6 Small Business Hiring Advantages that Don’t Cost a Thing

It’s official; small business hiring will increase this year. Here are six small business hiring tips that can help you find the best candidates for the job and your business.

Small Business Hiring Tripled in January

Not only is small business hiring expected to increase, it already has. According to payroll company ADP, U.S. small businesses’ new jobs more than tripled in January at 62,000 up from 18,000 in December. The forecast for hiring is at a 10-year high among all employers for this year, according to CareerBuilder’s annual jobs forecast survey by Harris Poll.  Three out of four employers say they are in a better financial position now than they were a year ago, according to the survey. CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson noted that while the news is good, it presents a challenge for employers who will be looking to bridge talent gaps in their organizations.

Leverage 6 No-Cost Small Business Hiring Advantages to Win Over Top Talent

Higher Ceilings

Career progression can be an important factor in a candidate’s decision making process. Point out the benefits of working in a smaller company where upward mobility is only limited by the speed of company growth.

Lower Competition

Even the most talented employees can get lost, be under-utilized and left in dead end roles. Likewise, working in a dog-eat-dog environment where only the most competitive candidates emerge on top isn’t for everyone. Point out the fact that hard work, innovation, and commitment to the company doesn’t go unnoticed or unrewarded in your business.

More Movement

Big companies often have complex processes for reviewing and acting on ideas that require change. Point out how quickly your company can adopt new ideas, pivot, and take advantage of fast-emerging opportunities to grow.

Less Monotony

In large companies, many jobs are narrowly defined in terms of task variety and innovation. Though some people like the idea of doing the same tasks day in and day out, many others prefer jobs that give them the ability to have more control over their time. Point out the fact that in your company, employees have opportunities to define and refine their job descriptions by working to their strengths, and taking on challenges creatively, even when they don’t technically fall within their position’s description.

Tighter Community

In big companies it’s easy for people to fall through the cracks, socially and even professionally speaking. Employees who work in smaller companies may feel more satisfied with their work when they realize how it benefits not just the company, but their co-workers as well. Point out how tight-knit your staff are, and how everyone is important to the company every day.

Looser Constrictions

Big companies often have big policies and procedures manuals, and big employee handbooks. Point out how flexible your organization is when it comes to empowering staff to brainstorm and implement improvements, and how flexible it is in addressing employees needs on an individualized basis.

Bridging talent gaps with new hires may be even more critical for small businesses, where gaps can look like gaping holes when no one is available to pick up the slack. In addition, small businesses sometimes have a more difficult time competing with larger companies for top talent, since they are often unable to match the level of compensation and benefits a bigger company can offer. In fact, 66 percent of employers in the CareerBuilder study said they plan to increase salaries on initial job offers, and nearly half expect the minimum wage offered at their organization to increase.

Competing on salary alone can put smaller, more budget-constrained competitors at a financial disadvantage. However, small businesses do have advantages that can help level the playing field.

Hiring strategically and pointing out the advantages of “being a big fish in a small pond” can give smaller organizations an edge with some candidates. Here are six small business hiring tips that can help small and mid-size businesses land top talent in key roles, regardless of other offers.

Small business hiring is on the uptick, which also means that the hiring landscape will become more competitive. It’s critical for you to approach the process strategically so that you can win over candidates who can help you bridge talent, skill and knowledge gaps in your company, by helping them realize that the offer with the best salary might not be the best offer for them.