The downsizings and layoffs of the recession injected many experienced, highly qualified job seekers into the market. Many of these individuals are still available, and now may be the time to selectively recruit candidates who will fortify your core team and increase your bench strength. The following tips will help you re-evaluate your employee hiring practices so that you’re well-positioned for growth.
Re-build Your Team with Minimal Risk
If you’ve had to implement stopgap staffing solutions, now is the time to review those decisions and plan for the future. Post-recession, businesses are understandably wary of adding staff prematurely. But operating with a team that’s too lean could cause you to miss out on growth opportunities. And if your company lacks necessary knowledge or industry experience, you might lose market share to competitors.
Avoid the risk of overhiring by taking a flexible approach to staffing. Instead of automatically refilling a vacant position, carefully assess workflow. Consider whether you could assign the role to another employee, or distribute the position’s responsibilities among the current members of your staff.
If you do decide to hire, ask yourself if the position still justifies hiring a full-time employee. Could you manage with interim help on an as-needed basis? Hiring professionals on a temporary basis allows you to staff up and down quickly and easily as needs dictate. Looking at it from a cost perspective, this approach allows you to turn fixed costs into variable ones by accessing the talent you need at just the right time. Instead of responding to broad economic cycles, you can tie hiring to the unique ebb and flow of your company’s business.
How to Find Power Players
Positions that are seasonal or affected by fluctuating client demand may lend themselves to a temporary or project-based approach. But you may decide that other functions, such as critical management jobs, need to be full-time. For these positions, you’ll want to look for “power players” who can fill multiple roles, smoothly handle a range of duties and work comfortably with a fluid, evolving job description.
Some companies use social media sites such as LinkedIn to post job ads, search for prospective recruits and network with potential hires. Your online efforts should augment, not replace, traditional one-on-one, personal contact, however. The most successful hiring strategies depend on a combination of resources that also include outreach to potential candidates through networking events as well as relationships built with reputable recruiters.
Seek Candidates with a Small-Business Mindset
The types of employees who thrive in a small-business environment often have identifiable skill sets and temperaments. Beyond job-related qualifications, seek candidates who show strength and experience in these areas:
Entrepreneurial approach. These individuals think creatively and help their employers move toward strategic goals. The work histories of such candidates demonstrate that they are able to come up with innovative solutions, work autonomously and add value to a company.
Team orientation. Look for candidates who have experience working collaboratively. There are no silos in small firms, and employees must be able to get along with the rest of the group. A “lone wolf” can have a greater negative impact at a small firm than at a large corporation, because a lack of cooperation can drag down the entire staff’s productivity and morale.
Focus on customer service. Even if the position you want to fill doesn’t deal directly with customers, you still want people who understand the importance of providing superior service and contributing to customer satisfaction. In a small business, all employees must support one another’s customer service goals.
Small business experience. For a small firm to succeed, its employees must have a strong sense of ownership and pride in the company. Look for candidates who know first-hand the realities of working for a small business and have the demonstrated ability to wear many hats at once.
Make a Persuasive Sales Pitch
The strongest job candidates always have a number of job opportunities from which to choose. Large companies with more abundant benefits or higher salaries than you can offer may be courting them. When recruiting top talent, you must be prepared to highlight your firm’s unique selling points.
In job interviews with candidates, start by emphasizing the advantages of working for a small business like yours. Showcase strong points such as your firm’s flexibility, informality or commitment to employee satisfaction. Talk about your special corporate culture or the camaraderie of your workplace. You might invite your top performers to speak to candidates about what they like best about your firm.
Show job seekers that you invest in your workers. Highlight all the ways your company supports employee career growth. These might include employer-sponsored training or tuition reimbursement for continuing professional education, mentoring programs, employer-paid membership in professional associations or time off to attend trade conferences.
Remember that ambitious, talented individuals like to have an impact in their jobs. Play up the fact that, at your firm, employees often can make a bigger difference than they would at a larger firm. Try to give specific examples of ways your employees have played key roles in shaping your company’s procedures or policies.
Employees who know your business inside and out, provide superior customer service and bring value to the organization are your most important resource. If you accurately assess your needs and look for candidates who are a good fit, you’ll build a team that can help your firm reach its long-term business goals.
Robert Half International has more than 360 staffing locations worldwide and offers online job search services on its divisional websites, all of which can be accessed at www.rhi.com. This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half Management Resources, North America’s largest consulting services firm providing senior-level accounting and finance professionals on a project basis. For further information, visit www.roberthalfmr.com or follow Robert Half Management Resources on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalfmr
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