How to ace the recruitment journey

November 13, 2024 Alan Pettersen

Very slowly, it would seem that the light at the end of the tunnel is starting to shine through.

 

Business confidence is creeping upwards, economists are cautiously predicting an upturn – and the sun is out, bringing optimism with it. With this in mind, it’s time to start planning for the upturn so you can make sure you and your team are all set to take advantage of the projected shift in the economic wind.

 

Alongside more positive business results, this change will see a focus on an HR activity that hasn’t been top of mind for the past few years: recruitment.

 

The last recruitment boom resulted in a candidate’s market. Talent was in short supply and salaries were driven higher. Many businesses had to compromise on candidate quality to fill a role. This is unlikely to be the case next year. We expect a more balanced recruitment market where both businesses’ and candidates’ needs are more or less equal.

 

This will provide an opportunity to recruit some high-calibre people into your business. We spend a lot of time at work with our colleagues and our work achievements are often an important part of who we are. So it’s important to get things right for employer and employee.

 

For employers: achieving the perfect match

 

Securing top-quality people is harder than it sounds. How often have you ended up with a new employee who just isn’t the total package? Whether it’s the organisational cultural fit, a skills gap or they decide it just isn’t right for them, this happens frequently and the impact on your business can be significant. Now is a good time to reflect and refresh your recruitment practices and make sure you’re certain about how to achieve the perfect match.

 

1. Be clear about the job profile

Include the qualifications, experience and personal attributes you are after so that the profile reflects the best fit for what you need. Ensure your list is sharp. It’s easy to write a list a mile long of what the perfect candidate will bring to your business, but is that realistic? Being clear about what you need from the beginning will ensure you search for and employ a candidate who ticks all your boxes.

 

2. Will your offer be attractive to your ideal candidate?

Try viewing your role from the candidate’s perspective. Consider their stage in life and what they may need from a job. Is your workplace flexible? Do you have parking available so they can drop kids off to daycare? Are there any development opportunities? Some candidates will be wanting to learn and progress quickly, others will be looking for a secure job and a great working environment. Can you accommodate their needs? Matching the role, offer, benefits and thinking from the candidate’s perspective will ensure you have an attractive proposition for the right person.

 

3. The candidate experience and selection process 

Thinking about this process from both your perspective and the candidate’s will help to deliver good outcomes for you both. Do you have the right questions to test experience and are they based on the competencies you need? Do you have a clear and compelling company overview which will sell the job to your candidates? And will your process create a positive experience for them? Often recruitment processes can stall or fall over because they are too long, involving uncomfortable panel interviews or onerous testing. Thinking about your process from both perspectives is important.

 

4. Be aware of common mistakes

It’s easy to fall into the trap of making a decision based on first impressions without thoroughly testing all the competencies, or because you are focused on one key aspect of the role without thinking about the full picture. This can mean you get a half-good person – great in some areas but lacking in others. Keep a rounded perspective on all candidates.

 

For the employee: take a look at the full picture

Just as easily as employers can make mistakes in the process, so can candidates. If you’re applying for a new position here are some considerations:

 

1. Think about more than just the salary 

It can be tempting to jump ship for an extra $10,000 because, in this climate, that’s a lot. But what about the team you work with? What’s your manager like? Do your values align? Better remuneration may not make up for working in a place where you don’t fit in or you’re not going to be happy.

 

2. Will the career development options take you where you want to go? 

It’s always a good idea to ask for examples of internal promotion or real development opportunities. If you’re aiming to climb the ladder, make sure you check this is a possibility within the role/business. A step up may be great for now, but if that’s all it’ll be after 10 years, is it worth it?

 

3. What are the business’s values?

For a job to be satisfying, it needs to be both interesting and challenging. On top of that, the values of the business also need to align with yours, so ask about them and how they practically apply their values in the business.

 

4. What is the vibe of the place?

Ask to have a tour and look around. Do people look happy? Does it match the working environment you like? Some of us love a vibrant social workplace, some love a quite focused environment. Seeing it for yourself will give you the best guide as to whether it’s the right fit for you.

 

Make it work at work

 

Every employee can make an impact on your business culture and results, sometimes in a positive way, sometimes in a negative way, sometimes both! In smaller workplaces, getting this balance right becomes all the more important.

 

It makes sense to take the time to get your recruitment process right and ensure it results in a best fit for both the business and the new employee.

 

 

Alan Pettersen is the founder and director at Positive People HR Consultancy, a firm with over 25 years’ HR experience guiding and supporting businesses. Alan can be contacted on 021 184 5661 or alan@positivepeople.co.nz. Take a moment to watch the Positive People video at www.positivepeople.co.nz