Despite what many people may think, recruitment is not easy! Whether you are handling the recruitment process internally, or working with an agency, there are many hurdles to navigate before you can get into a position where a job offer is made – and accepted.
But it doesn’t simply end there. If you’re recruiting for a permanent position you need to make sure you are hiring the right person for the job – someone that’s a good cultural fit as well as having the required experience and skillset, and someone who is going to stay at your organisation for years to come.
Recruiting the wrong person for the job could also prove to be a costly mistake, with recruitment fees, advertising, HR time and training costs soon adding up in the event of having to make a new hire to replace someone who wasn’t a fit for the job.
Here, in our latest blog, we’re going to run you through some top tips to make sure you are recruiting the right people for your workplace!
To avoid having a knee-jerk reaction to recruiting your next position, you need to start closer to home by fully assessing what your company is about. What are your hiring needs? What type of candidate clearly defines the culture and objectives of your business? If you can mould your ideal candidate, what would they look like?
You may wish to consider how a candidate’s qualification levels, attitude and skill set fits with your company’s value proposition and mission. By setting out what you need at the beginning of the process, you will be able to work on getting the right fit for your business before you have even advertised the job.
You’ve developed the perfect job specification by aligning your company goals with what you need from a candidate, so the next step is to start making some noise about the vacancy!
There are plenty of avenues available to promote a vacancy:
The best approach, of course, may be to incorporate all the above to ensure you have boxed off every possible angle to make sure you are attracting the right people for your business. Candidates will do their research about you just as much as you will do about them, so a consistent and joined up approach is best.
Your candidates can also screen themselves, so by providing a thorough job description and company profile can help a candidate decide if they feel the job, and your company, is right for them, just as much as if it was the other way round.
So, be clear about the job’s responsibilities, required qualifications and level of experience, as well as the type of person you are looking for, the working hours, location, benefit package, and of course salary.
Disclosing the salary for the role is key. Whilst you might not want to over publicise what you are willing to pay your staff, excluding this from a job specification can be off-putting to candidates. If they don’t know what level the job is pitched at, they may not know if it is worth them applying.
Once you have shortlisted your applicants, then next stage is the interview. This is your chance to get to know the candidate more, and find out what they are like behind their CV. Structuring the interview correctly will ensure you both get as much out of it as possible.
Make sure the interview is prepared in advance, and structured in a logical way, including any tests you will be conducting, such as a presentation or written piece. Make sure the candidate is aware of the structure as well prior to the interview to give them enough chance to prepare.
Prepare your questions in advance and keep your interviews consistent so scoring and overall decision making when comparing your interviewees is easier. Whilst in the interview, you may also want to take note of body language, mannerisms, and the overall vibe you get from the candidate.
Recruiting for a position can be just as much about personality as it is skills, and making sure you have the right person on board can determine whether the appointment will be successful long-term.
As with every area of your business, ensuring communication channels are open, flowing, and two-way is essential, and it’s no different when you are recruiting. Keeping in touch with your candidates at every step of the process not only gives off a good impression of you and your business, but also paves the way for a more honest appraisal.
Right from receipt of an application, make sure you acknowledge this with the candidate and let them know when they should expect an answer with regards to whether they have been shortlisted for interview.
Set out your timelines for reviewing applications, and set out specific dates of when you need to respond to candidates at each step. If they need further information from you in order to prepare for their interview give this in good time.
It’s also good practice to respond with individual feedback, even for unsuccessful candidates.
Both your time, and the candidates time is precious. Your candidates will have spent a lot of time researching and applying for the job, as well as preparing for their interview, so make sure you value their time as much as your own. For unsuccessful candidates, be prompt and don’t leave them hanging around waiting for a response.
Equally don’t hang around too long before offering your chosen candidate – the same person may be interviewing elsewhere, and you don’t want to miss out and risk them accepting another offer.
In conclusion, taking the time at the outset to make sure your recruitment processes are as streamlined as possible will make sure you are doing everything you can to aid the long-term development of your business.
Filling a vacancy should not be seen as a transactional process that needs to be done as quickly as possible, it is a process that helps shape the future of your business. If you need any help and advice to make sure you are recruiting the right people for your business, contact one of our specialist recruiters on 0845 478 5009 or enquiries@multitaskpersonnel.co.uk
