Get Smart About Staff

"It allows candidates to discuss actual scenarios they have experienced and provides a comparable situation to the recruiter’s question," Bermingham explains. "It allows the applicant to set the scene, describe their part in it and detail the outcomes.

"I also think reference checking in relation to team and cultural fit and how they handled conflicts and change in their previous employment is important. This type of information gives us an indication of the environment the candidate thrives or struggles in."

Bermingham believes ascertaining whether your candidate is a good culture fit is critical, as it is increasingly difficult to extricate an unsuccessful employee from a business when it is recognised that they don’t fit comfortably into the company culture.

"I have always maintained that the responsibilities of a position can be learned if required, but whether the person will enjoy and be successful in a particular work environment and industry will usually predict their success. Capability match is of the utmost importance also."

Even in today’s competitive recruiting climate Bermingham doesn’t believe that employers should choose the "best of the lot" just because they are desperate to fill the position. "It’s always better to wait for the right candidate than make a poor choice because invariably it is the wrong choice," she says.

When presenting to the 2007 AHRI convention, Meahan Callaghan, HR director of Seek, explained that their recruiting strategy of employing for a strong cultural fit, rather than a technical fit, has seen Seek acclaimed as a ‘Hewitt Best Employer’ and is the reason for their consistent high engagement success during the business’ continuous growth. The first interview is the only time the technical skills of the applicant are discussed. The interviews following, and there may be up to six, are around management and leadership skills and ascertaining whether the employee will be a ‘good cultural fit’. In this way the culture, which they have so carefully nourished, won’t be eroded as the employee’s time with the company grows. Callaghan says they walk away from an applicant they are not 100 percent sure of.

It helps if people really want to work for your organisation. Placing an advertisement for staff allows a business to build a strong image that your business is a great place to work.

Brett Minchington, managing director of Collective Learning, a firm specialising in employer branding, says the employer brand is the most powerful tool a business has for attracting, engaging and retaining the right ‘talent culture fit’ in what is increasingly becoming a difficult recruitment marketplace. "There is so much competition for good talent today, but those companies who have projected a strong employer brand will be in a better position to pick and choose from the best candidates. In fact, having a strong employer brand means talent will choose them."

However, Minchington stresses that it’s not sufficient to send out compelling messages about how good your business is to work for–you must be able to deliver on these promises. He also warns that the future will see competition for the best employees becoming as fierce as competition for customers.

"The organisation’s people brand must match that of its corporate brand. The employer value propositions that the business articulates must be reflected by the actions of all its people all the time, and the people management policies, systems and practices must be closely aligned to their branding strategy."