Tactics for Recruiting Talented Employees on a Budget

Your business would be no where without its hardworking employees. But hiring them may require a lot of up-front costs that might not currently be in the budget. Do you wait to hire the employees you need, or do you hire them now and hope for the best?

Luckily, those aren’t your only choices. If you consider what costs come with hiring a new employee, the list includes salary, good 401k benefits, extensive paid time off, etc. So, instead of considering only full-time salaried employees, consider who you can bring in at a much lower cost, while still helping to grow the company.

Look into the potential of temps, interns, and outsourced employees to bring value to your business without the high price tag.

Student Interns

Much like temporary workers, interns join your business for a brief period of time in order to complete a project or assist your business in some way. In exchange for college credit and a potential letter of reference, students and other young people can fulfill a variety of functions within your business.

Although they typically are less skilled and require training before they can complete more complex tasks, interns are usually enthusiastic about learning the ropes of your business and eager to take on responsibility.

Temporary Workers

Temporary workers are increasingly being used by small businesses to fulfill a variety of functions, from completing special projects to filling regular staffing. You can bring them on as you need them, and let them go guilt-free when business slows and they are no longer cost-effective.

• Temporary staffing agencies bear the up-front hiring costs on your behalf. They are responsible for sourcing, screening with background checks, hiring, and training their workers, as well as completing payroll and accounting for benefits, taxes, and insurance.
• With overhead and hassle at a minimum on your end, you can use a staffing agency to start your business on the road to hiring permanent employees.

Before choosing a temp agency to work with, learn some key terms in our Business.com guide. You want to know what you’re talking about to be sure you get the best price and top-notch employees.

Part-Time Employees

Part-timers are another possible avenue for finding employees that benefit your business without causing financial hardship. Since your part-timers are not acquired through a temp agency, you are responsible for handling their payroll and taxes. However, their shorter hours precludes the burden of full-time pay and benefits. Furthermore, their capacity for more flexible scheduling enables you to schedule workers only during those days or times when they are needed – so that you’re not paying employees to be present for a full shift when they aren’t needed the whole time.

• Even in the case of part-time workers or interns, sufficient screening is paramount. Utilize your background check software or a pre-employment screening provider to ensure that anyone you bring in to your business is trustworthy and capable.

Outsourcing Work

Some of the work that your business needs done, doesn’t necessarily need to be completed in-house. Remote employees, virtual workers, and outsourcing companies can accomplish any number of office tasks without having to be physically present in your office. Since they may only work a few hours per day – or even less – they’re far less expensive than those employees you bring into your business.

• If you already have several employees but are chagrined at the thought of hiring an HR professional, you can outsource your HR and payroll firms to an outside firm for a small per-employee fee.
• Remote and virtual workers can sort your emails, route calls, generate reports, write marketing content, maintain your social media accounts, and generate sales leads. Anything that can be accomplished over the telephone or internet can be effectively outsourced.

Just because your business is on a budget doesn’t mean you have to accomplish everything on your own. You can bring quality employees on board if you think outside the box and consider the possibilities.

Megan Webb-Morgan is an avid business writer focusing on a variety of topics including human resources and hiring. She writes for leading B2B lead generation business, ResourceNation.com.