Small business recruiting is an interesting thing - each company has their own style. When I opened my
first small business at the age of 25, I thought to myself “this can’t be hard, all I have to do is interview a few people and they’ll be begging to hop on board.” Yeah, right. The truth is, you’ve got to be able to show a potential employee that your company, without a shadow of a doubt, is the company to work for. I learned this the hard way, but you don’t have to. I’ve come up what you’ll need to make a potential employee fall in love with your company. You’ll love these ideas.
There’s a Reason It’s Called Recruiting
As a small business owner, you can see recruiting everywhere. The army recruits, so do fraternities and sororities, and even your favorite athletic team recruits. But what do all of these have in common? Attractive packaging and hard work.
There’s a reason it’s called recruiting, and you’ll realize quickly - if you haven’t already - recruiting potential employees for your small business requires attractive packaging and your time and energy to get it out there. So, be creative and find ways to get your company’s open positions out there - find every avenue you can. It’s the only way you’ll start seeing some of the most talented individuals in your industry come out of the woodwork. Put the time in and you’ll see results.
Recruiting is Like Fishing - Give ‘em What They Want and They’ll Bite
So how can you make an attractive package for potential employees? Think of it like fishing - I love fishing. When I go out and fish at my favorite tucked away lake, I have to use tact. I need to use the right lure to attract the fish. The fish swims up to it slowly, cautiously, and BAM, the fish bites! All because it likes what it sees. The same can be said for potential employees.
Offer a good lure and give potential employees what they want. How? Well, what are some attractive benefits and perks you offer? If you were applying for a job, what would you want to see? Here are a few ideas to get your gears moving:
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Flexible schedules. Let them know you value time outside of work and are generous with time-off requests.
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Great, affordable health benefits. Show them that your small business provides excellent health benefits that provide affordable health insurance. If you offer premium reimbursement for their individual health insurance, show them how much they save a month over group health insurance, while still getting the same -or better- coverage.
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Tour the facility. If you have a nice office or building, show them how welcoming it is. Have them meet the people and provide them with a friendly welcome.
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Fun perks. Tell them about your company’s fun perks like potlucks, casual Fridays, and team-building outings.
This is just a start. Sit down and think of new benefits and perks you can offer and the value that it will add to your recruiting.
Conclusion
Alright, I’ve given you a place to start your small business recruiting. You know that potential employees won’t be flocking to your small business just because you open the doors or post a sign. You also know that you have to put in the effort to recruit. It’s up to you now to go out and make potential employees fall in love with your small business. Ask yourself, “if I were applying to my company, would it seem attractive?” If the answer is no, I’ve given you some ideas of what to offer. If the answer is yes, well, get out there and start fishing - I know that, for me, recruiting turned out to be my favorite part of owning a small business.
What are ways you have made potential employees fall in love with your company? Let me know and comment below with your ideas.
