Should I hire a family member?

By Ask a Shop OwnerUpdated Hiring

Short answer

Only if you would hire them as a stranger, and only with a job description and a boss who isn't you.

The hard test

Strip the last name off the resume. Would you bring this person in for an interview? If no, the answer is no. The relationship will not survive working together.

If you do it anyway

Write a real job description with real outcomes. Pay them the market rate, not the family rate. Have them report to a non-family manager if you have one, so feedback isn't blood-related.

Ask your version of this question

This is one business owner-tested take. Your shop size, trade, and team change the answer. Ask the exact version inside Ask a Shop Owner and get a response grounded in how owners like you actually handled it.

Related threads from owners

Long-form answers to nearby questions.