The Art of Recruiting Talent for Your Small Business

Mar 31, 2010, Written by Sue Miley

As a small business when we hire a new employee he/she usually represents a double digit percentage of our entire team.  We better make a good decision or 50%, 25% or at least 10% of our team is a potential handicap.  We can’t afford that!  We need to become EXPERT RECRUITERS.  Let’s look at one of the most important steps a small business can take in the recruiting process.

In “big business” recruiting you think of the poor candidate sitting in front of a panel of corporate managers assembled to drill the guy about why he feels himself worthy of the interview much less a job at their fine institution.  Okay, now come back to reality.  WE aren’t APPLE or P&G or STARBUCKS!  We are SMALL BUSINESSES.  We are working on our image and brand, but most of us need to help the candidate envision what we are destined to become!  We want to cast our vision whether that is to be the #1 player in the local market or just to make a small difference in the lives of the customers God brings to us.  We have a vision.  WE HAVE PASSION! (I didn’t think it would sound passionate in lower case letters.)  We love what we are doing.  If we don’t, we shouldn’t be doing it.

And if we are not able to illustrate what we can be….

If our passion does not shine through…..

If we can not capture the candidates imagination….

then who can???

It is our job to sell the candidate on our business first!  We want them salivating over the opportunity!  Why?

  • We want to attract candidates with successful track records, not someone just in need of a job.
  • We want to set the bar clearly for all new hires so they will hit the ground running!
  • We want full buy in to our vision and mission.
  • We want to hear through the interview how they feel they can contribute to achieving the company’s dreams.
  • We want them talking about us to everyone they know.
  • We want to have the negotiation leverage, not them.

Selling our business to candidates motivates and inspires them and it motivates and inspires us.  It is fun.  It creates momentum.  It is our job!

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Sue Miley

Sue Miley MBA, MA, LPC helps small business owners build successful businesses on a foundation of Christian values. After 20 years in business, and 10 years as a Christian counselor, Sue uses a combination of faith, business and psychology to help clients in business and in life.

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