Hiring-Sourcing

There are tons of employment websites from monster.com down to craigslist. While I have had success using these services two of the best sources I've found are free. I was managing a retail bakery cafe and we were extremely short staffed. The owner started scheduling managers time off to devote to recruiting. We had a few colleges in the area so I went to their career centers and they were more than happy to get me set up on their employment opportunities web page as well as their employment board. It took me about 20 minutes, it was free and I started receiving resumes that day. It was also great when I had specific day parts that I needed coverage for. Some of those hires have worked throughout their college tenure. That's 4 years of a solid, trained employee.
Another great source that is often overlooked is your current staff. Their friends, family members, previous co-workers. Typically referral bonuses are geared toward management candidates but I have gotten some really great hourly employees this way. I've known some managers to be leery of hiring siblings or such. I have never had any problem with family members or partners working together. Although, laying clear ground rules for expectations of professional behavior can help avoid potential problems. I would offer a $50 referral bonus stipulating 90 days after of the date of hire if the person they referred was meeting performance expectations, they would receive the bonus. That's why I consider this a free resource, if after 90 days they are meeting expectations they have paid for themselves.

Whatever method you use to attract potential hires, the interviewing process is the 1st step in preparing your business to be successful. Are you asking the right questions? Are they giving you specific or general answers? Will they be a good fit for your business? The next section will highlight interviewing techniques I have found successful..