Your business is growing – and it’s time to bring in some new talent to keep up with demand. But are you sure you really need to hire full-time? Or do you simply need to re-organize or consider other options?

As a business operating in today’s competitive environment, the last thing you want is to hire the wrong or an unneeded employee – which can become a huge burden. To ensure you do really need to hire, ask yourself these 6 questions first:

1. Do you have a defined role that needs to be filled?

Sure, things are busy and your existing employees are swamped. But do you know exactly where to bring in a new hire and what you need them to do?

As one of the leading staffing agencies in Sacramento, California, Pacific Staffing can tell you if you move ahead with your hiring efforts and post a vague job description and unclear job expectations, you’re not going to attract high quality candidates. The more precise you can be, the better. So take some time to think about the responsibilities and tasks you need help with.

2. Can you provide competitive compensation?

If you’re looking to hire a full-time employee, then you also need to be ready to pay a competitive salary and benefits. If you’re not, then you’re going to wind up with a sub-par employee or one who leaves at the first opportunity that offers better pay.

3. Can you handle more employees?

In addition to offering fair compensation, you also need to be ready to handle more employees. This means you need to have a space for them to work and the resources to invest in more office equipment (laptop, company cell phone, etc.), as well as a solid training and orientation process in place.

4. How would a new employee make your business more profitable?

Perhaps a new employee could take some of the administrative burdens off you, so you could focus more on bringing in new business. Or maybe your next employee will be the one doing the selling.

Whatever the case, before you hire, know ahead of time how you want that person to add to your bottom line and make your business more profitable – whether it’s in a support role or a development one. You need to have clear expectations and goals from the outset and communicate them to your new hire.

5. Is growth hurting you?

Most companies experience growing pains. And some weather the storms better than others. But if your company has grown too quickly, and you’re starting to receive customer complaints or orders aren’t getting out the door fast enough, then you either need to re-examine your internal processes to make them more efficient or hire extra help.

6. Should you hire a contractor instead?

Hiring a full-time employee can be risky, especially when you’re not sure you can sustain an increase in demand. If you’re uncertain, then bring in a contractor or temporary employee first instead. That way, you can get the work done and better determine whether or not you should hire full-time.

Whether you need full-time employees, or contract or temporary ones, Pacific Staffing can help. As one of the leading staffing agencies in Sacramento, California, we know where to find today’s top talent. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.