Staying Ahead of the Employment Curve

In this colorful climate of people that we call New Orleans, looking for the right person to work for you is essential to your small business. In a city filled with distinct personalities, you may come across a few people that you would love to work with, but may lack the skills to do the job effectively. Or, maybe you have already hired someone that isn’t quite making the cut.

As an employer, it is important to find an employee that meets your needs and will fit with your organizational culture. Considering someone’s personality has become equally important as his or her technical background. As well, analyzing your work style and choosing someone that will compliment the way you work through the office, will make for happy workdays. And we all love happy workdays.

Here are a few tips for dealing with Human Resources:

Job-Interview

 

1. Make hiring and firing decisions that strike a balance between who we like and who would be best for business.

You need to do what’s best for the business. This should be your first priority.  Someone can have a great personality, but if the execution of his or her work is sub par, it becomes a reflection of the business. It is important to keep your feelings separate when hiring and firing. When it comes to work, nothing is personal. It’s about making the best decision for the success of your company.

2. Is it smart to hire people very different from yourself to get a different perspective?

Diversity is such a great thing. It is good to have a broad spectrum of ideas. However, you must still connect with that person in order to have a healthy at-work relationship. We spend much of our time at our job; I think that it is important to like whom you work with. This could be especially true in a small business environment, as you will spend a great deal of time working closely together.

3. Take into consideration what type of person will succeed at your organization.

Ask yourself what characteristics are you looking for in an employee? What types of people have succeeded in the past? Define what you are looking for in a candidate, beyond the job description.

4. Compare your work different work styles.

Ask these questions: Do you work better collaboratively? Independently? Do you thrive in a team environment? How do you feel about being an independent contributor?

5. Communication structure.

Analyze your communication methods. Are you a verbal or written-form person? Would you hire someone that tends to email you fifty times a day from across the room?

6. Office Environment

Consider what type of environment is maintained. Is it light-hearted and loosely structured? Or is it a tightly ran ship? Some people need structure, in order to accomplish tasks at work. Ask yourself, “what type of person will do well in my environment?”

7. Questions of Culture Change.

What types of change are you looking for? Are you looking to bring in someone who works independently? Will this person support the direction in which you want the organization to go?

8. Use references.

References are truly insightful. They can shed some light on past experiences-good or bad.

9. Go with your gut.

Spend some time reflecting on how your meetings went from a fit perspective.

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