Poems

Shy City House - “Potential” - online

Roi Fainéant Literary Press - “May 4” and “Emotional Regulation” - print

High Shelf Press - “Parts of the Temple in Istanbul” - online & print

Sledgehammer Literary Journal - “This is What Birthing a New Heart Is” - online

Lammergeier Magazine - “Jeopardy!” - online

Hooligan Magazine - “Peter” - online & print

Wild Roof Journal - “The Twelve Defects of So-and-So” - online

Split-Complementary: Poems, DePaul Art Museum - “Process” - print

Interviews

DePaul University Library - “Kaveri Raina Interview” - online

Freelance

Hiring Tips for SMBs

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If you own a small business, you understand the importance of hiring the right employees. It’s natural to want to build the best team for your company to ensure its future success. You might be wondering: how do I hire the right people? How do I find them? With the right information, you can build a great team for your business.

Here are key hiring tips for small to medium sized businesses.

Measure Passion

We all know that drive and ambition get you far in life. Consider yourself for starters—if you weren’t the passionate entrepreneur that you are, you wouldn’t have taken that leap of faith to start your business. The first thing you want to look for in a potential employee is their passion for the work. Skills and talent are important, but if they’re not interested in your company, how do you know they’ll care about doing a good job? You’ll notice whether or not someone is passionate about your business if they’ve done background research on your company. During the interview process, a candidate should be excited about your company’s mission.

Fill the Gaps

Small to medium sized businesses should seek out candidates who fill existing skill gaps in their companies. Find out where your business needs more strength. Whether it’s marketing, sales, or support, look to the areas that can grow. You shouldn’t pile on in one area when you’re lacking in another.

Follow Your Values

You should look for candidates who hold similar values to your company. Skills can be taught after hiring someone, but an employee’s values will likely stay the same. If your values aren’t aligned, it won’t work out in the long run, and you’ll soon be looking to fill the same role. Think long-term.

Get Insured

You want to make sure you’re attractive to candidates by protecting your business and keeping it safe. That’s why it’s important to have insurance for your company. Protecting your employees as well as the property is a sure way to keep it moving sustainably. You can find a small business insurance quote online to figure out what works best for your company’s budget and needs.

Utilize Networking

Often times, you can find the best employees simply by contacting people you already know. Networking with existing colleagues, clients, and old classmates is an excellent way to find the right people. If you have a colleague you’ve loved working with, odds are you would love working with someone they refer.

Social Media

When using social media to find new hires, LinkedIn should be your go-to. After that, you can check Facebook or Twitter for any potential hire’s profile to make sure no offensive posts are shared on their account. You’d be surprised by what some people share on the web these days. If it’s not something you’re comfortable with, wait until a better candidate comes along.

So, you’ve started a great company and you’re ready to build the dream team. Remember to network, look at gaps in skillset, and consider values, and you’re sure to find someone great for the company. Now go build that team!