5 Ways To Employ The Best Everytime
Staff are the biggest asset and cost that most businesses will ever have. So why do so few employers invest the time and effort the recruitment of their future talent warrants and deserves? Too often, this critical process and decision is outsourced to junior staff or external agencies. When you are the owner or leader of a business, your primary focus is people. Sourcing, attracting, developing and retaining talent. That’s it.
Top rules for recruiting to your vision and values:
- Know what your vision and values are and what culture you want to build or maintain.
It sounds simple, but many employers don’t go into the recruitment process thinking about this in a planned way. Without this clarity, you are likely to recruit someone based on personality, or a myriad of factors that may be important, but aren’t the most important things to look for.
- Don't go looking for a unicorn.
If you have written a laundry list of skills, attributes and experience that is longer than 5 key points — you are probably seeking the impossible — which means you will inevitably compromise when you can’t find anyone to fit the bill. Be clear on what you are recruiting for. What is the main purpose of the role, and the skills and attributes that you need and value the most? Think about this in the context of ‘team fit’ too. What is the skillset you are looking for that will complement and leverage your team’s performance?
- Do your homework. Be on the lookout for talent before you need it.
One of the issues with recruitment is that employers often look for talent at the worst time — when they need it. This forces you into a situation where you are likely to compromise under the pressure to ‘fill a role’.
You need to be ruthless about who makes it onto your team.
Never, ever put yourself in the position where you have to employ someone who doesn’t really fit the bill. It’s an expensive mistake that causes disruption and potential damage to your brand and your bottom line. How to avoid this? You should always be cultivating your networks for up and coming talent — especially when you aren’t recruiting. Ask your staff, suppliers or partners for referrals and reward them for it — they will probably know who your next employee could be.
- Technical skills and experience are important. But cultural fit is first.
Forget trying to teach someone on the job — unless you have the time to do this properly. First and foremost, look for cultural fit. This should be your very first filter. Question prospective employees closely on why they want the role, what is it about your vision that they buy into? Why do they want to work for you? Ask questions that will get them to demonstrate their values and behaviours. You will be amazed at how many can’t answer these fundamental questions in a convincing way — and that should be big a red flag for you. Even if this is an entry level role, they can do a massive amount of damage to your team and culture if they have the wrong behaviour and attitude.
- Try before you buy – on both sides.
A great idea is to offer a week long trial with your new candidate. Agree up front on the terms of the trial. This is an opportunity for both sides to really assess whether they are a fit. Pay them, and make sure they have a great experience coming in. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. Best to do it transparently, in an amicable way, right up front. A week of pay to a candidate that doesn’t work out, is far cheaper than a long term bad hire.
Finally, don’t forget that you are being interviewed too. Real talent — the people you want — will do their homework and want to understand why you are a fit for them as much as you want to make sure they are a fit for you.
This is the single most important decision you can make. If you think you are too busy to spend the time on this, think again.
