Be Honest with Yourself
Making the decision to hire your first employee is a tricky one. Ask yourself if you need an employee, or can you outsource the extra work for now? Outsourcing is a great option for a growing business. You don’t want to hire someone and a few months down the road are unable to sustain their salary. Be honest with yourself and make sure you’ve crunched the numbers and looked at all possible solutions.
Create a List of Questions
If you have decided hiring employee number one is the best option, the next step is to write down a list of interview questions. What are the key responsibilities for this new hire? How do you see their role evolving? Be very honest with everyone you interview. Start-ups need a lot of love and care in the first few years. They will need to be someone who can handle multiple tasks, and maybe even long hours at first.
Do a Background Check
You can never be too careful these days. You don’t want to get the wool pulled over your eyes during an interview, and later regret your decision if you can help it. Background checks might not find everything, but it’s a good place to start to find any information regarding their previous jobs. If the perfect candidate is honest with you, they won’t mind the background check, and it can ease any “what if’s” you might have.
Fill out all Necessary Paperwork
Before you hire anyone, make sure you have filled out all necessary paperwork such as getting an EIN, (Employee Identification Number) registering with your states labor department and setting up a payroll system. These are very important when it comes to filing taxes at the end of year for both you and your new employee. If you are unfamiliar with everything you need to do, check out the SBA website for help.
Don’t Rush The Process
One of the biggest mistakes an entrepreneur can do is hire some one too fast. You might need the extra help, but you want to make sure it’s the right person for the job. Many entrepreneurs will hire on a contract basis until they feel confident the person is right for the job. It allows you to see them in action, you still are getting the help you need, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on them right away.
In the end trust your gut. If you feel deep down someone is a right fit, they probably are””just as someone might not be. Make sure you outline all of your wants and needs in a candidate and be honest with them and yourself. You’ll be happy you did.
Have you hired your first employee recently? What tips do you have? Let us know in the comments below.
About the Author: Abby Evans is an avid blogger who writes on everything from how to find jobs in Toronto to outlining the principals of how to write a killer blog post.