How do I make sure that I will hire the right person to join my small firm’s team?
QI AM a small-business owner and am recruiting a new staff member. I have a very small team and I need to make sure the new addition to the company is the right one. What can I do to help make the right selection?
AWITH so much time and money invested in recruitment and selection, every organisation should strive to ensure that they make as informed a decision as possible when it comes to selecting the right candidate for the job and for their organisation. There are a wide variety of assessments and tests that can be used to assist in the decision making process.
When a vacancy arises employers can make the mistake of taking the simple route of hiring quickly to fill the role and get things moving.
The key thing is to know what you want to ensure you have a specific detail of job requirements and desired personal characteristics that can be used as a hiring scorecard at screening and interview stage to determine suitability.
Make sure you widen the search and use as many avenues and resources to search for the right candidate. This will attract a more diverse range of candidates and increase the potential of attracting good talent.
Workplace personality assessments are an excellent tool designed to provide businesses with information on an employee’s behavioural style and how it is likely to impact their performance at work.
Aptitude and practical skills testing are often common in assessing the suitability of a candidate for a particular role and now personality tests are becoming increasingly popular also.
These assessments measure employee characteristics and dispositions and give employers an idea of probable attitudes and behaviours that the company may face if they are to hire that employee.
Personality assessments will vary — depending on the industry you are in and the traits that are important in that industry. An employer should consider is the candidate qualified for the role? Will they get along and fit in with the team?
Don’t hire just because you like them — ensure the candidate’s experience and strengths match the responsibility of the position.
Remember, many people can do well in one interview. Sometimes a more probing second-round interview with competency-based questions, or a presentation, will give you a better insight into the candidate in addition to using an Occupational Personality test.
When choosing the most suitable personality test make sure it is relevant to the job specification and consider at what stage of the recruitment process the test will be incorporated.
You may decide to carry it out before or after second interviews. This will depend on the numbers at each stage of the recruitment project.
It is generally advisable not to carry it out at first-round interviews as this could be costly for the company if there are a large number of candidates at this stage.
The test should always be carried out in conjunction with an interview so you get a complete impression of the candidate. The interview will allow you an opportunity to assess the candidate’s manner, competencies and experience.
Tests should be designed by occupational psychologists and employers should ensure they source the test from a reliable source. It is also important to provide feedback following completion of the test.
Feedback will provide individuals with a better insight into their own behaviour and can improve their understanding of their traits and characteristics. With this insight and understanding, employees will be likely to take more responsibility towards self-development.
Finally, before choosing the assessment, ensure it is developed with a clear understanding of the characteristics or personal traits you want to measure — to give your business clear results on the suitability of every candidate.
Remember, you cannot depend solely on tests as they may not measure a personal trait or ability accurately each time.
It is important to interview and carry out any other relevant assessments to gain a rounded insight into the individual.