Three steps to better recruitment

Hi Bare Bones Consulting, we’ve had a couple of bad experiences hiring lately. Any simple tips for better recruitment?

Hi back and thanks for your question…it’s not uncommon to hear about recruitment going wrong.

Done well, effective recruitment equates to increased productivity, improves employee engagement by hiring the right fit for the culture of your business and reduces costs associated with turnover and poor hires. And while recruitment is one of those tasks that doesn’t necessarily require specialist skills, taking advice on the basics from someone with genuine HR experience can reduce the possibility of the dreaded mishire.

It’s no secret that in business, your time is a valuable commodity.  And when you identify a prospective employee who seems good upon first interview, it’s often tempting to make an offer straightaway. But mishires are costly…not only from a dollar perspective, but in the time it takes you to manage the dismissal of someone who’s not right as well as the impact on your team of seeing the person they invested time in training head out the door. My advice? Take the time to do things right.

Here’s three simple (and often overlooked) steps you can take to reduce the chance of a mishire:

1. Once is rarely enough: hold more than a single interview once you’ve identified your preferred candidate. If a person really wants to work with you, they’ll have no problem with this. And if they do, they’re not right for you anyway.
2. Know what you can ask: asking about pre-existing medical conditions during your interview and holding a Pre-Existing Conditions Disclosure form as part of your conditions of employment document is smart. But is this lawful? Absolutely – provided you comply with anti-discrimination and privacy legislation. Understanding a prospective employee’s pre-existing medical conditions allows you to comply with your health and safety obligations as an employer and assists in the management and avoidance of workers’ compensation claims.
3. Do your reference checks: this is one part of the process that often slips by the wayside. But asking a number of previous employers some well thought out questions about a candidate’s work history is one of the best ways you can manage your risk. And this doesn’t necessarily mean calling only the referees listed on a candidate’s resume: you think they’re going to give you a balanced opinion?

In previous HR roles I’ve spent a lot of time in recruitment: planning what roles are needed, ensuring advertising attracts the right applicants, conducting interviews and working with recruitment specialists to ensure hiring processes and decisions are effective. And while no one can claim to getting it right one hundred percent of the time (and it should be a red flag if they do!), having a structured recruitment process tailored to your business is key to making the best hiring decisions.

We’re always happy to provide advice on recruitment. From guidance on the right online platform to post your vacancy, to writing a job ad guaranteed to weed out unqualified applicants, advice on what you can lawfully ask during interviews, to making sure your preferred candidate is exactly who and what they claim to be, Bare Bones Consulting has got your back. We even have a Recruitment Toolkit that contains everything your business needs to hire the right person: interview preparation, questions that ensure you are covering all your bases, what you should ask referees, pre-existing conditions disclosure…and more.

Bottom line? All recruitment carries an element of risk. But once you know the right way to recruit and your process reflects this, that risk is reduced. And you’ll save time and money as you can do it yourself. And who wouldn’t want that? Contact us today for a chat on better recruitment for your business.