- February 16, 2020
Some may think recruitment is just about skimming hundreds of CVs, an interrogative interview and sweaty handshakes, but in reality it is much more than that. It’s not just about the immediate objective of filling the job vacancy, but more about the long term effects it will have on the business, both on colleagues and clients. Getting recruitment right is extremely important, as if you initially recruit people who are not right for the role, this could have a knock-on effect on short term productivity, thus requiring the recruitment process to start again from scratch.
Within Consultancy, to gain new clients you have to build trust, rapport and credibility – a core element to this is attitude. The last thing a client will want is for someone to come into their place of work, with a lack of understanding of how their business functions, have limited flexibility in their mind-set and inevitably damaging the relationship.
Through the interview process it is essential to find out how a candidate thinks and their attitudes and behaviours in regards to work ethic. Being ‘on the same page’ and able to communicate differences is important – if you are unable to do this between colleagues, then how can you expect to form a good relationship with clients?
Employee development is crucial. We often see on client sites a lack of development of existing employees and the mentality that, in order to complete the necessary number of jobs to a good standard – “we need to recruit more people!” However, the reality is, if the current employees were effectively skilled and motivated, then more work could be done without increasing the number of people. In the recruitment process, finding the candidates who already have the relevant skills and qualifications could save you time and money, meaning you are able to spend more time developing current employees, to help them to progress higher in the company. In turn, this could save millions of pounds in productivity – for further insight on employee disengagement, have a read of a previous blog here.
Recruitment can be challenging. For some companies, criteria for roles can be specific and unique. These are often based on concrete skills and achievements, rather than softer skills. Developing a positive working relationship with recruitment agencies is key in sourcing the right candidate for the role. Communicating the role criteria effectively can reduce the number of irrelevant CVs and, although this can narrow down the number of candidates you receive, quality over quantity is preferred. Waiting for the right candidate to come along is definitely worth it in the long run.