How to

Establish your sales force

Establishing a sales force is an exciting step in expanding your business. If you know what to look for as you hire your sales force, the process will feel like smooth sailing.  

Where to start

If your business becomes too large to run by yourself, you may need to hire extra personnel to support you. The first step to becoming an employer is to get a Business Number, which will allow you to deduct income tax, Canada Pension Plan contributions, and Employment Insurance premiums from your employee's wages. There are many rules and regulations to adhere to as an employer; make sure you comply with all of them before you bring new people on board.

What to look for

Of course, you want to hire someone who can get the job done, but you also want someone you can get along with. You must be careful, however, when you interview potential employees. Avoid asking personal questions in an interview and stick to topics that relate directly to the duties you'll be asking them to perform.

It's also generally not a good idea to spring for the cheapest labour you can get. When you consider the supervision you may need, the training you have to provide, and the rate of turnover that often accompanies low wage employees, it may turn out to be more expensive in the long run. Focus on a worker’s qualifications first to make sure you find someone who will get the job done right without any headaches.

Don't rush the hiring process. It's better to spend plenty of time and interview a lot of people than it is to hire the first qualified person that comes in the door. If you hire the right person the first time, the extra time spent will pay off – for you and your new employee.

Where to look

There are a lot of options available to employers looking for new personnel. Both the provincial and federal government have programs in place to put workers and businesses together, and there are many private employment services that can help you find the right candidate.

One of the more effective ways to find an employee is by advertising online, particularly through your social media pages if you have one. It's inexpensive, fast, and people searching for a job know to look there. The one method that has proven most effective overall is finding employees through referrals. In these cases, a lot of the initial screening process has been done for you. And best of all, it's free.