49 - Hiring with Intention

Welcome back to the Scale Your Small Business Podcast with your host, Jillian Flodstrom. A question that almost always comes up when hiring a new team member is “how many hours should they work” Today, we’re going to take a look at how you can make that choice, what to expect, and how you can maximize the efficiency and efficacy of your new hire.    The best part about being an entrepreneur is you call the shots. That means you get to decide who gets hired, what tasks they do, and how many hours you need them to work for. You can tailor the job to what you need most. But with that comes some necessary introspection.    Firstly, make a delegation list. On this list you’re going to include tasks you don’t want to do, don’t like to do, don’t have time to do, or don’t know how to do. Have your list broken into columns: I do this, I need to do this, someone else could do this, and not applicable. Go through this list and consider every task, no matter how mundane, and ask “do I really need to be doing this?” If you find yourself saying ‘yes’ a lot, dig a little deeper. There could be things that other people may be better suited for.    Now that you have your list laid out, begin clumping tasks together and see if a position arises from there. Things like checking emails, sorting communications, transcribing voicemails, and other tasks could be done by someone else. Remember, though, it’ll take time for them to reach the pace at which you can do these tasks. Once they’re in the groove, it’ll be worth it.    Once you’ve got a good idea of what kind of hire you’re looking for, head to a hiring resource like Virtual Staff Finder. Work with a representative there to tailor a position that works best for you. Remember, you’re in charge here. You get to decide what this looks like.    It’s important to shift your mentality when making a hire. Yes, there are costs associated with hiring, and you will need to spend money to find the right person to pay to do these tasks, but the money will come. You’re going to be freeing up hours upon hours of your day--what can you do in that time? There are going to be places you can cut costs to make this happen. Whatever your destination procrastination is, you can hire someone to free up that time.    Key Takeaways:   The best part about being an entrepreneur is you call the shots. That means you get to decide who gets hired, what tasks they do, and how many hours you need them to work for. Make a delegation list. On this list you’re going to include tasks you don’t want to do, don’t like to do, don’t have time to do, or don’t know how to do. Have your list broken into columns: I do this, I need to do this, someone else could do this, and not applicable. If you feel like you need to handle most things, dig a little deeper and consider that someone else may be better suited for what you’re looking to have accomplished It’s important to shift your mentality when making a hire. Yes, there are costs associated with hiring, but the money will come. You’re going to be freeing up hours upon hours of your day--what can you do in that time?