broader in scope, so that protection is provided to additional groups beyond those covered by federal law. 

As you can see this process is not as straightforward as many assume, however it is not insurmountable by any means. By determining the overall need, type of employee needed to fill that gap and a review of the legal implications you are ready to begin the recruitment process.  Future issues will tackle this process, but we hope this information will assist you in your search.

 

Defining the Job You Need Done

Once you decide that you need to hire someone, you must determine exactly what you want the person to do for your business. Particularly if you are hiring that first employee, try to narrow it down into a list of specific tasks before you decide what job qualifications you'll be looking for.  One method looks to itemize the tasks that could most easily be taught to a new employee while another looks to fill the skills you and your employees lack.

Once you know what the job will entail you will create a list of job qualifications, such as:

  • Ability and Experience
    • This is a difficult area to judge as it sometimes includes an innate, personal trait, and other time it is a by-product of education or experience.  You will have to ask the right questions to judge this for yourself.
  • Education
  • Language
  • Skills
  • Physical Strength

Once you've determined exactly what tasks your employee must perform and what your job qualifications are, you're ready to combine them into a written job description. 

 

Publicizing Your Job Opening

There are several good ways to let the world know about your job opening, including advertising, personal recruiting, and using outside employment agencies.

  • Newspaper Advertising
    • A classified ad taken out in a newspaper is the most common way to advertise a job opening. 
    • A blind ad does not identify the name of the company seeking employees, but instead lists an anonymous location to which job seekers can send their resume.
  • Trade Journals
    • Ideal place to look for a candidate with special skills or background.

    • High Cost
  • Online Posting
    • Ability to reach a broader geographic area, quicker response time, ease of use.
    • Saturation with low quality applicants.
  • Personal Recruiting
    • Everyone knows someone who needs a job!
  • Outsourced Recruiting
    • High expense
    • Saves time and uses highly specialized labor for this task.

Interviewing Your Candidate

Assessing applicants qualifications by talking to them is a highly subjective method of choosing employees but it's worth it.  After all, one of the most important qualifications a person must have for any job is the right personanlity to work well with you and any co-workers.

Preparing beforehand is the key to a successful interview. Here are some guidelines we have found successful:

  • Interview 3-6 candidates
  • Conduct initial interviews over the phone or at your office
  • Prepare a list of questions based on your review of their resume and qualifications
  • Make sure you allow enough time
  • Establish rapport and put the candidate at ease to get the best results from each interview
  • Use open ended questions like how, what when, etc.
  • Provide the applicant information about the company and the details of the position

Checking Backgrounds

Many people misrepresent their background and credentials and that makes it important to do at least a little checking.  Be sure to advise applicants that no offer of employment will be made until satisfactory due diligence is conducted.  Here is a summary list of areas to inquire upon:

  • Prior Employment 
  • Education 
  • Credit History
  • Driving Records
  • Criminal Records

Making the Hire

Grasslands Business Services recommends that you make your job offer over the phone, so you can get a quick answer to the offer and so that your chosen applicant doesn't get snapped up by someone else while your written offer is still in the mail.

When you extend the offer, be certain to include the following:

  • Position Offered
  • Salary and Benefits
  • Starting Date
  • Documentation they should bring on the first day
  • Deadline by which the applicant must respond to the job offer

Once all this is done, the rest is......paperwork!