About to hire my first full time employee -- What to keep in mind.

[FuseFX]

Guys! I am about to place my first classified ad for a Full Time "Data Entry" employee to do the grunt work of Internet Marketing [submissions etc.] and Manually Updating the Sites.

Since this is the first time I am hiring someone full time, I am naturally pretty excited and scared at the same time. So, from your experience can you tell me what should I keep in Mind When I hire my first full time employee?

Thanks =)

 

[fatter]

Every country has its own laws effecting employer/employee relations, I would probably go the independent contractor route paid by the job, rather than the employee route but thats just me, there are tax implications in the USA and if not done correctly you coulad have a big tax bill in a few years time. A good business accountant is worth there weight in Gold, good luck

 

[dotcomgiant]

If you are talking about legal aspects, then better consult with your legal adviser . And from company management perspective, you can consider following:

1. offer fair pay
2. add a provision for good perks in future
3. concentrate on "designation" use something exciting like :Marketing Executive ( Internet Strategy) instead of a simple straight Data Entry Operator -- using this extensively in my company an it really gives a boos to their moral and thus the productivity.
4. Go for real skill and ability

hope this helps ...

 

[FuseFX]

Thanks a lot for the tips fatter and dotcomgiant. =)

 

[Dale Hubbard]

First rule: Make sure he/she is the most unlikely candidate to take your business ideas and run with them alone.

 

[droplister]

My brother hired a guy just for a temp job as he was injured, but he had a hell of a time firing the guy. So be prepared to put your foot down if it doesn't look like it is going to work out.

 

[Simsi]

...what should I keep in Mind When I hire my first full time employee?

To learn from your mistakes


Seriously (well actually that was serious), in the UK employing can take up as much time as doing the original thing yourself! Teaching methods, monitoring performance, accounts & book-keeping, insurance, employee protection rights, reviews, NI, payroll, knowledge of management, maternity laws and health and safety requirements. And then the bast*rds never turn up on time, so disciplinary procedures, "redundancy" payouts and legal costs for that "injury" they suffered in the workplace 3 years ago. Bloody nightmare in my experience. Not that I'm bitter Best thing I did was close my businesses and go it alone

 

[Dale Hubbard]

To learn from your mistakes


Seriously (well actually that was serious), in the UK employing can take up as much time as doing the original thing yourself! Teaching methods, monitoring performance, accounts & book-keeping, insurance, employee protection rights, reviews, NI, payroll, knowledge of management, maternity laws and health and safety requirements. And then the bast*rds never turn up on time, so disciplinary procedures, "redundancy" payouts and legal costs for that "injury" they suffered in the workplace 3 years ago. Bloody nightmare in my experience. Not that I'm bitter Best thing I did was close my businesses and go it alone

Spot on. It's a nightmare - especially in the UK.

 

[garyrcanuck]

Hi

This bit of advice could possibly help in your search for an employee.

A friend of mine who just happens to be very successful and also an avid golfer, explained to me how he goes about finding a top notch employee in a day.

The secret he said is to take the prospect golfing (if he does not golf you probably do not want him/her0
During the 18 hole game you will see how honest the prospect is, their attitude, like do they make excuses, blame the weather, blame everthing.
Do you feel comfortable with this person and so on.
You folks that play golf will know what I mean.

Then lastly you will go to the 19th hole for refreshments. here of course you will see how he performs with a few drinks in him. Also how he handles himself in company. Are they full of BS or do they listen to the topic at hand then after a pause, comment. Again are you comfortable with this person? Do you believe that they will represent your business, the way you want?

I imagine there are other situations you could use, but the bottom line is to spend a day with your prospect. Preferably in a situation where they have to partisipate.

After you have had a chance to review the prospects personal aspects, you can move on to see how qualified they are in the position you wish to fill.

This does work. Just passing on a bit of advice I received from a very successful businessman.

Garyrcanuck

 

[Rockefeller]

I was thinking about hiring someone on here to do the 2-3 hours of work I do online everyday...then I could pretty much do nothing at all...hmm.

 

[FuseFX]

Wow! You people have seriously been a Goldmine of Information. =)

 

[Duckinla]

This is one of my favorite subjects. I loved hiring and managing people, and it's all because of one simple interviewing rule I learned when I was young and in over my head:
Don't hire people based on traits, hire people based on behaviours.

This means, don't hire people based on their physical appearance, enthusiasm, aggressiveness, or because "you like their energy". Hire people who have a history of success in previous undertakings. Hire people who can articulate the reasons why they have succeeded or even failed in the past. Hire people who liked their old jobs, bosses and co-workers. Hire people who are positive about their past experiences. Hire people who had longevity in previous jobs or stayed with undertakings to completion. The end result for me was that I got people who were smart, capable, hard-working, and quite often overweight . People that other interviewers passed up on for someone who was maybe more "dynamic" or had a better physical appearance. But these people were usually thankful, loyal, and eager to prove I had made the right choice.

In managing people, I suggest these rules:
1) Be clear in establishing expectations up-front.
2) Communicate often.
3) Whenever possible, make objectives quantifiable (measurable in numbers). This makes it easier for a person to know how well they are doing on a regular basis.

Good luck to you. Managing people can be a great experience or a horrible experience.

 

[Simsi]

Don't hire people based on traits, hire people based on behaviours.

Or another good word: "attitude". All the good employees I had had a good attitude, irrespective of their initial knowledge. If they had a good attitude, they worked hard and learnt quickly.

