THE MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONALS

Hire right to grow your business

by Brian Sodoma

istock_000064361063_xxxlargeMost pros agree that, at some point, in order to grow their business, it’s time to get ‘out of the bucket.’ Delegating responsibilities can be difficult for anyone, but if done right, it allows a pro to focus on finding new work and building new relationships, instead of tending to daily details. The payoff can be huge, and there are more than a few examples of pros who let go of some control, grew exponentially, and now work less, make more, and have taken sole-proprietorship chaos out of their lives.

This shift may require adding new help. If you’re ready to add to payroll to go hands-off with parts of your business in the name of growth, keep the following hiring tips in mind:

START FROM WITHIN

If you already have staff—maybe a part-timer or two who has been loyal to you through the year—that person could be your first supervisor or crew leader. You already have a relationship with that person and you don’t need to guess or read between the lines on an application or resume. However, after you promote, still budget for a learning curve, explains Kathryn Freeman, a business coach and HR expert for Pennsylvania-based Nolan Summit Services.

“For anyone in business, it’s important to look internally. … Who has potential? … Letting people make mistakes, too … you have to respect that as part of the learning process. It’s important not to criticize but to see that as an opportunity to coach and help them learn,” she said.

HIRE AHEAD OF THE CURVE

As you grow, do your best to hire ahead of heavy workloads. Set achievable revenue goals and hire with realistic future growth in mind. Think of the people you will need in place to achieve that growth, Freeman adds.

The hiring expert also warns—particularly when it comes to finding good painters—to be realistic about the current labor market and wages paid. More and more industry research is pointing to the fact that good painters are in short supply.

“We’re experiencing a bit of a paradigm shift. The sales are there but the people to do the work are not. That’s important to consider,” she added.

BACKGROUND CHECKS

Let’s face it, if you’re looking to delegate in order to grow your enterprise, you are probably a very busy person. Add a swirl of applications and resumes along with a seemingly endless list of current duties, and it’s easy to think of streamline hiring to get bodies in place. Slow down, however, and make sure all bases are covered, Freeman asserts.

“You still have to check all the boxes. Did you call on all the references? Did you do that background check? Have you confirmed employment for the last three jobs? … I always say ‘trust by verify,’” she added.

 

 

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