Small Business Dilemma - Why It's So Hard To Hire Good People?

[benmay100]

Hi everyone,

I have run a small business (approx 8 employees) for the past few years, and recently attended my local small business meet up where I was asked what I had found most challenging, above everything else, running and building my business.

For me, the answer was absolutely no doubt.... hiring good people.

Anyway, it went down well, with a lot of the other local business owners agreeing, and they have asked me to put together a document that explains what I have found difficult about it, and the things I have tried to do to overcome it for their webpage.

I thought I would push this out to you guys, to get your responses to add to my piece.


I have broken it down into the following (but would LOVE your own thoughts and difficulties so I can add them to my article if possible!):

Why is it difficult as a small business to hire good people?

1. When you're a small business owner (small enough that you don't have a HR team) you as the director have to be the HR expert, you have to work out what sort of person is right for your role, and you have to sift through CV's trying to work out what makes a good one and what makes a bad one.

PROBLEMS: Time consuming going through CV's, don't actually know what type of person is right for the role you are advertising, time consuming then setting up interviews. End result, often grabbing at the first person who comes through the door and is 'Half Decent'


2. When you're a small business, it's difficult to attract good people, because it's harder to offer career progression in a small business, people are worried about job security, people often want to be part of a large and varied team, and all the benefits of working in a larger institution are often not available in a small business

PROBLEMS: It's difficult to convey your businesses goals, ethos and working environment using Job Boards. It's difficult to 'sell' your business as a great place to work using Job Ads, and your website.



Please do feel free to add your thoughts and comments and let me know:

1. Is employing good people an issue for you?
2. What solutions have you found/used to overcome this?
3. Why do you think it is a problem for you?


Thank you!

Ben May!

 

[Nochexman]

Not sure if this entirely pertinent to your question, but I have noticed it is generally more difficult to recruit people with IT skills rather than any other - there are not enough to go around.

In terms of getting across the right image for your business this is another arm of your marketing; you need to be able to sell your business as the most exciting place on earth with the most outstanding opportunities since Facebook was a gleam in Zuccerberg's eye. If it isn't then maybe that requires a different answer.

 

[benmay100]

Not sure if this entirely pertinent to your question, but I have noticed it is generally more difficult to recruit people with IT skills rather than any other - there are not enough to go around.

In terms of getting across the right image for your business this is another arm of your marketing; you need to be able to sell your business as the most exciting place on earth with the most outstanding opportunities since Facebook was a gleam in Zuccerberg's eye. If it isn't then maybe that requires a different answer.

Hey Nochexman

Thanks for the reply - I like that notion that selling your business to potential hires should be seen as another strand of your marketing. Very true

Ben

 

[ukitbusiness12]

I can empathise with you fully here. In a previous role I was a senior manager for a small IT reseller, we had about 30 staff, I ran the technical side of the business and managed about 12 people covering support, PS engineering and development. I really struggled to find good people. I didn't have the budget to pay the headline rates wanted by the recruitment agencies, so often had to beat them down to 15% or less, this meant I didn't think we weren't getting their best people (who quite rightly they would send to higher paying clients) and it felt like we were getting people who had been on their books for a while and hadn't been placed for whatever reason. We also tried recruiting directly but would get swamped with CV's, many from Indian nationals who required sponsorship. Due to our size we really didn't want to get involved with sponsorship, and doing telephone interviews with all the EU applicants was especially frustrating and time-consuming, as we needed excellent oral English skills (due to the amount of telephone support we were doing) and many people were unintelligible over the phone.

