Entrepreneur Resources Your source for small business information
Hunting for the right person is a minefield in the start-up environment. If you have been busy trying to get your business up and running looking for the right person as an employee could be low on your list of priorities. So you may start to panic and pick the first few people where their CV appears to show the relevant experience so they should be able to do the job adequately, right? If you find the right employee, it will save you a lot of hassle in the long run. So when trying to find the right person, there are some things to think about:
Their CV: What Does It Really Say About Them?
Is the CV concise? Is it many pages listing about 20 jobs they’ve done? While they may have experience in the role you’re looking for, but were they in the role for long? Does it show what they’ve learned while being in that role? Do they even have transferable skills that they learn from this role? Sometimes CVs are a very well presented document with all style and no substance. So be careful.
Do They Have Any Applicable Hobbies Or Interests?
FlickrA few lines on a CV such as this may appear quite insignificant when you’re looking to fill a certain role. However, their outside interests say two things. Firstly, if you can form a successful working relationship with them. The second thing is, does there outside interests show them to have any unique aspects of their personality, such as an outstanding skill. If they do, and this can be applied in the workplace, this can make them an asset to the company.
Is Their Background Of Note?
A chequered past, or issues with their history, like problems with the law etcetera, can save you time in the employment process. Doing a background check on people takes a relatively short amount of time and can save you a lot of hassle if you’ve ultimately hired the wrong type of person. In addition to this, using sites like LinkedIn or even looking at their Twitter accounts give you an idea who they are on a personal level. With social media being the vast well that it is, it’s a handy way to get a sneak preview of someone to see if they are what’s your business might want.
Are Your Resources Up To Date?
From your contract management software to recruitment systems, you need to make sure that all your hardware and software are up to date. If they are not up to date, there are handy resources online that you can use to brush up on the recruitment process. There are also recruitment websites like Reed.com that you can look at to find the right worker profiles and CVs.
Do You Trust Your Instincts?
SourceAt the end of the day, your gut is the one thing that will see you through in this process. If you interview someone and you get a good feeling about them, then go with it. Sometimes the person you least suspect to be suitable for the job is more than a perfect fit. People that have a dynamic and proactive approach are the types of people you want in your industry. So if someone like that approached you out of the blue, then aren’t they worth the gamble? Looking for the right employee is an investment in your time, but it is one that is completely essential to push your company forward.
Hi Dequiana,
Many thanks for a great article, you definitely hit the nail on the head when you say about taking time and doing research, especially about their persona as well as their skillset. How many times have we all worked with someone in our early careers who was a bit obnoxious despite being capable? Having a peek at their social media, I think, these days is almost essential. To get an idea of how someone is socially is a good indicator of how they will use those social skills and character traits in the workplace (or not!) For a startup or small business getting this right can be a make or break situation so it’s critical to get the right person from the get go.
Again thanks for a great read, you touched on some excellent points to consider