Small businesses have a chicken/egg complex with hiring. There's a lot of work and little money in the beginning. You want to hire someone to help you but you worry about paying them. Sisarina had this same struggle in the beginning. When thinking about hiring, you typically have to think about 3 things:
1. Experience
2. Longevity
3. Cost
There's a 4th one in here that most forget: Enthusiasm.
As this is the year of being intentional about everything, we set up a new hiring process this year. As a small business owner, I've weighed the pros and cons of each person who has interviewed with us. At one point, I even had to call my favorite small business advisor, my mom, to make a final decision on a new employee. What I learned from that short conversation has proven to be so true.
Teresa was my first stay-at-home mom employee. When I hired her, I just needed someone who knew how to use a computer, didn't need a big salary and had a few hours a week to spare. She was my personal assistant and did research or made phone calls for me. She did things I didn't have time to do.
After awhile, she stepped up and wanted to learn how to help me in bigger ways. She had a knack for coming up with solutions and figuring out problems. Over the course of 2 years, she learned our Content Management System, figured out how to talk to developers and found herself in the position of Implementation Director. Because of her initiative, dedication and enthusiasm, she has been given much because she was so good at taking care of so little.
Teresa's greatest quality is patience. She has three children, one who is autistic, and that patience flows over into her work life every day. She handles clients with ease, she answers 'dumb questions', and trains every one of our clients while being available afterward to help them troubleshoot issues.
She's been with Sisarina for 2.5 years and has done nothing but grow. She's a testament to how you can do anything you put your heart into.
"I began my career at Sisarina on a strictly "just helping out" basis. I came inexperienced but excited about a chance to do something other than teach preschoolers. The fact that I'm now teaching others things I never imagined I'd know (like how to manipulate html code) still startles me almost daily. I love it!" -Teresa Thomas
Katie: The Boss
Katie, our Operations Manager, came into our office for her first interview with a bag of dog treats and an air of intelligence and excitement. Within 15min, Teresa and I knew we had to hire her. She had experience with accounting and the initiative to update her knowledge, had flexible hours to grow into the position, and fit into our hourly price range.
The day we were offering Katie the job, Teresa and I called my mom to compare three resumes of potential hires. We gave her the skinny on all of them and she gave us a few things to think about. Her best question: "Which one would you leave your business to?" Katie was the first name that came out of both of our mouths. My mom told us that she had the most potential for longevity and the most enthusiasm. Since then, Katie's husband has told stories at dinner parties on how she was hired and is just as enthusiastic as Katie is.
Katie has a Bachelor's in Finance, a Master's in Art History and 15 years of experience as a stay-at-home mom. She's professional yet laidback and fits perfectly into the vibe at Sisarina by organizing us all. Our Quickbooks and filing have never been the same. Finding her organizing self in the midst of a bunch of new marketing skills, Katie is happy that a company didn't look at just her skills but her willingness to help a company grow.
"It's so refreshing to find a company that considered my potential based on life experiences, not just paid employment history. I had a record of achievement in other aspects of my life and was really enthusiastic about pursing a new challenge in the workforce. Through my work at Sisarina I have the incredible opportunity to draw on my education in both creative and analytical disciplines, and apply the organization and management skills I honed as a mom and volunteer." - Katie Borten
When Katie was job searching, she attended a conference put on by IRelaunch. They're 'return-to-work experts' who help people get back to the workforce. If you're looking to move from stay-at-home-ness back to the job market, they come highly recommended: www.irelaunch.org
