What Type of Employee does Your Small Business Need?

While Noobreneur.com has addressed before how best to go about finding employees, it can be especially difficult to find the perfect workers once you’ve narrowed down your pool to a handful of applicants. Of course, you should consider things like experience and intelligence, but in my experience working with and for small businesses, there’s a certain type of person who thrives in a small business or start-up setting. Here are some personal qualities you should look for:

1. Flexible
In a small business environment, where there does not usually exist a battery of very formal rules, it’s important that you hire employees who can live with less of a rigid structure. They must be responsible individuals who can respond to the changing and various needs of a small organization on the spot as they go about their day.

2.  Innovative
In a world where large corporations dominate because of their vast resources, small businesses can only survive if they are constantly thinking of new ways to do the same thing. An employee who thrives in a small business or start-up is one who values innovation, is innovative herself, and reads about the latest industry developments so she can put her hand on the pulse of the “next big thing.”

3.  Casual and friendly
Of course, all businesses want their employees to be friendly. But in a small business environment, one in which you’ll be working with the same, small group of people day in and day out, it’s especially important to be people-oriented. Small business also tend to be much more laid-back in their corporate culture than larger businesses, so it’s prudent to hire folks who know how to relax and have fun while they’re working.

4.  Passionate
Small businesses and start-ups are usually founded on small ideas that hope to become big ones. While innovative people are important to have on board, innovation hardly goes anywhere without passion. People who are truly passionate about the work that you do will take your business forward into the future. When the stagnation that all small business experience eventually arrives, it will be the fire of a passionate team that will get you through the hard times.

Of course, it can be difficult to ascertain if these qualities can be found in your potential candidates, especially when often only have an interview to do by when determining personal traits and qualities. Still, if you develop your interview process such that you address these qualities in some way or another, you will find the employees of your dreams. Good luck!

About the Author: This is a blog post by Nadia Jones. You can reach her at nadia.jones5 @ gmail.com.