SME Blog

Time for a change

Dennis Howlett at Accman Pro has a great blog.  He is always open to new ideas.  Dennis took a whole new approach to a job advert of mine and re-wrote it and put it on his blog (ably supported by David and Jason).  For example:

The original advert:

You will be very computer literate and have good technical accounting knowledge.  You will possess strong communication skills, have the ability to manage others and to work independently.  Strong practical experience of accounting systems and Excel is essential.  Knowledge of Crystal Reports an advantage.

Dennis’ version:

Technical skills:

Strong practical accounting skills are assumed with an emphasis on assisting business managers rather than preaching the numbers. In addition, candidates will need to demonstrate a genuine passion for technology. The geekier the better but not to the point of speaking in Java or PHP. You need to be an Excel Wizard and if you have Crystal skills, that’s a bonus. You need to have solid communications skills - written and oral.

Social abilities:

Team player? Good. Able to work unsupervised without goofing off or panicking? Ideal. Flexible? Goes without saying.

In fact it was so good Malcolm McLelland  showed it to about 100 intermediate financial accounting students at Purdue University.  9 out of 10 preferred Dennis’ ad when compared to a typical ad.   

I would like to see more ads like the one Dennis created, but I don’t expect I will (in the near future at least).  Changing from the normal and expected to something new and unexpected is often unsettling.  People generally don’t like change; with change comes risk and with risk comes potential failure.  It’s easier to play safe and stay with the status quo.

Let’s look at the downside if I created an ad in the informal style used by Dennis then where could I go wrong?  I can think of the following:

•    Add inadvertently appears ageist, sexist or raciest due to adopting an untested approach
•    Job criteria appears too woolly and a rejected candidate challenges the selection process
•    Lawyers involved fighting a case brought on by the wording of the ad

Let’s now consider the advantages:

•    Differentiates the company making it stand out from the crowd
•    Gives the candidate a clearer idea of the company and the position
•    The company appears a more attractive place to work

With change comes risk.  The trick is to properly consider and minimize the risk;   managing the downside, whilst delivering on the upside.  For example, the HR specialists can check the ad wording before release and remove any potential problems.  The ad still needs to be well written and touch the right spot to deliver the upside, but the downside risk is controlled.

If risk can be managed then what are the other barriers to change?  The biggest, in my opinion, is the extra effort involved.  It’s hard work to change and make change successful.  Attempting the new is always hard work, at least initially.  It’s easier to stick with the tried and tested. 

In business the phrase cost v’s benefit is common.  To take this phrase in the context of the above raises a question.  Is the cost and risk of change worth the effort?    That’s a question of judgement and it’s your call, but don’t forget that we are all living in a technology revolution and revolutions cause change.

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Philip Woodgate

Interview mistakes

In Recruitment and the SME Competitive Edge there are some tips for the SME employer.  The flip side from the employee's point of view is covered in a slide show at BusinessWeek in the Twelve Job Interview Mistakes.  They are all quite obvious, but a quick recap is always good if you are looking for a new position.

One mistake BusinessWeek give demonstrates how technology is changing society.  They call it oversharing.  In simple terms search the candidates name on the internet and a whole host of information can come up. Watch out the Myspace generation it won't just be CV's recruiters look at in the future they will also be reading your personal web page.

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Philip Woodgate

Recruitment and the SME competitive edge

In today’s competitive business environment it’s not only customers that SME’s are competing for it’s also employees.   Successful growing SME’s rarely contain mediocre people. As Stuart Jones would say “People are not your most important asset.  The right people are.”

Companies large and small are in the market for good people.  To assist in recruitment of these people SME’s can use their competitive edge.

Move faster

Ambitious, bright people do not stay on the market long.  With SME’s there are no panels and committees, no chains of command.  They can move fast to secure the right people.  An offer to an employee can be on the table whilst a large company is still in the blocks.

Flexibility

Flexibility is a key SME advantage when it comes to attracting customers. If flexibility gives competitive edge to attract business then the same approach can be used to attract good people.  A flexible work environment is a benefit to employees.  Therefore consider part time home working for workers with big commutes or having core hours sandwiched between flexible hours at the beginning and end of the day.

(Tip: If SME’s have a competitive advantage in flexibility then look for the same flexibility in your future employees.) 

Growth and development

SME’s are often great places for ambitious bright people. In large companies the controlling top management is hidden behind the chain of command.  In SME’s the controlling management are normally on the ground.  The difference is enormous for the ambitious bright person.  In a SME the key decision makers quickly notice the abilities of the ambitious bright person. 

In a SME ambitious bright people will always be valued highly and are likely to get more responsibility and a better chance to grow and develop.  The size of a SME means that the individual is part of a team rather than a machine, not a small cog in some large workings.  They can be a significant contributor to the business and can expect to be rewarded as such. 

I got the inspiration for this post from an article on BusinessWeek called Small Business Secrets to Hiring.  It's worth a look if you want further thoughts on this area.

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