Finding the Best Candidate for your Small Business

In the modern economy, getting candidates to apply for any position in an organization is never an issue; the real trick is in recruiting the best of talents. To the outsider it might appear to be an easy task recruiting individuals to fill a position, however, it is easier said than done. Whether hiring domestically or internationally, it is very essential to get the best man for the job. Every organization aims to hire individuals who will work towards the continuity of the business and as a small business owner, hiring the wrong candidate can prove to be very fatal to the survival of the company. The wrong individual may turn out to be unmotivated, lazy, or unqualified and may impact negatively on the work atmosphere in your company. It will also cost a lot of time and money to find new candidates to fill the position again.

Recruitment of candidates, most especially internationally, can either be done directly by an organization’s HR itself or the services of an Employer of Records (EOR)/Professional Employer Organization (PEO) like WeHireGlobally can be employed. To improve the recruitment process and find the best candidate for your small business, here are some salient points to note as explained by WeHireGlobally.

Be on the Lookout for a Career-focused Person

An important quality to check for when hiring a new employee is his or her commitment to the profession and the passion to develop career-wise. An individual who is passionate about his or her career is more likely to stay on the job for a longer period than a candidate that is emotionally detached and finds it difficult to stay in a job/organization for a long time. If you are seeking international talents, it is essential to have an organization such as WeHireGlobally that is well knowledgeable about foreign workers engaged in the process. A candidate who is constantly switching careers and seems to have no clear-cut career part is not the best option for a small company. If a person has not worked in one company for a reasonable amount of time without a valid reason, you might need to reconsider whether they will be a good investment for your business. The ideal candidate to hire is one who is willing to stay and grow with the company. Such a person will be more of an asset to the organization. 

Assess the candidate for Practical Experience

Ideally, you would hire a candidate that is both experienced and qualified in the niche. But, in reality, such candidates may be difficult to come across. There are most times, inexperienced candidates who with little training go on to become the best at what they do. However, this will require a lot of time and even funds before such employees can fully integrate into the system. Investing in lesser qualified candidates and training them can prove to be highly fruitful to the business. They can easily be molded to fit the needs and requirements of the business. On the other hand, concentrating on prospects that have practical knowledge and experience of the job is also beneficial because such candidates are more likely to integrate faster into your company and get familiar with the job profile. Here you spend less time on training and get results early. It is therefore necessary to find a balance. An EOR company can be hired to help find the best candidate in terms of qualifications and experience from all around the world.  Small accounting firms, for example, might prefer to recruit an inexperienced candidate to train by themselves, however, an ago-based business might prefer an already experienced employee due to the peculiar accounting system of agriculture. Either way, all the new employees have to adjust to the system of the business and the quicker an employee is on board, the better it is.

Test the Candidate

One of the best techniques for improving the recruitment process and hiring the best talents will be implementing different methodologies that give you a clearer picture of the skills and capabilities of a candidate. This takes you deeper than just looking at the CV of a candidate and making a decision based on it. A strong CV and a confident candidate during the interview are good, but it is up to the employer to test these prospective employees and assess their skills. CVs may not tell the absolute truth about a candidate; this makes it necessary for you to get a better insight into their resourcefulness when they are presented with a challenge. Candidates may be observed in situations that test their analytical and critical thinking and learning capabilities.

Assess the Strengths required for the Position

The qualities and strengths needed for a position must be checked for in a candidate. The general requirements of working in a small business should not be used to assess a specific position. HR should be careful to watch out for essential qualities needed to function in a position. The strengths and qualities required in a sales representative for example will differ from those required in a programmer. A sales rep must have a convincing attitude; however, this might not be important to a programmer who would be required to have a problem-solving quality. If you are getting a person for a monotonous job, you need to decide whether the candidate can keep motivated even when they are required to perform repetitive tasks. If the candidate burns out quickly when faced with stress, they may not a suitable choice for the position. However, you should also ensure that you offer employees plenty of support and help in dealing with the stresses of work if it is common for your staff to be under such pressure.

Consider hiring an Apprentice

Depending on the strength of your organization, you might want to opt for an apprentice. Apprenticeships make it easy to monitor their progress, recognize and understand their skills, intelligence, strengths, weaknesses, ability to work under pressure and even lead. This can help you figure out if the individual is the right fit for your small business and if they work well with your other employees. It also allows the apprentice to gain skills and work experience for his or her future career. If you do decide to hire an apprentice, it is incredibly important that they are allowed to show and improve their skills. This way their progress can be adequately measured and further training included. You need to make sure that they are given meaningful tasks and can gain valuable experience within your business. This however requires great patience.

Adam Hansen
 

Adam is a part time journalist, entrepreneur, investor and father.