The Right Fit

Submitted by: Sarah Day - Founder, Managing Director

Get off to a good start - find the right person for the right job.

Hiring: Risky Business?
Some businesses seem to be able to have no problem finding the right person for an open position, while others take months, and sometimes years to bring the right employee on board. For small businesses, hiring people can be risky business. For example, if you’re a one-person shop, whether you’re bringing on a secretary, salesperson, or service provider, that new hire is about to account for 50% of your business activity. While that thought might send a little shiver down your spine, don’t let it stop you from getting the star performer you require.

A Great Place to Work
Why do some companies seem to hire all the great employees? Well, they might be great places to work. To attract great employees, providing an appealing and professional environment in which to work is a good start. While you’re determining if prospects are a good fit, they’re determining if they really want to work in your office for you. The environment and your demeanor will make a difference, so analyze your own strengths and shortcomings before proceeding.

Wrong Job, Right Person
Businesses often place the right person into the wrong job. Before you advertise for a new position or vacancy, write a job description and write down the skill sets and core competencies you seek from a new employee. When reading prospects’ resumes or conducting interviews, ask yourself how closely their experiences fit your needs and if the skills they possess are transferable. A stellar salesman may not be the best fit for a sales manager position, and vice versa. Be sure to consider the growth factor. The person you consider the most “perfect fit” may be easily bored by a lack of challenge or may not be able to ramp up for growth. Pay is another aspect that can be a dealbreaker. What are other businesses in your industry paying for their help? Do a little bit of research and carefully consider how much you can afford to offer. If you do find the right talent for a position that doesn’t exist, it might be a good time to step back, consider other growth opportunities for your business, and keep the prospect’s name on file.

Sharpen Listening Skills to Find the Best Fit
When interviewing a prospect, be sure to spend a lot of time listening. Ask open-ended questions to encourage the prospect to talk about strengths and weaknesses, past successes, and future goals. Listen carefully to responses, and probe for more information. In the interview, talk about your company’s mission, goals, and future growth to gauge your prospect’s responses. Be prepared to field questions from your interviewee. Will the prospect support your ideas? Does she or he appear enthusiastic about your current or future endeavors or perhaps bring something unexpected and promising to the table? Be honest about the negative as well as the positive aspects of the company and position. Remember, you are trying to hire an employee who will bring excellent performance and enthusiasm to meet your short-term and long-term needs.

Sarah Day is the founder and managing director of Day One Business Services, a general management consultancy for small to medium sized businesses. Every day Sarah helps guide small enterprises through the process of change - whether that be through the start up process, rapid business growth or a turnaround situation. She does this using a wealth of management experience gathered during a twenty-year career managing a variety of functions in both small businesses and large corporations.

Sarah holds a BA from Marquette University and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Minnesota. She is also an accredited executive associate of the Institute for Independent Business, a nonprofit research, training, and accreditation organization established in 1984 to give independent businesses direct access to top management advice. She continues to work with a variety of small businesses on resolving their key issues and sits on the board of a local non-profit agency.

Sarah DayDay One Business Services
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