3 ways to improve your hiring process…
- Clearly define the position and requirements: As an interviewer it is very easy to be underprepared and to take a ‘wing it’ approach. When I began my career in the golf recruitment world, it was a lesson I learnt quickly through my own errors. By clearly defining the job requirements/person specification (education, experience, knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes) necessary for a candidate to be successful, you will create structure and a road map to follow through the interview – less time chatting, more time evaluating. I’m not saying stick to the structure and only the structure as discussions leading off in a different tangent can lead to good insight in a person’s personality, however make sure all job requirement areas are covered. Preparation!
- Test your candidates: Now, I am not a pessimist by any means, however some people are not always truthful on their CV, or some ‘stretch’ the truth. So, how do you ensure someone has the skills they say they do? Test them! These can be written tests, role-plays, or simulations such as asking a PR candidate to write a press release for an imaginary product or asking a sales candidate to explain the key components in a sales strategy. These tests do not need to be too in-depth, however they do need to able to differentiate the candidates who have the necessary skills from those who don’t.
- Include others in the interview process: You might be an expert recruiter with a great track record, however your opinion is only your opinion. What you like in someone, maybe different to what the Sales Manager likes to work with. Include a second opinion, ask someone within the company who will be working with this person to sit in on the interview. I would advise doing this in latter stage interviews when experience has already been qualified and it is down to organisational cultural fit.
By including the above I believe you will be saving yourself a few headaches in the long run and will improve your hiring process.
We follow the above techniques at DPSM, if you require a reliable, discreet search consultant to assist with a vacancy within your business please don’t hesitate contacting us via our website – www.dpsmconsultants.com or via info@dpsmconsultants.com
DPSM Consultants is an executive search firm specialising within the Golf Industry cover the EMEA Markets.
