The secret to hiring sucess

The broad spread of issues in finding suitable candidates reinforces the fact that there is no single silver bullet solution in Recruitment.

Different strategies will work for different companies depending on their unique circumstances. That means that the best recruitment strategy is to identify what will work best for each individual business.

There are however, some key considerations towards the recruitment process, that are worth exploring:

Application process:

An application process should strike the balance between being easy enough to encourage applications, while providing enough detail that a candidate has to be truly motivated to complete it. This will filter out those applying for anything going, and encourage those who genuinely believe they’re a good fit for the role.

Supplementing a simple CV upload with the request to answer a few role-specific questions, add a cover letter or portfolio can achieve this.

Experience versus training:

When experience in applicants is lacking, it’s a good idea to reassess entry requirements and separate the “must haves” from the “nice to haves”. Deciding on an essential criteria versus that which could be trained or developed will help encourage candidates with the potential to develop into the role.

It’s also important to ensure that the job description is describing the needs of the role accurately and as precisely as possible. This way, candidates can easily pin point their own transferable skills and experience in their application, saving hiring managers from the heavy lifting work during the shortlisting process.

Graduates:

Placing an emphasis on recruiting those with the potential to grow opens up the opportunity to recruit graduates. What they lack in working-world experience, they often compensate for in ambition, drive and willingness to learn.

Looking past the black and white of “years served” and instead, getting to know the personal attributes of applicants could uncover people who have the right cultural fit for a business. The offer of training and development will be welcomed by them, rather than seen as extra work.

Culture & Benefits:

The modern workforce is attracted to many company benefits that lie outside a base line salary. This provides opportunities for companies large or small to differentiate themselves from their competition and lure talent.

Flexible working, generous holiday entitlements, healthcare and gym memberships are all examples of popular benefits. More unusual perks can promote an enticing brand image that is fun, welcoming or relaxed, such as Friday beers after work or a pool table in the break room.