The Met Life and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index noted several key indicators heating into 2024. While there are still some stumbling blocks in inflation and supply chain issues, I’d like to focus on another issue.

Inflation and the supply chain present stubborn challenges and involve more factors than any one business can address. But buried in the details of the latest index — view the full report at 
www.uschamber.com/sbindex/summary — is this significant piece.

“Nearly half of small businesses report searching for, recruiting or interviewing new talent in 2023 — a significant increase from mid-2021. Most of those looking for new employees say it is hard finding candidates with the experience or skills they need. More also say it is hard to find enough candidates to fill open positions versus a few years ago. Nearly half of those who report searching for new talent in 2023 say it is hard to offer competitive pay and benefits. In fact, 60 percent of all small businesses agree it is challenging to keep up with existing employees’ salary expectations.”

This is where a savvy businessperson can leverage a perceived weakness into a strength. Note the second sentence: “Most of those looking for new employees say it is hard finding candidates with the experience or skills they need.” That should give both a pause as well as the answer. If most of those looking for new employees say they can’t find the experience or skills they need, I would humbly submit you should stop looking for experience and skill. Rather, flip the paradigm and start looking for the right attitude.

I won’t bore readers with the results of study after study. Let’s admit to the presence of the elephant in the room. Those employees with the skills and experience you’re looking for? They’re simply not there. The few that do exist place you in a position of weakness rather than strength.

You’re in a position of weakness because in your desperation to fill a position, you prostitute your wage and benefit strategy and overpay for a position when there’s no guarantee a new hire will work out.

Additionally, if you overpay for one position, how will your remaining staff respond? Sometimes that high-paid experienced or skilled employee you just hired simply isn’t a fit. Suddenly, everyone is disenchanted.

Have you had this conversation? “That person is one of the most skilled people we’ve ever had, but nobody likes him.” Or worse: “Customers really don’t like (our competent employee), so they took their business elsewhere.”

If you haven’t done so already, read “Hiring for Attitude” by Mark Murphy.

If you need help in hiring for attitude, give me a call. I can take a ton of the legwork from under you and at least present you with people who have the right attitude you need. With the right attitude, you can train anyone.

The experience piece? Well that’ll come because once you have that person with the right attitude and treat them accordingly, they’ll remain with you for a long time.

Perhaps they’ll even help you place others with the similar or even better attitudes.