Finding new employees

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     Adding a new employee is an important step in business. You need an additional person to handle specific tasks you have in mind. Just as important, you need someone who can contribute to the future growth of the business.

     This means that you must look beyond the person's experience. These days, it can be difficult to find people who can read and write, much less get to work every day on time and do the job at hand. 

     Beyond these minimums, you want to look for a particular type of person. You want one who is inquisitive and learns easily, one who is comfortable in his or her own skin, one who knows how to think through things, one who tackles new projects with enthusiasm, one who accepts your direction and runs with it, and one who respects others and gets along well with them. 

     These attributes do not appear on resumes--unless you read between the lines. But these are the important qualities that will help you grow your business. 

     Example: Personally, I've used a simple and inexpensive method to good success. Good employees tend to know other good people who are elsewhere employed. I've called my people together, one at a time, in private conversations, asking them to help us find that new employee we need in our company. I described the qualities and experience a new employee might have. And always, I put them at ease by reassuring them that we are growing and need additional help, not replacing anyone. It worked. They put the word out and some prospects showed up to be interviewed.

     This method doesn't always work. You might enhance or improve results by offering a bonus to the employee who refers someone who is eventually hired. 

     The method has an added advantage. Your private talks with employees conveys the fact that you value their input and they feel more a part of the on-going business. It builds employee morale.  

     Big companies use social media or place ads to find new prospects. The resumes come in and someone in the HR department sorts through them. Finally, a short stack of possibilities lands on the manager's desk. Good prospects are frequently lost in this shuffle.

     Finding that new employee takes effort. You are looking for someone who can hit the ground running. You want them to grow and you want them to help grow the company. It's a double-edged sword, and you are sitting on the point.