People are the best asset to a business, therefore attracting, recruiting and retaining the right people is critical to business success. This is easy to say but often very difficult to achieve. However, the challenge becomes more manageable if employers take the time, prior to commencing a recruitment process, to clearly define the skills and competencies which are required for the vacant position. Recruitment which is focussed on the clearly identified skills and competencies is much more likely to attract the right candidates, deliver the right person into the role and ensure synergy between the business and the employee which then leads to greater employee retention.
The needs of one business are likely to be different to another, even where the role titles are the same in both businesses. For example, a Sales Manager in a start-up business will require different skills and competencies to be successful than a Sales Manager in an established organisation with strong sales growth. Therefore, it is important to establish the skills and competencies needed for the specific role being filled including the skills necessary to take the role in the strategic direction which has been set by the business.
In practice how do we achieve this? The key is to take the time, prior to recruitment to make a conscious decision to critically assess the following:
It is not sufficient to assume that the skills, competencies and attributes of the last person to undertake the position are what is needed for the future. In some instances, it is possible that the role as it previously existed may no longer be appropriate for the future of the business and a new role to deliver on the future needs may be needed to replace the old role. This outcome should not be considered to be a criticism of the person who previously held the role, but as an exciting progression in the business.
Once an organisation knows exactly what they are looking for then recruit specifically for those skills, competencies and attributes. Attributes means cultural fit and alignment in values between the prospective employee and the business. Don’t compromise on these attributes in the recruitment process, as a poor appointment can be extremely damaging to a business. Prior to interviewing candidates establish questions and scenarios that will test the candidates regarding the specific skills, competencies and attributes you are seeking. If you are looking for someone with sales experience in a growing business then ask the candidates a direct question about when they have taken a relatively new product to market, how they went about building the market and the outcome of their process. Such behavioural questions will test not only the candidates’ knowledge of the sales process, but also their values in implementing a sales process. Most importantly, if the candidate impresses you with their answer and they become a prospective appointment then further test the validity of the information provided in the referee checking process.
The above process can be a challenge to get right. If you would like any assistance with recruitment process please contact us on mazarshr@mazars.com.au or 3218 3919.
Please note that this publication is intended to provide a general summary and should not be relied upon as a substitute for personal advice.
