Star performers can be a real game-changer, and an employee with a stellar work ethic, outstanding business acumen, and great relationship-building skills can improve your whole business and workplace culture. Finding these people, however, can be like finding a four-leaf clover, and we all know that recruitment campaigns are expensive.
We totally get the urgency to recruit someone NOW, but when this happens we often see ineffective and reactive behaviours occur. This leads to missed steps during a recruitment process and then poor quality recruits.
We have put together a shortlist of key points we often see skipped in the mad rush to fill a vacancy, and, while time-consuming, we know that you’ll have the best chance to find that game-changing employee you are looking for.
1. Have a plan.
Where does the job actually fit in the organisation? Write out a detailed job description, including setting KPIs so when you are faced with the right candidate you won’t miss them.
2. Train your recruiters to know what they are looking for.
Train them on correct recruitment techniques, how to attract the best candidates, and how to spot red flags in job applications.
3. Let staff know you are hiring.
They may already know someone worth considering before you launch an expensive recruitment campaign. Implementing a referral program is a great incentive for existing staff to only refer quality candidates to you.
4. Have a competitive offer.
Competitiveness isn’t just about money; it’s about offering flexibility, selling the office location, parking, lunch facilities, career progression etc.
5. Have a clear job ad.
Ensure your ad is specific and detailed, and avoid ambiguous or confusing statements. Being transparent will avoid candidates dropping out halfway through the process when they discover something that may be a deal-breaker, that perhaps wasn’t clear from the beginning.
6. Think about your job ad location.
Post your ad in the most suitable places for the candidate you are recruiting for. Are you recruiting for a professional services role? Your best bet is LinkedIn and seek.com. Are you recruiting for a shop assistant for a small independent supermarket? Perhaps a newspaper ad, a sign in your window or an ad on your town’s local Facebook page will attract the right candidate.
7. Don’t keep candidates waiting.
The longer your hiring process takes, the less enthusiastic the best candidates will be, and the more likely they will be hired by your competitor. This means you will be left with sub-par candidates in your pool, if you know of expected delays, ensure to keep in touch with candidates and let them know why.
8. Remember to always be recruiting.
The best performers are ones who are already employed and may not be actively job seeking, so keep your ear to the ground in your networking circles and be aware of any movements between the best in the business.
Do you have a current or upcoming vacancy that needs filling, but aren’t sure where to start? Ask us about our Recruitment Training Program! This short face-face 1 hour session will:
- teach you how to run a fair and thorough campaign
- lead you in the right direction with tips on how to attract the best talent for your business; and
- highlight the risks associated with a poorly run recruitment process.
