Article
Two: Finding the perfect candidate by Melanie Conaty
Every recruiter’s Holy Grail is the ‘perfect’ candidate! The million-dollar questions are how do you know when you’ve got one and how can you continue to select the right people first time and every time?
The answer is: get a person ‘template’!
Get out there and speak to your clients best people in their business (only with their permission of course!). Who do they rate in their business? Who does the business rate as a whole?
The individuals will be flattered and your client will be impressed at your depth of research.
Speak to these ‘best’ people and thoroughly interview them. What makes them good? What are the common skills all the ‘good’ people have?
Ask them questions such as:
· What do you think sets you apart from your colleagues?
· What have you personally done to contribute to the success of the business as a whole?
· What are the key skills you think you need to work in this business?
· What is / has been your development path?
· How would you sell yourself?
· Who is your role model?
Identify and log skills and behaviours that these ‘good’ people demonstrate and start to draw up a list of specific skills that work in that client’s organisation.
Often drawing up a list of all the skills this person should have can help clarify what you really need versus what would be nice to have. This gives you a template for the ‘perfect candidate’.
The next step is to network! Find other people who demonstrate the same skill sets and talk to them (you never know, they might become a candidate or even a client.) Think like a relationship builder rather than a sales person – develop your network.
Once you have the ‘ideal’ candidate in mind you need to set up a framework for finding this individual. You need to create a person specification which reflects all elements of this person’s required personality traits. You then also need to create a job description, which will again highlight the areas where you need to ensure candidates have the specific skills for the role.
Job descriptions generally describe what skills, experience and background a person must have to be able to perform this role. The Person specification relates the kind of personality that would most suit the role and team. Be careful to differentiate between what’s absolutely non negotiable (necessary) and what’s ‘up for grabs’ (nice).
Once this has been created, you must get client sign off.
This, in effect, is your ‘perfect candidate’ template. You’ve researched all sources, you’ve networked and you’ve drilled down and highlighted the REAL skills required as well as putting together a complete picture of the right person with a person specification. This should be the technique you use time and again to ensure you get it right every time.
Melanie Conaty is Head of Resourcing for 2bhr
Ltd. Specialising in headhunting at mid to senior level in Retail & FMCG. Mel's background is pure search (headhunting), with some time spent in an advertising agency focussing on assessment and selection before joining 2bhr to set up the Resourcing division. 01525 859900
melanie@2bhr.co.uk
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