Over at The Creative Empire, people have been talking about all the reasons why we haven’t hired someone to help out in our business yet. It seems like, for many of us, we make hiring help into a much bigger deal than it has to be.
And yet every day, plenty of businesses, SMALL businesses, are out there hiring people.
Hiring help does not have to be the big deal we make it out to be.
Sure, there’s a little paperwork involved. And yes, there’s that whole matter of paying them.
But these really are small hurdles, not insurmountable obstacles.
I’d love to know – if you’ve been resisting hiring someone, why?
Is it the money?
Is it the process?
Is it the paperwork?
And if you have hired someone to help with your creative business, was it as big a deal as you thought it would be?
PS. If you responded to my call for guest posts, THANK YOU! I’ll be getting back to everyone who emailed me in the next few days.
I have outsourced some work, (and it felt good to let go!) but haven’t hired anyone yet, because we don’t have consistent enough cash flow. It’s intimidating to know someone else is depending on us for income.
That said, I did hire my stepdaughter to be a nannny for her sister this summer a couple days per week, and it has turned out to be WONDERFUL for us as a family, and for me as a business owner, but I’m paying her from our family budget.
I’m very interested in seeing the responses to this thread.
I have a friend (no, really, it’s not me!) who wants and needs to hire someone but keeps putting it off. Three reasons: one, he wants to retain control; two, he will have to slow down in order to train this person; three, he is worried that if project flow slows down this person will have nothing to do.
I have seen how busy he is and really I think that it is points one and two that are truly preventing him from taking this next step.
The problem is: he is so busy working IN his business, that he can’t work ON his business.
As of right now, my business is pretty much in its infancy, and it’s just something I do on the side, so it doesn’t really warrant hiring help. I’m still working out its identity, figuring out details. I don’t have the time or budget or need for an additional employee at the moment, simple as that.
If I do eventually find that it would be beneficial to hire someone, my biggest obstacles would be changing my mindset from one where I am in complete control over all the details to being ok with delegating responsibilities and letting go of a little control, and worrying about whether I could provide anyone with any kind of sustained employment. It would be scary for me thinking that someone else relies on me for providing them with a livelihood!
But as of right now the plan is to keep the jewelry business as a part-time job on the side, so I doubt I’ll even be in position to hire someone full-time, but I am open to hiring some sort of part-time help if I find my business outgrows the one-person model.
SeanWhat a shallow liltte twink you are. How incredibly sad you two are sitting their showing your titties and giggling like 6th grade girls about your first time in a bathhouse. You name this blog breaktheillusion’ yet you nothing short of stereotypical shaved down ageist. You are so quick to pass judgement on bears’, yet I’d bet a years salary that neither of you have pubes. Ironic that your generation is so freaked by a bathhouse when in fact most of you are incapable of hooking up unless it’s via Manhunt, Adam2Adam, Craigslist, etc.
I’ve hired help on a temporary basis in the past. I hired someone to do the mundane, repetitive tasks that really bore me. It was great. Now, would I hire someone to do the assembly of my greeting cards? Hmmm….I’m not sure. As Karen pointed out above, I’m not sure I’m ready to relinquish control of parts of my business. And I worry about quality control – a lot. My product has to be perfect and I”m afraid someone else might not have the same idea of “perfect” that I do.
This is what I do! People hire me to outsource their jewelry assembly needs. We do everything in my studio in the USA. Just as the designer would. It’s a “need” basis, which means no matter how small or large the order is, we’re there to help you get it out. And just like Karen said above, control is hard to let go. But you are the BOSS. The people you hire are working under your tutelage. They are to follow your rules, direction, vision and make that sample exactly as you would. That’s their job. You will not lose control. If they’re not doing what you want, they’re fired!
Second, slowing down to show a process is going to have to be part of the deal. BUT! The people you hire should already know how to do what you are doing (somewhat, you may have to train a little if they are in the ballpark) so it’s a matter that the quality of their work is up to par to you. You should know IMMEDIATELY at the interview by having them do a sample for you right there or have them bring their sample work to show you their skills, and you’ll know whether or not they know what they are doing. SO when you put an ad out there, STRESS EXACTLY what you want and they should know and hopefully won’t be wasting your time or theirs.
