Most small business owners spend 3-6 weeks trying to fill a role. They post on job boards, sift through 200+ CVs, interview a dozen people — and still end up with someone who quits in 3 months.

The problem isn't the talent pool. It's the process.

Here's what actually works:

1. Stop writing wish-list job descriptions. Focus on the 3 things that actually matter for the role. A barista doesn't need "5 years experience in customer-facing environments."

2. Screen for reliability, not credentials. For most general staff roles, showing up consistently beats a perfect CV every time. Ask about their last job — how long they stayed, why they left.

3. Move fast. Good candidates get snapped up in days, not weeks. If your hiring process takes a month, you're only interviewing the people nobody else wanted.

4. Don't do it alone. Recruitment agencies exist because hiring is a skill — and most business owners are too busy running their business to do it properly.

At Staffly, we place reliable general staff for small businesses. One flat fee, no subscriptions, no wasted time. Just the right person in the right seat.

If you're tired of the hiring hamster wheel, we should talk.