We’ve recently heard several online discussions about disastrous recruitment for businesses with one poor business owner having not a single candidate turn up for interview! She’s not alone as we’ve heard many similar tales in industries as varied as cleaning companies to law firms. So how can you improve your success rate?

VivoHR top tips for successful recruitment

  • Get really clear on exactly what your recruitment is for. Create a clearly defined Job Description that sets out your expectations and defines the tasks and responsibilities. Decide how many hours the job will take.
  • Think about the type of person who is going to deliver what you need and fit your business culture (you are clear on your business culture right?!) Create a person specification that describes who is going to enjoy the job, work well and be able to handle the work you want done.
  • Do some research so you can pitch the salary correctly for the job you have created.
  • Draw up an advert that will excite candidates about working for you. Remember that you need to sell the job to them as much as they need to sell themselves to you.
  • Place the advert in the best places to attract the people you want to work with. What publications, job boards or newspapers are your ideal candidates reading?
  • Make enough time to do the recruitment process well. The process needs to run smoothly and in good time or you will lose the best candidates to other jobs. Schedule all the key recruitment dates in your diary and commit to them – communicate them to the candidates so they know what to expect.
  • Remember that candidates are likely to do their research on you and your business. If they go searching for you and your business online, what will they find? Is it going to entice them to work with you?
  • Communicate throughout the process. Send candidates all of the necessary information including the job description and person specification and also give them an insight into your company. Carry out a phone interview first so that you can decide if a face-to-face interview is worthwhile, but also to build an initial rapport. Confirm interview dates and times a couple of days beforehand, and again on the morning of the interview
  • Consider the best place to carry out the interviews. Choose a location that is easy to find, has parking and welcomes potential employees to your business. Remember that first impressions count!
  • Plan your interview. Use competency-based questions around the skills and tasks in the job description and consider using tests, assessments or a wok trial to really assess the candidate’s suitability for the role.
  • Finally, if you decide you don’t want to do this all yourself, then don’t! Use a recruitment agency – ask for recommendations from other business people. Talk to several agencies and find out how they operate. Opt to work with one you feel understands your business, takes the time to get to know what you are REALLY looking for.

You can read about the full range of of vivoHR services for business here

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