Finding Good Employees

Finding good employees is crucial to most businesses. The better the employees, the more likely the company will be successful.

Similarly, bad employees can cost a business incredible amounts of time, resources and money. So it pays to take the time at the beginning to find the best candidates

What are the best resources for finding great candidates? Here are some ideas:

1. Temporary personnel agencies. Temporary employment agencies can provide you with virtually any type of employee -- accountants, programmers, sales personnel, secretaries, word processing staff and much more. With temporary employees, you get the opportunity to check out their performance, with the possibility of hiring them on a permanent basis. The only downside is that the temporary employment agency will charge you a fee if you do hire one of their temps full-time.
   
   
2. Employment agencies. There are many agencies that will supply you permanent employees for a fee. They will have a long list of resumes and likely will have done a screening and reference check of the individuals.
   
   
3. Headhunters. For executive-level employees, you can turn to executive search firms, often called headhunters. Be prepared, however, to pay a significant fee (typically one-third of the first year salary of the employee), payable up front when the employee is hired.
   
   
4. Internal candidates. Look at your own employees to fill vacant positions. There may be one who is ready for a promotion. You have the added benefit of already knowing the work habits of this person. Plus, the candidate already knows the organization. Promoting from within is also good for employee morale, as other employees will see opportunities for advancement.
   
   
5. Bounty rewards. Some companies give a "bounty" reward to employees for recruiting candidates to the organization. These bounties can range from $250 to $1,000, depending on how difficult it is to find employees to fill the position. Even though this bounty will cost you, it's going to a good cause -- your employees -- and is still less costly than an outside agency's fee.
   
   
6. Your Web site. Post your open positions on your company Web site. This will attract general job seekers, as well as those who use your Web site and like it. Plus, anyone who applies for a job listed on your Web site should be well-informed; unless your Web site is still under construction, it should contain a wealth of information on your company.
   
   
7. Want ads. Want ads are a traditional way of getting your message to a great number of potential employees. These can be included in local newspapers, trade magazines, The Wall Street Journal and the National Employer's Weekly.
   
   
8. Job Web sites. The Web contains a great number of sites that have job postings, want ads and resumes of prospective employees, such as Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, and Indeed.com. One good way to find these sites is through Internet search engines, such as Google and Yahoo!.

Want more expert advice about the hiring process? Have you wondered how to use the Web to your advantage in recruiting? Our guide to online recruiting includes some general guidance on interviewing and hiring, and it also tells you about the different online resources available to support your hiring and recruiting. Learn more about how to get the best people for your business with