You decided to add an employee or even employees to your team! That's a big step! Keep reading if this is your first time adding an employee to your team.

I compiled the most important points in this blog post that you should be aware of before extending an offer.

#1 Understanding current landscape

There is no denying that the pandemic has changed the workforce. People are more content with lower pay in return for more freedom and are more willing to resign from their job if they are unhappy, even if they don't have a new job lined up.

As an employer, you have to understand that remote work or a hybrid model is the future of employment. You are more likely to find qualified employees if you offer them to work from home twice a week. Potential candidates are more open to applying for positions that offer such perks.

#2 Set clear expectations

Before you start looking for potential candidates, define the expectations. Outline exactly what the role is and what the candidate can expect.

Expectations go beyond academic level or availability to work. Define the purpose of the role, daily responsibilities, performance reviews, and 1st-week goals.

Setting clear expectations will also help you craft a job announcement.

#3 The interview process

Once applications are rolling in, look through resumes to identify potential candidates. If you like a resume, call the person and conduct a 5-min interview. The initial phone call should be a first impression, not an entire interview.

I always call up potential candidates before emailing them to set up a time to talk because I want to see how they sound on the phone in an "unexpected" situation. I briefly recap the job and see if they are still interested. If the candidate makes a great first impression on the phone, I'll invite them to a second interview via zoom. You can also use teams, whatever works best for you.

If the candidate does not impress me, I will tell them that if we decide to move forward to a second interview round, someone will call them within a week.

I'll leave a voicemail with my name, company name, and call back number for everyone who did not answer my first initial outreach. Also and this tip will increase your chances of a callback, I'll send them a text with my name, company name, and why I reached out to them.

Pre-pandemic, I always invited potential candidates to the office for a second interview, but it is more efficient to conduct the second interview via teams or zoom. This way, you can also see if the candidate is tech-savvy. If the candidate does not work out or show up, you've wasted less time.

The second interview should be a more in-depth conversation where you explain the role in detail to evaluate the candidate.

Here are my general questions I always ask during the job interview:

Why did you decide to leave your current place of employment?
What's your earliest start date?
What compensation are you looking for?
How would you exceed expectations in this role?
What appealed to you to apply for this role?
What are your career goals?
How does [company name] bring value to clients?

I like the last question because it will show you if the candidate did their research on your company.

Word of caution: If a candidate is currently employed and does not want to give a 2-week notice to their old employer, I am very cautious because this person could do the same to you. I also pay close attention to why they want to leave or left their workplace.

Don't rush the process of hiring somone. Nothing hurts your business more than rushing the interview process and settling on a candidate only because you want to fill the role. Every time I see this happen, this candidate does not work out, and soon you'll find yourself looking for a replacement.

#4 Onboarding

Nothing is more nerve-wracking than starting a new job, in-person or remote. So it is your responsibility to ensure smooth onboarding. You can use HR systems to trigger a welcome email and required paperwork. If your business does not have an entire HR system, ensure you send out all the necessary paperwork to the new team member.

From my experience, the first day is spent filling out paperwork, reading through the handbook, and getting familiar with software and co-workers.

I found it very useful to create the following document:

Day one schedule includes items that must be completed; this way, the new hire is not lost in the process.
A document explaining the role, training, and responsibilities - great for setting expectations.
A checklist where the candidate can cross off the tasks that are completed.
Training documents.
First week goals - this depends on the job, but for example, as a social media manager, you can say acquire logins, review branding, and first glance suggestions.

Creating checklists or protocol documents make it very easy to feel comfortable in a new role. The more organized the onboarding, the less the new hire feels stressed out.

#5 Feedback

After week one, check in with your hire and see how the person is adjusting. Provide feedback if necessary. Depending on the role in your business, I recommend having 5-10 minute performance reviews twice a month and an hour performance review every year. Having these small performance reviews twice a month will allow time for coaching.

#6 Things to keep in mind

I won't be able to provide tax and legal advice, but there are specific steps you need to take to apply with laws. Being an employer carries many responsibilities and obligations, from tax forms to government registrations to insurance requirements and more. Websites like Nolo or SBA (small business administrations) are great places to start your research. You can also contact a lawyer to make sure you did not forget anything.

Conclusion:

Adding employees to your business is a big step! There are legal requirements your company needs to comply with, but you also need to understand the current landscape.

If you want to chat more about onboarding team members, feel free to reach out to me!