This is the second post in a series about recruitment, and the issues you need to consider before and during the recruitment process. Part one, in which we looked at whether you really need to recruit, can be found here. 
 
Now you have decided that employing a new member of staff is the best solution for your organisation, you need to think carefully about who you are looking for, and where you will find them. 
Probably the easiest place to start is by thinking about what the new employee will be required to do, and compiling a job description which will be used to attract and select applicants.. 
 
 
• What general tasks will the employee be responsible for? Where will those responsibilities begin and end (what is the scope of the job)? 
• Who will they report to? 
• What decisions can they make without reference to you/their manager? What decisions will they always need to refer to someone else? 
• What qualifications or experience would be necessary for someone to be successful in the role? 
• What attitudes and behavioural traits are you looking for? How will these complement your own personality and ways of working, and those of other team members? 
• How do you see the role developing in the future? 
• Where will they be based – space, IT issues, communication processes. 
• Is this a full time or part time position? Temporary or permanent? 
• Will hours vary from week to week? 
 
Once you have compiled this job description, look at it very critically. Does it look like a job that is likely to attract a good number of applicants? Can you give the post a title that properly reflects the nature of the role, and is meaningful to potential recruits? What keywords can you use when advertising the post, so that jobseekers can find your vacancy and apply for it? What salary/benefits does this kind of job attract in other local organisations, and can you afford to match them? 
 
Where will you find people who want to apply for a role like this? If you currently have employees working for you, would any of them be interested in an opportunity to change roles? Perhaps you might need to provide some further training or development to enable a successful transition, but even still, an internal move is usually cheaper and easier than external recruitment. Providing career progression is also a great way of increasing the motivation and engagement of your existing workforce. 
 
If you don’t have a suitable internal applicant – or an internal move results in a different vacancy arising, then you will need to look outside the company. This is usually quite nerve-wracking for an employer, as you are now dealing with the unknown, untried and untested! You may also find that recruitment isn’t done quite the way you remember it in the past, and as the labour market tightens, you may need to conduct your recruitment process more quickly than previously, in order to secure the best candidates. 
 
The recruitment world is constantly evolving in response to changing needs of applicants, employers and technology. There are many routes for advertising roles, which might include: 
 
 
• Your own contacts – who do you know who is looking for a job? 
• Universal job match (the free service operated via Jobcentre Plus) 
• Local press – print and/or online versions 
• Jobsites such as indeed.com, totaljobs.com, monster.com and many others 
• Local employment agencies who supply staff on a temp to perm basis 
• Recruitment agencies/headhunters – often used for specialist or managerial roles 
• Industry specific websites or publications for advertising specialist or managerial roles 
 
Each route has its pros and cons. An ideal recruitment campaign will cover at least 3 different channels, to maximise the number of potential applicants and hopefully give you several great candidates to choose between. 
Tagged as: Better HR, Recruitment
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