The impact of getting the recruitment of a role wrong within a larger company is usually negligible, and it is accepted that this can happen. Within a small business, my experience tells me that recruiting the wrong individual is not an option.
Small businesses suffer the following problems with recruitment:
Good quality candidates may not have the same regard for a small company in comparison to a large one
The pay and benefits offered by a small business may not be as attractive as those in some large companies
A small company may struggle to show future career prospects as they do not have a comprehensive department structure
Quite often, smaller businesses do not have sufficient money to spend on advertising in order to reach a broad selection of candidates
Rushing the recruitment process can sometimes be seen as necessary in smaller companies as they grow much more rapidly
Despite these points shown above, you should not feel disheartened if you are a small business needing to recruit. There are a number of plus points for small organizations in terms of recruiting:
A position within a small business is much more likely to be less bureaucratic than the same role in a larger company
Without the restrictions of complex company policies and annual pay reviews which exist in larger businesses, the smaller organization is able to reward success more quickly with pay increases or bonus payments
Due to rapid development and growth, a small business is more likely to create new roles and therefore new opportunities for current employees
The whole recruitment process used by a small business is often much less complex than that of large companies, and this can make them more appealing to some candidates
Recruitment risks for small organizations usually result from a number of the disadvantages listed above, and this problem is exacerbated by the issue that frequently the people carrying out the recruitment process have no or little recruitment experience. They have set up a business based on their own particular skills and knowledge, specific to an area of expertise.
There is a strong temptation to take a risk with an employing individual, to meet the requirements of a growing business without delay.
Employment law is very complex and a big issue for small businesses who realize that they have recruited the wrong person. It is very important for the future of a small organization that the temptation to quickly recruit should be avoided. You should have sufficient money to advertise appropriately to attract a strong list of candidates, and also ensure that your recruitment process includes more than one interview. Recruitment agencies should be used if you have no experience in this area. Although they can be seen as costly, it is worth paying for this service to employ the right individual, and avoid the issues that arise when you have the wrong person in a role.
Best of luck
