How Do I Hire Staff: Step-By-Step Guide to Hiring People
There are many different ways to find people to work for you. You could use online job boards like LinkedIn or Monster.com. Or, you could go directly to companies looking for help. But what about those times when you don’t know exactly what you want? What if you’re just getting started and don’t even know where to begin?
Here are 11 steps to make sure you hire the best person for the position.
1. Do Your Research
Before you start interviewing candidates, do some research into the industry. Find out how much experience each candidate has, what skills he or she has, and whether he or she has been successful in similar positions. This way, you’ll be able to better judge his or her ability to perform in your role.
2. Create a Job Description
A job description helps define the responsibilities of the position, set expectations, and ensure that everyone understands the requirements of the job. A good job description includes information such as duties and qualifications needed to fill the position. If possible, include examples of previous jobs performed by the applicant.
3. Set Up Interview Questions
Employ the best individual for the task.
Before hiring anyone, make sure that you follow all the rules regarding employment law. You might think that you are following all the necessary steps, but there could still be something missing. In fact, some things might even go against the law. For example, you must ensure that the applicant has been properly screened before being hired. This includes checking their criminal record, credit history, tax information and more.
Make sure that you understand exactly what you are getting into when it comes to hiring people. If you don’t, you could end up making a costly mistake. There are many different types of employees, including contractors and freelancers. Some of them work under contract while others are self-employed. How do you determine whether someone is an independent contractor or an employee? What are the differences between the two? And how does one apply for unemployment benefits?
Checking the background of potential candidates is just one part of the screening process. You should also consider asking for references. After all, you wouldn’t want to hire someone without knowing anything about their previous employer. So, find out everything possible about each individual. Are they reliable? Is their work ethic good? Does he/she respect deadlines? These questions are important because they tell you a lot about the type of worker you are looking for.
You should also consider asking for a reference list. This way, you can contact former coworkers and supervisors to learn more about the candidate. They can provide insight into his/her performance.
If you decide to hire someone, make sure that you write down the terms of the agreement. This will include the length of the contract, the number of hours per week, and the salary. Also, keep track of the hours worked. If the person works fewer than 40 hours per week, you must pay him/her overtime.
Finally, you should always remember that you are responsible for the actions of your employees. Make sure that you know where your workers spend their free time. Find out if they are working during normal business hours. If they are, you must pay them for those hours. On the other hand, if they are working outside of regular office hours, you cannot legally require them to come in every day. However, you can request that they call in once a week.
In addition to paying attention to legal requirements, you should also take care of the welfare of your employees. Make certain that they feel comfortable around you. Provide them with a safe workplace and a healthy environment. Ensure that they receive proper training and compensation.
1. Make a clear description of the job.
There are many reasons why companies fail to hire qualified employees. In fact, according to research conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, nearly half of employers say they don’t make enough hires because they lack talent. But it doesn’t have to be like this. Here are some tips to help ensure you’re hiring the best people possible.
Step 1: Make a clear description of the job.
The first step in finding the perfect candidate is creating a clear job description. This document should clearly outline the responsibilities of the position and include the qualifications necessary for the role. If there isn’t one already, start with a template that includes the following information:
• Responsibilities
• Qualifications
• Skills needed
• Education requirements
2. Find out who is doing the hiring.
Recruiting is one of those tasks that seems simple enough. You post a job opening online, and you wait for applicants to come knocking. But what happens when no one applies? Or worse, when many people apply? In either case, it’s important to know how much work goes into finding qualified candidates.
To begin with, there are multiple types of recruiters. Some specialize in certain industries, while others focus on specific functions within those industries. For example, a recruiter specializing in marketing might look for candidates with experience in social media marketing, whereas someone focused on sales might seek out candidates with experience in customer support.
The second thing to consider is where the candidate pool comes from. A recruiter working for a staffing firm might find talent directly from companies looking to fill open roles. On the other hand, a human resources manager might use her network to identify potential hires. These differences make it essential to understand the type of recruiter you want to hire.
Once you’ve identified the recruiter best suited to handle your needs, it’s time to figure out what you actually need. There are several ways to go about this. First, you could ask the recruiter to provide a list of skills needed for the position. This approach works well when you already have a good idea of what you’re looking for. However, it may prove difficult to narrow down the field once you receive dozens of resumes.
