10/31/2017

Recruiting the right person the first time

A big challenge manager often face are getting the right person in the right job from the get-go.

Not only is the actual monetary cost (such as advertising, placement fees etc.) of recruitment high, but the implications of making the wrong hiring decision also has a huge impact, including the loss of precious time while sitting in unproductive interviews, loss of productivity and damage to customer relationships etc.  Can you really afford getting it wrong? No!

But how does one go about improving your chances of getting the right person first time?

First things first - do your groundwork.

1) Analyse your business and understand your needs.

So you feel it’s time to expand your business….. But have you critically evaluated your existing resources and what you are going to need going forward?

Before you start shuffling existing staff around or recruiting new staff members, you first need to understand your specific needs, and what you want going forward.

Ask yourself:

* What is the gap in terms of tasks, responsibilities, skills etc. between existing resources and your vision?
* What should the person you are searching for look like?
* What are your company values which the people in your business need to live by?

2) Document the job description / job profile

After your analysis, you will know what the role entails in terms of tasks, responsibilities, skills and attitude required. This information should be documented in a job description.

Also add the challenges and opportunities that will come with this position, as well as any physical and legal requirements (e.g. valid driver’s licence) there might be.

Once your job description is complete, it can be used as basis for recruitment of new staff and development of existing staff.

3) Decide on your recruitment and selection process

Once your job description has been created or updated, you need to source, screen and assess applications, and select the most suitable candidate.

Most recruitment and selection processes will entail the following steps: 

Advertise - Screen applicants - Shortlist - Interview - Decision - Appointment

Some businesses might also include psychometric or aptitude tests, and security checks (e.g. criminal check, credit check, qualification check etc.) as part of their process.

More details on the recruitment and selection process in our next blog post.

Speak again soon!

Estelle