When working as a freelancer, you’re used to relying on your own steam. After a while, you can really pinpoint how you work best, and this could mean that you are making significant progress in your business ventures. But as everything gains traction, and you’re not able to keep track of every aspect, thoughts turn to hiring the right first employee for you and others. I’ve outsourced to others but now I’m considering taking on someone, either employed or freelance to work alongside me/help with the workload. Hiring people isn’t just about getting someone that’s good for the job, but it’s about finding someone that you can work with, on a professional and personal level. What do you (and me) need to be aware of to find the best employee?
Define The Role
Being self-absorbed in your own freelance world you can find it difficult to delegate roles onto others. I’m terrible at delegation but it’s something I’m going to have to practice. We need to be sure that the role is clearly defined, and be sure to research what similar job titles are out there, not just so you can flesh out the role, but you can pay the person appropriately. I plan to be competitive and to give anyone working with me what they deserve.
Find An Appropriate Hiring Process
Maybe you don’t have time to wade through piles of CVs., I certainly don’t. These days, organisations encourage a more colourful application. Covering letters are all well and good, but if you can find someone that’s stepped away from the norm in how they apply for the role, either by doing a video CV, or even creating an explainer video for the services they provide, you will have much more of an insight into their workings and their personality. The hiring the right first person isn’t just about getting to know prospective candidates; it’s about getting the right person as quickly as possible. Personal recommendations mean a lot to me and this would be a good starting point for me in the hiring process.
Keeping Them Happy
You have found the right person, now what? Paying another person is important, but what’s even more important is ensuring they are paid on time! It doesn’t have to be difficult; you can very easily find methods of choosing the best payroll software for your business so that it’s all automated. That old-fashioned approach of a payslip doesn’t appeal anymore. And if you can implement these simpler aspects it will make hiring someone all the more streamlined. For every job I had before self-employment, it wasn’t just money that rang my bell, it was appreciation and the opportunity to grow. This is something I will be keeping in mind when it comes to hiring the right first employee.
Hiring the Right First Employee
At this stage, hiring someone or taking on someone on a freelance basis are both just at the ideas stage. I know though that clearly there is a lot to think about. This is one of those things that you need to do right, both for your business, for you, for that first employee and of course for legal reasons. While I mull over my position and the pros and cons please leave a comment if you have any extra advice to leave about employing your first employee.
