Recruiting the right people for the job

Ever loved someone at an interview, only to find—a month into the job—that they were a big mistake? There’s no magic formula for hiring and sometimes you have to go with your gut. But here are some top tips for recruiting the right person for the job.

In the 13 years I’ve been running my business, I’ve hired—and had to let go—many people for many reasons. I’ve experienced all combinations and levels of skill and commitment; this includes good team players, poor team players, low performers, those demonstrating the height of excellence and integrity, skilled but indifferent, highly skilled but not right for Taurus, old, young, and those somewhere in between.

The bad news
After all that time, through mentors, recruitment experts, psychologists and executive coaches, I have yet to reach a magic formula. As someone who is highly organised and process driven, not to have a definitive equation that works sucks. But I meet people every day—and particularly those in high places—and very few can talk me through a definitive equation for success.

The good news
What I do have, however, is some hard earned advice and valid recommendations to help. In the same way no-one has yet worked out an equation to help us find our right life partner, ultimately, hiring someone new should be based on the premise that you at the very least go with your gut instinct. Recruiting is a bit like marriage. Even with the best research and best approach, there is no guarantee it is actually going to work
The common denominator in all my experiences of recruiting is that it was my ultimate decision. Mostly I get it right. The people I’ve hired over the years have given me some of my most proud and memorable moments and are still doing so, even if they’ve moved on. But sometimes I’ve got it wrong and when it’s wrong, it can hurt.

At best, you admit your mistakes and exit someone complete and intact out of the business—after all it’s not their fault your job isn’t the right fit— so that at the end of the day, both of you are left intact. This is vital. Treating others as you hope to be treated is a good mantra to hold dear in recruiting and as one of your target markets, its all part of the marketing mix.

At worst, hiring the wrong fit damages your reputation and leaves your customer relationships in tatters. It causes disruption and sometimes heartache for one party or the other, not to mention the cost against the bottom line in training, advertising and recruitment fees, plus managing the handover of workload. Getting it wrong can result in lost business, lost clients, lost morale and ultimately lost revenue and sales.
On the flip side, it remains the ultimate truth that getting the right people ‘on the bus’ is critical to the success of your business and makes the world a happier, easier place. Like any relationship, the journey of finding and keeping that ‘right’ person is fraught with danger but can reward you with the greatest highs.

So what’s involved?
I’ve experimented just about every which way. I’ve hired people after one interview and they’ve started the next day (and are still here years later). I’ve also taken months to hire one person via the most complex recruitment process involving various combinations such as psychometric testing, multiple interviews, group interviews, one-on-ones, my business advisors attending and not, my team interviewing and not. I’ve recruited through specialist agencies, via online job ports, word of mouth and ads in local papers.
What might work? Well for Taurus, we’ve had the most success using online job sites such as Seek or the Sydney Morning Herald. Our process:

• Group buy-in on the job description
• Place the advert
• Review the resume
• Conduct a telephone interview
• Face to face, one-on-one interview at the office
• The team or management interview the candidate
• We reference check thoroughly
• We interview again for final OK
• We discuss the decision departmentally
• We offer the position
• We define probation and KPIs

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