New Year, New Hires: 3 Ways to Streamline the Hiring Process

Now that we've turned the page and left 2020 behind us (thank goodness), it's time to start looking forward. If business is booming, you'll need a few extra hands to start the new year off strong. Are you dreading the process of culling through boring applications and conducting hours of interviews? Don't fret. Here are a few tips to streamline the hiring process.

Get Your House in Order

First things first... it may be time to do some housekeeping if you've let dust settle over your company's policies and regulations. Dig out your old employee handbook and see if it's still relevant. If you haven't picked it up once (or don't have one), it's time to seek help from an HR consultant.

We get it — if you're a smaller company, you probably don't have a whole department dedicated to managing employees. That said, hiring an HR consultant to help you with hiring employees and setting up sound employment policies can go a long way in making your company a better place to work.

Speaking of being a better place to work... it's not all about policies! Think about your work environment as well as your pay scale. Are you offering market wages for your new hires? Having better compensation packages is important to 52% of prospective hires. Are your other employees welcoming and friendly? A fun company culture and a collaborative environment are important to 17% and 29% of job seekers, respectively.

When you start making these types of changes, word will get out. Your employees will spread the good news that they have an awesome employer. And as more and more candidates hear about your stellar workplace, they'll be lining up out the door for a chance to join your ranks.

Starting the Search: What to Look For

Investing in the right people is one of the best things you can do for your business. When your employees are the right fit, it will take a load of stress off your shoulders, giving you more time to focus on the other aspects of your business.

What should you be looking for in a prospective hire? If you haven't already, take the time to write out a job description. That way, you'll be able to clearly see everything you want for someone in this role. Once you have that established, there are five main points to think about:

1. Experience. Does the prospective hire have experience doing the same kind of work? Hiring a newbie might require too much training to make it worth your while. An experienced worker will be able to contribute right away.
2. Willingness to learn. That said... don't entirely discount someone who might not have the most experience. Willingness to learn can be an important characteristic.
3. Commitment. Hiring someone to fill a position and having them leave after three months on the job is less than ideal, to put it lightly. Find people who are committed to sticking around for the long haul.
4. Motivation. A potential hire might have tons of experience, but if they don't have the drive to succeed, hiring them will be a waste. You need to find candidates who are willing to put forth the effort and give 110% on the job.
5. Personality. Every service company has its own vibe. It's important to find people that mesh well with that vibe. Make sure they're a good fit for your team so everyone can work together peacefully.

Now We Know the What, What About the Where?

Finding great applicants doesn't have to be like searching for a needle in the haystack — as long as you're looking in the right places. We recommend three options:

• Trade schools. Though they're fresh to the scene, graduates from trade schools are knowledgeable and hungry for work. What they lack in experience, they make up for by being trained on the latest equipment and regulations. If you have a trade school in your area, get in touch to see if they can connect you with students ready to graduate. You may even take on students through an internship or externship program to test them out before hiring them full-time.
• Unions. The cool thing about unions is that all members receive training and mentorship, so you know an applicant will have the skills they need to succeed. While there are some hassles with dealing with unions, including standardized pay rates and vacation time, having access to the best in the field is worth it.
• The team approach. Are you needing to hire a whole new team to fulfill a new role in your company? If so, try the team approach. Rather than hiring candidates one by one as the need arises, hire an entire group together. Try for a mix of experienced workers and fresh faces. That way, they can all work and learn together.

Take Hiring Into Your Own Hands

Hiring new employees for your company shouldn't be a hassle. By staying organized throughout the process and truly thinking about what you need, you should be able to build a team that will help your business thrive.

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