Essential Steps When Hiring Your First Employee

Essential Steps When Hiring Your First Employee

Growing your ranks and hiring a new employee for your startup is an exciting milestone – but it’s also a daunting challenge. On one hand, the fact that you’re hiring your first employee means your company is taking off, and more help is needed to tackle the growing demands of the business. However, on the other, you’re now tasked with searching out great candidates and finding the right person for the job. What should you look for? How do you know if a candidate is trustworthy? How do you pick just one person from a pool of talented applicants?

$C:\Users\Inseev\Downloads\shutterstock_1259195047.jpg$

Unfortunately, the answer isn’t always cut-and-dried, and there are plenty of factors you’ll need to consider before sending out an offer letter. You’ll need a great hiring process plan in place, a bit of logic, and a whole lot of patience – if you’re diligent, though, you’ll find the right person who can help you take your business to the next level.

Creating a Job Description

Before you can post a job listing, you need to craft the perfect job description. The position you’re offering likely has certain parameters that need to be spelled out clearly. Do you require a certain level of education? Are you looking for applicants that already have experience in your industry? Does the job require the individual to have a driver’s license, in order to deliver items or visit clients? Answering these questions is a great place to start, but you’ll need to go a bit more in-depth with your job description.

If you need a bit of guidance, check out Workable.com, which offers plenty of job description templates and examples to work off of.

Posting Your Listing

You’ve created the perfect job description – now it’s time to post it. Where to find the right applicants? There are plenty of job listing sites to choose from: Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn, and even Craigslist. Which should you choose? In many cases, the answer is “all of the above”. The more eyes you can get on your job listing, the wider you cast your net – and the more applicants you’ll pull in. However, depending on your budget, you may need to be strategic about where you advertise your job opening. You also may want to look beyond the typical job posting sites: you’ll find an array of bright-eyed applicants at local colleges and universities. If the position you’re hiring for is entry-level, college job listing boards are a great avenue to consider.

Holding Interviews

Once you’ve found applicants with promising resumes, invite them in for an in-person interview. Have a list of questions prepared, but try to carry on the conversation without constantly referring to your notes. If you hire this individual, you’ll need to be able to communicate well and have a great working relationship.

Run a Background Check

Your applicant had a great resume and knocked your socks off during the in-person interview – it’s time to make an offer, right? Wrong. NEVER rely on intuition alone, especially when hiring your first employee – a person who could make or break your business growth. Verified small business background checks are a crucial piece of the hiring puzzle, and can help ensure your applicant:

1. Is who they say they are

2. Has the experience their resume indicates

3. Doesn’t have past records that would make them the wrong fit for your company

Use a certified service that follows FCRA regulations and offers comprehensive information so that you can make a confident hiring decision.

Make an Offer

They passed the background check with flying colors, and you’re ready to lock down your new hire. Type up an offer letter that provides all the essential information in writing: salary, start date, and your signature. If luck is on your side, your preferred applicant will sign the dotted line, and you will be a proud first-time employer.

If you’re considering expanding your startup and hiring your first employee, make sure you keep the above in mind in order to find the perfect fit for your business. With a bit of work, a bit of intuition, and a bit of luck, you’ll find a great job candidate who checks all the boxes. Happy employee hunting!