The local talent pool was especially slim, we worked in a niche area of IT and while we didn't expect people to have all the skills we needed, we were hoping to find people with the right aptitude who we could train up. But we just kept getting people with the wrong mindset, either plain lazy, coming in late, just unable to learn or just plain unwilling to work. One guy went AWOL then I found out a couple weeks later he'd been in court and had been jailed for GBH - turns out he had previous and we hadn't run a criminal records check on him. Another guy just couldn't get to work on time and was persistently late, after 3 or 4 days of this he came in an hour late and I fired him on the spot. Another guy just had to be spoon-fed all the time, we needed people who could think for themselves, so he went. Another one started off well but then started taking time off ill, then when we reviewed the work he was doing to check the project was on track we found he'd hardly done anything and his work was below standard. Finally he went completely AWOL, someone called round his house and he said he was dying of AIDS (he hadn't previously disclosed any medical conditions)!!!!

We were guilty of maybe hiring people we shouldn't have, we took too many chances, but this was only after spending months and months trying to find someone. It was exhausting and something I would be quite happy to let HR do if we had an HR person!

We did have a couple good hires though, a couple of ex-services guys were brilliant, hard working and determined to succeed, we went through an agency that specialised in ex-services people, I can't remember the name of them now but I would highly recommend going down that route. It took one guy a little time to get used to thinking for himself (previously he'd been told what to do by his CO and that had been beaten into him from a young age) and he was a stickler for detail (too much in fact) but boy was he a hard worker! I also hired a mate who was down on his luck, very risky I know but I saw something in him and he turned out to be the hardest worker I know, in fact he's still there and doing very well for himself now.

Recruitment became something I loathed doing, it was such a ball-ache I was quite happy not to have to do it any more when I left!

 

[deniser]

I have found it almost impossible to recruit staff. My main problem is that I am in an affluent area where there is no unemployment (at least among people who want to and are able to work). I used to hire recent graduates and they were great but of course used the job as a step up into something better - which of course they should - because they learned a vast amount with us and that made them very employable - but as the business itself is no longer growing there is no onwards career progression here. So they stayed between 1 and 3 years which was fine.

But the graduates have dried up because there are so many jobs out there at the moment and now my only applicants are middle aged ladies. I have no objection to middle aged ladies per se (I am one myself) but those I have hired have all been a complete disaster. They either had personal problems which were not apparent until they started work (and then became very unreliable and turned up sporadically) or they lacked the IT skills needed to do the job as a lot of it is computer based. The computer skills they need are minimal and very very basic indeed but they could not cope with using a computer - something I take for granted - and they did not have the confidence to learn new skills. I had one lady who could not retain any instructions at all, despite writing everything down. When you have to show them how to switch the computer on and every single step repeatedly from scratch again and again on a daily basis, it becomes very demoralising.

I have now given up and do everything myself which is unsustainable. I am hoping to chance upon someone who will be right for the business.

On the subject of IT skills, there was a time when people in their 20s were great with computers but the last one had no IT skills at all because she did everything on her phone and if there wasn't an app for it, she couldn't do it. So that is another issue for the future.

 

[Mr D]

One previous employer received funding for a project with a timescale. As start time was so close we didn't have time to get project manager in place before hiring the project staff.
The manager was rather set in her ways and placed an advert in the jobcentre for minimum wage staff (we had costed, and had to spend on wages a higher figure than minimum would allow). Then insisted people had to come in to collect application forms.
Despite all that she had over 200 applicants for 4 jobs. 90% totally unsuitable for the role including a handful who did not speak English. Jobcentre just wanted to get people applying.

Of the four taken on, one was head and shoulders above the others at his interview and on his application form. He lasted a single day before quitting.
His replacement lasted 4 months before flying off on holiday and staying in that country.
His replacement lasted to the end of the 3 year project but had little initiative. Hard worker, just had to follow instructions only.
The other 3 staff turned out to not have the experience they claimed to have though in their role they could learn quickly.

If management had been good, if the directors had known what they were doing, if the project had been put together right in the first place then it could have been a success. No matter the staff the project was doomed to fail.

I did learn from that manager. Not to recruit from the jobcentre when wanting unusual skills. And that skills should be checked in interview (manager wrote interview questions and she was not trained on anything to do with project).

 

[titanlist]

Top reasons are a low number of applicants, lack of needed work experience among those that do apply, competition from other employers & a lack of technical skills among job applicants.

