The hiring process can feel overwhelming. You have to create a job ad, review resumes, interview candidates, and decide who’s the right fit โ all while running a small business. This also includes recruitment costs, which can range from $5,000 to $25,000. And it isnโt a quick process either: it takes six to eight weeks on average to find and hire a candidate. But the process is worth it when you find the right employee for your job vacancy.
Letโs go through a simple guide on how to find the right candidate for your small business.
Establish/use business presence
First, you need to look at your business branding and presence. Do you have a website, career pages, or social media accounts? This is important because when advertising a job, you want to make a good impression on potential candidates. Good candidates look for a business they can trust, and the first step is to see what they are about and how they operate.
If you donโt have an online presence, it will be hard to attract a large pool of candidates. So to shorten the time it takes to find the right candidates, take your business online and start small, even with a Facebook or Instagram profile. After that, you can use your website and socials to let people know youโre hiring.
A Clear Hiring Process
A messy interview process is a huge red flag for potential job candidates. It makes your business look unprofessional, so even if you find someone great, why would they want to work for you? Instead, set a clear interview pathway and be transparent about the process, such as providing timelines (how long it will take) and outcomes (whether you are advancing to the next stage or going in another direction).
Here is a simple example of how the interview process should work.
Application > Screening > First interview > Assessment > Reference Check > Hire
A clear hiring process saves time, provides structure, and gives you a template you can follow every time you hire a new role.
Nail ad copy
How you write a job ad determines what kind of candidates apply. A convoluted and messy job ad will not attract quality candidates. Instead, make a good impression and write a precise, clear summary of what the job is, what youโre looking for, and why they should work for you.
Example
Part-time waiter/all rounder
Martyโs Cafe
Location: Marrickville, Sydney
Part-time (15-25 hours)
$32/hr
About:
Martyโs Cafe is a relaxing, community-focused spot serving great coffee and breakfast in the heart of Marrickville. We are looking for a friendly and reliable all-rounder to join the team and serve our locals.
The role/responsibilities:
Youโll be working alongside other staff, where your duties include:
- Taking orders and serving customers
- Running out of food and cleaning tables
- Light food prep at the counter
- General cleaning duties
- Filling in to make coffee (training provided)
Requirements:
- Friendly and positive attitude with a focus on customer service
- Hospitality experience (preferred but not essential)
- Ability to multitask and work in a busy environment
- Responsible, reliable, with a willingness to learn
- Available during the week and weekends
Why youโll love working at Martyโs Cafe:
- Friendly and fun team
- Flexible work hours
- Training and development
- Paid staff meals and coffee
- Great work environment within a supportive local community
How to apply:
To apply, attach your resume and a brief cover letter about yourself. For more about Martyโs, check out our website at martyscafe.com.au.
Most job ads look something like this. Since candidates often go through hundreds of applications to find the right fit, make sure you get to the point and demonstrate that you’re a good place to work.
Job ad copy red flags
You probably want talented and smart candidates, since they make good workers โ but this also means they lose interest quickly if your job ad is poorly written. To keep the candidate you want on the page, avoid these common mistakes:
- Spelling and grammar mistakes: This is the bare minimum. Errors in your copy give the impression youโre careless and unprofessional. You donโt want candidates who donโt care, either.
- Too many requirements: If you list every single thing involved in the job, you limit your hiring pool. Stay focused on your core needs, education, experience, and day-to-day requirements. This gives you a starting point you can explore further in interviews.
- Jargon and clichรฉs: Jargon specific to your industry can help screen out unqualified candidates, but overusing it can muddy your message, especially meaningless corporate jargon like โsynergiseโ. This includes cliches, which are low effort and not necessary, like โrockstarโ, โwork hard, play hardโ, or โlike a familyโ.
Getting your job advertisement out there
After creating a well-written job ad, you need to get it out there. Taking the cheap route will increase the time it takes to hire an applicant. Instead, use a combination of the following to streamline the process and reach the best candidates:
- Website and socials: Use your social media and job ads to send people to the careers page of your website.
- Local: Never underestimate the local paper if you’re looking for someone around the area. Itโs highly targeted and can generate great word-of-mouth. Ad listing costs may vary.
- Job board platforms: Advertise on dedicated job platforms like SEEK, Indeed, and LinkedIn (white collar-focused). The charge per ad/subscription fee ranges from $650 to $1200, with sponsored ads at the high end.
- Employee referrals: Let your employees help you find great applicants. If four employees post on their socials, you have a chance of getting hundreds of impressions that can convert a small percentage into applicants.
- Recruitment agency: A recruitment agency is highly specialised and can do a lot of the work for you. They take a percentage of the listed salary (15-20%) if they help you fill the role. It is best to reserve this option for more senior/critical roles in your business.
Interview preparation and tips
When conducting interviews with job candidates, make sure that you are prepared.
Review the candidate’s CV
Have the candidate’s resume on hand and read it before the interview. Highlight the experience and skills you want to discuss further.
Put at ease
Interviews donโt need to be an interrogation. A good interview is an organic conversation that involves a bit of back and forth. Introduce yourself and ask about the candidate, not just how they can work for you. Keep in mind that most candidates are nervous, which is a good thing: it means they care. If they appear bored, they might not want the role, which means they arenโt right for your business.
Prepare questions
Set yourself up with open-ended questions that explore a candidate’s experience and skills. Donโt just wing it: if you improvise too much, you can lose focus and miss out on important details. Take notes on whatever catches your interest, or write down your initial thoughts after the interview.
Identify ambitions
Identify an applicantโs motivation and goals by asking where they want to be in the next 2, 5, or 10 years. It can help you ascertain whether you have a short-term or long-term employee. If you find someone who could grow with your business, thatโs even better.
Soft Skills
Technical ability is great, but soft skills such as organisation, strong communication, and relationship-building are also key for employees to work well within your businessโs culture.
Encourage applicants to ask questions about your company, and be honest when answering (within reason, of course).
Open to negotiation
Donโt lose out on a talented worker for a small amount of remuneration, but also be mindful of your limits. If you think youโve found the right candidate, see what you can do to bring them on board, and donโt forget non-monetary incentives like flexible working arrangements.
Hiring the next candidate for your business
It can take a lot of time and effort to find the next candidate for a job vacancy. To limit bad hires and find the right candidate for your business, invest in your hiring process by:
- Making your business visible through your website and social media pages.
- Create a standard hiring and interview procedure.
- Use multiple hiring platforms, agencies, and employee networks.
With a solid process, you can reduce costs, shorten the time to fill job vacancies, and run your small business with fewer disruptions.
