In the current economic climate, selecting the right employees for your emerging business can be as important as setting up a good business development plan.
There are many things to look out for in a prospective employee, and many business owners make a series of elementary mistakes when assessing candidates.
Before Hiring Staff
Mistake #1: Not checking qualifications
Properly assessing a candidate’s qualifications is the most important step in the selection process.
This may seem obvious at first, but many owners of new businesses browse resumes carelessly.
Read each CV you get attentively and at length, especially when selecting the core team for your business.
“Employees’ attitude and behaviours can make or break you”
Mistake #2: Forgetting attitude
In terms of attitude, you should ensure that the candidates you select for the interviewing process would fit well into the type of team you are trying to put together.
Some people work best alone, while others thrive in teams.
Never take team-work abilities for granted, and do not forget to ask candidates about this specifically.
A candidate’s attitude during the interview is also the first clue you will have as to how professional they are.
Someone who knows their job will always speak concise and to the point.
Candidates who are new to the type of business you are interested in will be more nervous during the interviews, and you will be able to detect this.
Mistake #3: Not reviewing behaviours
Another common error when selecting new employees is that business owners rarely take into account the behaviour of a candidate.
Always pay attention to how a prospective candidate behaves during the interview.
This will help you avoid misunderstandings and conflict later on, and will keep your team well-knitted.
After The Hire
“Good employee management is key to a successful business”
Mistake #4: Not continually motivating staff
One thing many employers forget is to properly motivate candidates, both before and after employment.
Do you think your staff will be best motivated if there is no personal reward or recognition?
Invest in recognizing your staff whether through pay rewards or through continual praise of good performance and behaviour.
Practice positive reinforcement whenever possible.
Mistake #5: Keeping poor performers on too long
Business owners often fail to identify the right moment when an employee should be cut loose.
You need to be aware of the expectations you have of your employees at all times, and let them know when they deviate.
When you can no longer efficiently communicate with an employee, you need to cut them loose as soon as possible.
A poor-performing member of staff damages team morale and may mean good staff members get frustrated and leave.
Knowing when to fire someone is as important as knowing when to hire someone.
Through this process, you will be able to maintain a core team of dedicated and motivated professionals.
This is extremely important especially when your business is just getting started. You will have some margin for error later on.
Conclusion
Determining the right candidates for the business you are trying to start is a very complex process.
It requires a lot of attention and expertise, and many new entrepreneurs are not aware of this.
Setting up a good core team is the key to overcoming that dangerous period when a new business starts.