Is It My Business To Know An Applicant’s Reputation?

With all that each and every business day of the week involves, you probably feel a bit overwhelmed at times as a small business owner. Given that probability what, if any, role do you have in hiring new talent for your company? Is it something you actively partake in or do you let others on your team handle the hiring process?

As many who run small businesses have come to find over time, they wish they would have spent some more time involving themselves in the hiring process, finding that the wrong candidate was hired without their knowledge.

In order to improve the chances of getting the right candidate the first time around, keep these factors in mind:

# 1. Personality

It is important to remember that not all personalities in your office will click, so finding the right person each time you make a hire is critical. You don’t necessarily need your employees to be best of friends, but they do need to cooperate to get the job done. You want someone who is a team player, someone who will roll up their sleeves in give you an honest day’s work. Finally, you need an individual who will not disrupt your office culture, that is someone who does not come into your company and mess up what is hopefully a good thing already going;

# 2. Skills

Everyone you or your team interviews will have a different skill level. Some individuals catch on quickly to what you need, others will take more time. Keep in mind that having to train a new person each time costs your company time, money and effort, so never overlook the skill set of each person you bring in for an interview.

# 3. Reputation

In today’s social world, more small business owners are looking at the reputations of each and every candidate that comes through their doors looking for a job. While federal officials have ruled recently that employers have limited reach when it comes to reviewing an applicant’s social media footprints, that has not and should not stop you from seeing what is online. If a candidate has questionable comments and/or images on their social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, how and should that impact your decision on hiring them? Take note, they could bring such questionable habits to your company if you hire them, habits that could lead to legal issues for you;

# 4. Long-term goals

Finally, you yourself have probably been asked over the years before you began a company where you see yourself three to five years from now. While it is an age-old question that most applicants get on an interview, it still ranks as an important one. You don’t want a revolving door of employees for a variety of reasons, most notably due to the fact mentioned earlier that it costs you time and money to train each new person. If you are not working with contracts in place, at least get a feel for how long this employee plans to work with you. If you get the impression that you’re just a road stop on their career path, think twice before hiring them.

As a small business owner, what do you look for each time an applicant comes through your doors seeking a job?

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