When someone says to me "it's hard to find good staff", I reply with "How hard is it for good staff to find you?".

There in lies the answer.

Make it easy and compelling for the right staff to join your business.

Market for staff like you market for customers - all the time.

Most small business owners don't look for staff until they need them. That's silly. Market now and then when you get a great person put them into your business and they'll grow your business - because that's what they do.

Put up a careers page and job role pages on your website like these:

apple
http://www.apple.com/jobs/us/
http://www.apple.com/jobs/us/welcome.html

Ikea
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/jobs/join_us/index.html
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/jobs/join_us/ikea_values/index.html

Nero
http://www.nero.com/enu/career-center-about-nero.html

Google
http://www.google.com.au/intl/en/jobs/index.html
http://www.google.com.au/intl/en/jobs/lifeatgoogle/index.html

Bigcommerce
http://www.bigcommerce.com/careers.php

Infusionsoft
http://www.infusionsoft.com/careers

Mozilla
http://careers.mozilla.org/en-US/

Then make sure you're marketing for staff 24/7.

• Run ads on employment websites
• Run ads for your business (staff will set it and come to your website
• Get details from great people that impress you day to day and put them on your talent list and keep in touch with them.
• Ask around your industry
• Ask around alternate industries for star performers

Make sure you're always looking for new talent to join your business.

That way you've always got people to put on - when you need them.

Here's how I explain it:

http://www.caseygollan.com.au/newsletter/june09/hr.html