Managing-Employees

As your business grows to more than you can handle yourself, it is time to bring in some new blood (employees). These employees you hire can literally make or break your business, so take the time to make quality decisions!

You'll know if you're ready to hire employees when:

You can no longer complete all the tasks necessary to keep your business running smoothly.

You're spending too much time at work, instead of at home with family.

Your sales are in danger of lagging behind if you don't expand.

Before you begin interviewing your first employee;

Brush up on your communication skills.

Be confident that you're conveying the details of the job position

Set the expectations of each employee.

Respect each prospective candidate.

Be a good listener during the interview.

Make a decision to hire a better person then yourself for the job. Even in a tight labor market, have patience, and you will be rewarded to find the perfect candidate to fill the position.

Steps to get you started;

1.) Write a job description

To write the best possible job description, be sure to include as much detail as possible. Resist the urge to say things like "miscellaneous duties as required." Conversely, don't limit job description in case you need to expand the duties involved in the position.

SBA.gov - how to write a job description

Monster.com - has job descrition profile examples

2.) Write a help wanted ad

Attract the best applicants with a help-wanted ad that explains what makes your company special and why they would want to work for you. Review other help wanted ads to see how they've been written and take particular note of the ones that attract your attention.

RecruitersNetwork - key elements of good help wanted ads.

Bankrate.com - how to make ads more appealing

3.) Place your ad

Placing employment ads can be costly, so choose your media wisely. There are many other avenues for placing classified ads, you may want to consider local radio or online job sites.

Craigslist.org - free Internet ad placement

Yahoo! HotJobs. - low-cost internet ad placement

4.) Interview Process

Schedule interviews with candidates who have better qualifications then yourself. Make sure you allow sufficient time for each interview and prepare your questions in advance. Screening applicants first by phone can save time.

Quintessential Careers - find a list of common job interview questions and check out

Interviewing for Employers - tips on how to conduct interviews.

5.) Check references

According to recent surveys, nearly 75% of all employers fail to check references before hiring. This is not a good business practice. Check references and backgrounds as part of your hiring process.

TheJobStores.com - check references and what questions to ask.