Recruit in haste, repent in leisure! That’s certainly very true when you need new people in your team. When you are looking for a new person, it can be tempting to just place an ad or ask for resumes to be sent in from your favourite job websites.

But there’s a better way to plan for new recruits, and a little time well-spent now will reap greater rewards later. Here are some ideas to kick-start your recruitment process:

• Make sure you are thoroughly aware of the responsibilities of the position. Ask yourself: what are your expectations of the person? What do you want them to achieve? How will you measure their success? What sort of tasks will they be required to handle?

If you are clear on all these objectives, it gives you a head-start in thinking about the type of person you want

• Understand the type of person you want. Ask yourself: What knowledge and experience should we require for the position? Is experience more important than talent and creativity, or is it the other way round? What characteristics does the new person need to fit in with the team they will be working with?

Answering these questions ensures a good fit with the current team.

• Where will you look for them? Your favourite job-hunting websites might be your first port of call, but think about what the new person may be reading and surfing for. Maybe a professional association’s website will offer job adverts. That way, you’re more likely to get your request seen by people who could fill the position.

• Prepare well for the interview. Determine the qualities in the person that you are trying to highlight. Are they motivated to take your company forward? Do they have the ability or will they need to be trained up? Will they fit into the team environment?

Consider questions and lines of discussion that will get answers to all these strategic questions.

• Check the resumes and CV’s again before the interview. Nothing is worse for the candidate than to see the interviewer scanning the CV as they are interviewing! Ensure you’ve done your research on the candidate and prepare to ask questions relating to the information you find.

By preparing effectively for the interview, you give yourself a much better chance to recruit the best rather than relying on gut instinct.

Thanks again

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD Management Course

Click below for a:
FREE email course “Improve Your Management Skills”

You’ve decided that two candidates for an important role in the department should be invited back for a further interview. Both have similar experience and backgrounds…both would fit in well with your team. Here are some questions that might help you differentiate between them.

“You need to convince me you’re the right person for the job. What can you tell me that would make me say ‘yes’?”

This will prove their selling-of-self abilities. What you want to hear is why not hiring them would be the biggest mistake of your life. You’re listening for passion and enthusiasm for the future role they will play for you. Listen out for the skills, qualities and abilities that would make a real difference to your team. If they are just a clone of what you already have, maybe you need to probe deeper to find the value in hiring them.

Another question that might test them is: “How do you think our company values and vision sets us apart from our competition?”

This deeper question will tell you how much preparation they have made and how they think they can fit in with the culture of your company. It also provides insight into how they view your strengths and weaknesses against the competition.

You want to employ people who go beyond the typical preparation of their own strengths and weaknesses. You want people who have already shown commitment and forward-thinking by highlighting their value to you and your team.

You also want to see how the candidate’s reaction to adversity might have affected them, as this may differentiate personal qualities you are seeking. So, asking what some setbacks in their past may have taught them helps you identify how robust they might be in dealing with difficult situations within their role.

You might ask, “What have any major setbacks you’ve experienced taught you?”

Be prepared for silence after this question, as they may have to dig deep. But wait for their response, as it will tell you how they learn from experiences, just the kind of person you want in your team. By the way, if they say they can’t remember any setbacks, probe deeper, as a person who hasn’t been taught lessons from something going wrong may not have the characteristics or thinking skills to help the department steady itself after problems are encountered.

The answers to these questions just might help you differentiate the candidates, and give you an insight as to who would prove more valuable to you in the long run.

Thanks again,
Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director
MTD

Click below for a:
Free email course “Improve your Management Skills”