“Staff availability continued to deteriorate sharply in September. Overall availability of staff fell for the eleventh consecutive month … suggesting the skills crisis is getting worse. Permanent skills in short supply include software programmers, secretaries, nurses and accountants.” These are some of the worrying trends reported in the October 04 edition of Recruiter. And what does this mean for Sheffield as we compete to bring in quality professionals to our city?
In an increasingly service-led marketplace, firms are more reliant on quality staff than ever before. There is nothing more frustrating than spending hundreds or even thousands on recruitment advertising and still failing to find the right person for the job. Or worse – being successful in finding the right candidate, bringing them on board, training them and investing in them, only to find they leave within six months and you’re back to square one.
So what is the answer to the recruitment dilemma and how can we ensure that we attract the attention of the best possible candidates, minimise the time involved in finding them, and then ensure we retain them?
There are a number of ways to improve chances of success:
Think carefully not only about the job description, but also the person specification
The job description should include goals and objectives as well as a breakdown of the job role. The person specification provides a profile of the person who would best fit that job. Spend time preparing these documents and they will help you to draft your recruitment adverts and evaluate CVs. Be specific in your determination of the right person for the job. Include not only skills, qualifications and experience, but also personal qualities and values.
Plan your interview technique
Consider who is best from your company to be involved in the interview and plan it carefully. Design your questions to ascertain the technical and professional skills of your candidate, but also to find out what their own personal values are. Do they fit with your own business’s values? Consider personality profiling if you have the resource for this.
Consider using a specialist recruitment agency
Specialist agencies will understand your requirements and have a database of potential candidates to meet your needs. Always consider an agency’s fees, but weigh these up too against the potential time and resource saving to your company. Furthermore, you will have no advertising fees to pay if you use an agency. Choose a respected agency and ensure you give them a thorough briefing. Take the time to meet them on your premises, so they can get a feel for your company and how they can work best to support you. Make sure you are happy with their approach and feel you can build a trusted relationship.
There’s no quick fix answer, but it is worth ensuring a strategic and well planned approach to your recruitment. It’s a costly business.
