Owning a small business is no walk in the park; often it means wearing a number of different hats to ensure that all of the jobs get done. One day you’re working on sales and marketing, the next you’re crunching numbers like you’re some sort of accountant. There’s always a lot going on. But, when the stars align and you’re finally in a position to bring on employees or partners to collaborate with, it can be a challenge. So, if you want to know how to hire for your small business, here are some of my tried-and-true tips to help make sure the process and continued business relationship is seamless.
How to Hire for Your Small Business
Hire the right way
As a small business owner, you may think it’s too early to hire someone, but in most cases, it is never too early. Your main goal should be to build and grow your business and attend to your customers or clients. So, hiring someone to do the work that you really don’t love, or is not helping you to do those three important aforementioned things, is going to be your best bet. Hire someone to take care of your marketing or administrative duties and leave yourself the time (and energy) to do the “good” stuff. And on a similar note, hire other freelancers on an independent contractor basis; this way you’re not paying a salary and you’re able to pay by project rather than weekly or biweekly. It just makes good business sense.
Know your business
It’s important to truly know your business and what your purpose is; it’s not enough to say, “Oh, I’m a social media marketer” or “I’m a photographer.” You have to know and understand how your business serves your community or clients. As a photographer, my purpose is visual storytelling; to tell my clients stories or help them express themselves through photos. If I were to hire someone for my business, I would make sure that the person understands and appreciates that we’re not just “taking pictures” we’re telling a story; I want them to be creative and enthusiastic about that fact.
Similar Personalities: How to Hire for Your Small Business
Ask questions to gauge their personality
When deciding if someone is the right fit for my business, I ask questions to gauge their personality. If you can’t connect with the person you’re working with, the relationship, and therefore the work, is always going to be strained. I always ask them to send me three of the funniest people they know online; people who aren’t famous. This gives me a chance to see who makes them laugh. If I laugh, I know we’re a good fit. Because in business, a sense of humor is critical, especially during challenging situations.
Small business ownership is not without its challenges. When when you take the time to hire the right people to help you, it can mean the difference between growth and stagnation. But the first step is knowing you can’t do it all. You can try but you’re either going to burn yourself out or end up spinning your wheels, or both. Utilize the above tips when you’re ready to hire for your small business to ensure your success now, and in the future.
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