How to staff your small business for maximum results

It doesn't matter what positions you need filled in your small business, but it does matter who you fill them with.Finding the right person for the position is the key to successful staffing.

Having a good staff will affect your profits, as will having a bad staff.You can save yourself some time and money by making sure you start off with the right people.

The Interview

When you are interviewing for a position it is important to know what basic skills are necessary for the job.But there is something that far outweighs the skill level of an applicant and that is their attitude.If they already know everything about the job they are applying for, but they don't seem to have a very good work ethic, they are going to be more trouble than they are worth.If they are very excited to learn and have a good work ethic, then it will be worth the few weeks of training they might require.

So teachable we decided was a good trait, what about honesty?This is one of the best traits to look for.Simply asking, "Are you honest?" will get you a prepackaged answer that they know you want to hear.Come up with a question that may not even seem related and see if you get a straight answer.One good way to do this is to check their references before the interview.A reference may give you something that you can ask.See if the answers match up.

Speaking of checking references, always check references on every interview you want to set up.References are a great way to see how past employers felt about their work.Some may simply confirm that they were a past employee, and others may have so many good things to say about their past employee that they don't know where to begin.References can give you a good look into applicants to which should move on to the interview stage.

The questions you ask, like about honesty, can make a real difference in how the interview goes.If you ask the questions that can be answered with an answer tailored to your preferences then it is not the right question.Take the time to come up with personal questions about past jobs, ambitions, and even likes and dislikes.Get a feel for personality and attitude.

Filling the Position

To be sure that the interview was not deceiving, it is a good idea to give every position a trial period, this can be 30 days or 90 days, how ever long you feel it will take you to see if they will work out.Let the person know that this is just a trial period and that permanence will be decided after that time.This gives you chance to weed out the good liars and the truly good interviewers.

An idea that can be cost effective to you and also give back to the community is offering internship positions.This gives a student a chance to learn and grow, and gives you a break on payroll.Giving a student an internship also gives you a month or year long interview to see if they are right for the job after their internship is over.Interns make great employees if you find just the right person.

Don't forget to follow your instincts.If something doesn't feel right during the interview, it is alright to turn them down.If the trial period makes you feel a little bit skeptical, go ahead and let them go.You know what is best for your business and it is alright to make the right decision for you.