Hiring people - Finding the right person
Hiring people - Finding the right person
To get the right person, you need to use the right words.
Before you incur the considerable costs of placing a job ad in a newspaper, you could try other avenues first:
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word of mouth - your employees may know suitable candidates
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the local Job Centre
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colleges and universities
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the internet
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recruitment agencies
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trade magazines and specialist publications.
If you decide to advertise, will your ad work best in a local or a national newspaper?
Ad sense
When you're writing a job advert, make sure it:
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is clear and brief
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lists the job requirements, salary and contract length
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reflects both the job description and the person specification (not too broad or you'll be inundated, not too narrow or hardly anyone will apply)
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includes your company name and the location of the role
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gives the closing date for applications.
Remember: You are not allowed to state a preference in terms of colour or race - that is discriminatory. You are only allowed to state a preference for a man or a woman if you can prove that the job needs a man or a woman. This is termed a genuine occupational qualification (GOQ). Grounds for a GOQ include:
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privacy or decency - for example, when choosing attendants in toilets or swimming baths
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residential employment - where it is impractical for the employee to live elsewhere
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single-sex establishments
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welfare or education services (counsellors, doctors)
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casting for plays or films
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servants in private households
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where the vacancy is for a married couple.
How do you want people to apply?
You could create an application form. This means that you can obtain the same information from all your candidates, which will help you compare their skills and work experience more easily. Don't include questions such as 'Are you married?' or 'Are you planning a family?' Under current legislation, they cannot be asked.
If there is no relevance between the answer to a question and how well an individual can perform in the role, the question is unlawful.
You could ask people to send in a Curriculum Vitae (CV). CVs are a quick and easy way of gathering information, but they probably won't contain the same types of information, which makes it more difficult for you to compare candidates.
Ready for responses
Who will handle the enquiries and any relevant administration (sending out application forms, filing CVs, and so on)? Get this sorted!
