5 Points to Consider Before Hiring Your First Employee

That first step into the world of hiring a new employee is a mark of success for the solo entrepreneur. It means that business is going well. So well that you need another set of hands to carry the load. This expansion could boost your profitability. But there are some basics that first-time employers should know. Basics, of course, include legal requirements, such as being aware of social security tax. And confirming work eligibility is also a must-do task.

What else should a soon-to-be employer think about as they make hiring decisions? Here are some fundamentals.

1. Where do you need help?

Do you know your “why”? That is, why are you thinking of hiring? In what area are you short-handed? What jobs do you hope they can take over? Make a list of all the tasks you plan on passing on. This task list could also include jobs that you might not be handling right now. For example, if you want to launch an e-commerce site and you want someone to build and run that side of things. Or if you want someone to focus on social media because that’s not a skillset you have. Once you have assessed the needs of your business, you will be in a good position to pinpoint prospects who will be a good fit.

2. Know what you can offer.
   

Have a sit-down with your accountant to determine how much you can afford to offer your new employee. Do not put this off until negotiations are underway. Do it now, so that you do not waste time going after individuals who will demand high salaries from the get-go.

Once you know how much you can afford, research and study salary ranges for the job you will be offering. Also, know what perks you will offer. Flexibility in work location, the ability to work remote, and work hour flexibility hold an increasing appeal.

3. Personality matters.

Skills can be acquired. However, personality traits are more or less here to stay once we reach a certain age. An employee who is conscientious, well-mannered, and diligent is someone you will not want to overlook. Work ethic is a character trait you will also want to check on. Along with whether the potential employee is outgoing or introverted. Also consider what personality traits are important to you. Or put another way, what type of person do you find it easy to work with?
Make sure that you search for applicants with character and personality traits in mind. And don’t make the mistake of only narrowing your search based on skillset. How can you screen for personality and character? Consider the next point.

4. Prepare good interview questions.

Going into an interview, it can be difficult to hone in on personality and character. It is easy enough for an individual to claim certain character traits on a resume, but lack them entirely in real life.

The employee has also likely prepared his answers and tailored them to what you want to hear. So what can you ask that will help you evaluate a candidate?

Ask open-ended questions regarding what they feel is the work environment where they are the most effective. Get them to discuss what they think is an ideal level of oversight and interaction. These kinds of questions will reveal the employee’s ability to stay on task and how much initiative he or she will take.

5. Be ready for the learning curve.

After committing time and money into hiring your first employee, be prepared that it might be a little rocky for the first week or so. Every employee faces and must go through a learning curve. The employee must learn your work style and your expectations. Even though you have hired him or her for their skills, you still need to train them into how you want them to apply their skills on your behalf.

Depending on what you hired them to do for you, you may need to give them…

• Scripts for interacting with the public.
• Email templates for general inquiries.
• Tutorials on how to use software your business uses.
• Guidance on etiquette when dealing with customers.
• Tips on how to keep social media messaging unified.
• Notes on overall branding, etc.

It’s in both your best interests that your new employee works out, so don’t drop the ball when it comes to training and onboarding. Make sure your investment pays off by following through with your new employee until he or she is the asset to your business you were hoping for.