The importance of screening and interviewing when recruiting
It’s a great time to be recruiting. There are lots of candidates on the market due to the credit crunch so finding that perfect person to meet your requirements should be easy! But is it?
It’s true, redundancies and companies relocating mean that there are lots of candidates on the market. Some of these candidates are excellent, however, it is more important than ever to ensure that your recruitment strategy and process is thorough, you interview methodically and screen your candidates once you have offered them a position. In the current market with unemployment at its highest for years, several people are keen to secure positions. What lengths would they go to?
When placing an advert in the newspaper you need to ensure you adhere to all legislation, for example if you mention a salary you need to mention location. You cannot specify gender, race or age. This may seem obvious however saying something such as may suit a school leaver or may suit a returner to work could be seen as indirect discrimination – you need to ensure you add however all applications will be considered. Also specifying a specific amount of experience needed could be seen as discriminating against people with more or less. With new technologies you can consider allowing someone who is the right person for the role but is based in a far away location to be able to work from home, online desktop solutions and messenger applications can make communication seamless.
Many companies feel that using agencies can be expensive, however recruitment mistakes can be even more costly. They also save you time. Be selective on the agencies you use though – meet with them, make sure they have an understanding of the role and of your company. Have they looked at your website and are they prepared for the meeting with you? I would advise to work with one agency – find one that you feel understands your needs and give them a period of time to work on the position exclusively. Most agencies will agree a reduced fee for this – again saving you money. Using several agencies at once defeats the object of using one – you will spend just as much time going through all the CVs and liaising with different contacts.
A good way of recruiting when candidates are available immediately is on a temporary to permanent basis. It is like an on the job interview – you get to try out the candidate and they get to ensure it is the right company for them. Having a temporary worker through an agency means that they deal with all of the payroll, national insurance and tax issues, you just sign a timesheet and pay the invoice until you decide you would like to make them a permanent member of staff.
When interviewing have a set format. Prepare some questions that you can ask all candidates to ensure they are going through the same recruitment process. If you take notes, remember these do fall under the data protection act. Again remember legislation – it is unlawful to ask people if they have children, what their childcare is etc. However you are permitted to ask if there are any restrictions on the hours they can work. You can also bare in mind that new remote working technologies enable employees to work flexibly around their family commitments.
So you have interviewed and feel you have found the perfect candidate? Make sure you reference them. Over 70% of people lie on their CVs so always check! Most good agencies will do this however always check.
There are also companies specifically for screening who are quick and efficient such as Creative HR, www.creativehreurope.co.uk
So if you are looking for staff remember to follow these guidelines!
For more information contact Charlotte Barton, cba consulting
on 01883 740001 or email charlotte@cbaconsulting.co.uk
cba consulting is a boutique recruitment consultancy placing all office based staff in the Surrey, Sussex, Kent and London areas.
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