'You're Fired!'

Last week saw the return of the ever popular ‘The Apprentice’, but as Lord Sugar so easily ‘fires’ each candidate, it’s important to remember that in the real world employers need to get it right to avoid facing expensive tribunal costs for unfair dismissal.

As they say, prevention is cheaper than the cure and how true that is when you’re recruiting for your business.  It can be near impossible to find that right candidate, a complete package comprising of not only the right qualifications and experience but also the right personality to fit into your team.

We at Key Appointments have put together some pointers to consider whilst recruiting, to help you find the right candidate first time round, and to hopefully avoid any potential contract terminations down the line.

Job Description

Take time to write a thorough job description – candidates need to know what’s expected. Make it clear what the job entails from day one, this will avoid any confusion as the employment progresses. Don’t reduce your candidate pool by being too restrictive in terms of specific skills - you can develop skills but you can’t change attitude.

Salary

Be sure to set a competitive salary to attract the calibre of candidates you require. It’ll be far more expensive in the long term if employ the wrong, cheaper candidate.  Don’t insult a potential employee with a salary offer much lower than requested – it may damage your credibility.

Be Honest

Be honest with potential employees – if the applicant is looking for progression can you really offer this? If the job turns out to be different from that expected the employee may look for a new employment opportunity, which would leave you back at square one.

Interview

It is so important to thoroughly prepare for your interviews. Plan interview questions and ask the same questions to every candidate. This will enable you to compare and make the right decision. We would always recommend carrying out two interviews to ensure the candidate’s right for your organisation. Try not to make an emotional decision in a first interview.  A proven track record should be determined first

If you would like an informal chat about your recruitment needs, and to understand the benefits of using a recruiter, please contact Key Appointments on 0844 5044 666