 

[The Byre]

Most employers that fail to find good people, do so because they don't bother to look for themselves and apply some basic lateral thinking to the task. They expect agencies or (even worse still) the local Job Centre to find people for them.

It's a bit like finding a good place to build a home or a business - budget-priced building sites in fantastic locations are out there, but they are never listed in the pages of the local estate agents. In the same way, there are loads of good and intelligent, computer-literate, reliable, etc., etc. potential employees out there, but they sure as hell ain't going to be on the books of some agency, or grubbing through the sit-vac pages of the local paper.

If you are looking for people, you are going to have to connect with the local community and talk to local am-dram groups, amateur orchestras and similar societies. Maybe the local computer users' clubs and anything and everything in between will have members or know of someone looking for a gig.

The ideal person may not be looking for a job. Or maybe they've given up, as all they get offered is rubbish, like B&Q and Tesco shelf-stacking. The brutal truth is, that employers are moaning about not being able to find good staff, but when you drill down to the reality, all they are offering is boring, horrible work at very low rates. If you want people to want the job, you have to make the job attractive - and you don't do that by offering a pound more per hour!

Quite apart from the money, what else are you offering? Responsibility? Travel? Variety? Intellectual challenges? Career furthering? Development of their own ideas and projects? What?

And once you've got them on board, what are you doing to keep them?

Are you rewarding good work? If a shop assistant suggests layout improvements, do you allow her to realise her changes? If those changes improve turnover or get rid of older stock, is she rewarded? If an employee goes out of her way and puts in extra effort, does she see that in her pay-cheque? Are you paying staff a Christmas bonus?

 

[benmay100]

Hi ukitbusiness12

Wow, thanks for such a detailed response, and yes I feel the pain you have described here.

particularly true is this...

"I really struggled to find good people. I didn't have the budget to pay the headline rates wanted by the recruitment agencies, so often had to beat them down to 15% or less, this meant I didn't think we weren't getting their best people (who quite rightly they would send to higher paying clients) and it felt like we were getting people who had been on their books for a while and hadn't been placed for whatever reason. We also tried recruiting directly but would get swamped with CV's, many from Indian nationals who required sponsorship. "

I've had the same....

go direct = swamped with CV's and no idea what a good CV is vs. a bad one, and no time to actually go through and read any of them properly

go via recruitment agency = stupidly high fees, and the very same recruiters pick your staff off 2 years later to move them somewhere else!

 

[benmay100]

Hi Deniser,

thanks for your response.

Interesting that you have mentioned using graduates, it's an approach I considered, but never really pursued it. I thought of approaching local universities etc.

I always worry however... I know what I was like when I had just graduated Uni, I had no idea what I wanted to do and was probably pretty flaky....

 

[benmay100]

Hi Mr D

"Despite all that she had over 200 applicants for 4 jobs. 90% totally unsuitable for the role"

This is exactly the issue I have had, so one that I am going to focus on, because I think there must be some solution out there that can help small businesses basically.... filter automatically through CV's to pick out good bits??? (Probably easier said than done)

 

[benmay100]

Hi The Byre

Thanks for your really insightful response.

Regards retaining my staff, I don't tend to have such an issue with that (despite the face we are in insurance.... which is notoriously dry and boring!)

We retain them with a combination of ratcheted bonus, lots of freedom (can all work from home 1 day per week of their choosing) and lots of responsibility.

However, I really like your thoughts re finding the people

"If you are looking for people, you are going to have to connect with the local community and talk to local am-dram groups, amateur orchestras and similar societies. Maybe the local computer users' clubs and anything and everything in between will have members or know of someone looking for a gig. "

Really insightful, and useful.

I guess this could be time consuming, but much better dedicating your time here, because find the right person, and you'll get it back in Spades right?!

