Hire a winner every time

MasterChef, I’m A Celebrity and the Great British Bake Off, are vastly different entities but they all have a common theme, when it comes to a winner there can be only one!

So, too, with your recruitment strategy. Thanks to the sharp focus and wide reach of jobs24.com, your business can tap into a wealth of talent, both locally and nationwide. Ultimately, however, it will be your decision to select one winner for that prime position.

Thanks to the targeting expertise of jobs24.com, the majority of applicants who make it on to your shortlist will have the relevant skills and experience needed to excel in the role. This makes the initial phase so much easier for you and your HR team.

To choose a standout winner, however, you need to delve deeper – and the best way to find out if someone is right for the job is to create a list of ‘deliverables’.

These are the goals you expect to be achieved by certain milestones: 30 days, 90 days, one year. At the interview stage, ask the candidate how they would achieve these defined targets.

Their answers will allow you to assess their knowledge of your business and their professional competency but also measure their adaptability to new situations and enthusiasm for the job.

Almost as important is to ask yourself if the foremost candidates are a cultural fit. It’s one thing having the right skills and aptitude for the job but another having the character and personality to be part of your team.

Compatibility is an incredibly important characteristic so a person must get along with their colleagues as well as clients and customers.

Set out for them a clear and structured introduction to the company and the work environment. This isn’t just about how the business operates and the hierarchy but the feel of the workplace and the attitude of your staff.

If your workplace thrives on having fun, your new start must enjoy a happy and convivial atmosphere. Will Carol and her collection of desktop hand sanitisers really fit in? Or would it be better going with Colin and his pun for every occasion?

Conversely, if the environment is a little more earnest and focused, having opera fan Kelvin, who can’t find his on-off switch, isn’t necessarily going to go well.

Set aside part of your interview time to analyse the potential for corporate harmony by asking straightforward and revealing questions.

What type of work culture do you thrive in, Carol? From what you’ve seen so far, how would you describe our office, Colin?

Do you think our sedate workstations would work for you Kelvin (the answer may still be yes, sung in A-sharp, so follow up with: no, but really, why does it work and is there anything you might change?).

So, who performed the best in their interview by demonstrating key qualities: the ability and firm resolve to do their best for the company and the personality to fit right in? It’s decision time for Carol, Colin and Kelvin.

If you’re considering hiring new staff and want to get the best for your business, give yourself a head start by discovering the pulling power of jobs24.com.

Posted on March 3, 2020