Smaller prospect pool makes hiring tougher
Most data watchers will agree that low unemployment numbers are a good sign for the economy - although small business owners looking to hire might have a somewhat different opinion.
"The pool (of jobseekers) is smaller," says Tom Cassell. "Not as many people are looking. What I'm hearing is that smaller and mid-size businesses are having trouble finding good people."
Cassell is in a good position to hear: He is manager of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Harper College's Schaumburg location.
It takes a little creativity, but there are some hiring approaches that seem to work.
Bob Podgorski, who manages employment centers in both Schaumburg and Elk Grove Township facilities and who, as principal of Hoffman Estates-based RPP Enterprises LLC, was founder of the nondenominational St. Hubert Job and Networking Ministry that connects with nearly three dozen churches across the northwest suburbs, suggests that business owners seeking workers in a tight marketplace look at retirees.
"We see it all the time," Podgorski says. "Retired workers tell us, 'I'm bored.' They've turned off golf and painted the garage and, at this stage, they are an untapped resource.
"It's worth the try," Podgorski says, to call your own company's retirees and explore the possibility of a part-time return as a 1099 worker.
If your business' retirement pool is too small, you perhaps can find retirees through Podgorski's township centers or networking groups. He also suggests job open houses, say 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Do a Google search of appropriate networking groups and send announcements to job centers and local clubs, Podgorski says.
If you want to take a more traditional route to the job market - advertising, for example - Andrea Herran suggests "a marketing point of view" to your job ads. Principal of Focus HR Consulting, Barrington, Herran writes in her company's blog that "Your job posting should tell people about your company, what it's like to work there, and who your customers are.
"Tell them about the job. Humanize your organization. Create an interest in the position before the interview."
Prospective employees often are worried about the stability and longevity of smaller businesses, Herran says - making it important for your ad to "Explain your culture, how a new employee will be more than just a cog in the wheel.
"Beverage companies don't advertise 'Do you like bubbly drinks, brown in color and with lots of sugar?'" she writes. "Who would buy that? What they do is advertise an experience."
Smaller companies seeking employees in a tight market should take the same experience-focused approach, Herran says.
Before resumes begin arriving for review, which can happen pretty quickly, Herran says business owners should decide on two or three candidate "must haves" that are important to the company and are "not deductible.
"Don't get distracted by shiny objects on the resume," Herran warns in conversation. "The candidate's personality and demeanor are important. You can teach the job skills."
• © 2018 Kendall Communications Inc. Follow Jim Kendall on LinkedIn and Twitter. Write him at Jim@kendallcom.com. Read Jim's Business Owners' Blog at www.kendallcom.com.