When small business owners look for new employees, they look for good work habits and attitudes. And, they want people who can follow directions. Small firms usually look for new employees who have previous experience to fill the jobs that demand the most skills—more than 80 percent of small employers make experience a condition of hiring.
Few small employers expect newly hired employees to bring leadership or management and organizational skills to the company, according to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Business.
The most sought-after skills, in addition to work habits, are the ability to read and write directions and explanations. Almost half said they expect employees to wear "appropriate dress" and behave professionally. A proficiency in the English language, small employers said, is important.
New employees can learn occupational skills, information about products and services sold, and operational procedures on the job. Experience, however, is so important that in some cases, skills learned in hands-on work can be a substitute for a formal education.
Did you know?
- More than 99 percent of all U.S. employers are small businesses.
- Small business creates 80 percent of all new jobs.
- Four of every five businesses have fewer than 20 people working for them. More than 60 percent of all U.S. businesses employ up to four people. Eighteen percent employ five to nine people; 11 percent employ 10 to 19 people.
- Small companies, typically, provide more on-the-job training to new work force entrants than large companies provide. They are also more likely to employ younger workers and older workers.
Source: "The Facts About Small Business," U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy.