How many times have you taken on a new member of staff, only to find they are not capable of doing the job?
As a practice we are frequently helping clients to manage poor performers out of the business. People who came across really well in interview, but when it came to it, their ability to do the job was not as good as their ability to ‘sell’ themselves.
And whose fault is this?…. Well I’ll let you into a secret….. It’s your fault. Just because you are a good manager or fantastic at your job, doesn’t necessarily mean that you can spot a fraud when they are working really hard to impress you so you give them the job you have on offer.
Buyer Beware
So, how do you tell the difference between a lovely person and someone who can actually do the job and add value? The answer lies in the recruitment and selection process.
Recruitment is about attracting the right people and ensuring they apply for the role.
Selection is the process of choosing the right person for the role.
Top Tips
Not all of these will be appropriate to every situation, so do speak to us if you need any guidance
- Write a comprehensive job description including key deliverables, the skills & experience required and personal attributes needed to succeed
- Choose the most appropriate method to advertise your vacancy: This may be through online job boards, recruitment agencies, face to face networks such as colleagues, suppliers, customers, family and friends; or social media networks
- Design a selection process which is fair and free from the risk of discrimination
- Design a selection process to specifically identify the skills and attributes you are looking for
- Use a minimum of two steps i.e. 2 interviews or an interview and a test
- If possible, get the shortlisted candidates assessed by more than one person from the business
- During the interview, identify behavioural evidence based on past experiences. Ask an open question and then drill down until you fully understand the behaviour and can take a decision based on objective evidence
- Don’t be afraid of silences during the interview – they can be very powerful. If you have asked a hard question, the way in which the candidate thinks about it is also very indicative of their personality
- Always respond to applicants, candidates and interviewees in a respectful way with due consideration for their feelings if you are rejecting their application. Your company reputation is at stake!
- Remember, recruitment is a two way process, you have to sell your company to the candidate as much as they have to sell themselves to you.
No one will get it right every time, but doing a robust behavioural and competency based interview as part of the process is an excellent first step and will significantly increase your chances of getting it right.
Over to You
We would love for you to share your experience of the recruitment process, either from an employers perspective or indeed as an employee. I myself have several horror stories from both sides of the table! If you share yours, I’ll share mine:)
Back to Us
If you require assistance with your recruitment and selection processes, we are able to help you every step of the way from writing the job description to holding interviews all the way through to reference checks and offer letters.
For further information, call 01923 504100 or email [email protected]
