How to hire a world class team

One of the most important things you can do as a business owner is hire good employees. This is doubly true in the early days when you are building your company culture. So, you need to choose the right people. Microsoft, supporter of Enterprise Nation's Go and Grow Online campaign, outlines top tips for world-class recruitment.

Let the world find you

You want to find the best, but how do they find you?

For many roles, websites like Indeed, Monster and TotalJobs can be effective. For more technical roles, specialist sites such as Stack Overflow Jobs or Toptal are more appropriate.

All of these options are readily available but they will cost you.

For a potentially cheaper method, why not look to your social media channels?

If you can build your own audience or tap your own customer and fan base to do your recruitment, you’ll be talking to people who already know you.

Don’t be afraid to advertise through Facebook, Twitter and, especially, LinkedIn.

Outside of social media, you can also use your professional network to source 'passive' candidates.

These are people who you know that aren’t actively looking for work. If you have this professional network at your disposal you may already know your ideal candidate.

The benefit of this approach is that you can not only hire within your network but make use of ‘connecters’ within your network who can point you towards your ideal future hire.

This is where having a relationship with large entities can pay dividends. With such a large ecosystem of professionals in their network they can put you in contact with the prime talent in your sector.

The benefit of using recommendations from such well-respected entities is that it guarantees a quality candidate. It won’t just be who they know, what they know will be equally impressive.

Of course, you can use a specialist recruitment agency but a significant cost. Instead, especially for early hires, you can use LinkedIn to connect with potential hires and build a relationship with them before you start pitching the job.

Set out your stall

Once you decide on the platforms you will advertise on, you need to write the advert.

Don't be afraid to let your business shine, you want to entice potential workers. 57% of companies state that their main recruitment concern is competing for available talent in the jobs market. This is not the time to be modest.

Don’t go overboard but confidently state what makes your company special, what makes your company a great place to not only work, but to develop a career.

Don't just think of the job, but how this person can impact your business. Remember, before you meet them, it is you that must impress, not the candidate.

Build an efficient process

Recruiting can be time-consuming but the administrivia shouldn't be. If you automate your HR processes you can cut through the red tape and focus on reviewing CVs and interviewing candidates.

HR technology platforms are great for automating your hiring process with features such as candidate sourcing and applicant tracking.

Another time-saver are apps like Calendly that let candidates book their interviews.

Keep the process positive

Throughout the recruitment process, you are advertising your business as a great place for someone to develop their career.

That's the key nowadays, people don't just want a job. They want a role that matches their values.

Employee loyalty rates are low and it's expensive to replace staff. You need to make them want to develop their career with you. So, when you are looking for employees aim to find the right people, the ones who will match your company's culture.

Talk about your business in a positive way and find ways to highlight your values and ambitions, even when describing the tougher aspects of the job.

The tone of voice you have about your business needs to be distinctive to your tribe. Start-ups have a lot to offer people who don't want safe corporate jobs where they are just small cogs in a big machine so you don't have to pretend to be a big, boring business to attract great staff.

Timing and pace matter too. It’s essential to move quickly and for the process to accelerate as you get closer to making an offer. Avoid the appearance of indecision and hesitation.

Making your decision

You've seen all the applicants. They've gone through tests and the interview, the time has come to decide.

You know better than anyone what exactly you need from an employee (but it can help to have a few tips).

But, you can still make a good impression and maintain the branding of your business in the way you accept and reject applications.

Obviously, it's much easier to remain positive when accepting an applicant. You're offering them the amazing job and opportunity that you have presented to them. However, it’s not so easy to reject people.

The way you do this can reflect badly on your business. You want the applicant to leave the process with a positive view of your company. They'll feel disappointed, but they won’t hate you.

Be sure to let applicants know in a timely manner that they didn’t make it. Don't leave candidates waiting for a response too long.

All you do is allow them to wait in the dark not knowing their status. They wait and worry, all the while becoming more frustrated with your organisation.

Build the best team for you

Your employees are the backbone of your business. You need people who you can trust, who you don't need to worry about. You're too busy for that.

When you focus on your hiring processes you'll get it right first time.

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This article is part of Enterprise Nation's Grow and Grow Online campaign, helping you build a better business on the web. Access content, offers and events here.