There are many things you should try to avoid when running a small business or start-up, and one of the foremost is hiring what we fondly refer to as a P.U.R.E – Previously Unidentified Recruitment Error.
In small organizations, recruitment errors create a big negative impact on the success of the organization. As the business owner you should put in place measures to ensure that your recruitment processes are efficient and deliver better candidates by doing the following:
#1: Recruit Based On A Workforce Plan:
Now that you know how to develop workforce plans, you must put them to use in your recruitment process. The workforce plan should tell you who you need to recruit and when.
Following through on your workforce plan means that you have the right people just in time for your needs. When we fail to plan and end up recruiting in a hurry, we make many mistakes that can potentially lead to many P.U.R.Es.
#2: Incorporate Competencies Into Recruitment:
Competencies put some science into human resources management, and science is good. For example, with your competencies you can shortlist candidates better, and create tests and questions that will help you get the best candidates for your job.
Competencies are the demonstrable knowledge, skills and behaviours required to succeed in a given role. By being clear about the competencies for each role, you can enhance the quality of the people that you recruit.
#3: Diverge On Possible Candidates:
If you want better results in recruitment, cast your net as far and wide as possible. Do not limit yourself to a handful of candidates, rather do what creative people do when coming up with ideas or options – they diverge: come up with as many options and ideas as possible.
#4: Converge With A Structured Assessment Process:
Selecting the best candidates is also an important part of your process. Using competency based assessments and tests, and a panel of independent interviewers with a structured interview protocol will also help – you should always allow interviewers to rate candidates independently in order not to create any biases during the selection process.
Like creative thinkers do, you need to use appropriate criteria driven by your competencies and job descriptions to converge on the right candidate.
#5: Build A Compelling Value Proposition:
To attract the best candidates, you have to have a compelling employee value proposition. What does your brand stand for as far as employee practices are concerned?
What does your organization offer its employees beyond a salary at the end of each month? Interestingly candidates can tell a lot about the quality of your Institution based on the quality of your recruitment process – Were interviewers professional and courteous, was communication about dates and venues appropriate, did the interviews start and end on time?
A properly executed recruitment process based on your Workforce Plan and job descriptions allow you to attract the best candidates just in time for the roles you have in your organization.
