How to Recruit the right person for the job

Hiring staff is a huge responsibility. In today’s competitive business environment it is paramount to employ the right people.

1.1        Get your organogram / structure and job descriptions right

Ensure that you have an organogram / structure in place with all the applicable positions within your company. Furthermore you need to have a clear Job Description for each position in your organisational structure. A Job Description should contain the purpose of the particular job/ position, key responsibilities, tasks and duties, required skills, limits of authority, relationship with other positions, reporting line, and any special demands.

1.2        Create a picture of the ideal candidate

Envisage the ideal person who has to fill a position. List the relevant educational qualifications, experience, personal attributes, ability to communicate, skills, motivation and set of values that you require the ideal candidate to have. Your list could contain three levels; must haves, should haves, and nice to haves. 

1.3        Devise a standard evaluation form

Draft a standard evaluation form for every candidate to collect as much information as possible including the list of must haves, should haves and nice to haves. This evaluation will assist you to compare the candidates with one another, later on.

1.4        Draft a battery of relevant questions

As part of the evaluation form a standard battery of questions should be listed to collect as much information as possible on the behavioural specifications and personal attributes of the candidates.

1.5        Start your search

You can utilise one of three methods to recruit. The first is to make use of an employment agency/ head hunter, the second is by word of mouth and utilizing your own network of contacts and the third is to advertise the position yourself. As soon as you have received applications the resumes should be compared against the set criteria of the specific position.

1.6        Conduct first round interviews

Interviews are used to assess a candidate’s compatibility and suitability in relation to a future job performance. The interview is used to compare the candidate with your picture of the ideal candidate. During these interviews you should ask questions to the candidate allow the candidate to ask questions, describe the position and company to the candidate. And explain the requirements, tasks and responsibilities of the position as well as the basic conditions of service.  

1.7        Conduct interviews with shortlisted candidates

During the first round of interviews you need to identify the most suitable candidates. Identify the three most promising and suitable candidates and arrange follow up interviews. Contact the other applicants and inform them that they have been unsuccessful. During the interviews with the shortlisted candidates more in-depth questions about the candidate’s relevant experience in comparison to the job description and requirements should be asked. Ask probing questions about a candidate’s accomplishments to confirm these. Reference checks should also be done on shortlisted candidates.

1.8        Conduct profiling and assessments

Reference checks to confirm qualifications and previous work experience should be done. Personality and other psychometric assessments could be done in order to assist you with the decision making and to ensure that the candidate’s personality and profile fits in with the company culture and work ethic.

1.9        Review the data collected

Analyse all the information collected on your short listed candidates and assess their individual strengths and weaknesses. Compare all the info with your view of the ideal candidate from a skills and personality

1.10     Make a decision and make an offer

After following all of the steps above you would be in a position to make a decision and select the best person for the job. Contact the unsuccessful candidates to inform them that they have been unsuccessful. Confirm with the successful candidate the remuneration package and basic conditions of service on offer for the position. Draft an offer of employment/ service agreement document. Make sure that if the candidate accepts that the service agreement is signed. Prepare the induction program.