Hiring Strategies for Small Businesses

Entry level positions used to be a right of passage for individuals just coming into the workforce and were a way for the inexperienced to get paid and gain experience at the same time. The pandemic created seismic shifts in the entry level labor pool and spiralling cost of living increases globally has changed the dynamics of that ‘entry level opportunity’. A few years outside of the pandemic and the labor situation is no better with a shrinking pool of qualified and enthusiastic candidates. When it comes to running a small business, entry level positions are the core of how products and services are delivered and organizations are dependent on frontline staff to generate revenue. Filling positions has almost become a surgical process where a wrong move could end up costing a business time and money. Small business owners and managers who need to fill vacancies should take a close and detailed look at hiring processes to ensure only ‘ready to go’ candidates make the cut.

Building a Quality Resume Pile

Precise hiring starts with a quality collection of resumes and many companies utilize online platforms such as Indeed or Ziprecruiter to post their vacancies and collect resumes. While this may increase the volume of applicants, the quality of those applicants is questionable. Customer facing businesses rely on interactions to generate revenue and harvesting resumes without any personal contact can be a waste of time. Collecting resumes at the business level should be a priority for managers so that candidates initial first impressions can be evaluated instantly. Voluntary resume submissions should not be discouraged and even spending just a few minutes chatting with the individual will help build a quality resume pile. When a vacancy does come up, efforts to attract applicants should be localized as candidates may be more aware of the business as well as the market surrounding the business. Business needs are constantly evolving during this period of economic instability and having a pool of potential new hires at the ready can help maintain productivity should staffing needs arise on short notice.

An Old Fashioned Phone Call

AI and HR are two acronyms that seem to be jammed together at times but Human Resources is still the business of human assets. AI and automated screeners used by some larger customer driven businesses seem illogical when managers have standards and expectations for face to face customer engagement. Smaller businesses can easily pivot by making arrangements for an old fashioned phone call with the potential candidate. Owners and managers can easily gauge communication abilities by asking just a few simple open ended questions during the call. A few engaging questions that could be asked during a screener call:

  • What would a previous employer say about your performance?
  • Tell me in one sentence what is your definition of good customer service?
  • What do you know about this business?

The goal of the initial screener call is to discover the candidate’s ability to think critically and communicate effectively in a short time span. These short interactions are effective and disqualifying individuals who do not have abilities important to the role.  Planning the screener call will help expedite the flow of the call and successful interactions will create a framework for the actual in-person interview.

The Interviewer Aces the Interview

Smaller organizations can feel the impact of reduced manpower almost immediately with negative effects on productivity and workflow. Filling vacancies quickly is essential for customer facing businesses that depend on frontline teams to generate revenue and / or deliver products and services. Successful initial screening leads to the all important face to face interview where managers and supervisor can make final determinations of the candidates suitability for the role. Characteristics such as enthusiasm, body language and tonality can be thoroughly identified during an in person conversation. Asking brand or business specific questions that are open ended and role play scenarios to solve can highlight the candidates critical thinking and communication abilities. Accuracy in responses is important but the main goal of the interview is to assess the individual’s ability to engage customers and solve problems. Creating an interview plan including  potential questions and scenarios can help keep a more quickened pace during the interview, elevating energy and engagement for all participants.

The Bottom Line

Small business owners and managers are facing challenges when it comes to filling entry level positions. But accuracy in hiring is critical and bringing in the wrong person can cost the business money in lost productivity and re-hiring costs. Sharpening processes when hiring can filter out individuals that do not fit the business model while discovering potential long term assets that can elevate the organization. Relying on technology could potentially have setbacks in the hiring process, especially when filling human to human interaction roles. Businesses that have a defined hiring process and employ classical methods of vetting are better positioned to find those rare, enthusiastic candidates that are ready to take on new challenges. Interviewing and analyzing resumes are just like any other skill and take time to hone and perfect and proactive SBOs and managers should always have a reviewed ‘resume pile’ with potential candidates at top of mind for any ‘just in case’ scenarios.