Do I Really Need Another Employee?: Factors to Consider When Evaluating Your Hiring Needs

Thinking about bringing on a new hire? Ask yourself these three questions first:

1. How will bringing on a new hire impact my current team?

2. Where will my business be in 5-10 years?  

3. Can I afford to bring on another employee?

Taking the time to consider these three factors in advance of hiring a new employee will increase the probability that you and the employee will be satisfied with the new addition to your team. Top talent become active job seekers when they feel underutilized, do not have a clear path to advancement, or are underappreciated. To enjoy a successful, long-term relationship with a new employee you must be forward-thinking.

Evaluate Your Current Team:

Whether you are a solo practitioner or an employer with 800+ attorneys, understand your team’s strengths and weaknesses. Determine whether your need can be addressed by an existing member of the team before seeking to add another employee. Speak with team members who will be directly impacted by the new hire and gauge their enthusiasm. This new hire might need training or might be someone who will come in to lead the team. Whatever the new hire’s role, they should feel welcome and supported from the very beginning. If you hire someone to take on a new area in your business and have no one who can mentor them, you must be confident that the new hire can handle being the go-to person in this area. If not, the new hire will feel unsupported and your clients will be disappointed. It is better to provide expert-level service in fewer areas than to expand into unfamiliar areas with the wrong people. Where possible, get input and support from the current team.

Review Your Business Plan:

A new hire should be someone who fits into your long-term business plan. If this person will only fill an immediate need, but will not be an asset in 5 to 10 years, keep looking. Evaluate the candidate's qualifications and resources as a whole. Do they have existing relationships or experience that will allow you to develop business in a new location? Do they possess expertise in an area of the law that compliments your current work and will allow you to better service your existing and potential clients? A new employee should feel relevant and valued as they grow with the firm/company.

Budget for the New Hire:

A candidate you find attractive is likely also very attractive to other employers. Evaluate the overall financial health of your business, then determine whether a competitive offer for a top candidate would be feasible.  Also determine what realistic incentives you can offer an employee to ensure they stay with your company long-term. Candidates should be confident that beyond the initial compensation package, the employer has the ability to invest in and to potentially reward the employee going forward.

Finding top talent that fits in well with your culture can be difficult. Keeping top talent can be even more difficult. Be strategic in your hiring to ensure your business and employee/employer relationships remain strong.

Tiffany Sepulveda Kahlon, experienced recruiter, career adviser and attorney, has counseled hundreds of candidates in their search for legal career opportunities resulting in successful placements across the national legal market. As Founder of The Kahlon Network, Tiffany builds relationships with legal employers and candidates, understanding their abilities, interests and needs while exploring their growth potential.