Six Steps for Successful Recruiting for Your Small Business

When you're at the stage to start recruiting people for your small business, it can be exciting yet nerve-racking. 

The thought of the growth that the person can help create for your business is exciting. Thinking of the support they'll offer you and your business gives you the idea that you're making the right move. You'll look forward to training them on everything you do: interacting with customers, doing the best job possible, solving new challenges, and hustling.

You're right to be excited, as this is a growing business that is hiring. Typically, growing businesses are healthy businesses. 

But this can also be stressful. 

With so many candidates, how can you be sure the ones you're viewing are the best? Where do you find them? How do you interview them? What do you ask?

trades business recruiting strategies

We get these questions when discussing trades business recruiting strategies. And all the time when working with small businesses owners, and rightfully so. Recruiting—interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and training—is an intimidating task that takes years to master. However, we've found that some common recruiting trends apply to most small businesses.

These trends are broken down into six steps.

Step 1: Be clear about the position you're hiring for

Spend time thinking about what you need from this new hire. Start with a job title, a description of your company, the tasks and responsibilities you expect from the hire, and the pay rate. Drill down on the day-to-day tasks that person will be responsible for. Know the vision and values that will guide their work. Review this and formalize it into a job description you'll use for your job posting.

A job posting will be your new hires' first impression of your company. Make sure it clearly communicates the job to the candidate.

Step 2: Post the job in the right places

Once you are clear on who you're looking for, understand where to find them. Industry job boards are a great place to start. Indeed has led us to many successful hires. So have local job Facebook posts. Some companies we've worked with have even gone as far as to run paid advertising campaigns to find the right candidate. 

By posting in the right place, you can be sure potential candidates will see your job posting. This increases the chances of finding the perfect person.

Step 3: Create a basic recruiting process.

If you're hiring for one position, this may seem excessive, but hear me out. You need to understand the steps in your hiring process for small businesses before you post your job ad. The reason is this. If you're not clear about the next steps, how will you be able to communicate this to potential candidates? 

Spend time considering what will happen and when. A simple recruiting process for small businesses could look like this;

1. Create, review and refine the job description

2. Post an ad on local and industry job boards

3. Spend 1 week reviewing applicants and communicating with them about the next steps.

4. Shortlist a handful of potential candidates using a set of criteria unique to your business.

5. Interview shortlisted candidates

6. Communicate with everyone who has been interviewed, letting them know of your decision*

   • This is important, even for those you don't hire. Coming off as professional here improves your company's image and keeps the door open for future hires.

7. Send a job offer to your selected candidate.

8. Onboard them

   • This is a process in itself, and you should understand the basics of successful onboarding. If you don't, let us know. We specialize in onboarding for small businesses.

Step 4: Systemize Shortlisting.

We love using tools to systemize all types of business operations. Screening and shortlisting candidates for recruitment is no exception.

For this, we use tools to speed up the shortlisting process. Our job posts get 50+ applicants, making reviewing each candidate's resume and experience overwhelming. We use Google Forms to collect information and filters to quickly understand who has the right skills to do the job. Small tests to make sure people pay attention to detail.

By having a system for shortlisting, you can batch applicants. This allows you to work more efficiently.

Step 5: Interview the right candidates

This is probably the toughest part to perfect. Setting the scene for the interview, ensuring you're prepared and focused, and making your recruit feel welcome is a fine art. 

It's unlikely that you'll nail this on the first try. That's okay. It takes time to sharpen this tool. We've spent 5+ years working for different service-based businesses, so we know what to look for. 

Before you start, create a list of questions (see below) you'll ask. A few skill-specific questions and a couple of open-ended, softer questions. This will allow you to gauge what the person is like. 

Anyone you interview should have passed some screening, meaning they have the skills for the position. Ensure you have recently reviewed the applicant's resume and know what questions you'll ask. Also, understand what deciding factors will emerge from the interview.

You'll likely use intuition and vibes to decide if your candidate is the right fit. Is this someone you'd want to spend all day working with or see at the company Christmas party?

If they are, jump into hiring.

Step 6: Let applicants know your decision

We use two email templates for this. This makes communication quick and streamlined.

1. Thanks. We won't be moving forward.
2. You've been hired. Here are your next steps.

There you have it. Once you've informed candidates of your decision, it's time to start onboarding. The real fun begins, and you see the new candidate in action. If you've done everything right, they should quickly learn to use the tools and integrate with your customers and team.

Interview Questions for Small Businesses

1. Can you describe a time when you faced an unexpected challenge and had to think on your feet to resolve it? What was the situation, and how did you address it?
2. Imagine you’re on a job site, and a tool or equipment you need is unavailable or broken. How would you ensure the work gets done safely and on time?
3. Tell me about a time when you had to explain something complex to someone with less experience or knowledge in that area. How did you ensure their understanding?
4. Trade work often involves collaborating with others. Can you share an example of a successful team project you participated in? What role did you play, and how did you ensure the team achieved its goal?
5. In this industry, priorities can shift quickly. How do you handle changes in plans, such as a sudden change in job priorities or needing to learn a new skill on the job?