Your small business is growing and you’re finding yourself with more work than time – great conditions to warrant hiring your very first employee! So, now, how do you do that?
Firstly, this might seem like a no-brainer, but make sure you really do need an employee. As with every business decision, we encourage you to sit down and write out a plan. What will this person do? How often? For how long? Can you afford to pay someone? Can this person actually be kept busy and fulfilled?
Once you’ve decided that hiring an employee for your small business is definitely the way to go, here are some next steps:
- Open a payroll account with Canada Revenue Agency.
- Ensure you follow all governmental Human Resources Regulations.
- Identify job requirements and prepare the job description for your first employee.
- Use application forms for applicants and be sure you know what you can and cannot ask.
- Begin to interview your chosen candidates (we recommend you set yourself a limit of interviews).
- Check all references provided.
- If this position requires any kind of testing, this can be undertaken at this point.
- Once you’ve selected your ideal candidate, prepare an offer of employment letter.
Check out GoForth Institute’s How-To Guide for Hiring a First Employee for a step-by-step, more detailed document you can download for free to reference whenever you like.
Hiring your small business’ first employee is a very serious consideration, but it’s also infinitely rewarding and even fun. Enjoy!