Hire Your First Employee. Rhonda Abrams

Look Who’s The Boss worksheet: Employee Performance Evaluation

	Section One: Making the Decision to Hire
CHAPTER 1	The Time is Right to Hire
CHAPTER 2	Scope Out Your Specific Needs

      chapter

      1

      The Time is Right to Hire!

       “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

       —MARGARET MEAD

      It’s true. Few things make such a difference in your own business, your life, the life of others and the economy as a whole as when you hire an employee. It’s almost impossible to grow a company of any size and worth unless you expand beyond yourself. If you want to grow your business, at some point, you’ll have to decide how and when to bring others on board.

      Hiring an employee—even a part-timer—can enrich your experience as a business owner and lead you toward personal and financial growth. Let’s face it—until you hire someone else, even if you’re self-employed, you’ve basically created a job for yourself. That means that when you stop working—even for an hour—you’ve stopped making money. When you hire someone else, you’re creating a business. If you structure it correctly, you can make money when others work.

      What’s more, by hiring someone to assist with your business and treating them well and fairly, you’re providing a valuable, respectable job for someone, enabling them to support themselves and their family. It’s one of the most satisfying, rewarding things that you, as a businessperson, can do. Sure, there are challenges. But when you create a good job for someone, you’ve changed the world for the better.

      Hiring is a big step. It involves a lot more than just a desire to grow. But if you plan carefully, select the right people, and learn basic skills on how to be a good boss, you’ll be on your way to higher income, greater satisfaction, and a successful, healthy business.

      More customers. More sales. Less grunt work. A healthier economy. Creating good jobs for others. A re-energized you. Add it up and you’ll see why hiring your first employees can lead to a new wave of growth for your business and more satisfaction in your life.

      Of course, you’re ready to make the decision to hire—that’s why you’ve picked up this book. You know you need staff to get your business launched, to handle the demands of your burgeoning business, or to augment the talents or skills you lack.

      But you’re also a bit spooked by all the other stuff that comes when you have employees, things such as:

      

Deciding what responsibilities to give to your new employee

      

Figuring out how much to pay and how much you can afford

      

Finding, interviewing and selecting the best person for the job

      

What benefits and personnel policies you should adopt

      

Following and understanding employment and other labor laws

      

Dealing with the paperwork and payroll

      

Managing and leading others, becoming a boss

      That’s where this book comes in. It will guide you—clearly—through all the basics of what you need to know to find, hire, pay, manage, lead employees and stay well within the law.

       Becoming a Boss

      Especially if you’re managing people for the first time, you need to start thinking of what type of boss you want to be.

      Let’s be frank: You’re not going to learn to be a great boss, leader and manager over night or from just a book. It takes time. It takes experience. And it takes a commitment to learning the skills and attitudes to manage and lead others. That’s an ongoing process.

       When to Make the Leap

       It’s time to hire if you:

      

Need employees on Day One of your business

      

Turn away work from new or current clients because you’re over-booked

      

Can’t find time to send invoices to your customers

      

Can’t get out from under your paperwork

      

Lack time to pursue new product ideas and/or new clients

      

Need someone with specialized skills critical to your business

      

Want to grow a business you can sell one day

      Having Employees Enables You To…

      

Serve more customers.

      

Produce more products or services.

      

Add additional skills & talents to your business.

      

Spend your time on more money-producing activities.

      

Use your time on the things you do best and like to do.