Hiring the right team is one of the most critical decisions a business owner can make. As Good to Great author Jim Collins says, “If we get the right people on the bus, the right people in the right seats, and the wrong people off the bus, then we'll figure out how to take it someplace great.”

While important to the success of your business, recruiting and onboarding can be overwhelming – especially with your first few hires. Here are three things that most often tip up the small business owners I meet:

• Time Constraints: The hiring process, from posting jobs to vetting candidates, can take dozens of hours per applicant.
• Limited Networks: Well-known job boards like Indeed, Monster, and LinkedIn can generate applications, but the quality of the candidates can increase by tapping into more specialized talent pipelines.
• Lack of Hiring Processes: Without a structured hiring system, businesses may struggle to find, onboard, and retain the right people in the right roles.

What is the solution?

A well-thought-out hiring strategy with an onboarding process so new hires feel welcomed, properly equipped, and set up for long-term success.

In this article, we will explore these three common hiring challenges and ways you can create an effective onboarding experience for your new team members. Whether you're hiring your first employee or refining your process, these insights will help you build a strong, capable workforce while saving time and reducing hiring stress.

Time Constraints

Your time is already limited, and now you need to dedicate time every week to recruiting, interviewing, vetting, hiring, and training a new person for your team. This is one reason business owners put off hiring for too long, or why they are too quick and end up hiring the wrong person for the job.

That’s why many small businesses work with a professional recruiter. It removes stress and gives you back time because the recruiter manages the entire process, from sorting through applications to scheduling interviews. For example, clients who work with us at LVL-Up receive a shortlist of the top qualified candidates for the final interview – bypassing most of the work for job posting, reviewing applications, initial interviews, and checking references.

But, if you choose the DIY method, here are three common time suckers and tactics for managing them.

So Many Job Applications

When job postings go live—especially on platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed—you will receive an overwhelming number of applications. One trick to manage this flood of emails is to create an email inbox filter so that all responses go into one folder. This allows you to set aside a block of time to address the emails all at once.

Interview Scheduling Back and Forth

Here’s a tip for scheduling interviews: create a scheduling page on a platform like Calendly, where the candidate picks a day and time that you have already set as available. This allows you to control your calendar and reduces the back-and-forth scheduling emails. Be sure your automated thank you and reminder emails include the necessary details about the interview, such as the link or physical location.

Providing On-Boarding and On-the-Job Training

How much time do you have set aside to train your new hire? Did you already invest time and resources in creating asynchronous materials for them to work through during their onboarding? What is their check-in schedule, and what will you be reviewing at those points?

Being able to answer those questions takes time – time to plan, time to create the training, time to bring in others who will help, and time actually meeting with your new hire. And while a fourth of companies only spend a day or two on onboarding, it’s recommended that you have a plan to spend one to three months bringing your new teammate up to speed.

Limited Hiring Networks

Finding the right place to post your job opening is critical to identifying good candidates for your position. But one limitation you may face as a small business owner is limited (or no) access to large or niches job databases. One recruiting hack is to find local job posting groups on Facebook. For example: Northern VA Jobs, Graphic Designer Jobs, or Virtual Assistant Savvies. Another place online to tap into is with local associations or publications, like the Arlington Chamber of Commerce or Maryland Nonprofits.

Outsourcing your recruitment to specialists means you gain access to their valuable networks and talent pools. For example, LVL-Up is a part of military spouse and EFMs groups like MSEP, giving us access to a unique set of candidates. Posting your job announcement gives you improve and expand your talent pipeline.

Lack of Hiring Processes 

A structured hiring process can help you reduce some of the stress of finding the right person. Here is a list of things to consider when organizing your hiring process.

Job description

This is your north star in hiring. It will prevent you from hiring someone who is all charisma versus someone who has the skills you need. Spend time thinking through all the needs you have and what skills/experience the candidate must have, and write it all down. 

Also worth noting, do not assume that the last rate you paid for this position is still fair today. Research pay rates for this type of position in your area and set an appropriate rate.

Screening resumes

Use the job description as your guide for evaluating resumes. It is easy to be impressed with well-written resumes, but if they don’t have what you need, set them aside. This also saves you from interviewing people who don’t have the right job qualifications.

Interviewing

It is important to think about who will conduct the interviews. Will it be the same person who makes the final decision? Will they use a tool like Calendly to let candidates schedule their own interviews or will someone schedule interviews for you? What questions can you not ask? How many rounds of interviews are needed? Do you have templates for next steps, invitations for next-round interviews, and rejections? Who sends them?

Tip: Have a set of interview questions you ask each candidate. This makes it so much easier to evaluate and compare candidates fairly.

Onboarding

Beyond hiring, successful onboarding plays a crucial role in employee retention. Walking into a new job and feeling uncertain about where to go or who to ask for help can be intimidating. A structured onboarding process creates a welcoming environment and fosters a sense of belonging. It also improves the quality of the new hire’s work, which protects your investment (i.e. reduces the chances of turnover or at least prolongs retention).

Don’t have an onboarding plan for this role? Answer these questions and you can start creating one.

• What does a new hire need on their first day to succeed and feel comfortable?
• What is the job description and what training required for each task?
• How long until the new hire can work independently?
• How will you keep communications clear and consistent?
• What are your expectations of this new hire, how will you get their agreement, and when? 

Who Outsources Recruitment and Onboarding?

Answer: busy leaders who want an expert to get it handled for them.

Your recruiting specialist gives you:

• Time back by handling candidate screening, vetting, initial interviews, and so much more.
• Access to additional talent databases.
• Expertise in compliance and best hiring practices for your industry.
• Visibility into small-business-tested processes and templates.
• Strategic support to ensure new hires feel welcomed and have what they need to succeed.

Another decision they can help you make is whether staff augmentation or direct hiring is best for this next hire. 

Staff augmentation is one solution if you have a limited network. This involves bringing in external professionals—such as freelancers or contractors like LVL-Up—to fill specific gaps in your team without a long-term commitment. This approach is ideal when your business needs specialized expertise for a short-term project, seasonal demand, or an unexpected surge in workload. Unlike traditional hiring, staff augmentation allows you to quickly onboard skilled professionals without the extensive training required for permanent employees.

For example, we have had several clients who needed help with their invoicing. LVL-Up came in and cleaned up the aging accounts receivable and put a process in place to keep on top of revenue coming in.

While staff augmentation offers convenience, it may not be the best option for roles that require long-term stability, deep company knowledge, or significant integration into your company culture. The alternative is direct hiring. Bringing an employee on board as a permanent team member is a more strategic and long-term investment. Unlike temporary or contract workers, direct hires become an integral part of the business, contributing to its growth and stability over time. Because of this, direct hiring requires a more rigorous selection process to ensure the candidate aligns with company values, culture, and long-term goals.

The good news is that you can outsource recruiting for staff augmentation and direct hires. Typically, your recruitment team can help you find whatever you need. LVL-Up has helped our small business clients fill roles such as:

• Remote Operations Manager
• Remote Project Management Coordinator
• Remote Administrative Assistant
• In-person Administrative Assistant

Let’s Build Your Team Together

I understand the challenges of recruiting and onboarding because I have been leading these projects for LVL-Up and our clients. Whether it’s finding the right candidate or ensuring a smooth onboarding experience, I would love to take this off your plate, too.

Here are three ways to get started on your recruitment and onboarding journey:

• Download our Remote Onboarding Checklist as a guide for your next remote hire; 
• See how another small business benefited from outsourcing to LVL-Up; and/or 
• Schedule a discovery call so my team can get it handled for you.

Need some guidance on hiring a remote employee? Download our free checklist!