Business growth can be exciting. What may have started as a solo operation can quickly become more than what one person can manage independently. That can sometimes mean small fledgling businesses start thinking about hiring their very first employee.
However, not every entrepreneur understands the best steps to take to hire the right person for their business. If you are also held at this junction, then you might like to start with some of the following tips. They are going to help you in the journey of hiring your first employees.
Essential Steps to Hire Your First Employee
Step 1: Perform Research
Research can be crucial when this is your first time hiring a new employee. Explore companies you can use to run your first background check on prospective employees and ensure your offerings align with industry standards.
It’s also crucial to compare salaries, read the job ads of your competitors, and see what keywords they are using to lure in qualified applicants. The more you learn about the hiring process before publishing your own ad, the greater your chances of securing the right employee.
Step 2: Write a Job Description
When you’ve never had an employee before, it’s only natural to struggle to write a job description. After all, you might not yet have a clearly defined role or know exactly what the new employee would do every day.
Writing a job description in the early stages of the hiring process can help you work out those finer details. You can think about what you need in an employee and the skills and qualifications you want them to have to benefit your bottom line.
At a minimum, ensure your job description has some of the following information:
Job title
Job summary or purpose
- Employer name
- Tasks and responsibilities
- Required qualifications and skills
- Salary and benefits
- Working hours
Step 3: Write a Standout Job Title
Job titles are among the first things people see when searching for a new job online. When they see a job title that aligns with their skills, they can click on it to read the job description and see if it’s right for them.
As a result, it can be worth setting time aside to create a clear job title that will attract suitable candidates. Consider what people would be searching for if looking for a job like the one you have available.
For example, if you’re looking for a bookkeeper for your small business, you might make ‘small business bookkeeper’ your job title.
Step 4: Publish Your Job Ad
After writing a standout job ad, it’s time to publish it. However, don’t just post your job ad on any site you can think of. Consider where suitably qualified people will be looking for jobs. Post it where you’ll gain the most traction.
If your job would suit a broad range of people, consider posting it online and in physical locations to expand your reach. Just don’t forget to take your job ads down when you’ve found the perfect person for the job.
Step 5: Review Resumes
Before long, you may notice that you’re starting to get resumes rolling in from prospective new employees. This can be exciting because it means people are interested in your job and helping your business become the success it deserves to be.
Once the job application deadline has been reached, start reviewing applicants’ resumes to see who would be the most fitting person for the job.
If you have many to sort through, arrange them into three piles (yes, no, and maybe) to speed up the process. Once you have your pile of ‘yes’ resumes, sort through them to gain insight into qualifications, skills, experience, and past achievements. When you have a short list, you can move on to the next step.
Step 6: Hold Interviews
With your shortlist ready, now could be the right time to start planning interviews. Hold pre-screening discussions to ask basic questions and get to know applicants before meeting them in person or on a video call for an interview.
You can also prepare paperwork for background check approvals and start drafting a letter of offer for the eventual winning candidate. Don’t forget to prepare a list of job interview questions, such as:
- Can you tell us about yourself?
- What made you apply for this job?
- Can you tell us what your strengths and weaknesses are?
- Are there any specific reasons you want to work with us?
- How did you get to know about this position?
- Do you have any questions for us?
Step 7: Hire Your New Employee
After a multi-step process, you might be ready to officially hire your new employee. Don’t forget to check references and thoroughly read background check information before officially asking your successful applicant to work for you. You can now welcome them into your business!
Final Note
Hiring your first employee can be a multi-step process that takes a great deal of time. While time-consuming, it can be worth putting in this effort to improve your chances of hiring the right person for the job.