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Making The Change: The Simple, But Crucial, Steps To Hiring Your First Employee

There comes a point when you’re not able to do it all yourself. When we start to entertain the thought of bringing people on board there is always the overriding factor of money. But when we have no choice but to get extra help what are the steps we should take to ensure that we hire the right person but also cover our backs?

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Being Clear In Your Intentions

When we hire someone there is a temptation to find someone who fits a general list of duties. The big problem with this is that we are looking for a general dog’s body so if there is someone working up the career ladder it’s unlikely they will stay with you. The best approach is to look at your business and see what gaping holes there are that can be filled by someone very specific. You must also give consideration to the legalities at this point. While there is support with employment law as well as other legal factors, when it comes to drafting up agreements and contracts if you have a very specific set of duties it makes everything far more transparent for the person you will eventually take on-board. 

Going Through The Right Channels

Once you’ve ascertained the skillset this gives you a better idea of the channels to go through. Sometimes we need someone to help us get through a speed bump. In this instance, there are numerous freelancer websites out there. But many people can struggle to get on board with this approach to working, primarily because when you hire a freelancer you’re putting a lot of trust in them to get the job done; they could leave you at the last second. This takes you back to square one and you have wasted money in the process. There are legal obligations associated with being a freelancer but it doesn’t stop them from leaving a project. Sometimes you have to go with who you know first. Many employees feel that they have to get someone they can trust. But when you’re looking for someone with a very specific skillset, it’s beneficial to go through websites like LinkedIn rather than social media because you can bypass a lot of people who are looking for a chance but don’t necessarily have the skills. That’s not to say that these people don’t deserve a chance but at this important juncture you need people with a specific skillset.

Finding A Good Fit

You should also remember that when looking for someone it isn’t necessarily about having all the skills but it’s someone that’s a good fit. When we start out in business we might think that it’s about finding someone to fulfil a specific role but when there is a good working relationship this is invaluable. Sometimes you’ve got to trust your gut and when you find the right person but they don’t necessarily have all the skills you can train them up!

Hiring your first employee is a very exciting part of developing your business but it can be very scary. The key is about knowing exactly what you want rather than going in with a half-baked mindset. 

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