Hiring a new employee is an important decision, and not one that should be rushed or taken lightly.
Not only do you want to try and find the right person, but you should also make doubly sure that you actually need to be hiring someone new in the first place – especially if you’re a small business where every penny matters.
If you do decide you need to hire someone, you need to consider things like where to find your candidates, how much you want to pay them, and if you want to offer any perks.
We’ll break all of this down for you, and even explain what to do if a candidate makes a counter offer.
Identify the need for a new hire
It can sometimes be obvious that you need to begin the process of finding someone new.
For example, if a previous employee hands in their notice.
Talent retention can be a struggle for smaller businesses who are unable to offer the kinds of salaries found elsewhere, as they simply don’t have the resources.
This means you may have to face the reality that people will come and go – at least until you grow your business to a point where you can offer clear progression.
Other times, it’s less obvious that you need to take on new staff.
You may just notice that your workload is getting a bit much, or that employees are missing deadlines.
These can be indicators that it’s time to start looking for help.
It’s important to think about the long-term. If work is heavy at the moment, because of a specific deadline or project – it may be better (and more cost-efficient) to outsource instead.
If that isn’t the case, and it’s busy around the clock – it’s time to look for your new hire.
Define the role clearly
Once you’ve decided you need to recruit, write up a clear job description which can be used to help advertise the role.
This should outline the key responsibilities, required skills and qualifications, and the preferred experience level.
You’ll also want to explain the reporting structure, as well as what success might look like in the role.
Lastly, if there are any particular benefits or perks to working in your business, be sure to list these, too, as they may help entice potential candidates.
An example might be free parking, or a catered lunch.
Determine salary and employment terms
The next thing to do is undertake some market research into average salary levels for the kind of job you’re looking to fill.
You’ll need to decide on the following:
- Salary range
- Benefits and incentives
- Working hours and flexibility
- Contract type (e.g. full-time, part-time, temporary, or freelance)
Again, if your resources are limited then you may need to place more emphasis on something like flexibility in order to still appear like an attractive option.
Choose where to advertise the role
Conduct more research and figure out which channels or sites will allow you to reach your target demographic.
Examples include job boards like Indeed, professional networks like LinkedIn, recruitment agencies, social media, and of course your own company website so that people can apply directly.
Internal referrals can be another good option given that an employee is unlikely to risk their reputation by referring someone who isn’t a good fit.
Conduct interviews
After drawing up a shortlist of suitable candidates, looking for both technical ability and also cultural fit, you can start the process of interviewing them.
Try to prepare structured interview questions, and in the interview itself, assess such things as the candidate’s skills and experience, problem-solving ability, and their alignment with your company’s values.
Don’t be afraid to hold multiple interview stages if necessary, and do your due diligence as an employer: contact previous employers or professional references, confirm the candidate’s employment history, etc.
You really don’t want to get this decision wrong, so feel free to take your time.
Make an offer
Think you’ve found the one?
Great.
Make them your best possible offer, including things like the salary, start date, and contract details.
Now, when you interview somebody for a job vacancy and offer them the role, they might sometimes respond with a counter offer, so be prepared to negotiate.
Their counter offer could be regarding hours, location, or responsibilities – but let’s be real: it’s usually about pay.
This may have always been their intention, and now that they know you’re interested in hiring them, they feel emboldened enough to try their luck.
Ultimately, it’ll be up to you to decide whether it’s worth it. You could come to an agreement with them. Say, for example, they’re asking for £5k more, you can agree, once they’ve completed their probation period.
Onboard the new employee
All that’s left is to provide a structured induction for your new hire, introducing them to the team and company processes. If it’s your first hire, make sure you’re registered for PAYE, and you understand how payroll works (when it comes to deducting things like NI and income tax).
Reiterate your expectations of them and even set some early goals to get things started.
Of course, you should also make yourself available to offer support and guidance during the early stages.
Before you know it, they’ll be part of the team!
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