Careerleaf was originally founded from a belief that there was a better way to connect talent with employers through technology. Even with the progress we’ve made through the years, our journey is far from over; in fact, it will never end. Philosophically, we believe that our products (as well as our team) can always be improved upon.
So in the spirit of continuously bettering the recruitment process, Wayne Fleming, recruitment and HR consultant from Flexi Personnel, is making a guest contribution to our blog this week on how to strengthen one’s candidate recruitment.
High quality employees are undeniably essential for efficient operations and continued growth of an organization. Unfortunately, poorly executed recruitment is costly in many ways – monetary expenses, wasted time, and the opportunities that may be lost due to unfilled roles. Sourcing and hiring high-performing employees poses many challenges, but it is simultaneously an opportunity to bring about change to a team, project, or entire organization.
Of course, no organization intentionally recruits poorly, but here are some pointers to keep your recruiting and retention in top form.
Build a strong employer brand from the inside out
In this age of social media and proliferated Internet connectivity, people are able to raise their collective voices like never before. Case in point, Glassdoor, a forum for current and past employees to share their thoughts on their employers, continues to grow and gain influence. Never has an organization’s employer brand been so accessible, or important.
It’s one thing to be a great employer, but communicating that to outsiders (i.e. your next key hire) is essential. More commonly, people will believe the opinions of actual employees before they believe what may be written on a company’s career page. As such, organizations should focus on its own employees as ambassadors and influencers of the employer brand.
Additionally, time should be taken to consider your employee practices. How does your organization strategize around motivation, retention, reward, recognition, promotion, involvement, flexibility and accountability? These are the essential areas to focus on to become a choice employer.
Engage the workforce you already have
When there’s a vacancy, why not fill the role with a current employee? Providing promotional opportunities to one’s current staff will boost morale, and communicate to workers that their capabilities and accomplishments are appreciated. Time, effort and money has already been spent on their training, onboarding and ensuring organization/employee fit; might as well retain them if possible.
When it comes to networking, it’s not just about who you know. It’s also about the people they know, and the people that they know, and so on and so forth. Internal referrals tend to be a strong source of qualified candidates, and this avenue should be explored before advertising externally or involving contract recruiters.
If an external candidate is being considered, one method of determining suitable fit within the organization is to have them meet with a few members of staff individually. By doing this, a panel decision can be made on whether the candidate is suitable for the role.
Look past the CV/Resume
Though employees need to have the correct skills and experience for a given role, they also need to fit in with the company’s culture to ensure a positive and productive work environment. This involves looking beyond the candidate’s CV and cover letter in order to get to know them on a more personal level – as the adage goes “skills can be taught, personalities can’t”.
It is important not to automatically assume the person with the exact skills and necessary experience is the best candidate for the role. Doing this would overlook factors like the candidate’s interpersonal and communication skills, thought processes, emotional intelligence, and ability to work well with the incumbent team.
Interviewing potential candidates is your best opportunity to tease out these nuances, as it allows employers and job seekers to share one another’s goals, needs, and personalities. The ideal fit is when both parties – employer and job seeker – can help one another out.
Hire a recruitment expert
There are many reasons why companies use recruitment consultancy services. For many, the time and resources it takes to properly source and select candidates is too great (proper recruitment isn’t rushed); others appreciate the industry or niche specific knowledge and connections that consultancies offer. Contract recruiters can also act as a source of market information.
In any situation, if you do use a recruitment agency, note that many have a particular niche or market segment specialization. Ensure that their expertise is a match to the role you’re hiring for and industry you operate in. As well, make certain that the consultancy has a generous roster of candidates they can draw upon.
Check a candidate’s references
To keep your company out of trouble, it’s imperative to ensure potential hires are carefully vetted; a candidate’s history can pose heavy implications to your current workplace or clients. Given this reality, it is important to check references and perform background checks.
It is also worth noting that you may be liable if you fail to do a background check on a person that causes issues in your workplace.
Author Bio
Wayne Fleming specialises in recruitment and HR consulting at Flexi Personnel. His passion for aiding business’ to find the right staff is what drives him. He also hopes to help job hunters find the right position for themselves through his wealth of knowledge and advice.