Third, as far as work slowing down, hire the person as a contractor with the knowledge that work will have slow periods. That’s just the way it is. Or on the other side of the spectrum, which in my case, business busted right out of here! I have 5 part time employees now and it’s been going strong for two years. I’m looking to hire 2 more.
When I go through the interview process, I have them do something with the tools. I know instantly if they know what they are doing. Also, ask them they work for half a day (or how ever long you want) gratis. It’s not a big loss for them or you. If at noon, you are happy with the results and they seem content and are en pointe, start the clock. If not, thank them politely for their time and wish them luck on their next venture. No pussy footing around.
If you want to expand your business and you feel like it’s all becoming too much by yourself, you are ready to take the next step. That’s what being the head of your company is about. I could never have done this by myself without building the team that is behind me right now, supporting me. They are a great bunch of gals that I couldn’t be where I am today without them. Do it. You will NOT be sorry.
I think having someone do the tasks that you will have them do for you as part of an interview is really important. I have a friend who had a 3-day long interview to work for a prominent jeweler. During those 3 days, he actually put her to work doing exactly what she would be doing if she got hired. This way, he could make sure her craftsmanship was above par, and could make sure their personalities meshed. (And she got the job.)
I hope your friend got paid for the 3 day long interview, even if she didn’t get the job! If that 3 days work was for free, that’s not exactly an ethical hiring process. It might even be illegal.
I am on both sides of this one.
As a worker- I make, edit, and otherwise put together projects (knitting pattern editing and a limited number of sample and production knitting) for other small businesses.
As a business- I don’t hire anyone consistently. I have accountants, and hire people when I need specific tasks done. At some point I will hire a book keeper to do all the tax stuff the accountants don’t, and eventually I will probably outsource shipping to another company- I don’t produce a ton of products, volume wise, but hate having to go to the post office often. At that point I will hire a company to answer basic emails and other small things.
I haven’t hired employees, but I’m training my 3rd subcontractor, which requires a lot less commitment but really helps out with my business!
Having someone in my home (I work out of my house) is a hurdle I need to get over.
Also, will they work fast enough and will their work be accurate enough.
Reading over my above comments, it appears control is the major factor!
Okay, this is so funny – I just hired a virtual asst/data entry person TODAY….and it was soooo easy. No really, it took me longer to figure out how to work my BlackBerry then it did to hire someone. I am truly excited to grow my empire. I am on my way!
Jodi – did you go through a particular service to find your VA?
I guess I’m going to be the naysayer. I think one of my smartest choices is to never grow so big that I need an employee. This is one of the key reasons why I had so much success as a graphic designer. I learned early on to say “no” and to not overload myself, and only take on work if I had time to do a great job. With my pottery business, I don’t want to mass produce, and I want all of my customers to get the real thing, i.e. made by the artist. I guess it depends on the product, handthrown pottery cannot really be replicated by an employee, unless the employee is as skilled as the employer, but then I wouldn’t be able to afford such a skilled person! Of course there are boring tasks that I’d rather not do, like packing and shipping orders, but truthfully it doesn’t take that much time. And entrepreneurship doesn’t mean you get to avoid the boring stuff. Then again, these are personal choices and may not apply to anyone else’s business. I only want a mini-empire, by choice!
I live in Japan so I think the rules are much different. I hired someone after being in business (5 etsy shops and 2 of our own sites) for a couple of months. My assistant only packs the orders but she comes 5 days a week. We didn’t have to do any paperwork and as long as her salary is under 80,000 yen a month (roughly $800), we don’t have to deal with any taxes or anything (we double checked this with our accountant). At first, she was working from our apartment and it was a bit stressful but now we rent the apartment below us for our office and that has made it much better as she often comes at 5:30/6:00 am to work (her choice…not mine!). There is no way I could do it without her. I remember reading a post somewhere about hiring and basically the person said to look at the cost….I realized that while my assistant was packing, I could be making things, working with customers, listing products etc and make more money than if I just did it all myself.
I decided to hires part time assistant a month ago and it has been the best decision I’ve made in a long time. Istarted her at only few days a week especially we’re a bit slow in the summer.
My initial thought was to hire a virtual assistant but I’m so happyiwent this way instead. I have a problem with perfectionand control so there was no way I could trust someone virtually.
Looking back, I wish I had hired her sooner:)