First impressions counts for small firms

Date: 13th November 2008

A huge number of business start-ups have admitted to hiring employees based on their appearance, a new study has shown.

Research by the social networking platform Gumtree has revealed that 46 per cent of firms have opted for the most aesthetically-pleasing candidate at one point in time.

In addition, around 90 per cent of business start-ups also said they found it difficult to find adequate staff, despite spending an average of £4,000 on each appointment.

Trends analyst at Gumtree, Trisha Routledge, commented: "Many smaller companies choose to look after their own recruitment practises in order to cut down on costs.

"If done correctly, companies can maximise the quality of candidates applying for jobs in their business."

Another thing for business start-ups to consider is the deadline for their self-assessment tax return, which falls on January 31st. Firms in need of advice over how to complete their return should consider speaking to an accountant.