How to Get Recruitment Right: Practical Advice for Growing Businesses
A simple, structured approach to hiring that helps SMEs save time, reduce costs and build stronger teams.
If you run a small or growing business, recruitment can often feel like one of the biggest challenges you face. Finding and hiring the right people takes time, confidence and a clear process - but for many SMEs, recruitment ends up being something that’s squeezed in between everything else.
You might post a job ad, get a handful of applicants, interview a few people and hope one of them works out. But effective recruitment isn’t about luck - it’s about having a structured hiring process that helps you identify, attract and select the right people for your business goals.
Why recruitment matters for small businesses
For SMEs, every hire counts. A great employee can help drive growth, improve customer experience and strengthen your company culture. A bad hire can cost time, money and morale.
Recruitment done well leads to:
- Stronger team performance and retention
- A clearer understanding of the skills your business actually needs
- A better candidate experience that reflects your brand positively
The foundations of an effective hiring process
Getting recruitment right starts long before the interview. It’s about:
- Defining the right role for your stage of growth, not just replacing a leaver.
- Writing clear, inclusive job adverts that attract the right candidates.
- Learning cost-effective sourcing techniques to reach great people without relying on expensive agencies.
- Structuring interviews so you can assess both skills and culture fit confidently.
- Designing a winning candidate experience that makes people want to join your business.
When recruitment is done well, it saves time, reduces costs and creates teams that perform better.
At Ask Emma HR we’ve supported high-growth businesses including Gymshark, Nadine Merabi, Snug Sofas and The Beauty Tech Group - and we see time and again the businesses that invest in their recruitment skills grow faster and retain talent longer.
If you’re a small business owner or manager who’s ever thought, “There must be a better way to hire,” there is - and it starts with learning the fundamentals of effective recruitment.
To find out more about our upcoming half-day workshop on recruitment skills for growing businesses, designed especially for SMEs who want to make hiring simpler, faster and more effective, get in touch via info@askemmahr.com
