Instinctive Recruiting - Recruitment Consultant, Sept 2006

Wednesday, 20 September 2006

We all select our friends, partners or business partners based on a combination of our own knowledge, experience and instinct of whether we will ‘get-on’. Some people call this their ‘Gut Feeling’. Generally, that sensation in the stomach, positive or negative, will prove to be the most reliable tool in picking the right people to have around us. After 20 years in the recruitment business and having interviewed thousands of job applicants, I strongly believe we should all use the same approach when recruiting. If your ‘Gut Feeling’ has helped you make the best decisions in other aspects of your life it is likely to be invaluable when you select staff. After all, it is the result of applying, albeit subconsciously, three very important factors - knowledge, experience and instinct. ‘Gut Feeling’ may sound like a flight of fancy but it is simply the sum of our lives to date, our careers and our understanding of the company. Recruitment usually involves making difficult decisions - when you are faced with candidates who on paper are equally capable of doing the job, how do you make the final choice? People are the lifeblood of an organisation and selecting the best employees is key; my view is that a manager or director confident in using his/her ‘Gut Feeling’ will not only be more able to select the most suitable candidates but will also react quickly and will therefore secure the best talent. Of course, staff selection should not be based on a whim. Every recruitment strategy should be underpinned by a good, solid process starting with a concise job description to highlight the skills and experience required. A detailed application form, a CV and supporting letters can all help with the initial selection, as can aptitude and psychometric testing. Once a selection based on skills has produced a shortlist of candidates, employers must use their knowledge of their particular department, work environment and business processes to check against the attributes of the candidate. First impressions are vital and should not be overlooked. Employers should gel with the applicant on at least one subject immediately. I do this by focusing straightaway on a hobby or interest that I know a little about to put the candidate at his/her ease. Information should then flow freely and a relationship can begin. Only then can you assess and check for a personality and cultural-fit. This is where your experience comes in. You will know those employees with a similar personality profile that perform well in your company and you will also remember what happened when you “took a chance” with someone. You can then use your instinct to decide whether you want to take the relationship further.

Back to Press Releases