How to Create a New Job Position

Jim Shulman
Jul 27, 2017 · 3 min read

Most of my clients are expanding their businesses, and with that brings the need for more jobs. If you’re like most small business owners, you especially need great people — and there’s a big talent shortage in a very tight labor market. I wish finding the right employee were as simple as snapping your fingers, and magically the person appears, well-scrubbed and at the minimum wage. Since that’s about as likely as the return of T-Rex, you’ll need a more realistic (and systematic) approach. Here are a few steps that I’ve seen in action. They work.

Which is the right employee? There’s a process to learn that answer (and YOU’RE the key element!)
  1. Define the job carefully and specifically. The more specific you are, the more likely you’ll be satisfied, since all the aspects of the position are carefully delineated for both you and the ideal candidate. It’s very frustrating to both employer and employee if there are too many undefined expectations. When a great new hires leaves after only a few weeks or months, it’s usually for poorly defined expectations.
  2. Are you a calm, rational employer? If you’re not, that’s fine! Many exceptionally successful businesspeople are not exactly the picture of charm and politeness. Consider Jeff Bezos and the late Steve Jobs, neither of which will be lauded for their calm kindness. If that’s you, be honest. TELL the person that you’re demanding, sometimes very much so, short when you’re upset, and likely to ask for a lot on very short notice. You’ve been honest upfront, so there are no surprised. One of my clients placed an advertisement for a position with exactly that caveat: I am a really demanding employer, some say impossible. He received two responses almost immediately, both of whom had experience with bosses just like him!
  3. Are you offering the right salary, or combination of draw and commission? The Bureau of Labor Statistics has an excellent online resource to see, with job responsibilities defined very specifically, and salary ranges broken down by region. Reasonable isn’t just what you want to pay, but where the market is in your area. I’ve learned that underpaid new employees will leave as soon as they have a better offer — and if that’s the case in your company, you’ve lost your investment in training and job mastery. The data’s here: https://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm
  4. Is the person really the right fit for you and your company? Most small business owners go on their gut feeling, which is only sometimes accurate. As an organization grows, it’s important that the new hire not only complement the owner’s work style, but can also work effectively with the other employees. Apple was famous (infamous?) for requiring the OK of a potential hire’s co-workers before extending an employment offer.
  5. I strongly suggest using a reputable psychological test to see if the candidate is not only a good hire for the generic position, but someone who will fit with the group. Many years ago I worked with a business owner who used this type of testing regularly, in addition to his gut reaction. The tests were uncannily accurate; in one instance he decided to ignore the test’s warnings about a particular candidate, and hire the person. The results were disastrous. If you do use a psychological test, make sure that a) it’s been proven in the marketplace and 2) there is a human with experience who will help you interpret the results. DO NOT RELY ON AN ONLINE TEST WITHOUT INDIVIDUAL, PERSONALIZED INTERPRETATION! There’s much nuance to interpretation, more so than a generic “fortune teller” paragraph.
  6. If the hire doesn’t feel right after they start work, fire them as soon as possible. The adage “hire slow, fire fast” is absolutely correct. I’ve never seen bad become good, no matter how much the employer wants to be an optimist.

It’s often not easy to find the right candidate for a new position, but if you use this process you’re far more likely to find — and keep — a productive employee.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade