Making hiring mistake at a larger organization can cause some damage. However, it’s often times not deadly. As a leading staffing services firm in Rancho Cordova, Pacific Staffing knows the same isn’t necessarily true for a small business. The consequences of a poor hiring choice can wreak havoc in a business where the margins are much tighter and stakes are higher. So if you’re looking to bring new talent to your small business team, how can you avoid any missteps and find the people you need? Here are some tips to keep in mind before you make a move:

#1: Define the role.

Before you write a job description, make sure you have a clear understanding of your needs and the role you’re trying to fill. Vague or generic job descriptions are going to result in weak candidates. So make sure you think through not only daily tasks and responsibilities, but also your expectations as well as short- and long-term goals. The more you know the role before you hire, the better your shot of spotting the right person for it.

#2: Look for candidates in the right places.

If you need highly technical candidates, then a quick search on a large job board probably won’t yield you the best talent. However, if you search out and engage with them on technical forums and websites, such as Stack Overflow, then you’ll increase your odds of finding the right people for your needs. That may also mean looking in different places for different types of people. For instance, you’ll likely need to source financial candidates from a different place than creative ones.

#3: Appeal to top candidates.

In order to attract the best people to your company, you have to give them good reasons to work there. So if you’re only focusing on your needs during the hiring process, then top talent will look elsewhere for challenging opportunities. Instead, take a balanced approach and be sure to cover the perks, benefits and advantages your company can offer when recruiting.

#4: Look beyond hard skills.

You need a certain job done and you need to find someone with the right skills to do it. However, it’s also important to go beyond the hard skills and make sure the person you do hire has the right personality to blend with your culture and company. If, for instance, you offer a laid back and casual office environment, someone who needs plenty of structure may not be the right fit for you – even if they have the skills you need.

#5: Make sure you’re always recruiting.

Don’t just recruit when you need to fill an empty seat. You should always be on the lookout for strong candidates for your company. So next time you’re at a conference or tradeshow – and you meet someone you’d like to eventually hire, get their business card, connect on LinkedIn and stay in touch. That way, when you do actually need to hire, you’ll have a talent pipeline waiting in the works.

Do you need more help hiring for your small business? Call the experts at Pacific Staffing. As a leading staffing services firm in Rancho Cordova, we take the time to get to know our clients and our candidates so that we can make the best matches between the two. Contact Pacific Staffing today to learn more about how we can help.