Hiring Employees

MoneyWatch for September 2008
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Recruiting and hiring the best employees is an ongoing challenge for any business.  For small businesses, these decisions are even more critical because of staff size.  The smaller the size of the business, the more impact an employee will have on the operations of the business.  As a result, knowing how to select the “right” person for the job could result in considerable gains in productivity and profitability.  Here are some tips from COSE that will help you build a superior staff and thus a more successful company.

Know What You Want
When you write a job description, be specific about what you need in a candidate

Ask for Help
Consider hiring a staffing or HR firm to screen candidates for you

Networking
Network with colleges or local trade associations to find the best applicants

Listen Well
Limit your talking during the interview to allow the candidate to speak the most

Focus on Personality
Focus on attitude more than ability

Testing
Behavioral and personality tests can tell you a lot about an applicant

Don’t Hire a Crook
Make sure to conduct a background check on any potential candidate

Click on these links for more tips and resources.

Local Resources

COSE: Hiring Tips to Help you Reel in the Perfect Catch
National City: Hiring Employees and Keeping them Happy

National Resources

Entrepreneur: When and How to Hire Additional Employees
Entrepreneur: Top 7 Hiring Mistakes for Startups
BusinessWeek: When to Say, “You’re Hired!”
Inc.com: Finding the Right Person at the Right Time
Inc.com: Various Articles on Hiring Employees
About.com: More Articles on Hiring Employees
USAToday: Hiring Your First Employee
U.S Small Business Administration (SBA): The Interview Process - How To Select The “Right” Person

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Research assistance for MoneyWatch is from Cleveland State University Nance College of Business Administration. Information on the Nance MBD program is available here.