Some employers take a hit and miss approach to recruiting staff. These employers, sadly, often pay the price in having the hassle of terminating these employees when they don’t work out!
Business owners are busy people so getting it right saves not only money but time too.
Some tips to consider:
1. Use a vacancy as opportunity to assess whether you really need the job. If so, are there elements in the Position Description which can be changed? Consider whether the current grading of the job is still the same. (See: Preparing to Engage New Workers Process)
2. Include a deadline for replies in your Job Advertisement.
3. Consider alternate advertising options eg, in regional areas, radio stations, local papers, front gate/door of your premises; in urban areas many people look on Seek and Social Media is also gaining popularity for some employers. Many local shopping centres have Notice Boards.
4. Sort your Applications into A, B and C bundles, C being those you discard as experience/qualifications not suitable for the job; B, maybes (if the A group doesn’t give you what you want).
5. Consider conducting telephone interviews for first round interviews, then face to face for your short list. Always use Interview Guides to ensure you don’t forget questions and ensure each applicant receives exactly the same questions – easier to then compare your candidates. (See: Recruitment Process)
6. Check your candidates can legally work in Australia. Good idea to photocopy the visa & identifying pages of candidates’ passport and then check with the Department of Immigration as to any restrictive work rules relating to the type of visa. (See: Right to Work Process)
7. Reference Checking – the most important part of the recruitment process and often the one which gets least attention.
8. Pre-Employment Medicals. Essential for some business.
9. Police Checks – essential for any job where money handling is involved. (See: Police Checks Process)
10. Only when the last three elements are finalised, do you offer the job to an applicant.
11. Only when the selected candidate has signed the Contract of Employment should they start work. (See: Creating Compliant Contracts)
12. Consider your onboarding/induction process. (See: Induction Process)
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