Sometimes, finding the right person to work within your business can be challenging. Now with the added pressure of the Great Resignation and as the UK’s skills shortage intensifies, recruiting can be even more difficult, time consuming and stressful for hiring companies.
Not only this, if companies have a role to fill in a short timeframe, this can lead to some employers rushing the interview process. Others who are struggling with the interview process may only have a few applications to choose from – thus adding to the issue.
However, picking the wrong candidate can be costly for a company. With the Recruitment and Employment Confederation estimating that the costs of a bad hire can sometimes be more than triple that of the initial position’s salary, small businesses or those with a tight budget can be particularly impacted.[1]
To help you with the hiring process, we’ve outlined below some ways to help you find the right person for your company.
- Expand your search
With skills shortages heavily impacting sectors such as manufacturing, widening your search and criteria is essential to hiring success.
Think beyond your ‘perfect hire’ and give all candidates a chance – don’t disregard someone for their age, past experiences and skillset. Even if a candidate has little experience, their passion, potential and ambition could make them an excellent hire.
Remember you can teach skills and provide training opportunities to develop the candidate, transforming them into a valuable and loyal employee. Someone new to the industry might even be more adaptable and willing to learn than someone who has spent years working.
- Craft an effective job description
Would you apply to a job with an inaccurate, badly worded or uninspiring job description? If the answer is no, ask yourself if the job description for your vacancy is engaging, informative and effective.
Be transparent about what the role will entail. Ensure that it clearly outlines both the role’s responsibilities and duties and the qualifications and experiences required.
Listing the salary and the perks of working for you is also important. According to Reed, 23% of people surveyed stated company benefits are one of the most important factors when applying for a job. Outlining benefits will help to make the job advert stand out from the crowd and more attractive to candidates.
- Hire for cultural fit
There’s a lot more to a candidate then their CV and cover letter. Employees need to also think about whether the individual has the right personality or attitude to fit into the working culture. If not, the individual themselves may have a terrible experience. In the worst situations, it could also create an unpleasant working environment for everyone, thus impacting negatively on productivity.
Hiring for cultural fit is not about selecting people from the same race, age, social class and gender. Rather, it’s all about those who have similar working preferences and ethics that align with your core values.
Therefore, think about how the candidate will work with other members of the team and their preferred style of working. For example, if someone wants to work from home, they would be better at a company with a more flexible approach and a working from home policy.
People who fit into the culture of their roles tend to have a happier and more fulfilled experience. Happier employees will in turn be more productive and driven in their role – thus benefiting the employer.
Help is on hand
Finding the right employee can be difficult and expensive, especially for smaller businesses. However, you don’t have to face this difficulty alone.
If you’re struggling with the recruitment process and need extra support, contact our team at Starting Point Recruitment.
[1] https://www.testcandidates.com/magazine/the-real-cost-of-recruitment/#:~:text=Recruitment%20cost%20is%20the%20total,tools%2C%20and%20internal%20recruitment%20fees.
