Recruitment is about more than just the person you're hiring

One of the most important decisions facing any organisation is recruiting the right people. Research from CIPD indicates the cost of recruitment is £22,000. It’s a decision you can’t afford to get wrong. Selecting the right people is key to your company’s results. So how can you improve in this area?

Master your interviewing skills: Strange as it may seem, many organisations don’t invest to ensure that those faced with one of the most important decisions have the right skills.

Be clear on what you are looking for: If you are going to get the right person for the job, decide on the minimum level of skills, qualifications, experience you need for the role. And spend time defining the personal attributes and behaviour needed to fit in with the team - managing unacceptable behaviour is one of the biggest issues I’m frequently asked to coach.

Establish a clear framework selection: For example, create decision-making criteria on skills, experience and personal attributes, weighted on three levels: critical to have, desirable to have, and not important.

Establish a master interview team using the 3x3x3 rule: Three employees interview three candidates three different times. You are thinking, “All that time for one recruitment?” You will spend much more time than that in the long run if you make the wrong choice.

Remain open-minded: Often people jump to conclusions about candidates within minutes. Remember, some of the best candidates might take a few minutes to get warmed up.

Remember it’s a two-way choice: Interviewers often forget that the candidate is also deciding whether they want to work in the organisation.

Be professional: When interviewing, you are representing your organisation, its values and beliefs. If they don’t get the job, today’s candidate could be a customer or supplier in the future.

Give feedback: Good candidates spend a lot of time preparing. Good employers will take the time to provide good feedback to successful and unsuccessful candidates.

Review: Take time to reflect on your performance and process. What worked well? What would make it more effective?

Remember, you are making a major investment decision. Take the time to make it as effective as possible.