One of the more challenging aspects of recruiting is understanding which candidates are the right fit for a business. Recruiting is a time consuming and costly exercise, regardless of whether it is managed in-house or through a recruitment partner. While it’s understood that you’ll rarely find a ‘perfect candidate’, it’s difficult to know which criteria can be flexed and which are most significant when deciding on your next hire. So, how do you know if a candidate is right for you?

Are they in it for the long term?

Without wanting to be controversial, recruitment can be compared to dating. If you were sitting across the table from someone who has a chequered history of relationships, would you agree to a second date? Probably not. The same goes for candidates. If their resume shows a history of moving between employers every year or so, it may be a good indicator of their future commitment to your organisation.

Can they do the job?

Sounds simple, right? It is, but so many companies get this one wrong. It’s important that your job advert specifies the requirements necessary to do the job (both qualifications and practical experience). Then, it’s down to the interview to ensure that you weed out any candidates that might embellish their applications. If they don’t have the practical experience necessary to do the job, it may pay to find someone who does, as opposed to training those who don’t, according to Brenda Savoie from recruitloop.com, in her article: ‘8 Ways to Ensure You Hire the Best Candidate’. Some of the methods you might choose to use to assess skills, suggests Savoie, include competency-based tests such as psychometric, numeracy and literacy tests, as well as conducting thorough background checks. Behavioural interviewing methods are also a good indicator of future behavior as these techniques are based on the assumption that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behavior.

Will they fit with our culture?

Cultural fit is an important consideration with recruitment, but should follow the other criteria with regards to the importance placed on it. Cultural fit can be a bit more challenging to assess than functional capability. HCMag.com recommends asking a range of behavioural-based interview questions aligned to values to determine how the candidate will fit with the company’s values. Other means of assessment can include panel interviews, role play or trial periods to determine how the candidate aligns to company values.

If you require support with your recruitment strategy, speak to the Recruitment team at Flexi Personnel.