Small Business Hiring Success In Today's Scarce Market

“Employees are acting like consumers in how they are consuming work.” - CEO Manpower Group

This quote is spot on and reflects the sentiment of the current hiring market. And though the advice I am about to share in this article SHOULD apply at all times it is especially pertinent today.

Lose the attitude - you are a sales person now.

So if it is true that employees are acting like consumers, then as an owner in search of an employee I must first remind you that you are a sales person now - selling your company and a particular job/position to a prospective employee. Lose the attitude that you are giving something away and he or she should therefore be grateful for the opportunity. In this current paradigm you are selling to get the win and you must keep selling to assure no buyers remorse.

Be unique.

Now that I have your approach to hiring reset, let's talk a bit about the consumer - this person looking for a job in an environment with a whole lot of choices.

Test question: If all things are equal how does a typical consumer make a buying choice?

Hint: Think hamburger joints, dry cleaners, toothpaste, printing company, lawyers.

Answer: They make the decision on price (salary/rate), convenience (traffic/work from home), or brand recognition/reputation (will this boost my career).

Sadly, these are out of the immediate control of most small businesses. So don't become hostage to these. Be different - in a good way of course.

If you had a choice would you choose your company over all others to work in?

What should that difference entail? If you were to look at any employee satisfaction survey you will see these classic responses from employees who LOVE their jobs:

• I like what they are doing/what they stand for.
• I feel fulfilled at the end of my workday. I am contributing and recognized for it.
• I know what is expected of me - no ambiguity.
• I have the tools to perform my job and be successful.
• I am sufficiently challenged and am learning and growing (career wise) here.
• I see a future here. I like how this company is growing.

What most are surprised to learn is (1) people hate looking for a job and the angst that comes with it and (2) it is NOT pay or benefits that they site in these surveys. Those aspects are secondary and, as long as they are consistent with industry standards, usually quite acceptable.

Do the basics well.

So what is it that employers do that generates the kind of responses seen above - all the while being unique? Well you will be surprised to find it is not all that mysterious. But sadly, it is remarkably rare to find these attributes in a typical small business. Here are the minimum elements:

• A written 3-yr strategic plan - that can be shared and shows a clear destination for the company - answering the obvious questions - what do we stand for (vision), what do we do (mission statement), how are we unique (likelihood of market success), and where are we going.
• Clearly written job descriptions - qualifications, responsibilities, pay//benefit range - taking away any ambiguity for what is expected of them.
• Documented processes - to remove ambiguity for how they are expected to do the job assigned
• Annual tactical plan - defining the employees goals for the quarter/year
• Regular reviews - for mutual feedback and coaching (not annual).

Now as I am writing this I realize it is not possible, if you don't have a written strategic plan, to put one quickly together. Please don't do that! But don't put this off either. You are paying a price today for violating one of the basic rules of business (have a plan - follow a plan). You can, however, write a job description to use to narrow your search and interview only those meeting certain criteria. Trust me, this will improve your odds of finding a "good fit" tremendously. You can also start the process documentation - to drive consistency in the customer experience and remove ambiguity in the workforce.

Related article: 8 Short-Sighted Reason Business Owners Don't Plan

I was having a conversation with a small business owner frustrated with her recent experiences with new hiring and new employees. I shared with her the quote that I used at the start of this article, “Employees are acting like consumers in how they are consuming work.” Her reply was immediate, "Yep, buy and throw away to get a new one!" I took this moment to remind her, "Consumers don't typically "throw away" something that works, fit well, or meets their expectations." Her next reply, "Good point."

About the author: Mike Gomez is the President and CEO of Allegro Consulting, a business growth specialty firm in Atlanta, Georgia helping privately held business owners find new avenues for sustained growth for 19 years. He is a start-up advisor at ATL Tech Village, guest lecturer at GaTech and UGA, and prolific business speaker. His growth focused articles have appeared in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, ATL Business Chronicle, Gwinnett Business Journal, and the Business Insider. www.allegroconsultant.com Twitter: @growthguy