How to recruit the right person for the job

People are vital to the success of any organization. It has been shown repeatedly that poor recruitment practices result in high labor turnover and absenteeism, with a consequent increase in costs. If the right people are recruited in the first place, they are likely to stay, fit into your organization and work to optimum effect. This is why you need to be really rigorous about your recruitment practices. Let’s take a look at some important factors to consider.

What sort of person would be ideal for the job?

Decide what sort of person, in terms of personality, would be ideal for the job role. If, for example, the job is working on a production line, you would want someone who prefers a reasonable level of repetition and is comfortable with routine. Someone with the opposite preferences – the type of person who enjoys lots of change and variety and likes to do things in new ways – would be unlikely to stay long in the job.

Do you discriminate when you recruit your staff?

‘Discrimination’ has almost become a dirty word in recent years, but it’s important to keep a sense of perspective. All we mean by ‘discrimination’ is that we make choices; we are discerning. Do you discriminate when you recruit your staff? Yes! We all do. For example, if I want someone for a driving job, the successful applicant will have to show that he is qualified, legally and medically, to drive. These are reasonable and justifiable selection criteria. Not all discrimination is unlawful or even bad practice.

It is when the selection or exclusion of candidates is based on unlawful and unjustified criteria that we run into trouble. So if you want a van driver, you can ask for a driving licence – but you can’t require applicants to be over the age of 25. Insurance is very expensive for drivers below 25, but the cost of insurance alone would not be a justifiable reason for refusing to employ a suitable applicant who is only 23.

How to advertise successfully?

If you decide to advertise, then the job advert could include: job title, job content, salary range, where it is based, how to apply and the recruitment process to be used. Think carefully about how job seekers will respond to what is in the advert. You want to ensure that the type of people you are looking for will be drawn to the advert, so describe the job in terms that will be attractive to the desired personality type.

What you should avoid when advertising?

Avoid words such as ‘youthful outlook’, ‘junior, ‘mature,’ or ‘senior,’ which may indicate that you are looking for people in a particular age group. Saying something like ‘this is a junior position in the division’ or using titles, such as ‘Senior Officer’, is probably acceptable because you are simply indicating the position’s level in the hierarchy.

You should also avoid some types of descriptive words because it seems that these too may be associated with particular groups. For example, it has been successfully argued that ‘enthusiastic’, ‘energetic’ and ‘dynamic’ are descriptions (allegedly) associated with younger applicants, while ‘responsible’, ‘stable’ and ‘reliable’ (again allegedly) may describe older workers. While commercial reality tells us it is quite nonsensical to consider age groups in that way, you must take into consideration that a description which has not been properly thought through may create a prima facie case of discrimination.

There are a lot more factors to consider when recruiting staff and it might seem time consuming, but it is even more time consuming when you have to deal with the consequences of employing the wrong person. Avoid those risks by employing the right person in the first place.

If you want to learn more about recruitment processes, read “The Seven Deadly Sins of Employment” written by Russell HR Consulting.

Download “The Seven Deadly Sins of Employment” right here