Hiring enough of the best Pet Sitters at the right time that stay as long as you want them can be a major headache in your Pet Business!
It’s something many of my clients struggle with and I’ve sometimes had difficulty with too.
But we wouldn’t have lasted 12+ years in our Pet Sitting Business if I hadn’t learned a thing or 2 about hiring!
So here are my best tips to help YOU hire the best staff for YOUR business
How to Hire the Best Pet Sitters & Dog Walkers With Ease
1. Change Your Approach From Hiring to Marketing
Hiring has changed a LOT in the last years.
Gone are the days of classified ads, hand-written or typed letters and formal interviews where candidates feel lucky to get the job!
It’s more of a 2 way street about finding the right match for the candidate and the hiring business – and that’s a GOOD thing for you!
So just like we’ve talked before about attracting the right customers into your business through talking to what’s important to them in your blogging, social media and eBooks, you can do the same for hiring.
Think topics like;
- How to Find the Best Petsitting / Dog Walking Jobs in [Your Local Area]
- The Top 5 (Or 10 or however many you can think of!) Essential Things to Look For in a Pet Sitting / Dog Walking Employer
- Is Pet Sitting / Dog Walking the Career for YOU
2. Be Flexible In Your Requirements
Of course you want reliable, punctual pet-loving employees.
But do you need ALL of them to work full time?
Or even all of the time?!
Consider hiring a range of different employees who can meet different needs in your business.
From the full time daily workers who form the backbone of your business to weekend, part time, seasonal and occasional staff.
The more variety you have the easier it is to cover all of your requirements and to be flexible when the unexpected happens.
3. Open Your Mind and Use H.A.T.S.!
Don’t be too quick to write off any particular demographic -Like students, teenagers, the elderly or part time staff.
Yes you may have had bad experiences with some people that fit a certain demographic, but not all teenagers are bad.
And if you’re looking for seasonal workers that you don’t have to worry about paying out of season, students can be ideal.
Retired people can make great part time employees – sometimes they don’t need the money as much, but enjoy working to stay active and for the social side of it – particularly pet lovers. And because they’re motivated by more than money, they can become some of your longest-standing employees.
What’s any of this got to do with hats?! Not hats for your head – H.A.T.S. – Hire Attitude, Train Skills.
When you open your mind beyond a rigid list of requirements, you can find people with the right attitude regardless of their demographic.
Employees who share your business values and passion for pets and their owners can be taught the skills to do a great job and are likely to be a better investment of your hiring and training time than someone who can meet your requirements but lacks those qualities.
4. Now You Know Who You’re Looking For Showcase the Benefits of Working for Your Business
The best employees are often looking for similar things to your ideal clients;
An established, reliable business they feel secure with
A great reputation – if you treat your customers well, you’re likely to treat staff well and they’ll feel proud to be part of your business
Friendly and approachable so it’s fun to work there.
So share customer reviews, awards, press coverage etc. as well as your requirements and basic pay and conditions.
You might also enjoy reading: How To Market Your Pet Sitting & Dog Walking Business When You Are Hiring
5. Outreach
Once you’ve decided on some different demographics you think would be a great fit, reach out to those people.
You can target particular groups with social media posts and ads
Or you can post local ads in libraries, community centres and local shops where your ideal employees hang out.
Maybe there are mums looking for work to fit in around the school runs and wouldn’t think of dog walking until they see your card in the cafe they hang out in.
Mums can make amazing employees. They are typically reliable, organised and invested in the right job for them.
Similarly, retired people might not be looking for a job until you present it as a great way to stay active and social and the extra money is a bonus.
In summary, it’s all about thinking outside of the box and attracting the right people for your business by showing them WHY they should work for you.
I’d love to hear your best tips for hiring. Let me know in the comments.
