Recruitment

What is Recruitment?

One of the key focuses of any successful business is attracting talented people. At its most basic, recruitment is as simple as posting an ad online seeking applications for a position, but this approach is unlikely to bring in the bright stars who can make a business shine. To attract the best people a business needs to offer something in return - meaningful work, opportunities for advancement, solid benefits and a good salary. More than that, the workplace has to be an engaging and enjoyable place to be, as the business expects its employees to spend most of their waking hours there.

Attraction beats recruitment

Seeking specific individuals to fill roles is sometimes unavoidable, but it is far better for a business to attract steady interest from people within their industry so that they have a pool of talent to select from. The most talented people are generally aware of their value and want more than just a job. The most attractive companies demonstrate a number of common traits:

• Strong leadership: people are drawn to magnetic leaders who have drive and vision. Business leaders who build fantastic reputations never struggle to find talented people to work for them in achieving their goals.
• Great work environment: successful businesses offer something back to the employees who create their profits, by providing a work environment which is positive, engaging and flexible.
• Ample opportunities: every individual is motivated by different desires and ambitions, so businesses that offer varied opportunities are most likely to attract and retain the most diverse group of professionals. Opportunities that employees value include the chance to travel or live abroad, access to valuable training and knowledge, exciting networking opportunities and the opportunity to do meaningful work.
• Attractive remuneration: businesses that try to pay their employees as little as possible are engaging in false economy. The most talented workers know their worth and are far more profitable than their mediocre counterparts. They generate more than enough income to cover their own salaries and benefits.

Recruitment must be done right

Some businesses make the mistake of thinking that because there are many job-seekers, they have the power when it comes to recruiting. Simply put, their attitude is that they are going out into the market to pick someone for the role. These businesses put up short job listings which lack in detail, under the assumption that from the swarm of applicants they will be more specific with the lucky vetted few. When it comes to recruiting people who make a business great, this approach is a mistake.

A great job listing includes the following:

• A full description of the organisation, its position in the marketplace and its goals
• The hours required for the role, including expected overtime
• Responsibilities of the role, in detail
• Details of the work arrangement
• Salary and other benefits
• Opportunities to advance or travel
• Educational standards that need to be met
• Past experience requirements
• Traits of the ‘ideal candidate’

Even with all of these details, simply posting a job listing online or elsewhere is not enough. Successful organisations build relationships with universities and career expositions in order to reach the most driven and talented people early in their job search. They also empower existing employees to network on the organisations behalf and refer potential talent on to their human resources department, turning their happy team members into a recruiting force.