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Recruit the Right Talent (for small businesses) - part 2
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Posted in Employers on Apr 15, 2015 by Richard Hayden
Recruiting the right person can make the difference between success and failure of a small company. It’s therefore one of the most important decisions you will make as a business owner.
In our previous blog we covered how important it is to do your research, to understand what you will offer as a small business and to consider the cost and your time in the recruitment process.
Once you have a pool of talent to consider, the next stage will be to interview. A structured interview process will help you get the best out of the applicant and allow you to compare skills and attitudes to make the right decision of who you will hire.
Remember: Recruitment is always a two-way street. The candidate needs to impress you, but you also need to sell the benefits of working for you, if you want to attract the best talent.
In Advance of the Interview
Preparation is the key to conducting structured interviews. Structured interviews enable you to make the best decisions. Plan to include any testing, assessments or presentations and work out how many stages this will be done over.
- Develop an introduction to the company to give to candidates at the beginning of the interview. A good description of where the business is now, what you want to achieve and how the role you are recruiting for fits into the company will provide great insight for the candidate and will increase the company’s credibility.
- Compile a set of questions and ask the same questions of every candidate and make sure that you are not unlawful in the questions you ask. If 2 or more people are interviewing, decide who will deal with what topics.
- Something that many small businesses overlook is values. Even if someone ticks every box with experience and competencies but they don’t share in the values of the company, will result in a flawed hiring decision. What are your values and how can you find out if the interviewee shares these? Think about competency based questions and psychometric assessments to help you identify them.
- Make sure that the interview room is prepared with drinks and stationery. Try not to hold the interview sitting behind a desk, or to use a higher chair than the person being interviewed - sit at a round table if possible.
The Interview
Your aim is to get quality information from the candidate so you can assess them fairly and fully against your needs. Come to each interview with an open mind and make sure there will be no interruptions.
- Make sure you are not interrupted or distracted by anything. Keep mobile phones are switched off. Brief other members of staff, such as receptionists, to expect the candidate. Allow enough time for the interview so you don't have to rush.
- Welcome the candidate - try to put them at ease. Introduce yourself and any other people present and explain the structure of the interview. Outline the company background and role, and where the job fits.
- Encourage the candidate to talk about how their skills and experience apply to the vacancy. Ask open-ended questions - ones that cannot be answered with a yes or no and allow the candidate time to think and speak. Keep control of the interview. If you feel the candidate is going off-track, turn the conversation back to the information you need.
- At the end of the interview, ask the candidate if they have any questions. Inform them of the next stage in the recruitment process, e.g. appointment, second interviews, tests and the estimated timescales. Thank the candidate for their time.
After the Interview
What you do after the interview is just as important as the interview itself. Informing candidates of your decision must be handled positively to uphold the company’s brand. Get back to candidates with a decision in the time you specified at the interview.
- Back up interviews with a detailed record of the procedure, written as soon as possible after the interview. This will allow you to compare candidates if there are a few days between interviews.
- Only record what has been said in the interview and how the selection decision was made, not your beliefs or thoughts. Be aware that candidates who later make a complaint to an employment tribunal have the right to ask for copies of any notes made during the interview.
- When making an offer of employment, don’t undo all the good work you have done so far and offer a wage much lower than the candidate requested or you had advertised. This will only plant a seed of doubt about your integrity as an employer. Provide candidates with a formal offer in writing highlighting any other benefits.
- Handle any decline of employment positively; always send a letter thanking the applicant for their time. If you can help them in some way i.e. put them in touch with another company or a recruiter or simply provide some constructive feedback, they will thank you for it.
That concludes our 2-part blog on how to “Recruit the Right Talent for your Small Business”. As a smaller business, we understand the need to have contacts to call upon for help and advice in different areas. We are always happy to do the same for others. Every day we offer advice and share our knowledge to help smaller businesses with their recruitment. Please don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions.
