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Finding Workers

February 26, 2006

Q- I need to find a good full-time retail clerk for my new store. A lot of young folks have applied but they are students and I am concerned about how long they will stay with me. What type of staff would you recommend and where would I find them?

First, don’t settle for a good clerk – finding a great clerk should be your top priority.

I am always surprised at how many business owners just try to get a warm body to fill an opening. Sure you need workers – and usually in a hurry – but why not get the best workers you can?

Whoever you hire will represent you and your company, so you want the best person available. Staff acquisition is critical to the success of any business. Making the right choice will pay dividends in so many ways.

I would encourage you to consider a couple of things. First, tell as many people as you can that you have an opening and ask them to help you find a qualified worker. Word of mouth is an effective and inexpensive source for finding great people.

Consider hiring a retired worker who wants to keep on earning but at a reduced number of hours. Retirees are dependable, they’re working for the right reasons and generally care about great customer service.

The other thing you can do is split the job into two part-time positions. In my experience good part-time help is easier to find than full-time.

Don’t let age, gender, or ethnicity effect who you hire. Rather, look for a person who is motivated, enjoys working with people and has great character. You can train for job skills but you cannot train for motivation, people skills or character.

When you hire, make sure new employees understand that they are under a 90-day probationary period. During this time monitor their behavior closely. If you have any doubts during this 90-day period, let them go right then and there. Do not even think twice about it. These 90 days are the honeymoon period and employees should be on their best behavior. Performance is always the best in the beginning and then it starts to slide. If they slip up during the honeymoon, the marriage is doomed.

Find the best workers you can, pay them well, treat them even better and you have the recipe for a great business.