There are a LOT of dos and don’t when it comes to hiring. I know these intimately– I eat, breathe, and sleep hiring operations. There’s really so much I could write a book (I mean, I have a course!) but here are my top DOs for socially conscious micro business hiring.
When you’re hiring, DO these things:
#1 Do have salary transparency.
I swear that even a year ago, it was hard for me to convince some clients to do this, but this is the ticket to wage equity. And if you don’t know the range, it’s indicative that you need to crunch some numbers and get your ducks in a row so you’re ready!
#2 Do take the time to really think and get clear about the actual Job Description
– the duties, the classification, the salary range, the hours, the benefits. This part can be the most time-consuming part– but getting this part nailed down is crucial.
#3 Do wait to share
If you’re going to share publically about where you are in your hiring process, do wait until all candidates in your hiring funnel know where they stand in the process. By all means, share that you’re hiring when you are accepting applications. But once applications are closed, wait until you deliver any news to candidates to disclose any updates publically.
#4 Do have realistic expectations.
We aren’t looking for unicorns. We’re looking for actual human people. If you want to create a hybrid role and you’re not sure if this person exists, try it. If you’re not getting applicants or the ones that you need, the job market is telling you it’s unrealistic. Take that information and adjust your expectations and job ad from there!
#5 Do address and recognize your biases when you’re going through applications.
This is especially important for hiring in socially conscious micro business. Biases meaning addressing any discriminatory thoughts you have regarding people’s demographics (we all have them, if you don’t think you do, you do, a great educator for this is Leesa Renee- here’s an invitation to do the work ) But I also mean addressing biases that can come up like “they went to my rival college waaaa!”- I’m not going to lie, I’m not a big sports fan but even outside of the context of hiring, if I even see that someone is a fan of a rival big ten school (I went to University of Iowa! And I get real mad around some of our rivals for no good reason). So when even innocent ones like these come up, acknowledge them, take them with a grain of salt, and do NOT hold it against a candidate.
#6 Do work through a predetermined hiring funnel–
it should look something like job ad, screening application, initial interviews, paid test + second interviews, decision. If you are hiring for a high level job, your funnel will look a little different and your recruiting strategy will look different (working with me, you can get them customized exactly how you need them)
#7 If you’re struggling to do it yourself, DO consult a professional!
Hiring consulting can make a huge difference in your efforts– as you know, hiring is a big time and money commitment and it’s important to maximize your efforts and get the best ROI from your efforts. People operations is a crucial component to making a business run– and it’s okay to need support in this area from time to time. Learn more about my Done For You Hiring, my Hiring VIP day with Paradigm consulting– or if you aren’t sure, just book a call with me and I’ll help you figure out your next steps!
