5 hiring tips for small business owners
Recruitment is one of the many hats that small business owners wear. If you haven’t had much experience hiring before, the process can feel overwhelming – especially since getting it wrong costs both time and money.
For first-hand insights into recruitment challenges, two small business owners share the hiring lessons they’ve learned along the way. Below are their hiring tips and mistakes to avoid, particularly for first-time recruiters.
1. Skills can be taught; personality and attitude can’t
Just because a candidate has great skills on paper, doesn’t always mean they’ll be a great fit for a role. Instead, Chrissy Symeonakis, Founder & Creative Director of marketing agency Creative Little Soul, looks for the right personality and attitude in candidates. Since starting the business in 2013, she’s grown the agency to a team of 10.
“I can teach anyone anything,” she says. “More often, I actually hire people right out of university or interns since it gives me an opportunity to mould them to our way of working.”
This is something Maddison Ryan, Founder of The Digital Hub, agrees with. Her boutique SEO agency now has a team of around six people that regularly fluctuates over the year due to different project needs.
“You can have someone who’s really experienced, but if they don’t have the right characteristics and personal attributes, they might not fit in with the team,” she says. “You can teach the job, but not the personality.”
2. Always do reference checks
In the excitement to get someone into a role, some small businesses overlook reference checks – especially if a candidate came from within their network. But doing the proper reference checks during the hiring process helps to avoid issues later on.
“Reference checking is so important, but I know a lot of people don’t do it,” says Symeonakis.
“I’ve met a lot of people who seem good on paper. Sometimes when small businesses hire, it’s because they need the help right now and might feel like they are drowning in work. When this happens, you may just take potential candidates at face value. But failing to do the proper checks can mean you aren’t aware of the candidate’s previous patterns of bad attendance, poor communication, or other issues.”
While reference checks aren’t foolproof, past employers help you catch any major red flags or past poor behaviour. Ask questions such as ‘Would you hire this person again?’ or ‘How did they handle feedback?’. If a candidate can’t provide references, even after you’ve requested them, that’s usually a red flag too.
3. Set clear expectations for a role, right from the start
One of the biggest lessons Ryan learned as a small business owner was to set clear expectations up front. “When I first started hiring, I was focused on training and getting the work started and didn’t clearly define expectations around availability and flexible working,” she says.
In one case, it turned out an employee was working a second job during the same hours – which was only found out when she accidentally shared her screen during a call. “The issue wasn’t the second job itself,” says Ryan. “It was that she wasn't honest up front from the interview, and there were no clear boundaries around working hours and communication style from the start.”
She now knows how important it is to be clear from the start about expectations, availability, ways of working and how performance is measured. This structure goes a long way, especially once someone onboards. Make sure to document policies and processes and set clear goals and objectives.
4. Avoid hiring too quickly – you don’t have to start with someone full time straight away.
There are many moving parts when you’re trying to scale. That’s why you don’t always need to hire a full-time employee straight away. “You might just need someone part time or a contractor for certain tasks,” says Ryan. “It comes down to cash flow, too.”
Bringing someone on in a contract or part-time basis also helps you get a feel for how they work with you and other team members. “From there, you can work out if they could transition to a full-time role,” she says.
If you’re just starting to hire, this approach tests if a certain role is actually needed. Remember, recruitment should always start with planning and a clear business need. Then, sort out training, documentation and processes up front to set new starters up for success.
5. Hire for the skills and experience you’re missing
One of the biggest mistakes, says Symeonakis, is hiring based on what you think you need instead of what actually removes pressure from the business. Small business owners often look for someone to replicate the work they do. Instead, look for someone who complements your existing skills and has expertise in what you’re lacking.
If you’re a creative, this could be someone more process and admin-oriented. As a business owner, it’s best to focus your time on the skills no one else can help with.
“Don’t be afraid to hire someone,” says Symeonakis. “It can be a really daunting task, but if you want to scale your business, then you have to outsource tasks and expand your team.”
Hiring is an exciting next step in the growth of your business. While there’s no foolproof way to hire, learning from other small business owners will help you avoid making the same mistakes.