0816_TOEFL-Test-and-Score-Manual-1997

196 ● 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business
• Consider hiring older and younger workers. Students and retired people
are a tremendous resource for small businesses (see Great Ideas #140
and #141). Contact your local business school, community college, or
high school to find students.
• Advertise in the local newspaper or in trade publications before you
spend a lot of money on advertising in major papers. Place an online
ad in trade journals or weeklies serving your industry.
• Contact your state employment development department. The state can
help you find job candidates in many fields. The state also offers training
programs and tax incentives for hiring new workers, so check out
what’s available in your state.
I’ve found great research assistants at the nearby journalism school.
Inquire about internship programs that offer students class credit for work
experience.
Contact your trade or professional association or local chamber of
commerce.
GREAT
Write Clear Job Descriptions
Big companies always prepare extremely detailed job
IDEA
descriptions. You should, too. Putting everything in
writing avoids confusion and boosts productivity. It also helps when it’s
time to cross-train your employees to cover for each other. (Cross-training
is essential for a small business.) Be sure to update your job descriptions
every six months and also whenever you hire new people or retain
consultants.
If you think writing down job descriptions is a waste of time, try this:
Walk around the office asking people to tell you exactly what they do every
day. They may think you are crazy, but I bet you will be very surprised at
what they tell you. What you hired them to do and what they are actually
doing at work may be very different. Why? Because people always morph