To a small business owner, realizing you need to get out the Help Wanted sign is exciting. It means that your business is successful and growing! It means you won’t have to do everything yourself anymore!

So, how can you make sure you hire the right people? And once you’ve hired them, how do you shape them into a winning team? Keep reading for six steps to building a great team:

1. Have Very Clear Objectives

You have a clear idea of what you want to do with your business; you should have a clear idea of what you want from your employees, too. Ask yourself these questions to get a better idea of what you need to look for:

What talent do I need to get the job done?

What type of personalities am I looking for?

What type of people will compensate for my weaknesses?

What can I afford?

How many people do I want?

2. Be Flexible

Once you’ve outlined the qualities you’re looking for, remember to be open-minded. You might get a great employee who checks all the boxes on your list but doesn’t look or talk or act exactly the way you pictured. On the other hand, don’t hire someone just because you hit it off or they’re really fun— adding someone to the team you don’t actually need is a waste of resources.

3. Go Where the Talent Is

You need to go to where the workers are: colleges, job fairs, online job boards, LinkedIn, Facebook and real-life social communities. Let everyone you know that you’re hiring and what you’re looking for.

Arm yourself with a solid job description and salary offer. For more tips on setting salaries, read this informative Small Business Administration article.

4. Trust Your Gut; Trust the Info More

Once you’ve interviewed a few candidates and have a good idea of who you’d like to make an offer to, check references and run background checks. If you find a discrepancy, ask the candidate for an explanation. Having a “good feeling” about someone is not enough to trust this person to help you run your business.

If you’re still unsure, you can always pay a candidate for a project-long or day-long trial run. If they are really interested in working for you, they’ll jump at the chance to prove their skills.

5. Figure Out Their Strengths

Bringing on a new employee means a new background, a new perspective and new skills.

Spend some time really figuring out what your new team member’s strengths are. What do they excel at? What do they love to do? What are they eager to learn about? How can these strengths benefit your business?

6. Help Them Help You

Good employees will want to learn more about how they can do their job better and how they can help you be a better business owner. Let your team know about your vision for your business. Talk to them about your customers, your future plans, your goals for the future and your challenges. Listen to their ideas and encourage their participation in your growth.

Our last bit of advice? Use ‘we’ instead of ‘I’ when you’re talking about your business. Your new employees are part of your success now!