 

[Mr D]

Hi Mr D

"Despite all that she had over 200 applicants for 4 jobs. 90% totally unsuitable for the role"

This is exactly the issue I have had, so one that I am going to focus on, because I think there must be some solution out there that can help small businesses basically.... filter automatically through CV's to pick out good bits??? (Probably easier said than done)

Perhaps if there was some standard to CVs.
I was taught to do them a particular way, I still do now 3 decades later. Have been given new CVs a few times by helpful organisations trying to help me get jobs. All different of course.
One gave me a 7 page CV, I wouldn't bother reading it. It says nothing relevant that my 2 page CV doesn't.

When I've done recruitment with an organisation my method has been focus on qualifications and employment.
Roles where a particular skillset or experience is required.

 

[ukitbusiness12]

Re: hiring graduates, I've done that too and if they are straight out of Uni and haven't worked in an office before, I cannot stress enough the need to have a structured training programme in place. This doesn't just cover the job but needs to cover work culture and simple things like how to behave! We had some grads who were so immature it was shocking, but when I think what I was like at that age it kinda made sense to see them behaving the way they did. You cannot expect grads to simply slot in and get on with things, they need a lot of hand-holding and molly-cuddling. They've spent 3 or 4 years travelling, boozing, shagging etc. and suddenly having to get up early and work for a living comes as a bit of a shock to a lot of them I think!

 

[STDFR33]

It’s notoriously difficult for small businesses to attract high quality staff.

The high quality staff can usually pick and choose their employer. They’d rather pick a larger employer that can often pay them more, given them more holidays, give them a good pension, generous sick pay decent holiday allowance, more security etc etc.

Larger employers can be quite inflexible, however. Especially for flexible working hours.
To attract good staff, small businesses need to be flexible and offer perks that large employers can’t offer because of a daft policy from head office miles away.

Failing all that, butter someone up that is clearly good but has an incredibly low self-esteem ;-)

 

[Alan]

but I have noticed it is generally more difficult to recruit people with IT skills rather than any other - there are not enough to go around.

This is an interesting thread and I see people looking at the junior age end of the job market and that seems to be the way the UK job market works. Probably driven by the thought processes of the agencies.

Perhaps there is an opportunity for Agencies to work at the more senior age end. I saw a TV programme recently, where in Japan such agencies exist just to place the semi retired, retired ...

As an ageing IT specialist getting close to 60, I can say that there is definitely an age barrier put up by agencies and corporates, and possibly smaller businesses, thinking that IT is a young person's job. Having tried personally many times even to get a just an interview for jobs I am more than qualified for without success leaves me to have to continue to work as self employed ( which does suit me - but would much prefer an employer send me work than having to seek it, IT people aren't normally naturally marketing/sales people )

Older people have different requirements to younger people, they perhaps have their finances sorted ( like myself ) so work for the satisfaction rather than just the money. Older people may have needs for more flexibility in terms of working hours / working location etc. They may have different needs in terms of their bodies, medical, less fit etc.

It is a growing pool of talent that seems to be, by and large, ignored in this country.

 

[Newchodge]

There is an easy answer to having to wade through too many CV's. Don't ask for CV's.

The problem with recruiting the right staff is that small employers don't prepare for recruitment. You must start with defining whaqt you want the employee to do. 'Help me out' is not good enough. Define for yourself the tasks they will need to do. If necessary, separate them into the ones absolutely needed and the ones that would be nice, or could be done after more experience.

For the essential tasks, describe what skills, attributes, training are vital. For example, if you need a delivery driver they must have a clean valid driving licence.

Then design an application form that asks the applicant to describe, with examples, how they have previously achieved what you need.

Then interview those who demonstrate on paper they can do what you want. At interview make sure they know what they have described. If specific skills are needed, like turning on a computer and setting up an excel spreadsheet, then give them a computer and the appropriate time to demonstrate they can do it.

All this is, of course, time consuming. But if it's done properly, it works. It is what a good recruitment agency should do for you, but most don't.

