On my podcast last week, I talked about SME (small to midsize enterprise) owners as modern-day gladiators — battling daily to protect, grow, and scale their businesses. Today, I want to go deeper into one of their biggest arena challenges: hiring for growth. And more specifically, how to turn the hiring process into a winning strategy.

A new study from Robert Half confirms what many of us in the trenches already know: the hiring landscape is tightening. The survey, conducted with over 1,700 hiring managers at companies with 20 to 999 employees, highlights just how fierce the competition for top talent will be through 2025.

Salary Pressure is Real — But Be Strategic

The top concern? Salary pressures. Nearly half of small and midsize business owners surveyed are struggling to offer competitive pay. But here’s the truth: winning in today’s hiring market isn’t always about offering the biggest paycheck — it’s about offering the best value proposition.

Exceptional talent often pays for itself. I’ve seen too many businesses reject high-salary candidates only to spend more money hiring multiple average performers who never deliver. That one developer or marketing lead who commands top dollar? They might produce the results of three average team members — and inspire everyone around them to level up.

One smart tactic I’ve seen used by scaling companies is splitting compensation: base salary plus performance-based bonuses. This way, your best people earn what they’re worth, and their upside is tied directly to the company’s success.

You can also hire for potential. Some of the best hires I’ve ever seen weren’t ready-made stars — they were coachable, culture-fit grinders who rose fast once given the opportunity.

Transparency Wins Over Flash

The most overlooked element in compensation? Transparency.

Be upfront. Be honest about where your business is and where it’s going. Share your vision. Sell the mission. You’d be amazed how many talented people would rather grow with an emerging company than be a cog in a corporate machine. It’s not about just matching offers — it’s about matching values and ambition.

The Hidden Hiring Killer: Lack of Systems

Salary might get headlines, but the real killer for small businesses in the hiring game is slow, broken systems. According to the same survey, nearly 40% of SME owners lose candidates because of how slowly they move through the hiring process.

Here’s how to fix that and start winning with hiring:

• Create a hiring funnel just like your sales pipeline. From initial outreach to offer letter, every stage should have clear ownership, timelines, and next steps.
• Use standardized assessments. Have candidates complete skills tests or culture-fit questionnaires before the interview. This cuts down on bad fits early.
• Streamline your approvals. Pre-approve salary bands, keep offer templates ready, and ensure decision-makers are available. Final interviews should be followed by offers within 24–48 hours.

Why Small Businesses Can Win

Your business may not have the deep pockets of a major corporation, but you have something better: agility and authenticity. You can move quickly, communicate personally, and offer a workplace that feels meaningful. That’s not a weakness—it’s a winning formula.

By combining transparency, smart compensation, and systemized hiring, small businesses can flip the script and turn their size into their biggest hiring advantage. You don’t need layers of red tape to make changes. You just need the courage to care more, the systems to support your team, and a mission that’s bigger than the next paycheck.

This is how you build a team that scales with you, believes in your mission, and sticks around long enough to make the exit possible. It’s not about perks or ping-pong tables—it’s about clarity, purpose, and leadership that puts people first.

In a noisy world filled with corporate giants, it’s the small business with heart and hustle that often surprises everyone.

Want to keep winning?
Explore more business strategies, founder stories, and growth systems on Jason’s blog and podcast at JasonSisneros.com. And don’t forget to watch our YouTube channel for new episodes, expert interviews, and behind-the-scenes lessons from the front lines of entrepreneurship.

Ready to build a winning hiring strategy?
Contact Jason Sisneros today to transform your team, your systems, and your future.
Because you didn’t build your business to play small — you built it to win.