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If you're looking to take on your first member of staff, expand your team or replace an existing crew member then you might be wondering what the best way is of going about finding someone you want to work with; that someone who you can trust and who has all the skills, qualifications and experience you're looking for. Perhaps you've looked in the past and didn't get what you'd hoped for. Hiring the wrong person for the job can be a costly mistake so we've put together some tips to help you find your newest recruit and hopefully help you avoid hiring a dud.
Plan
As with most things in life, if you want to do something well and get the best for your business then you'll need to make a plan. So, put together a recruitment plan before you start looking for your new recruit. Ask yourself the following questions.
- What are the reasons for taking on a new staff member? For example, expansion, replacement of team member, wider range of skills required.
- How long do you need the staff member for?
- Do you need a permanent or temporary, full-time or part-time team member?
- Are you looking for an employee, an agency worker or a contractor/freelancer?
Consider what the job actually involves and the skills, qualifications and experience you're looking for to get the job done. Draw up a clear job description and person specification covering the things listed below.
Job description
Make sure the job description includes the following details.
- Job title.
- Hours of work.
- Nature of work.
- Type of work contract, e.g. permanent, fixed, temporary, freelance.
- Responsibilities (to include what you need the person to do and who the person is responsible to or reports to).
Person specification
Compile a list of the essential and desirable skills, qualifications, qualities and experience you're looking for.
Advertise
The more places you advertise then the stronger the pool of candidates, so cast your net as wide as possible by taking advantage of internet recruitment sites, local and national newspapers, and trade magazines. Word of mouth and personal recommendations are other ways of finding staff.
Select
Go through the applications you receive and decide which candidates best match your criteria. Once you've put together a short list, invite them to an interview.
Interview
Although it might be tempting to just get on with the job and hire someone who seems to fit the bill on paper, it's always best to meet potential staff before taking them on. So, arrange an interview with the best matched candidates to find out more about what they've got to offer and to get a feel for them. It will also give them the opportunity of learning more about you and whether you're the kind of boss they'd be happy to work for. Although the structure and formality of the interview is down to you, it's worth putting together a list of interview questions and perhaps having someone else with you so you can get a second opinion.
Follow up
Someone may have performed brilliantly at the interview but you need to be sure that they're for real so take up at least two references, one of which should be from their last employer. Be wary of candidates who bring pre-prepared references to interview.
Other
Recruiting and taking on staff also brings some other issues into play that you need to be aware of.
Equality and diversity laws
However you go about recruiting, you need to make sure that you comply with the relevant diversity and equal opportunities legislation (covering race, sex and disability discrimination) so that you don't break the law either during the recruitment process or once your latest recruit is on board.
Insurance
Once you start taking on staff then you are legally required to take out Employers' Liability insurance in case your employees are injured at work or suffer a work-related illness.
Tax and national insurance
Taking on team members may mean that you have additional tax and national insurance responsibilities. It all depends on the nature of the employment contract the new recruit has with you. Check out what you're legally required to do by visiting the HMRC website: www.gov.uk
It's worth taking the time, energy and financial investment in finding the right person for the job. A new recruit should be a valuable asset to your business. If you cut corners in the recruitment process then your business may suffer further down the line. Don't forget that hiring staff also places equality and diversity, insurance and tax obligations on your business. Happy hunting and hiring!
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