 

[maxbrainer]

I am lucky as a small online business owner because right now I can do all the work necessary for my job by myself. However, I have thought about my business' future and hopefully it will eventually involve hiring employees........good ones..............Which brings me to the topic of this thread.......I voted "yes" that it is one of the biggest challenges for a small business owner to hire good people even though I have never personally hired anyone for anything yet that doesn't mean I can't venture my opinion. I have done some research on this issue. I have read many blogs, articles, papers and posts and I read this blog back from October of 2010 entitled "8 brutally honest reasons why you can't find good employees" by Marcus Sheridan a professional writer for The Sales Lion. This is my rendition of what I believe the article was trying to communicate...#1) Let go of existing employees that need to be let go of--this is self explanatory #2) Do networking--contact people in your social group on Facebook, etc. and inform them of the job description and skills needed for who you want to hire #3) Don't over-value your skills--because of hubris many small business owners feel that a new hire would never be able to do the job as well as they (the small business owner) could #4) Your business must have an identity--create a unique business identity that potential employees will want to be a part of #5) Don't under-estimate people--many small business owners don't let employees exercise their talents because they (the small business owner) feel the employee won't do their job to satisfaction #6) Don't be grumpy--as a business owner, if you are grumpy you will attract and maybe hire employees who are reflection of who you are #7) Don't exclusively hire "experienced" people--try to hire "great" people--if a person is willing to work hard, is punctual and can learn how to do the job correctly--Isn't that the kind of employee you wanted to begin with? #8) Stop saying there aren't any good people out there--it's a lie--there are good potential employees available you just have to find them.

 

[Alan]

#9) employ people that know how to put in carriage return when they type

 

[Newchodge]

carriage return when they type

While I agree 100%, that dates us both - you because you posted it and me because I understood.

 

[Alan]

Makes us automatically deselected from any recruitment process

 

[AllUpHere]

While I agree 100%, that dates us both - you because you posted it and me because I understood.

If either of you two know how to get the tipex paper into a laser printer to run it through again to correct a mistake, I'm all ears.

 

[DEFCON1]

This is an interesting thread and I see people looking at the junior age end of the job market and that seems to be the way the UK job market works. Probably driven by the thought processes of the agencies.

Perhaps there is an opportunity for Agencies to work at the more senior age end. I saw a TV programme recently, where in Japan such agencies exist just to place the semi retired, retired ...

As an ageing IT specialist getting close to 60, I can say that there is definitely an age barrier put up by agencies and corporates, and possibly smaller businesses, thinking that IT is a young person's job. Having tried personally many times even to get a just an interview for jobs I am more than qualified for without success leaves me to have to continue to work as self employed ( which does suit me - but would much prefer an employer send me work than having to seek it, IT people aren't normally naturally marketing/sales people )

Older people have different requirements to younger people, they perhaps have their finances sorted ( like myself ) so work for the satisfaction rather than just the money. Older people may have needs for more flexibility in terms of working hours / working location etc. They may have different needs in terms of their bodies, medical, less fit etc.

It is a growing pool of talent that seems to be, by and large, ignored in this country.

I couldn't agree with this more.
There seems to be a very strange culture within recruitment/business in the UK where people are deemed to be 'over the hill' all too early IMO and very often won't even make the first cut when applying for a job. (obviously everything does very much depend on the actual job itself, physical & health).
We advertised a job earlier in the year and had 200+ applicants, mostly graduates with no work experience, no track record & most of them seem to possess little/no work ethic. A very hard thing to find in many young people today in my experience.
One guy in his early 60's applied with 45 years experience in our industry (more knowledge than I'll ever have) Had only 3 jobs in his working life each around 15 years in big companies & had been turned away simply because of his age for the last 18 months in every job he applied for since he relocated.
This guys CV stood out heads & shoulder & when I gave him an interview I knew straight away he was exactly who I wanted.
He wants to work for at least another 5 years (sick of being stuck at home for the last year +1/2 driving his Mrs. mad.- The man is an absolute machine, after 2 weeks he mastered the job & is quicker & better than me. He turns up early for work every day, gets everything done & keeps asking for more to do. He also has vast amounts of knowledge & experience I can tap into. Really cannot believe my luck of couldn't have asked for more!
I really can't understand why people immediately overlook older people, but I'm glad as like you said it leaves a huge pool of talent ready for the taking + means I no longer spend all my days babysitting.

