The many regulations that go along with government contracts can be overwhelming.  What advice can you give to small business going after government contracts? 

A quick job search tip is to always treat everyone you meet at an office with an equal amount of respect and kindness. The opinions of anyone who meets you can have an effect on the company's hiring decision; from the receptionist all the way to the CEO. This is especially important in a small office environment, where all level of employees have constant interaction.

A little thought of benefit to outsourcing your hiring is that candidates will tell third parties things they won’t tell you.  I tell candidates that they should think of me as a representative for the company, but for some reason that isn’t what they hear.  Outsourced hiring services not only save companies time and money, but can give you information about candidates that they work hard to hide. 

Often this results in stories about previous employers or coworkers that start off with, “Don’t tell anyone this, but…”  Sometimes the information we get from candidates is much more positive than what they shared with you.  “From the minute I walked in it seemed like the perfect fit!  I can see myself going to work there everyday and loving it!”

Either way, this extra information can be very valuable when you work to make your final hiring decision!

When at an interview, simply follow the interviewer's lead to set the tone of your conversation. Simply go along with their attitude and interview style, be it chatty, all-business, direct, humorous, or whatever the case may be. This is a simple job search tip that could vastly improve your results!

Do you use your career site to build your Employer Brand?  What have you tried that has been successful?

Have a list of three references ready at all times including name, job title, company, phone number and email address ready to give to prospective employers.

Stability

Smaller businesses are often perceived as less stable than larger corporations.  The impression of instability can be especially daunting to employees during economic downturns.  However, if your company is stable, being open and honest about the business’s financials can gain your employees confidence. If you know that your employer has consistently grown every year, it will help calm fears of downsizing. 

Even if the company has a "business casual" dress policy, you're better off over dressing than in risking to find that your idea of casual doesn't match that of your prospective employer.

Clarify your career goals. Use this time to evaluate what you want out of your career. What things would you like to be different at your new position? Write down a list of the issues that are important to you in a job, and keep these in mind during your search.

Stretch

As with owning your own company, when you work in a small business you often have to become an expert in marketing, accounting, mind reading, playful banter, and counseling.  Again, this is one of the best parts of working in a small business.  But remember that your employees are not super heroes.  While the best ones will seem to do the impossible, no one can do it all.

Everyone likes to feel important…

Status

For small business employees there can be a constant struggle to balance our inflated egos.  We tell ourselves, “If I am not there the world will crumble!  What will they do!”  And other times we say, “My job doesn’t really matter.  If I wasn’t doing this would anyone even notice?”

There is also the “Where do you work syndrome?”  I make important decisions that change lives and businesses everyday, but lots of people don’t take my career nearly as seriously as they would if I worked for “Fill in the Blank Big Corp.”  I personally know that my job is much more influential than it would be if I worked at a place like that, but I have an ego, like we all do!

A majority of people have experienced the afternoon slump at one time or another.  Low energy, lack of focus, and difficulty concentrating can impact your work output.  Check out the following articles for tips on avoiding the afternoon slump!

Avoiding the Afternoon Slump

10 Tips to Prevent the Afternoon Slump

Afternoon Energy Boosters

Business owners often believe that passive candidates are the best candidates.  Everyone wants to recruit them.  I hear over and over again from business owners, "Find me someone who is working for one of our competitors, who I don't have to train so they can hit the road running on day one!"

Sounds great, yes?  But, great passive candidates are just an illusion.  There is a reason why they are called "passive."  It's because they are "passive."  They generally do not move into action until someone pushes them to do so which is not a characteristic of an "A" player.

"A" players will do one of 2 things.  1.) They will never leave their current position because they are superstars and compensated handsomely.   They are loyal and passionate about the company they work for.  Or, 2.)  They are proactively looking for a better job so they can reach their potential.

There is nothing passive about "A" players.  "A" players are proactive.  Passive candidates are simply content to be average players  . . . waiting for recruiters to call to push them into action.

Is this the type of employee you want on your team?  My guess not.  Passive candidates are plentiful.  They just are not "A" players.

I know it isn't easy, but it is important!

Autonomy

When you hire someone, you are giving up a piece of your business.  If you aren’t ready for that then you aren’t ready to hire a top performing employee.  If they have to run everything by you then they will not be happy.  And isn’t the best situation for you either. 

Another potential pitfal...

Communication 

New employees don’t have anywhere to go to find out “the way things work here” and my guess is that very few small businesses have an FAQ up on their intranet about things like dress code, holidays, birthdays, and other seemingly unimportant things.  Be mindful of the fact that if you haven’t told them, no one else probably has either. 

Sometimes the things we love, can also cause issues…

 Lack of structure

Create processes where you can.  Even those of us who love to have the freedom and flexibility to do our own thing like to have some structure occasionally. 

Over the next few days I am going to point out some of the unique issues that employees of a small businesses often face.  As with most things, just knowing what these issues are is beneficial.  Acknowledging them and being open to doing what you can to resolve them will go a long way in keeping employees happy.  Also, addressing these issues in an interview will help paint a realistic picture of the position and help candidates make an informed decision before the accept.

 Lack of a peer group

There just isn’t anyone to cover your shift.  Typically with small businesses there is no one else who is doing exactly what you are doing which makes it difficult to really develop a true peer group. Yes, small businesses tend to be very close knit, but that doesn’t happen over night and it is like a “family” not like friends.  You just don’t build a professional network in the same way that you would in a larger company.  So encourage your employees to get out and network.  Even if business development isn’t part of their job description.  It will still benefit your company and it will definitely benefit them.

Many small businesses think they have a disadvantage when it comes to hiring, but there are a few key “selling points” that small businesses can maximize to ensure that you get the best candidates possible.  Design your positions to take advantage of these areas and you will appeal to top performers considering your company and keep them there once they have joined your team!

Level of responsibility – Make it a big job – Make your employees important parts of the company.  The more important you make them feel, the more likely that they will be important parts of the company!

Variety – Get employees involved in marketing, accounting, sales, or anything they may want to know about!

Growth - Don’t hold on too tight.  Give your employees the freedom to get out in the community and network on their own.  It is for the best that you are not the only face of your company.

Lack of Bureaucracy – Top performers like to get things done.  The more you do to help them get things done, the happier they will be.

A top trait companies look for in their employees is being a good team player.  Individual success and performance are important, but being able to be productive part of the team is key.  Read the following articles to learn some tips in becoming a better team player at your company!

5 Ways To Be a Good Team Player

How to be a Good Team Player

How to Suceed in Business by Being a Team Player

Effectively managing your time will lead to accomplishing more each day and will keep on-going projects on task.   Good time management skills not only increase your work output, but help reduce stress levels.   Check out the following articles to gain some useful tips on implementing time management practices into your work routine!

Time Management

Reduce stress...productivity through Time Management

Time Management Tips