Importance of Effective Recruitment & Selection
Hiring a person is easy, but hiring the right person takes more effort and makes a huge difference. The best employees get the job done, are a pleasure to manage and help the company grow. Recruitment that focuses on simply hiring warm bodies can cause headaches and unanticipated problems. The quick hire can require hours of supervision and time spent in discipline, retraining and, worst case, termination.
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Identifiy the Job
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The recruitment process starts with a clear idea of the job that needs to be filled. This includes the experience or skills that are needed, education and talents. They may be tweaked a little if a fabulous person comes along who can be trained, but a list of must-have skills will start the search. Clear identification of the needs avoids the confusion of a candidate who thinks he is applying for a job that is different from the one you are interviewing for.
Use the Best Recruitment Sources
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More jobs are filled by networking than any other source, so ask around. Go deep: ask friends, relatives, co-workers and colleagues. Ask association heads and user group leaders.
After networking and thinking of people that have already been met, choose your advertising sources carefully. The largest job boards may yield lots of candidates, while niche sites that cater to a location, profession or industry will generate fewer, more targeted resumes. Colleges and universities can be great sources for candidates. Career offices work for recent grads and often provide alumni information and contacts. Many have job posting resources that can reach a specific audience.
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Know the Interview Process
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Decide who will see the candidate and make sure everyone knows the process. Whether you plan one interview or five, know this up front. Generally more than one conversation will be needed to get a good picture of the candidate's strengths. It will also be helpful to meet someone in a more informal setting. This gives a different perspective.
Prepare for Interviews
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Don't wait until the interview to review the resume and identify questions to ask the candidate. Are there any gaps between jobs that need explanation? What details do you need about specific accomplishments or responsibilities? How does this person handle new tasks, relationships with others and deadlines? How about other important qualities not usually reflected in resumes? The least prepared interviewers look at the resume when they meet the candidate, and begin the conversation by saying, "Tell me about yourself." Avoid that with advance preparation.
Ask Behavioral-Based Questions
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Ask candidates for their reaction to a hypothetical situation and you will get a hypothetical answer. Instead ask candidates, "Tell me about a time when you faced a very tough deadline and you got the work done." Past behavior is a better predictor of future success than imaginary scenarios. This is particularly helpful when characteristics will help more than direct experience. Customer service, management and leadership and analytical skills can be demonstrated in all kinds of situations.
Discuss Specific Interview Results
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When more than one interview is involved, compare notes. Don't accept, "He's a good guy," or "She'd be a nice addition to the team" as responses. Ask for specific examples to back up recommendations for a fit. If there are lingering questions after this conversation, call the candidate in for another interview or a telephone conversation. The additional interview can be with another person for a new opinion, and to gain further answers.
Check References
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References will confirm impressions and can provide new information. Don't settle only for the standard human resources confirmation of dates of employment and rate of pay. Dig deeper to gain specific examples of skills. Just like behavioral-based questions, ask for examples of accomplishments. Use all of this information to help make a better hiring decision.
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