Are you leading the charge for recruitment in your company? Continue reading to discover major mistakes to avoid when looking for the right person for the right job.
Be clear, concise, and truthful when writing the job description. Highlight the difference between the essential requirements of the job and optional experience. It’s imperative to make this distinction so that potential employees know exactly what the company is looking for. Most of all, don’t make false promises. There is nothing worse than a brand new employee joining the team only to discover that the position is not what they expected.
Cut down on the number of applicants by having an initial screening process. Check each applicants’ CV and cover letter to discern their experience, qualifications, written skills, and availability. Also, check their references before calling them in for an interview. There is no point wasting everyone's time in an interview if they are not fit for the job.
There are two things to keep in mind with the interview. Make sure that the questions are pre-planned, and you ask each
applicant the same set of questions. Also, if possible have more than one person in the interview panel, so that there are different perspectives and voices in the room. Discuss each applicant after their respective interviews while they are still fresh in your memory. Compare them to the requirements you are looking for and write down first impressions and thoughts. There is nothing worse than getting to the end of all the interviews and trying to recall each person. By taking these steps in the interview room, it will make your job a lot easier!
It is the sign of a respectful company that informs every one of the outcomes of their interview. There is nothing worse than waiting around to hear back about an interview when the position has already been filled. If you let everyone know it's more likely that they will reapply for another position when they are more experienced. There is no point alienating potential employees and damaging the company’s reputation. All it takes is ten minutes to send everyone a courteous email and encourage them to apply for a position in the future.
Another good reason to reply to all applicants is that not all recruitments are successful. After a couple of weeks in the job, some employees may think the position isn’t right for them. Perhaps, they overstated their qualifications and experience and are struggling under the workload. Some new employees may need to be let go and this is why it’s a good idea to be respectful to the other applicants. It makes it less awkward if you need to reach out and offer them the job after they have been rejected.
Leave plenty of time for the recruitment process. Nothing is worse than rushing something that takes time, patience, and attention to detail. If you haven’t found the right person after the first round of applications and interviews, try again. Advertise the position on different media platforms or contact friends in the industry for personnel leads. The right person is out there, you just need to find them!
There is nothing that breeds resentment and fatigue in a business more than employees who feel under-appreciated. If a new position has opened up, have a look at your current pool of employees. There may be someone that will appreciate the new challenge and benefit from some in-house training. Remember that outsourcing for new employees may not always be the best option in the recruitment process.