 

[Newchodge]

tipex paper

Don't you use the bottled stuff?

 

[AllUpHere]

Don't you use the bottled stuff?

No, the paper you used to have to line up and then retype over the mistake was so much less mess.

 

[Alan]

Razor blade, surely?

 

[AllUpHere]

Razor blade, surely?

Now you are showing your age. Last time I used a typewriter I wasn't old enough to own a razor blade.

 

[Alan]

Doesn't that just demonstrate how age and experience can solve problems in ways never envisaged?

 

[Mr D]

Now you are showing your age. Last time I used a typewriter I wasn't old enough to own a razor blade.

That suggests either you grew facial hair early (presuming you are male), or that razor blades were age limited back then.

 

[patientlady]

Having been in freelance sales for a few years now, I decided that as I am in my later years, maybe 'direct sales' was no longer for me. I started looking around, registered with the internet sites, watched the local papers, kept my ears open at local networking events for a possible opening. I was really looking for a small company that could use my years of experience, in many departments from accounts, passionate customer service, stock control, purchasing, direct sales and so on. Even perhaps a company that couldn't afford to pay a serious salary to someone full time, but could be more manageable on a reduced hour contract. At no point over a 6 month period of looking did I find anything of interest to apply for.
Most adverts offered a low salary, (min wage) or required graduate education and I really got the impression I would need to be around 25 to 30, as the 'benefits offered' could be a duvet day, and three weeks holiday. 95% of the jobs seemed to be recruitment agencies, using recruitment wording!

I have since moved on, still self employed, and approached the company myself. I sent in a CV with only my last 15 years of experience, added a photo, with an additional column stating what I wanted from the job!

Just thinking re the above and Newchodge idea of asking for an application form to be completed rather than asking for CV's would be a great idea, with an area for the applicant to offer 'out of the box' information. You would receive less CV's to sift through, but each applicant will have spent time and is obviously interested in the position offered.
p/l

 

[Gecko001]

When I started to employ people, I was told by someone who was in the same sector as me and had been hiring people for his small business for about 20 years that I should only expect to find "one good one out of every 3 or 4". I thought that that was a very negative way of looking at things. After employing people I perhaps think it is not at all negative.

I think it depends on the type of business. If it is bricks and mortar retail finding someone who will turn up on time and be able to keep their hands out of the till will be probably be highest on your list of attributes. If you are running a niche consultancy firm, finding someone good will be down to what you can offer in terms of career prospects or even just the location.

You might think that your graphic design studio or web design business in a loft in a quaint village might attract people, but it will probably look very unattractive to someone just qualified from art college or who are wizards at IT. Also if you do not have a reputation of taking graduates and training them for professional qualifications in a sector where such qualifications are required, you will probably not be even considered by graduates.

 

[Noah]

#1) Let go of existing employees that need to be let go of--this is self explanatory

No it isn't. Some time ago I had a conversation with a chap who presented himself as a business advisor, also running his own company. We were talking about staff, and a particular issue that I was considering where a hypothetical employee fits about 75% of the job description, does that 75% well and probably adds in some other contributions, but also brings management overhead because trying to get that employee to do the missing 25% is akin to fitting a square peg into a round hole.

His advice was to kick that employee out and find someone who fits 100%. I demurred, on the basis that I can work around that 25%, and the likelihood of finding Little Miss 100% is... not high.

Corollary : His business went bust.

 

[Noah]

I was really looking for a small company that could use my years of experience, in many departments from accounts, passionate customer service, stock control, purchasing, direct sales and so on. Even perhaps a company that couldn't afford to pay a serious salary to someone full time, but could be more manageable on a reduced hour contract.

