Your Comprehensive Guide to Hiring Your First HR Manager

Masha -

Seeing your startup or small business grow is a priceless feeling. But to keep that growth going, you need to keep employees engaged, the workplace productive, and HR operations running smoothly.

In the early stages of a company, founders, executives, office managers or human resources managers can share this responsibility. But it soon becomes clear that you need a person who will take the right actions and help your business maintain its momentum. In short, you need an HR manager.

How do you know it's time to hire a human resources manager?

If the law requires it

The most important factor you need to consider is legal obligations. Ask your attorney to inform you of any relevant local or national laws that may apply to your business now and in the future.

An example:

  • US companies with more than 15 employees must comply with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which directs you to ensure that you do not intentionally or unintentionally discriminate against protected characteristics.
  • US companies that employ more than 50 people must comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act, which means you are now required to provide leave to employees who are sick or caring for sick family members.
  • Federal contractors must establish and manage an affirmative action program and maintain records of relevant hiring and employee data, in addition to other compliance requirements.

Completing these administrative tasks can be a full-time job that managers or other employees can no longer handle alone. And if your company doesn't do these tasks carefully or with enough focus, you could end up on the wrong side of compliance.

When you realize you need help

You may also consider hiring a good human resources manager if you notice employee management issues in your company. In smaller companies, for example, high employee turnover means that a large proportion of the workforce must be replaced on a regular basis. This can slow down operations and make it difficult to establish a work culture. A human resources professional can examine and optimize this process.

If you have a vision for your workplace, as is the case with many growing companies, you may need help making that vision a reality. You want your employees to be happy and productive, so think about perks and benefits. But not every employee wants perks like ping pong tables and free snacks. They may prefer better health insurance or the ability to work from home. An HR manager can find out what your employees really want and implement those programs.

How do you start your hiring process?

Determine your needs

Do you need someone to think about the big picture and develop a people strategy, or someone to take care of the small but important day-to-day tasks? If you are a company that wants to grow aggressively, you should hire an experienced and strategic employee and give them the authority to expand their team as needed. These people have higher salaries, but it makes sense to hire them early to set your company up for success, especially when it comes to recruiting. You need someone who can develop an effective hiring process so you can consistently select the best talent as your business grows.

If you're working on a tight hiring budget, consider hiring a less experienced but promising human resources professional to handle day-to-day operations, with a plan to later promote her to a strategic role (or hire a human resources manager). You might also consider working with an independent consultant for higher-level human resources issues.

Development of the job description

A good job description will help you throughout the hiring process. You can post them on job boards or send them to people in your network. This job description forms the basis for choosing the right interview questions when evaluating applicants. Here's how to start creating the job description:

  • Find a template online so you don't have to work with a blank page. Use an HR manager job description, but also look for examples of HR manager, HR business partner, or HR administrator job descriptions, as the job title may differ while the duties remain the same. This will help you determine what to look for when hiring a human resources manager.
  • Sort the tasks in the template and only include those that are relevant to your needs. If you e.g. For example, if you need help with legal obligations, you need someone who knows employment law and compliance. If you're looking for someone to develop an effective and creative recruiting process, ask about relevant experience. Below is a list of soft skills that HR managers should ideally have in the modern world of work:
             ⁃ Reliability
             ⁃ Flexibility and open-mindedness
             ⁃ Analytical thinking
             ⁃ Leadership and conflict management skills
             ⁃ Technical understanding (knowledge of HR systems)
  • Advertise your business to attract applicants. When you post the job description on a job board, it is not enough to just state the tasks and responsibilities. Think about what will encourage people to apply, especially experienced professionals who have many job options to choose from. Describe your company's mission (in response to the question, "What do we do that gives employees meaning?") and why your company is a good place to work. Include benefits and a link to your careers page if you have one. For more information, see our article on writing a good job description.

There are many ways to find the best applicants. Here are some of them:

Place a job advertisement. Job boards are effective recruiting tools and can produce many good candidates. For HR positions, you should consider this:

  • Indeed
  • Monster
  • Glassdoor
  • LinkedIn
  • SHRM Jobs
  • HR positions

Now that you have determined the characteristics of the person you are looking for, you can commission a personnel agency to advertise and screen the applications. This saves you a lot of time when advertising jobs and reviewing resumes, as well as allowing you to advertise in niche channels known to specialized consultants. Give them the job description and explain what you expect from candidates.

