Five Steps to Exceptional Recruiting in 2011

There are five simple, yet highly effective steps to great recruiting. By following these simple steps, recruiters will tap into pools of Job Seekers and effectively fill their client's recruitment requirements with precision and ease.

Making an employment match is not always the easiest task. There are many factors that recruiters need to consider and research in order to be successful. A successful recruiter needs to consider the Job Seekers skill and aptitude for the specified job function. Over and above this core recruitment function, recruiters must also consider how well a specific candidate will fit with the organisations culture and working environment. Finally a recruiter also needs to consider the longevity that a candidate can offer their client and what growth potential both parties can offer.

With so many factors to consider, recruiters are responsible for both the Job Seeker and employer alike. Finding a match between the two requires in-depth knowledge and the ability to apply this knowledge effectively. Follow Jobs.co.za five simple and effective steps to successful recruiting and make successful matches that promise sustainability.

Step One: Research the Role

After receiving a call from your client with a recruitment brief, begin by researching the role. Whether before or after meeting with your client in person, at the first mention of the job vacancy, begin researching the role. This first step to successful recruiting is by all means relevant and advantageous to do. Familiarise yourself to the job function and the role within its specific industry. Look for specific qualifications that the role may require and industry memberships or subscription requirements. Your objective during this step is to grasp a clear understanding of the job function, the industry and the industry's jargon. You will need to understand the role in detail in order to begin searching for the ideal candidate to fit the role.

Step Two: Understand the Client Brief

Always try to meet with your client in person when being briefed on their recruitment requirements. Step two to exceptional recruitment calls for an in-depth understanding of what your client is looking for. By meeting with your client in person, you may be surprised at how much more insightful the candidate brief will be. Pay close attention to your client as they discuss the role and the candidate required. Watch their body language, note commonly used jargon or buzz words that they may refer to and ask questions. The more you are able to learn about the candidate and the role during this step, the better. Listen out for keywords that you recognise from your research and ask for clarification in areas that you may not be clear on. During step two recruiters need to have a clear understanding of the role and job function itself as well as the type of candidate the client is looking for. The candidate will need to perform the tasks at hand but at the same time, fit in with the organisational culture and get along with fellow colleagues. The company structure, culture, size and organisational personality are equally important to understand in step two in order to make a perfect match.

Step Three: Understand who Your Client is looking for

After meeting with your client, try to secure some time with the employee who may currently be working their notice period. Always check with you client before doing so as some situations may not allow for such interviews. Carefully evaluate under what circumstances the vacancy has become available. In some cases employees are leaving under amicable circumstances and may be a good indication of the type of replacement you may be looking for. Each Job Seeker is completely unique; however, we all possess familiar and similar characteristics to others. By identifying what personality traits about 'this person' that may (or may not) have worked in the role, will assist in finding the right replacement candidate. Provided that both parties are comfortable, use this information to improve your chances of identifying a suitable replacement Job Seeker.

Step Four:  Prepare Targeted Job Interview Questions

All Job Seekers are advised to create a uniquely targeted CV application for each individual vacancy to which they apply. We advise such action so that the Job Seeker provides more targeted information to the recruiter. Similarly, we suggest that recruiters treat job interviews in the same manner.  While there are always a set of standard job interview questions to pose to Job Seekers, step four suggests that recruiters prepare a unique set of interview questions per job function. To some this may seem quite obvious but there are a few recruiters who may still follow a stagnant set of scripted interview questions. By researching the role that you are recruiting for you will soon identify specific questions to ask. Interview questions can follow an almost hierarchy when evaluating the relevancy of a Job Seeker. Prepare unique interview questions to effectively assess the skill and aptitude of the candidate. Job Seekers are prompted to prepare answers to commonly asked job interview questions. Such questions are for example; 'what are your weaknesses?' or 'what makes you most qualified to fill this vacancy?' By interpreting the specific needs of your client, ask Job Seekers unique questions that will establish if they are a good match. Try questions like; 'If you could be a super hero, what would your powers be?' or 'If you could compare yourself to an animal, which animal would it be and why?'

Step Five:  Making a Match

This is normally the hardest part of recruiting. By following the five steps to exceptional recruiting, by the time you reach this point you will know your answer. Step five is simply making your choice. After researching, understanding the brief and who your client is looking for and asking the right questions you should have a clear picture of who will fill the vacancy. Remember to analyse shortlisted candidates based on their knowledge, skill and past achievements. Keep in mind their aspirations as well as your clients' immediate and long term requirements. The candidate and the company need to match to create a profitable partnership.