 

[H2FC]

Never hire anyone who refuses to recognize the validity in an issue simple because they dislike the person or groups that advocate it. For example, I would not hire a person who is a global warming skeptic simply because he or she does not like Al Gore or simply because he or she does not like anything advocated by the left wing democratic party whether it be right or wrong. In other words I would look for a person who would let the facts prevail....not personal opinions.

 

[DNQuest.com]

In my 20+ years of hiring and firing, I have come across about every type of person. I have been pretty successful but did make mistakes along the way. I have learned you don't listen to what is being siad, but HOW it is being said. Duck and I have similar views, behavior is more important to me than the flash you read on a resume. We all know resumes are embelished and in most interviews, applicants lie (I am being extreme here, but in reality, people talk themselves up and give themselves a glowing reviews).

There is truth in seeing if the person makes excuses and goes out of there way to show how their previous failures were not their fault. I also look for letters of reference from previous employers and check them with the resume. I look for gaps in employment and question that. Chances are they were with a company they don't want to mention. I also talk about personal matters, get to really know the person. (but there are limits). This does throw many applicants off guard and this is where you see their true being, plus you can put them at ease. (that was my forte). See if they glow when discussing something they enjoy, then see if that same glow is there when discussing the position. Like poker, you have to read people and know when they are bluffing or not.

As mentioned, you need to set specific goals and outline your business plan and outline what you are about and what you expect. Make sure to let them know you are looking for someone who will not only follow the business plan, but to help further it. Look at the accomplishments, look at employment progression. look at promotions.

This might be more than what you need, but I got on a roll. Yes, my interviews to last a long time, especially in my critical areas (up to 2 hours), but I tell you what, it is time well invested.

 

[Jeffreyw]

Just in case you will encounter a problematic employee, i found some guidelines i took from HRBible.com

Communicate with them face-to-face – Difficult people may misunderstand e-mails and phone conversations. They tend to make misguided assumptions because you are not there to reinforce your message through your posture, gestures, and facial expression.

Never try to change difficult employees – Trying to alter their communication style would only frustrate you further and would even anger them. Instead, adjust to their style. If they expect highly-detailed reports, then provide them with such. No need for ice breakers like silly jokes.

Be a keen listener – Give full attention to disgruntled employees every time you talk to them. One reason this person may be so cranky is because he or she lack social skills, and may feel lonely. If you didn’t comprehend them at first, don’t hesitate to ask in a polite manner such as, “Please tell me how you came to your decision, so I can understand it fully.” In that way, you change your co-worker from an enemy to an ally.

Don’t take their harsh words personally – Try not to feel offended by their grating behavior. Remember that they are not singling you out, and that they treat everybody—from the office to even their home—that way. However, if you feel that you are being singled out—like when they are nice to others while being rude to you—then try adjusting your behavior towards them like those who are nice to them, if that what it takes to get things done.

Do not confront, discuss – When the situation becomes a little volatile, do not talk back at them. Instead, talk to them calmly and suggest if you could discuss to them about the issue on a later day. Thinking about the problem overnight would give both of you enough time to remember your arguments and use the right words that you would say the following day. A one-day respite from verbal jousting often creates a more favorable climate for negotiation.

Arrange to meet with cranky co-workers in your locale – They are most likely to act more domineering if you discuss problems in his domain. If you do it in your turf, like the coffeeshop or a bar that you frequent, they are less likely to feel command on the area. If there is a home field advantage in sports, the same holds true for the business world.

 

[Jungle]

NOTE : My reply was written prior to me understanding the Title - My 'First' Employee.... apologies... I'll leave the advice anyhow, may be useful to someone...

In my experience of all things HR I've come to realise that successful employee management is a science that becomes an art.

Obvious things to try if you're attempting world-class techniques is to use a combination of personality profiling, one to one interviews and team-based exercises. You don't need to be pitting 50 grads against each other, just the 3 or 4 on your shortlist against members of your existing team. Empower your existing team with the decision about who they want to work with and you'll see benefits beyond your wildest dreams.

Personality Profiling
Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator
Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF)
Belbin Models

Look them up, they're affordable and if used wisely can reveal much more than you expect. As always, start with yourselves... that way, you can coach others through what it all means...

Arran
W: http://www.solutioneering.co.uk

 

[FuseFX]

Useful? All this advice is pure gold. =) Thanks a lot fellas -- it is really amazing how powerful asking the community can be!

PS: HR bible seems like a wonderful site. Thanks a lot for mentioning it.

 

[gmac17]

Here is my most important piece of advice for you.

HIRE SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE INTERNET.

I've found some of the smartest people around, but if they don't know what a page view or a unique visitor is you'll be in trouble. You can find a zillion qualified people to do grunt work, but your life will be so much easier if you find an "internet" person. Otherwise you are going to worry about them sending emails to webmasters that sound stupid because they don't use the right terms etc.

I think it was at Pubcon when someone on a panel said "it is a lot easier to teach an internet person marketing than it is to teach a marketing person the internet"

 

[leo]

WoW your first employee you must be sooo excited lol..man trust me having people working for you in the start is a mess you wont gain confidence easily and they will take time adjusting ..i hate adjusting..so i don't think i will ever hire anyone ( please read never hire guys ) ..in short only hire girls! They are the best in what they do man! And Jaipur will surely have some mast girls

do let us know of your experiences.