Recruitment in Focus - Part 2
In my previous blog, I spoke about my findings that many companies are missing out on talent by not approaching recruitment with an open mind.
Society has conditioned us to feel we need to perform at our best and prove ourselves as worthy of the new job, which is partially true. But the focus seems to be all about whether the company wants and needs an individual. This puts pressure on the interviewee to prove they can do the job. Often there is an expectation that the candidate should be thankful when they have the job offer.
Thankfully this belief is becoming outdated. There is a shortage of labour in many industries and across most parts of the world. This is forcing that thinking to be reversed. Companies are beginning to think more about professional development for employees and long-term career plans. Questions are now more like “what can we do differently to attract people?” “What can we put in place so they want to work for us and will stay here”?
Define your need
You’re running a business - you’ve decided you do need to bring someone into your team. Here are some questions you can answer:
What is the role?
What would make that person successful in their first 30, 60, 90 days.
What do they need to do to show they can do the job?
Do you need someone to do specific tasks?
What experience would be beneficial to help you change or grow your business?
What skills does the person need to have?
Could someone internally do these tasks (as well as/instead of their current role)?
Review and refine your selection process
Let’s go back to basics - the interview is a two-way process. Done badly, job interviews increase the probability of a miss-hire. They are probably the least effective way to determine whether someone will be successful. Done well, you can make a great hiring decision.
Now is a good time to review your selection process i.e.:
Who is involved and what training have they had?
What activities do you ask candidates to do?
Are the activities relevant to the role?
What kind of person do you want to bring into your team?
What is the team like?
What qualities are missing from that team?
What skills and experience could someone add to the team?
Who is the best fit?
Once you’ve assessed this, think about how that person will ‘fit’ into the team. That doesn’t mean you need to look for someone the same as you already have.
Instead, how would it be if you looked at what qualities could be added to that team? They can have a different background, personality traits and experience.
Rather than avoiding conflict, how about looking for individuals who will challenge the norm – creating a system of managed conflict? You might need to retrain your managers for this one!
Sounds simple, doesn’t it?
How to make the choice
Now that you’re clear on what you need, it’s time to look at who is interested in your role. Always measure first impressions at the end of interview. Ask 3 simple questions:
Can they do the job?
Do they have the skills/experience needed?
Do they want to do the job?
What will you offer?
Candidates want to find out what the culture of your company is like. What do you have to offer? Is yours:
a company people want to work for?
a place where they can be authentic?
a place where their skills and experience can be used?
somewhere they can do what they love and be paid for it?
a place that treats people well?
When you have finished your interviews, it’s time to ask what you can give back to those who have shown an interest in your company. If they are not being taken forward, give constructive feedback. Done well, the interviewer can help the candidate to realise the job may not be right for them. Or they may have an area to work on to be successful at their next interview.
Next time you have a vacancy, why not adopt a coaching mindset to your interview? Approach it with curiosity. How would it be if you bucked that trend and looked at recruitment as a two-way process, benefitting both parties? Unsuccessful candidates would leave with a better understanding of themselves and what they want from a role.
If you want to know more about this, get in touch on our contact page and let’s have a chat.