How to Staff a Business
Choosing when to staff your business and who you select to join your business are some of the most vital decisions a growing business has to make. Working alone can only take a business owner so far---at some point you have to take the next step and hire someone or the quality of work and the product will begin to suffer. Even if your staff "can't do it as well as you can," when you are maxed out, you cannot do it as well as you can either. Hiring staff can be intimidating, but using some simple guidelines can make the process smoother and give better results.
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Instructions
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Determine just what you need help with, what can you delgate and what can only be done by you. Decide if you need someone part-time or full-time, as an assistant or as a partner, and whether or not this is a growth position.
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Write up a job description---one that sets out what you expect your prospective employee to do and what the employee can expect from the position. Write up a list of personality characteristics and skills a person would need to have in order to be successful at this job. This gives you a checklist that will help you find the right person for the job and decide between candidates in a more objective way.
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Figure out your staffing budget; include projections for how much money the right person could bring into your business. You have to be able to afford to pay your staff, but you have to pay a fair wage to get a solid, quality candidate. Check sites like salary.com to see what the going rate is and try to stick in that range and consult with an accountant to be sure you are figuring in any tax regulations into your figures.
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Consider part-time or paid internships through local schools if you have a limited budget but need a quality candidate. Be creative in finding ways to compensate staff if the budget is a little short, such as offering training, discounts or other financial valuables, day care solutions, flex-time or tele-commuting options.
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Write an ad that not only spells out what you need, but that will attract the right candidate to you. A quality candidate has options and can choose where he wishes to work; answer the question of why he should come to work for you honestly.
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Place ads in the newspaper, job websites and local information boards. Low-cost or free sources like Craigslist or local papers geared toward your trade are a good place to start. You can also inquire with trade associations and networking groups in your area.
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Read resumes thoroughly and develop a list of questions for each solid prospect. Do not hire anyone strictly off the strength of her resume; talk to her and get to know her, especially if you will be working closely together.
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Meet the strongest prospects in person in an environment that lets you both focus on relaxed conversation. Ask questions that encourage give-and-take answers and do not "grill" prospects. Be yourself, so they will be themselves and you will have an easier time discovering how you truly relate with this person
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Check references; ask if the past employers would rehire the prospect. Make sure that this person has the experience you are counting on and that he is the person he seems to be. Keep any questions within local employment laws; for example, in some areas you cannot ask personal questions about a prospect's prior job experience.
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References
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