Attraction
At this stage, employers should consider innovative ways in which to reach their target audience. With most jobseekers now searching and applying for jobs online, the need for an effective online strategy has never been more fundamental. Attraction solutions are different in scope and complexity and the suite of solutions can vary from single role postings to bespoke campaign microsites that are tailored to the organisation’s requirements.
Which specialist job boards will afford you the greatest level of visibility and increase your success rate? The use of mobile, audio and video can also enhance the attraction strategy, as web savvy jobseekers are looking to see which organisations are providing a comprehensive picture of the organisation’s working environment.
Selection and assessment
With an effective attraction campaign you will have maximised your applications; however, with the current increase in unemployment levels, some candidates are becoming less discerning about the roles they pursue. Sifting and selection have now become key. Evidence of skills and experience will initially be sought from an applicant’s CV and further validated at interview stage. Pressure on HR professionals to maximise return on staff investment means recruitment processes need to provide businesses with successful candidates who can integrate quickly and rapidly add value.
Using competency based interviewing (CBI) techniques will help eliminate subjectivity and make more effective hiring decisions. If the rules are followed, you won’t form an opinion about the candidate straight away, which is one of the most common failings of the traditional interview. CBI delves into the dynamics of individual behaviour in a comparable environment to get the real story, rather than the part-fiction, part-truth alternative. In so doing, it minimises the chances of employing the wrong person and maximises the return on your investment.
This is not only a way of ensuring quality control, it also goes hand-in-hand with an organisation’s retention strategy as the chosen candidate is more likely to be successful and perhaps more loyal to the organisation. Employers can ill afford to be complacent and make the wrong hiring decisions at a time when cost control is central to business strategy. A competency based assessment process needs to be complemented by the measurement of roles and organsational fit, by using tools such as personality profiles and motivational inventories. These techniques will jointly minimise the risk of selecting candidates who view a vacancy as something that ‘will do for now‘.
Retention
Retention is sometimes overlooked as part of the overall recruitment process. From the moment you offer the post, maintain appropriate contact with your new recruit to make them feel a valued member of your organisation and keep them onside. Hold regular formal and informal reviews to check on progress. Does your organisation have a mentoring or ‘buddy’ system to use during the probationary period? Have you discussed training and development needs? The first few months are pivotal and a little effort in ‘onboarding’ can go a long way to improving retention. Your employees are the key differentiator between you and your competitors, even more so in the current climate.
There are many steps to successful recruitment, however if you maintain robust processes and creative attraction policies, you will increase your chances of making an excellent recruitment decision and employing a new starter who can add value immediately. Remember that expert recruiters, such as Hays, can assist you in all of the above steps.