A better option is to define the role yourself. Think about the responsibilities of the job and write down everything you think the person filling the role must do. Then, compare those expectations against the qualifications listed in the ad. If you don’t see anything relevant, you can always add additional requirements.
Finally, you can let the recruiter take over. Ask him or her to submit resumes based on the information you provided. Once you review the submissions, you can choose the ones that meet your criteria.
Outsourcing recruitment allows you to save time and money without compromising quality. To start, you won’t have to spend hours reviewing hundreds of applications. Instead, you can simply select the best candidates based on the information you provide. And because you aren’t paying for each application, you’ll save thousands of dollars.
3. Make sure that every worker has a National Insurance number.
All employers must ensure that every newly hired worker has an NI number. This includes people working part-time, self-employed workers and those who are unemployed. An employer who fails to do this could face fines of up to £20,000 per person.
Employees who don’t have a NI number will miss out on many benefits including tax credits, free prescriptions, student loans and child benefit. They won’t be able to claim sick pay either.
If you employ someone who doesn’t have an NI number, it’s important to check whether they are eligible for one. If they aren’t, you can apply for them online. You’ll need to provide evidence of employment and proof of residence.
The government says there are around 2 million people without NI numbers. Around half of these are thought to be EU nationals.
4. Maintain accurate tax records
The good news is that you don’t have to go into debt to get good tax software. There are many affordable options out there that will allow you to manage your finances without breaking the bank.
5. Understand your obligations
The law says employers must make sure their employees know what their rights are. If you’re unsure about how much notice you need to give someone before letting them go, check out our guide here.
6. Remember key dates and tasks
The UK taxman wants to make sure you don’t forget about anything during the tax season. Here are six reminders you’ll want to keep in mind.
1. April 5 – Deadline to file returns
2. May 15 – Last day to claim expenses
3. June 30 – Last date to submit Self Assessment forms
4. July 31 – Last date to request extensions
5. October 31 – Last date to file returns
6. November 5 – Last date to file self assessment forms
7. Know what your employees’ rights are.
There are many types of employee rights, including those set out by statute, such as equal pay for women and racial equality. But there are also common law rights, which exist outside legislation. These include things like reasonable notice periods before dismissal, the right to take breaks during working hours, and the right to refuse unsafe working conditions.
Employees should always feel safe and supported at work, and it’s important to understand what protections they have under the law. This includes knowing about the basic employment rights of workers.
If you don’t know where to start, here are some key points to remember:
1. You must comply with the law. If you’re employing people, you must follow the rules around pay, health and safety, discrimination and more.
2. Your employees have legal rights too. They should be treated fairly and paid properly, given breaks, and allowed to speak up without fear of reprisal.
3. Respect your employees’ privacy. Don’t snoop into personal emails or social media accounts without permission.
4. Be clear about expectations. Tell your team exactly what you want them to do, and how they’ll be measured.
8. Obtain employers’ liability insurance
Employers are required to provide workers compensation insurance under federal law. This includes medical care, disability benefits, death benefits and legal fees. If you fail to do so, you could face fines.
The state where you work determines whether employers must carry this insurance. In most states, it is mandatory. However, some states require employers to offer voluntary coverage. In those cases, employers can choose to purchase optional insurance.
If you operate a small business, you might want to consider purchasing employers’ liability insurance. This type of policy covers employees injured while working for your company.
You can obtain employers’ liability insurance online from insurers or brokers. The cost will depend on several factors, such as the size of your company, your previous claim history and how much coverage you desire.
9. Set up a payroll system
Payroll systems are essential for small businesses. They allow you to manage employee benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans, pay employees, file taxes, and much more. In fact, there are over 700 different types of payroll software solutions out there. But it doesn’t matter what type of solution you choose because most of them do the same basic things.
The good news is that accounting software can make managing your finances easier. You can use it to automate many processes related to bookkeeping, including creating invoices, tracking expenses, and even generating reports. Plus, you won’t have to hire an accountant to run your books anymore.
