In small companies, every position matters. And every open position hurts.

But how do stretched-for-time business owners find that diamond in the rough? Trade show exhibit dealers each have their own hiring philosophy, and clearly some work better than others. We asked around to see what others in the industry are doing.

Stan Sacks, owner and president of Sacks Exhibits in Boston, tries to narrow the scope of his job candidate searches by tapping into talent-specific Web sites, such as www.Coroflot.com and www.creativehotlist.com.

He’s wary of what he calls a “jumper,” or a candidate who changes jobs every two years and has been at 10 or more companies. Such an employee is clearly not interested in longevity at his company.

Conversely, another red flag is an employee who has stayed at the same job for longer than seven years, says Bob Gale, owner of Gale Executive Recruiting in Laguna Beach, Calif.