As our broken and bruised economy slowly emerges from this recession, the same businesses that have been forced to lay off some of their best employees are now positioned to start rehiring again, or at least to start considering the idea.

If you're one of those businesses, congratulations!

Now is a critical time in your business - you must pick and choose wisely from the large pool of qualified applicants who are in desperate need of work.

The decisions you make during any hiring process can have a huge impact on the success or failure of your business, and this is even truer as you strive to rebuild your business in a struggling economy.

Here are six strategies that we utilize when hiring during a recession; they'll guide you through the hiring process and steer your business toward growth.

1. Always be looking

The most important tip I can give business owners is to constantly look for good people, even when you aren't hiring. Think of everyone you meet, talk to, and come across as a potential candidate.

This is particularly important when unemployment has been high for a while, such as our current situation. If you can narrow your search by building a candidate list in advance of your needs, you will be way ahead of the game.

2. Consider the long term

When hiring for a specific position, it is critical to consider how that position may change as your business goes through each life cycle.

Many business owners make the mistake of hiring to fill an immediate need, and end up having to make a change down the road because they did not anticipate where the business would be in two to three years.

3. Find an organizational fit

Most businesses will hire a person based solely on skills and experience, and then quickly realize that person isn't a good fit within their organization - whether culturally, ethically, or otherwise.

In addition to having skills and experience, your new hires need to be able and willing to fit in with the current team. The stronger your company culture and the smaller your team, the more important a good match is to your long term success.

4. Ask tough questions

The people you bring on board should have the potential to be with your business for the long term, which is exactly why you need to ask tough questions. You need to find out everything you can about them in a short interview.

Remember, everybody you interview will tell you what they think you want to hear. It is your job to find out what you want to know, not what they want to tell you.

5. Give feedback early and often

Once you've made the decision to hire someone, you need to be very clear about your expectations of their job requirements and give them feedback on their progress - early and often.

The more feedback you give, the greater your team's cohesion will be in the long run. If you allow bad behaviors to start and continue, they will be harder to correct once they have become ingrained.

6. Admit your mistakes and move on

At some point, you may make a mistake in the hiring process and bring someone on board who isn't the best fit. As a leader, you need to admit your error, end the relationship, and try again.

Forcing the relationship is not beneficial for you, your organization, or the person you hired.

The Bottom Line

Hiring in a recession can provide you with a wide selection of qualified candidates from which to choose. The challenge is picking the right one. Stick to these six tips to turn this recession - and the hiring process - into a growth opportunity for your business.

At Collaboration, Lee Johnson puts his knowledge and skills to work directing and overseeing the day-to-day operations and developing and managing Collaboration's consulting and coaching services. With a focus on building its clients' success, Johnson develops Collaboration's internal strategies to provide streamlined client service, collaborates with the consulting and coaching staff to consistently enhance performance, and connects directly with clients to ensure consistent, purposeful outcomes.