There are three main categories of accounting software: desktop accounting software, cloud accounting software, and mobile accounting software. Desktop accounting software runs on your computer and typically requires you to install programs on each PC where you want to use it. Cloud accounting software works online, meaning you access it via the internet rather than installing programs on your computers. Mobile accounting software is designed specifically for smartphones and tablets.
If you decide to go with desktop accounting software, look into QuickBooks Online. This option lets you connect to your bank accounts and view transactions directly within the program. If you prefer something simpler, try Freshbooks. Both offer free trial periods.
For payroll needs, consider Xero. This is one of the best options for small businesses. It offers features like automated billing and tax filing, automatic payment processing, and easy reporting.
You might also want to check out Intuit GoPayment, which allows you to send payments to vendors electronically. And if you want to take advantage of the latest advances in technology, consider integrating your accounting software with a CRM (customer relationship management), marketing automation tool, and/or ecommerce platform.
10. Keep a file on every worker.
The average worker spends about 40 hours per week at work. If you want to keep track of everything you do while working, it’s important to know what records are required by law. You might think that keeping a logbook of daily activities is enough, but there are many legal requirements that you must follow.
For example, employers are legally obligated to keep a record of employees’ birthdays, sick days, vacation days, holidays and personal information such as medical conditions and emergency contact numbers. They also need to keep a record of your taxes, health insurance benefits, retirement plans, criminal history, drug use and sexual orientation.
You don’t just need to keep a record for yourself; you also need to make sure everyone else knows where to find it. This includes payroll departments, human resources personnel, attorneys and government agencies.
If you have a large number of employees, consider using an HR software solution like Workday or SuccessFactors. These solutions allow you to manage all of your employees’ data in one place.
11. Be clear about your goals and what you want.
If you want people to do something, make it easy for them. People are lazy. They don’t like doing things unless there is some sort of incentive. If you want someone to work harder, pay them better. If you want them to perform better, praise them. And if you want them to learn faster, treat them differently.
But if you want them to do something, make sure they know exactly what that thing is and why they should care. You might think you’re being helpful by telling someone how much they suck at something, but it’s actually just making them feel worse.
People hate feeling bad. So if you want them to improve, stop insulting them. Instead, tell them what they did wrong, and explain why they should fix it. Then, show them how to do it correctly. This way, they won’t have to guess anymore.
This technique works best when applied to small tasks. For example, let’s say you’ve got a customer service representative who needs to call a few different companies to find out where they stand on an issue. When she calls up one company, she doesn’t really know whether they’ll help her or not. But when she calls another company, she already knows that they’ll probably be able to solve her problem.
So, rather than calling each company individually, she could send a single email asking for their input. She could even include a link to the document that explains the situation. Now, when she gets a response, she can see immediately whether or not she’s getting anywhere.
And if she does get somewhere, she can thank the person who helped her. Because now, they’ll remember that they’re supposed to help customers. Which makes them more likely to help others.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to find potential recruits
Recruiting is a long game. As soon as you hire someone, they become part of your team, and you want to keep them happy. So how do you go about finding people to join your organisation?
There are many ways to recruit. Some businesses use recruitment agencies, others do it themselves and some even use a combination of both methods. There are pros and cons to each approach.
Using an agency
A recruitment agency is a good way to save time and money. They already know what they’re looking for, so they’ll find candidates quickly and efficiently. But hiring an agency isn’t cheap – typically around £1,500 per month – and there’s no guarantee of success.
If you’ve got the budget, however, it might be worth paying up front for a good agency. Agencies often charge a fee based on the number of applications they receive, so you could end up saving money if you don’t get enough applicants.
You can also ask for referrals. Many companies prefer to work with agencies because they trust their expertise. Ask your current employees if they know anyone else who might be suitable.
How to interview candidates
Once you’ve narrowed down your shortlist of potential employees, you’ll want to begin interviewing them. This includes taking them out for coffee, having them complete some simple tasks, or even conducting a mock interview. You’re looking for several things during an interview:
1. Are they able to answer questions about themselves?
2. Do they show interest in the role?
3. Can they demonstrate skills needed for the job?
4. Do they seem like a good fit for the team?
5. Is there anything else we should know?