Hiring your first employees can be a daunting task for any small business owners. 63% of recruiters find it difficult to find suitable candidates for their company’s open positions, and small business often struggle to compete for qualified candidates. The process of job hunting is changing, knowing what applicants expect can help you find the best person to hire.
Young employees job hop more frequently than their older counterparts, most are looking to advance their careers, but many leave a job looking for a better work environment or more work-life balance. While you might not be able to offer employees the same compensations and benefits as a larger company, small businesses can often offer the flexibility and pleasant workplace many candidates are seeking.
Between online jobs boards and new software to screen resumes for qualified candidates, applying for a job is changing fast. With software to screen resumes, applicants often have to get create to be noticed, and cover letters are rarely read. In fact, nearly half of applicants have given up writing cover letters all together and only a quarter of recruiters find them valuable.
Keep this shift in mind when searching for a new employee. Applicants who forego a cover letter were once considered to be unprofessional or uninterested in the position. Today, they’re simply adapting to a new job market. If you want applicants to provide a cover letter, ask for it specifically in your job listing.
It takes nearly a month for a single applicant to make it through the hiring process and finally be offered the job, or rejected. Candidates start with a simple screening, usually over the phone, which reviews their experience to ensure they’re qualified and interested in the job. Next there’s usually a more in-depth phone interview, followed by up to three additional interviews in-person. Often this includes an out-of-office interview or dinner. It’s always important to take your time and make careful hiring decisions but remember that moving more quickly may give you an edge over larger companies.
When it’s finally time to interview your potential employee, remember to ask behavioral interview questions. By getting candidates to describe their actions in a certain situation, or think about how they might act when a problem arises, you’ll get the best idea of whether they’re a good fit for your company.
Check out this infographic to learn more about what to look for in an interview:
Source: Human Resources MBA
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