Starting a company and reaching new milestones is exciting for every entrepreneur. Landing your first client, becoming profitable, and establishing credibility are some of your most rewarding experiences. As you build your business, you may start to assume that you are ready to hire help as you expand.
This is a big commitment for any growing company to consider, and it’s a decision that shouldn’t be made lightly. Just because you think hiring is the next logical step in your strategic planning doesn’t necessarily mean you are set up to take on the role of “boss” just yet.
Today, I will share the indicators that mean you should hold off on the hiring process. As you go through this list, if you don’t have these factors in place, take the time to make the adjustments needed. Giving this attention will ensure your future working relationships are a positive experience.
You Haven’t Identified The Kind Of Help You Need
Are you at a point where you feel like you could use some help but aren’t quite sure what that would look like? Before you create a job posting or start scheduling interviews, you need to become clear on what responsibilities you plan to delegate. If you haven’t spent time on this crucial step, you really should wait to onboard anyone.
Set aside time in your day to write down everything you do, how much time you spend on these tasks, and how that time could be used if these tasks were given to someone else. How would you know how many hours you need to hire if you do not know how long it takes to accomplish the tasks you wish to delegate? Evaluating your needs in this way will save you money, time, and peace of mind making your hiring process go as smoothly as possible.
You Haven’t Put Together A List Of Duties
You may have an idea of what you want to hire someone to do, but will a new employee understand what is expected of them? The working relationship can fall apart quickly if you don’t communicate to them their specific duties.
After creating your exhaustive list of everything you do in a day, you need to identify which tasks will be delegated to someone else. Look at your list and notice the ones that will save you the most time. Often giving away these responsibilities will allow you to direct your attention back to growing your business.
As you identify which items from your list you will delegate, you can put together a clear job description for your ideal candidate. New employees will feel lost without a proper job description as they sit around waiting for you to tell them what to do next. (Which means you are essentially paying them to do nothing.) So, save yourself the money and make sure they have a list of job duties available to guide them.
You Don’t Have A Training Program Set Up
Just because you know what you want to hire someone to do doesn’t mean you are ready to communicate how they will carry out their duties day to day. You know the ins and outs of your business intimately. But when bringing in someone new, they don’t have the benefit of your knowledge and experience yet.
This is why getting ready to hire support staff includes setting them up for success. You need to know how you will train another person to perform the job duties you’ve assigned before they are hired. To truly maximize your new hire, create a seamless training process, including scripts, passwords, and frequently asked questions (including answers!). Doing this will make them feel more confident to step into their new role, and this transition phase will go a lot smoother.
You Aren’t Actively Seeking New Revenue Sources
Hiring employees costs money. In fact, one of the biggest hurdles to jump over is wondering if you can afford to hire someone. That’s why if you aren’t looking into new sources of revenue, you may not be ready to take this step.
Adding new revenue sources can come in a variety of ways. Depending on the market and your business needs, it may be time to raise your prices. You can also grow your business by looking for new and exciting ways to serve your clients that will bring in extra money. Also, research new and upcoming trends to stay ahead of the game. And check out what your competitors are doing to see if there is anything you can improve on. If you are staying in your same business income bracket, then it will always be a challenge to pay someone to support you.
You Aren’t Bringing In New Clients
If you are struggling to bring in new clients, stop and evaluate your business before you try adding to it. This could point to issues with closing the sale rather than a lack of support. If that’s the case, finding a mentor to help you iron out the kinks will help you overcome that hurdle.
First, check the health of your company to determine where your business is coming from and where your opportunities are. It’s understandable if you want someone to help you by taking some responsibilities off your plate. But without a reliable client base, you won’t bring in the money you need to pay them. So, identify the kind of support you need to bring in clients, and you will set yourself up to become a great leader when you hire someone.
Your Relationships With Existing Clients Are Subpar
Before hiring employees, look at your relationships with the clients you already have. Do you have long-term clients who would refer you to their network? Or are they unsatisfied with the relationships you have built? If client relationships aren’t your priority, try to understand why so you can turn it around as quickly as possible.
As entrepreneurs, we don’t get into business to neglect our customer base, but sometimes it just happens. If you realize that your clients are complaining that you never get back to them or always leave them hanging, then hiring someone to manage customer service may be just what you need.
But what if your clients don’t speak favorably of you yet feel like you have a lot of time on your hands? In this case, it’s time to reevaluate your priorities. Start with one thing you can do better to support or engage with your clients. Get some help and ensure your clients feel important as you find ways to let them know that they matter.
Hiring The Right Way
Before you decide to hire someone, make sure you evaluate your needs and your business operations. To grow and expand your business, you’ll need new sources of revenue, a reliable client base, and someone to support you in business. Preparing before onboarding a new employee will save money and time and find the process going much more smoothly.