Recent discussions with our brokers have revealed that they have trouble recruiting suitable staff. Finding the right people can be difficult and we thought we’d help with a few pointers towards improving the quality of your recruitment process
Recruiting
Finding new people for your business is time consuming and if you are advertising, or using a recruitment consultant, it can be expensive. There’s nothing worse than investing all that time and effort to realise, within the first few weeks, that you’ve got a problem and it’s not going to work out.
Statistics show that:
- The average cost of a bad hiring decision can equal 30% of the individual’s first-year potential earnings.
- In one study, 43% of respondents cited the need to fill positions quickly as the main reason that bad hires are made.
- So it pays to take your time and make a well-thought out and reasoned decision. Avoid the temptation to fill a vacancy quickly and take a methodical approach. Here are a few tips:
Meeting the candidates
One study highlighted the four critical mistakes recruiters make when meeting and dealing with candidates:
- Judging candidates too quickly rather than taking the time to analyse their skills and behavioural traits.
- Running through the interview on autopilot rather than critically analysing the responses.
- Failing to follow up promptly and provide detailed feedback to help both parties decide if the role is right for the candidate.
- Not staying relevant and letting conversations drift away from the core selection decisions.
So be prepared and focus on what is important…
- Think about how you want to draw up a short-list. Once you’ve reviewed the CVs and checked them against your criteria, it may be more efficient to have a quick phone conversation with a number of people who seem worth taking a closer look at. Many are tempted to run interviews straight away but a quick call can efficiently determine whether the CV is a fair description of someone’s ability. Keep it short and ask just a few questions critical to the role. Make sure that your questioning is the same to all applicants so that you can reliably compare them.
- .hereYou need to understand these people’s behavioural traits. Only you will know the type of person you want. Do you need an outgoing person who will get along in a noisy, open plan office? If so, you’ll favour an extrovert who will thrive in that environment. Or do you have a very quiet office where people get on with their work and there is less interaction and socialising? Maybe an introvert will be a better fit. Pre-screening candidates with tests will help you form a better understanding of their personality. This can be expensive, but the recruitment company Monster has a list of free tests which can be found
- In the interview use a consistent set of questions for all candidates. Don’t rely on your ‘gut feelings’ about people as they walk through the door. It’s a classic mistake, as you can then miss critical details when asking more about their experience and views.
- Be clear about what you see as the benefits and the challenges of working for you. If you over sell your company you run the risk of creating disappointment when the candidate appreciates the reality of the job.
In future articles we will look at HR software which can improve the management of your staff, and at ways to keep them motivated. If there are any other topics you need help on, please send us your views at marketing@pcl.co.uk.
All examples provided by Premium Credit Limited are for illustrative purposes only and not to be considered as advice or relied upon by you, your employees or agents. Premium Credit Limited accepts no liability for the content provided. You should consult your own advisors for all advice on your regulatory and legal requirements.
Sources:
http://greenjobinterview.com/2014/01/10-important-statistics-on-bad-hiring-decisions/
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/76182
https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/employers/popular-topics/hr-stats.htm
