You’re finally ready to start hiring. This is a major milestone for any small business owner, especially since it means you can stop overstretching yourself and focus on growing the business. While there are benefits to hiring employees, there are also many things you should consider before you bring someone on board. The wrong decision can hurt your reputation, your customer base, and ultimately your profits.
How should you approach small business hiring? Here are our best tips straight from our MarketLync experts.
1. Decide Whether to Hire Contractors or Employees
Before you hire, consider whether a permanent employee or contractor makes sense for the role.
Contractors are self-employed and typically specialize in specific skills, such as consulting, web design, writing, legal, and coding, for example. Contractors set their own hours, provide their own equipment, and have full control over how, when, and where their work is performed. They are also responsible for their own taxes, including the portion usually paid by the employer. If you only need this position for a short period of time and can’t provide ongoing work, a contractor might be a better option.
Employees are permanent and become part of your company ecosystem. They are required to work according to your terms, but you are responsible for providing them with equipment, technology, and other things they need for work. This is a better option if you need ongoing help and want more control over how work is performed.
However, there are legal rules to follow when classifying individuals as contractors or employees. Check with your state’s requirements to ensure you don’t misclassify an employee.
2. Find the Balance of Personality and Skill
Knowing how to do a job well is important, but so is an employee’s ability to fit in with your company. Every employee represents your company’s image. If you have multiple employees, you want to ensure they “mesh” so that collaboration is easier and more productive. Don’t let skill overshadow culture fit .
3. Use Employment Contracts
Contracts are useful for employees and small business owners alike. They define the terms of the job, including things like pay, benefits, work hours, and holidays, so there are no misunderstandings later.
4. Work With a Recruitment Agency
For small business owners wearing many hats, finding time to properly recruit an employee can be next to impossible. Using a recruitment agency can help you get closer to finding that perfect candidate without taking much time away from your business.
Recruitment agencies do most of the heavy lifting for you, including vetting candidates, conducting background checks, and even doing pre-employment drug testing, if that’s important to you. They can also handle all the legal paperwork on your behalf so you can focus on doing a good interview and finding the right candidate for your business.
If you’re ever in any doubt about how to hire people for your business, the best thing to do is to talk to a certified expert in your state who has a good understanding of your profession or industry. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Bringing on the right candidate can do wonders for your small business growth. For advice on making a successful hire, consult with a MarketLync expert now.