Blimey! Maybe Christmas has come early to the Ark; PM me with your location if you're still looking.

 

[The Byre]

Regards retaining my staff, I don't tend to have such an issue with that (despite the face we are in insurance.... which is notoriously dry and boring!)

Well, make the work a bit more fun! Heaven knows how you do that, but then I don't work in insurance!

You could start by letting people work from home all the time. Why do you need them to be in the office?

There is an easy answer to having to wade through too many CV's. Don't ask for CV's.

Love this! As one says in German 'Paper is patient!' You write all kinds of magic BS on a sheet or two of paper. I used to work in the music industry and nobody ever asked a musician what sort of a degree they had - if any! They are auditioned! Same with actors - going to RADA, Central or Tisch may boost your skills and help you network, but only the audition counts. Aaron Paul did not attend a single acting college or class, but just put himself out there for about ten years before he became a star with 'Breaking Bad'. He had already well over 40 support roles and bit parts, before then.

The worst office manager I have ever had the misfortune to come across, had a magic 1st Class degree in accounting from St.Andrews. I was on the board for that company and that prat managed to lose an entire year's set of books and refused to use any accounting software. The CEO was stupid enough to give him security of tenure for four years - those were four bitter years for that company! Not only was he grossly incompetent, but he was also an arrogant SoB, who would shout abuse at junior staff. So much for good CVs and magic qualifications.

Perhaps there is an opportunity for Agencies to work at the more senior age end.

It is a growing pool of talent that seems to be, by and large, ignored in this country.

Definitely a business opportunity going begging here! At least, I think so - I mentioned this to my wife and she gave me a lecture on specialist agencies and the ethics of "putting yourself out there and contacting companies directly and unsolicited."

 

[patientlady]

Blimey! Maybe Christmas has come early to the Ark; PM me with your location if you're still looking.

haha typical is that - six months to find you lol.. Yes now sorted thanks x

 

[alex360]

I have recruited lots of people in the past and 1 thing I have learned is too many businesses recruit only based on CV, lots of experience and a good interview, I can tell you this as this may sound good it's not the most important factor why:

1. Do you prefer recruiting someone with experience but a poor attitude
2. Recruit someone with less experience but a good attitude

Experience can be learned bad attitude and negativity are very difficult to change and can spread very fast in your business, so often it's best to recruit that person with less experience but a good attitude their will true to your business

 

[Christopher Day]

Good people are always hard to find because there is a limited supply of them. What's more you good people will only thrive if they are happy, hence why it is important to find the right people for the right job

 

[benmay100]

Hi Everyone

I just wanted to thank you all for the responses you have given to my post.

I've actually been quite overwhelmed by the response, it seems like hiring good people is quite an emotive and frustrating problem for lots of us.

I've since been speaking with a friend (who has a small software development business and has also had a nightmare hiring people) he thinks we should try and build a software platform to solve this issue, and have it specifically designed for small businesses (0- 10 people) like us!

I'm in agreement with him and think this could be worthwhile exploring, and a potentially fun project for 2018!

I have created a survey on the Market Research forum on this site to try and gather some more info and assess whether there is a problem here that needs solving - if anyone could complete it that would be amazing!

Thank you all, and Merry Xmas!

 

[Violinni]

@benmay100

“When you're a small business, it's difficult to attract good people, because it's harder to offer career progression in a small business, people are worried about job security, people often want to be part of a large and varied team, and all the benefits of working in a larger institution are often not available in a small business”

Sorry, but that’s not a valid point at all. That’s just concluded on the basis of random percentage of people, not a majority by any means.

I for example am an introvert. I will refuse any offer to work in a big company or corporation, or a firm with big team, because the stress I will have when trying to do my job, will ultimately bring me to not being able to do my job.

So if you met people like me, your family, or friends, or people elsewhere, it comes down to this — time, and luck.

If you had the time to seek — you would’ve found.
And if you had the luck — you would've found.