“Help Wanted” – How to Find & Keep Employees

So many businesses I know are struggling to find workers right now. In the last 18 months we have fought together to survive a virus and the government has extended unemployment to the point that many are still not looking for work. That’s why it’s been so difficult to find and keep employees.

Today, Friday, September 3rd, the unemployment report noted a .2% drop in unemployment from 5.4% to 5.2% and if you’re an employer, you’re likely feeling that. [Business Insider]

But let me encourage you – when the unemployment faucet shuts off people WILL be looking again. So, if you haven’t already started, now is the time to begin posting job listings, advertising, and getting the word out that you are hiring!

Honestly, if people were smart, they would consider this time a great time to promote themselves to a new career or position because so many companies and industries are in desperate need of good help. Use that as a tool in your arsenal to promote the positions you have open and build a dream team.

Either way, I’m here to provide solutions, so – here is a short list of ideas you can use if you are looking for help:

• Create a profile on: Indeed, Glassdoor, Linkedin, Jobdango, ZipRecruiter
• Figure out what you require and need from someone to fill the position well
• If you’re hiring full-time positions, ensure your pay scale meets or exceeds living wage
• Review your benefits package and decide if it needs to be tweaked or improved
• Hire an HR company to review your employee documents and ensure you’ve got everything you need to recruit the right people
• Post your job listing and be as specific as you can so you eliminate tire-kickers
• Carefully consider what you may be asking your current crew to do to makeup for lack of help. The cost, time, and effort output of overtime should be weighed cautiously
• Weigh the option of offering a signing bonus or a gift you can give to people who might refer an applicant you end up hiring
• Ask key employees to publish on their social media profiles that their company is hiring
• Research and interview a few recruiters and staffing companies in your area
• Advertise on all the usual places: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, even Craigslist
• Think about advertising on radio, TV, or even podcasts your ideal employees might listen to or watch
• Know your interview questions and be prepared for anyone to walk through your doors looking for work

And just a quick note to those searching for a job – don’t jerk businesses around. If you’re serious about finding a job, take it seriously and don’t waste business owners’ time.

Yours in growth and team success,
Jamie