In today’s world, it is relatively easy to find good employees….however, it may be difficult to keep them if you don’t mentor them, grow them and offer career opportunities.
When I look at building entry-level sales teams, I always use my friend and preferred college resource network. For entry-level positions, this is often times the best place to start. These folks generally have a connection to you and are less of a risk. Often times there is a perceived trust and expectation which can lead to higher results. However, you must mentor them, train them and build them to be the employee that you expect. Also, it is important to outline career opportunities for them during the interview process and when employed. If they have a growth path, they should be motivated, loyal and eager.
When hiring for higher level positions, promote from within when possible. The message sent to lower level employees is that you respect the hard work and will reward hard work. If it doesn’t work out, you have at least tried and you can always hire from outside the organization at that time. If you do need to hire outside the organization, look to employees you have worked with before..from your industry. You will know their strengths and weaknesses. You will know their motivation levels as well as their loyalties. You will know that they know the industry. It will reduce your work load as well. All these are risk mitigating factors for success.
In the end, be the hiring manager and boss that you would want your boss to be. Look to lead by example and provide a positive upward mobility career path to your employees. Hire from within. Train and mentor them to do their job successfully. Not only will you have a good employee but you will also have a loyal friend and a resource to tap for the future.