LIVE: How to Prevent Missteps in Employee Search and Selection? – Key Recommendations

Staff Selection

Selection is an important aspect of human resource management, as it determines the team we assemble and how well they will perform. How can we manage this process effectively, and what are the key points we must not overlook?  We share the most important selection recommendations.

Prepare for the Selection

Define your requirements. Often, companies initiate the recruitment process without thoroughly assessing what they truly need. Even if you are looking for a new colleague to replace someone who has just left, you may not necessarily need the same type of person. Review the position, its functions, and your overall needs.

Manage Your Expectations

Frequently, companies seek a quick, skilled, and cost-effective specialist who can handle multiple tasks; however, such expectations can be challenging to meet. It’s important to realistically evaluate the pool of candidates and your own resources.

Active Candidate Search

Don’t depend solely on job adverts; take the initiative to seek out candidates yourself. In today’s competitive market, merely waiting for applications is not sufficient—proactively engage potential candidates. Useful channels for an active search include LinkedIn, job portals, and personal recommendations. When making contact, tailor your messages—for instance, reference specific aspects of the candidate’s experience. This approach helps to capture their interest and encourages further dialogue. Furthermore, recruitment should not be seen as solely the domain of HR specialists. The addition of a new team member benefits the entire organisation, involve managers and colleagues in the process and encourage them to promote the opportunity through their networks. This demonstrates to candidates that the need for new talent is a company-wide priority.

Manage Your Preconceptions

In the process of staff selection various stereotypes related to appearance, nationality, gender, age, etc., can influence decisions. Focus on evaluating competencies and expertise rather than assigning labels. Moreover, the similarity effect often plays a role. We tend to favor candidates who are like us; however, what we need are candidates who are suited for the position, not necessarily those who resemble us.

Create Positive Experiences for Candidates

A candidate makes choices just as an organisation does, and in today’s context, they often hold the advantage. The impression you create during the selection process can influence not only a candidate’s decision to join your team but also their external perceptions of your organisation. Providing timely feedback is essential in recruitment. Inform candidates promptly if they are not selected or if there are delays in the process. Otherwise, you risk losing the candidate or creating an unappealing image of yourself as an employer. Staff selection is part of your employer branding, and even if a candidate is not suitable today, you never know where paths might cross in the future.

Job Interview

Consider the questions you will ask: each question should serve a clear purpose. A semi-structured interview is optimal for this, where some questions are predefined, while others are asked on the fly in response to the employee’s answers or experiences.

Cognitive Abilities Test and Personality Test

Relying solely on a job interview may not provide a comprehensive view of a candidate, as interviews can be easily prepared for. To gain a deeper understanding and assess less apparent aspects, incorporate practical tasks, personality tests, and cognitive ability assessments. When conducting personality tests, consider the following:

1. Determine how well the candidate’s personal traits align with the job role, the team dynamics, and the organisational culture.

2. Compare the personality traits of various candidates to each other.

3. Evaluate the potential relationship between the candidate and their prospective manager, considering both the benefits and the possible challenges of their collaboration, and how to manage them.

4. Analyse the existing team composition to identify missing traits or roles and determine what additions are necessary for balance and effectiveness.

5. Use the personality test results as a foundation for discussion with the candidate, exploring specific traits and how they might manifest in real work scenarios.

The UNLOCK Personality Test offers comprehensive insights beneficial for the recruitment process. For a detailed understanding of its value in recruitment, you can explore our detailed article here: https://unlocktest.com/personality-test-in-recruitment

Staff selection is an intricate process, akin to assembling a puzzle. Thorough preparation ensures a successful outcome for all parties involved.