NEW YORK — As Deborah Sweeney placed her order in the drive-thru of a Starbucks near her home, she was impressed by the barista’s attitude and attention to detail. At Sweeney’s next visit, the staffer remembered her name.
Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation.com, was so amazed that she hired the young woman, first as a receptionist and then in customer service for the Calabasas, Calif.-based online business consultancy.
“She ended up being a rock star,” says Sweeney, who sensed that the barista “could manage an environment where there’s a lot coming at you and be able to stay responsive and keep a good attitude.”
Small-business owners looking for new staffers in a tight job market have to be creative to compete with big companies that can offer higher salaries and better benefits. Some owners are giving up on online job boards and recruiters and relying on happenstance and good instincts to find good candidates. They’re doing more networking, and some of it, like Sweeney’s strategy, is off the beaten track and serendipitous. With a national unemployment rate of 3.7 percent, qualified candidates are hard to come by.