Continual growth is crucial to the success of any small business—whether it be expanding a product line or using more aggressive marketing tactics. However, as your company solidifies its position in the industry, one of the most important things to focus on is the size of your team. Business growth can’t happen without more hands to sustain it, but the hiring process can be a challenge in its own right. These are some of the top hiring mistakes your small business should avoid to find, and keep, the most qualified candidates.

Rushing To Fill Positions

We all want to find our new hires as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, rushing things is one of the surest ways to overlook potential problems and hire the wrong person for the job. Even if you’re feeling the pressure, make sure to take your time when combing over those resumes. This will allow you to ask in-depth questions should a candidate enter the interviewing stage.

Using Vague Job Descriptions

It’s also important that you rewrite your current job descriptions to make them more specific to individual positions. Vague listings may attract a lot of applicants, but they make it much harder for you to pinpoint those who are truly qualified. Devoting some time to polishing up these documents and noting core skill sets and job roles will better target those with experience and raise the overall quality of your search.

Ignoring Company Culture

Another common hiring mistake your small business should avoid is forgetting to consider your company’s culture when hiring an individual. While it’s easy to think that a person will be a great fit based solely on experience and skill, they must also fit in with the team. Otherwise, you risk a breakdown in communication and a reduction in group morale. It’s vital that you ask candidates about their preferred work environment and whether they like the culture you’ve established.

Hiring Without a Retention Plan

Most importantly, you should never hire new additions to your team without strategies to retain them. Employee turnaround is one of the biggest problems businesses face as they grow—primarily due to a lack of future planning. Fortunately, there are several ways to retain your top talent, such as offering high-quality training and providing them with recognition for their accomplishments.