Are The Holidays The Right Time To Hire?

It's the most busy time of the year for small creative business owners! From end of year inventory counts to that final sales push that will finally reach those sales goals- it's an endless list of tasks. Plus, who doesn't want some actual time off to spend with the family? It's tempting, when under all this pressure, to think that hiring some quickly help might alleviate pressure and make things a little less stressful.

But is the holiday season the right time to hire? Before you make this big decision to hire, do this!

Have a hiring plan! When hiring help, the best plan is to take your time and hire the BEST person for the job- not rush to get last minute help and later regret it. It might seem easy to grab the closest person and throw them in the mix to ship out a few last minute packages, but consider the implications of throwing out an offer without properly vetting the employee, only to feel major stress and regret later.

Try this instead: Sit down and decide what areas you need to hire for next to maximize your efficiency in your slowest season, not the one you need when under pressure. If you can use a studio assistant year round, then hire someone for that! If virtual assistant work is the real need, focus on that job first. Take a hard look at what will serve you (and what you can afford year-round) and take the time to find the best person for the job. But what if you really DO need help now due to an onslaught of orders? Try hiring seasonal help instead of a permanent employee. Make sure you state up front that the job last for a set period of time and include that time period in the hiring contract you have them sign when they start. Don't get yourself in a situation where on January 1, you no longer need help and you didn't set the right parameters to be able to part ways easily. That will only cause you more stress later and disappoint someone with poorly set expectations.

Pro tip: Prep your job listing now with my free, downloadable job descriptions so you are all set and ready to go when you really are ready to hire!

Is this holiday season feeling like a never ending stress fest? That won't be your story next year because YOU have the power to make that change with your best next hire.

Join me next week to learn how to attract your perfect hiring fit!