Hiring, with its many rules and regulations, is a complex process to manage. If you’re planning to grow your small business team, you need a clear set of steps and tools to help you find the right candidates for the next job offer. A solid and consistent process can also help you remain legally compliant. That’s why outlining a hiring process before getting started is so important. For those who are thinking about hiring their first new employee or businesses that simply want to improve their recruitment process, check out the guide below.
What is a Hiring Process?
A hiring process is a consistent set of steps a business takes in order to attract job applicants, screen candidates, and ultimately bring on new team members. The exact process you use may vary a bit depending on the job offer and the role you’re hiring for. However, a basic list of steps helps companies avoid favoritism and discrimination when growing their teams while finding the most qualified candidates for each position.
Hiring Process Steps
Each small business hiring process should look a bit different based on their specific needs. However, there are some basic steps that many businesses use to find their candidates. Consider the list below for your own hiring process; then adapt them to create your own process customized to your needs.
1. Identify Hiring Need
The hiring process generally starts when a manager realizes that they have a role that needs filling. This may be because of expansion, the exit of an existing employee, or the need for expertise in a specific area. This step is important because every hire and the job it entails should serve a specific purpose within your company. Otherwise, you’re just expending resources without an end goal in mind. To get really specific with this step, think about the job title and duties that will best serve your business. You can either handle this step as the business owner, or delegate it to the manager of the department in question.
2. Create Detailed Description of Job
Then it’s time to write out all the specific duties and features of the position. Include roles, responsibilities, and skills potential candidates must have. Work with the department manager and other team members who will work closely with this individual, which should give you a good starting point for sharing the opportunity with interested parties.
3. Craft Job Ad and Post in Appropriate Spots
Not every spot is right for every job, but you should have a standard list of places where you post available job opportunities. For example, you might use your local classifieds for basic administrative positions that need to work in your office. However, if you need to fill a more specialized position consider a job site that’s tailored to that industry or specialty. Use your job description to create an ad that clearly outlines the skills and qualities you’re looking for and tells candidates how to apply.
4. Review and Sort Applications
Once the applications start rolling in, it’s time to filter out the candidates you want to consider throughout the rest of the hiring process. Include a checklist of things you’re looking for in each application. For example, you might search for key skills in their resume, a cover letter without errors, and candidates who show enthusiasm for the job. For specialized positions, have the manager of that department help you choose the most qualified candidates. Because they’ll likely be more versed in the relevant terms and language that qualified applicants would use.
5. Go Through the Interview Process
With a list of qualified applicants, you can then start to filter through by speaking directly with each one of the candidates. If you’re considering a lot of people, you might have your HR director perform phone interviews. This is to determine who’s the best fit before requiring everyone to come into the office for a lengthy in-person interview.
Once you’re down to your top candidates, you, your HR director, and/or the department manager can meet with them in person or using video chat for remote positions. Discuss specific situations they may encounter while performing their duties to determine who is best up to the challenge to do the job. For specialized positions, the interview process may include several rounds of meetings. You can also include aptitude tests, writing samples, or other qualifying activities to separate the best candidates. This will help you vet the best employee for the job offer.
6. Do Your Research
During the application process, you may also ask applicants to consent to background checks and submit references. Once you have a top candidate or two in mind, complete those background and reference checks to make sure they support the applicant’s claims. Many small businesses outsource background checks, but you can likely make the reference checks on your own or with your HR manager. However, if the job offer is for a sensitive position you have to make sure you have the right employee. Do your due diligence when it comes to background checks for these positions.
7. Make a Job Offer and Negotiate
When you’re confident with a candidate, it’s time to contact them and make an official job offer. This may start as a standard offer you created for the position. However, they may want to negotiate some of the details like their specific salary and employee benefits.
8. Onboarding
Once you’ve selected your new employee, it’s time to finish up the hiring process and get them ready for their new role. Your HR manager should start by having each new employee fill out the necessary forms like their W-4 and I-9. Then it’s time to train them for their new job. In some cases, you may have video or virtual classes available for you new employee. But you should also assign them to a mentor or department head who can explain procedures to them and answer their questions.
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