  • Use your social network. You can find many HR managers on LinkedIn and Twitter. Ask your contacts if they know a hiring manager who fits your criteria, or share your job posting using Twitter hashtags (like #HR). Additionally, if you are a member of a startup or entrepreneur group, you can ask people who have already hired a hiring manager for advice. If you want to try out niche social platforms, you can also join Slack groups or Reddit and build a community there.
  • Ask for referrals. Send your employees an email with the job description and ask them if they have a person in mind who might be a good fit. Since referrals are often cited as the most effective source of new hires, there's a good chance you'll find your best candidate this way.

How do you rate the candidates?

Once you have a shortlist of strong candidates, it's time to start interviewing. Use the job description to tailor the interview questions to the tasks and requirements you are looking for. For example, if you need someone to develop a compensation and benefits system, ask them how they have done it so far and what results they have achieved. If you're looking for someone with strong leadership skills, ask them to describe their experiences leading a team, how they motivated their team members, and how they resolved conflicts.

You could ask these or similar questions: ask when hiring a human resources manager:

  • Tell me about your experience leading an HR team/building an HR department. Look for candidates who confidently describe their experiences, give credit to their team members, and show that their leadership style fits what you want for your company.
  • What would be the first three company policies you would draft if hired and why? Look for candidates who consider legal aspects, present a solid argument and demonstrate the ability to set priorities.
  • Describe when you made a mistake. It is important to find someone who is accountable, responsible and learns from their mistakes.
  • What would you do to improve our company culture/benefits and perks? Look for people who recognize the need to examine the current situation and involve employees in deciding what would improve the workplace. Give bonus points to people who mention studies about culture or welfare.
  • Which HR technology tools do you prefer and how would you choose the best ones for us? Look for people who are knowledgeable about the technology and can explain why they would choose one system over another.
  • Describe your hiring approach. How and where do you find talented applicants? We look for people with solid experience, who have used various sources and have a good command of interview techniques.

Your new employee doesn't need to know everything, but they do need to know where to find the information they need. For example, an applicant does not need to have written numerous human resources policies from scratch, but they do need to know that they can find policy references or use online templates on the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) website. Likewise, they may not have used or explored many HR tools (especially if they are not very experienced), but they should be able to describe a process for evaluating different options.

When it comes to soft skills, you want someone who can listen well and present their arguments confidently. You need to be diplomatic in your approach as employees may not be quick to accept new policies and rules. You shouldn't be too strict about other personality traits (for example, it shouldn't matter whether the applicant is an introvert or an extrovert). However, make sure the person you hire fits the tone of your company. For example, if you are a relaxed and flexible startup company, you don't want someone with a more regimented approach to the workplace.

Have an honest conversation

During the conversation, make sure you clearly outline the challenges your business is facing. Talk about processes and policies you are missing and what you want to achieve in terms of culture and employee engagement. Ask the applicant how he would start working in this direction and invite him to offer further thoughts.

This approach is mutually beneficial: candidates know what is expected of them and whether they are qualified, while you can determine who is motivated and strategically thinking. Look for applicants who ask you probing questions, who challenge you with valid arguments, and who offer creative solutions to your HR challenges. It's important to find someone who can say "no" when necessary, but who is also open-minded and shares your vision. With a successful HR manager, you will create a strong, loyal employee base and maximize your company's potential for success.

Frequently asked Questions

1.What are the 5 most important strategies for effectively hiring new employees?

  • There are many effective hiring strategies to hire good employees such as: Establishing and using your employer brand to show applicants that your company has a great culture. You can also enhance job postings with strong job descriptions that show candidates the benefits of working with your company.

2.How does the HR department select applicants?

  • Personnel selection methods include pre-screening, telephone interviews, face-to-face interviews and human resources functions to determine whether an applicant is actually suitable for the position. Small businesses, even when staffing resources are limited, should use these steps to select the right candidate.

3.What are the two most important factors employers look for during job interviews?

  • Hiring managers look for several things in applicants to determine whether they are a good fit for the job. One of the most important points is whether the applicant understands what the company does and whether they have experience in a particular role. Applicants should also demonstrate that they have career goals and direction to reassure employers that they plan to hold the position in the next few years.

Seize the potential of your startup with effective HR management. Find the right fit, define roles, and drive growth. Discover more with IceHrm.