Whether you’ve been doing it all yourself or it’s just time to add one more, hiring a new employee can be stressful. One-person operations can only go so long before you reach a limit. If you want to grow and prosper, you need another person.

These entrepreneur tips can help you decide the best person for the job no matter if it’s retail work or behind the scenes social media marketing. You’ll likely get numerous applicants, but how can you read between the lines of a resume and know who’ll be the best person to not only fit the job but your management style and business sense.

Don’t Trust Resumes 100 Percent

If you get a potential employee whose resume looks too good to be true, then it probably is. A little resume padding is expected but beware of outright lies. When a person is unemployed and not getting income, they may be desperate for a job and be willing to put anything down if it feels it might get them an interview.

Don’t hesitate to follow up with former employers to verify employment dates, etc. Many employers didn’t do this and ended up with an employee that didn’t have the qualifications they said. Your choices are to train them or begin the hiring process all over again.

Entrepreneur Tips: Know What You Can Ask

It can be difficult for a small business hiring employees. You have a set way of doing things and you want someone you can trust. It’s your company and you’ve put your heart and soul into it.

When you’re interviewing, there are some topics that are off limits because it might lead to discrimination. You can’t not hire a person because of their age, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

When it comes to mental, physical and emotional disabilities, questions can only be asked pertaining to any special accommodations needed to do the work.

If you do ask questions that may lead to the possibility of discrimination, then you can open yourself to a civil lawsuit.

Don’t Hesitate for Drug Testing

If the job requires the use of special machinery or company vehicles, then don’t hesitate to require drug testing as part of the hiring requirements. The reason is safety.

A person under the influence can’t operate machinery safely and can end up causing injury to themselves, customers or you. Even in states where marijuana is legal, businesses don’t have to allow it in their employee’s system.

Get Your Paperwork Done

A business can’t just hire an employee. The state and federal government require businesses with employees to have an Employer Identification number, be registered with the labor department, have workman’s compensation insurance and many other hoops to go through.

You can’t legally hire an employee without having this done, so make sure in compliance before getting a new employee.

Decide How Wide A Net to Spread

If you’re looking for someone local, then post notices in newspapers and local job boards. If you do use larger job boards like Indeed, then make sure applicants know you’re looking for regional people only.

If you are willing to hire people from outside the area, are you willing to cover moving expenses? Do you plan on providing health insurance or a 401k plan? Is it part time or full time? Make sure you list your business benefits and perks. 

These are all questions you need to answer before placing the job opening. You don’t want to be inundated with resumes from all over the country if you’re only looking for people in town.

It’s a Necessary Step

If your business is to grow, then you need employees. It starts with one and others will follow. If you follow these entrepreneur tips, then the hiring process should go smoothly.

We’re sure you’ll find the perfect candidate for your business. If you want to learn more about hiring employees or being an entrepreneur, then explore our website.

It seems like every time you talk about starting a business, you get the same old responses. Either people are shooting you down and saying it will never work, or they’re giving you the age-old entrepreneur tips you’ve heard a thousand times before. 

The good news is that you can foster better, more valuable conversations. But the trick is that you have to find the right people with whom to share your passions and insights with; people that will “get it” and ideally, have already been in your shoes. 

You need professional mentors and personal supporters when starting a business. 

More importantly, you have to be able to pick yourself up when you fall. 

Here are 3 insightful entrepreneurial tips to help you do just that – and to prevent you from making some serious mistakes in the first place.  

1. Identify What’s Holding YOU Back

You have to be brutally honest with yourself as an entrepreneur. 

You need to identify your weaknesses, and more specifically, your bad habits. You need to be hyper-aware of the stories you tell yourself versus what kind of progress you’re actually making. 

Don’t mistake a huge investment or a lot of press for success. Don’t limit yourself to what your company can do because of your fear, either.

These are just a few examples of how your habits shape your life and the course of your company. The best way to ensure you succeed is to focus on creating more discipline and understand the sacrifices you need to make. Meanwhile, chip away at your bad habits every single day.

2. Know Your Numbers 

Although working on yourself does benefit your business, it’s not the same as actually running the show. You have to be on top of all your operations. Most importantly, you need to understand your numbers. 

This mainly applies to finances. It means making sure your checks and balances are in order and that everything you invest in is providing the value you expect (or more). 

Knowing your numbers also applies to things like inventory, deadlines, and market data. All of these things give you the insight you need as an entrepreneur to make your bottom line more profitable and keep the entire company on track.

3. Question Everything

The final entrepreneur tip to keep in mind is to question everything. In other words, never settle for good enough. 

If your product is nice, how can you make it better? If you’re creating the awareness/disruption in the market that you wanted, how can you build even more?

The more you question every big and small decision you make, the better the outcome of your business as a whole. This will make your learning of the market, your business, and yourself an ongoing process, which is necessary to succeed.

Additional Entrepreneur Tips for Start-ups, Big Businesses, and Everything in Between

Whether you’re working on a start-up idea right now or you’ve just bought out a company that shows a lot of promise, your business is relying on you. Your team needs direction and your products need knowledge and innovation to succeed. 

Entrepreneur tips can only do so much. At the end of the day, you’re the one who has to put in the work, or at least find other people and/or programs who can. 

If you need a little more guidance to reach your goals, though, click here.