Walking the tightrope of recruitment alone
By Tony Wai, Crackerjacks Managing Director

Thursday, 26 November 2009

Most SME’s have been stung by hiring the wrong person and know all too well what a costly mistake this is. But to keep businesses profitable, pressure is being applied to key staff members' workloads, not to mention budgets.

Tony Wai.

In this situation it’s tempting to ‘cut corners’ when filling staffing gaps. But this is dangerous territory and highlights the question - how can SME’s hire suitable candidates without blowing the budget or wasting their time?

Crackerjacks, contract recruitment specialists, would like to point out some practical tips that will inevitably save employers time and money when hiring for professionals.

Understand the role

Develop a clear understanding of what competencies are required for successful delivery in the role. Speak with the line manager who supervises this position so you can clearly define both technical (i.e. Excel skills) and behavioural (i.e. a patient nature) competencies required, this way you will know what to look out for.

Validate work experience

Once you have started receiving applications for vacant roles, keep in mind that content in CV’s can be miss-leading and in some cases incorrect. This is why it is important to verify this experience and check at least two referees who have managed this person in the past. At Crackerjacks, this is one of the first steps we take to ensure the quality of the professionals registered with us. Talk is cheap, but proven performance is valuable.

Look for fit while interviewing

Have a clear understanding of your company culture and look for a match in the individuals you interview. When an employer has found a person they are interested in on Crackerjacks, we encourage they meet for a face to face interview, just to get a feel for the candidate and to see if the fit is right. Keep in mind it’s equally important for the candidate to get a feel for your business to ensure they’re equally comfortable.

Don’t over-commit when hiring

If you need additional staff, but don’t know how long the workload will continue one option is to engage a contractor or fixed term employee with specialist skills. These professionals normally come with the ability to very quickly engage with the project/work at hand and deliver in short time frames.

“Using traditional recruitment methods, such as recruitment agencies and job boards are just not viable options for many SME’s. The fees agencies charge are often too high for smaller businesses to consider, and receiving applications from job-boards can monopolies a small business owner’s time, when their focus should be on other areas.” Wai says.

“This is where Crackerjacks can add value to SME’s - businesses can use the online tool to search for pre-qualified professionals when hiring.”