Recruiting the right employees is a challenge for most businesses. It takes time to advertise, screen, interview, hire, and train a new employee. Then, there is additional time and money spent training that person to fulfill the open position. And, if that person doesn’t work out, there is the cost and hassle of firing him or her, then doing the entire recruitment process all over again.
This never-ending cycle can put a lot of stress on many small businesses. That is why many of them turn to staffing agencies for help. They get higher quality employees with less turnover. Plus, they can reduce internal costs for HR.
How Can Staffing Agencies and Their Clients Recruit Star Employees
Getting the right employee into the right position takes a bit of work. Here are four tips for recruiting star employees:
Know exactly what qualifications and skills are required for a position.
Every job has certain duties that have to be performed. Many times, to fulfill those duties, certain skill sets are necessary. For example, an administrative assistant might need to be skilled at using Excel. An IT programmer might need to be comfortable working in a particular programming language. An RN may need certification to work in a neo-natal unit.
A detailed list of qualifications and skills is a necessity when recruiting a new employee. Without that list, you cannot filter out who is qualified for the position and who is lacking key skills. Trying to fit an unqualified employee into a skilled position won’t work.
Determine success factors for someone to fit into the company and the role.
Qualifications and skill sets are often the first filter applied to a candidate. The next filter is the success factors which make a particular person suitable for the company or departmental culture. These are things like personality, motivators, teamwork skills, and the ability to perform in high-stress situations.
The staffing agency must work with the client to identify key success factors for an ideal candidate. Some clients put more emphasis on teamwork, while others are less focused. Some clients have a more casual atmosphere, while others have a built-in formality. Some success factors are obvious, some not so much.
Narrow down the options with careful screening.
These days, most job openings will trigger a flood of resumes. This is where screening becomes critical. Every resume should be filtered against the qualifications and skills test. This may eliminate a significant number of applicants. Narrow the selection down to 7 to 10 candidates that best match.
Then, conduct a screening interview, in person or on the phone. This interview is designed to find out each candidate’s communication skills and to make sure they are as good as their resume indicates. It is also a chance to see if they have some of the success factors for the position. This screening should narrow down the pool to two or three top candidates.
Before presenting the client with the top candidates, the staffing agency needs to conduct careful background checks. This is where you verify past employment, education, and certifications. The client may also want credit, criminal, and background checks. This helps weed out potential problems before they occur.
Test and verify skill sets before placement.
Where practical skills are critical for a good placement, testing and verification is a good idea. This can include tests for software skills, tool use, programming languages, database use, and basic skills in math and financial calculations, depending on the position.
This step can be conducted by the staffing agency or through a third-party testing agency. If the person’s skills are verified, it makes it easier to place that person with a client.
The relationship between a staffing agency and a client is a partnership that can go on for years. That is one reason why careful placement of employees is so critical for both the agency and the client’s success.
