Running a small business is a complex, challenging process. Success is only achieved with a high level of expertise and countless skills. Hiring employees who best suit your business is essential; unfortunately, it can often be a long and tedious process.

The traditional tactics used by most business owners and executives typically involve placing advertisements in newspapers and interviewing any potential respondents. Yet this does not guarantee the caliber of the applicant pool. Online "job board" sites exist where you can place a job listing or search for employees. Using job sites can broaden the scope of your audience to include national and international of job seekers for little money. However, you lose much time trying to learn each site's system and still may not guarantee the quality of the applicants you attract. More effective methods exist for increasing your chances for success.

The obvious first step is to place an advertisement in your local newspaper's classified ad section. For best results, place your ad in the Sunday or weekend edition of the local papers with the largest circulation. Other options exist, as well:

• Utilize your professional and personal network. Share with everyone you know-from neighbors and friends to vendors and professional colleagues — that you have a job opening. This method is virtually free, and the likelihood of securing quality prospective employees increases with the range of acquaintances you tap into.
• Distribute fliers. This is as simple for small businesses as it is for the large. Restaurants, dry cleaners, and other businesses have been doing this for years.
• Contact school placement offices. Check with local high schools, trade and vocational schools, colleges, and universities to discover if they have placement programs where you can list your openings.
• Post notices in senior citizen centers. Retirees often do not want/need health or retirement plans.
• Call an employment agency. Private and government-sponsored agencies exist to help you locate and screen candidates. The time and money they save you more than compensates you for their fees.
• Establish an employee referral program. Your current employees have a network of their own; encourage them to recommend your company to their acquaintances, and offer cash bonuses for referrals that result in successful hires.
• List your openings with an appropriate job bank. Contact professional associations in your industry that have job banks for their members. Do not hesitate to contact them, even if they are outside your region, and ask them to alert their members to your staffing opportunities.
• Use industry publications. Trade association newsletters or industry publications are wonderful venues for advertising your openings.

Using the above tips will greatly reduce the time and hassle of the hiring process for any company, large or small.