Recruitment tips
Jun 25
There are three big challenges facing any growing business in respect of people; the first one is to recruit the right people. The second is to integrate the right people into a team and the third one is to retain the right people.
In today’s business angel blog I will focus on the first of these challenges. I do not pretend to know all the answers but I hope to pass on the benefits of my mistakes and successes in recruiting people.
The first thing I remembered about actually interviewing someone was how nervous I was! I then found out that most people feel very nervous about interviewing - this is normal and to be expected. The other thing is that I so wanted every person I met to succeed.
Tip no 1: Get some interviewing practice. A great way to get this and to help someone is to do the following; Go to the local job bureau and ask for two volunteers who have been out of work for some time and need some practice in being interviewed. Explain to the volunteers that you would like to interview them so you can practice your technique and then pay them £5 for their time. You will both get lots out of it and it really is a great way for getting your confidence up.
Tip no 2: Be clear about what you really need from someone to be able to do the job well. You will be amazed at how many companies describe junior roles (no disrespect) as something super-douper! Why do it? Honesty is always the best policy.
Tip no 3: Avoid the halo effect. This is the effect of meeting someone we share something in common with which may have nothing to do with the job. I remember being interviewed for a sales rep job at Duracell and suddenly got talking about parachute jumps. Nothing to do with the job but you could see how the halo effect was kicking in (I got the job)
Tip no 4: Talk openly to the person being interviewed. Relax them and just get them to open up. An interview situation is not normal - so don’t judge people by what they are like in that pressurised scenario.
Tip no 5: Try to role play with sales people. Most companies I know need to recruit sales people - and they are notoriously difficult to get right. The problem is that sales people by definition can sell themselves - but very few of them are good at selling products or services. It also takes at least six months before you realise that the person you hired was crap! So I have twice asked two people to work with me for a whole day (I pay them of course) and tell them that the job will go to the person who performs best. It was very revealing on both occasions.
Tip no 6: Ask to see past appraisals! Some people will say no - and they have every right to. But I have always found that it is the best way to find out what someone really is like as an employee. You can always position the request to see appraisals by referring to what their employer thinks about them. If they say how wonderful are - tell them to prove it!
Tip 7: Imagine after the interview that you are going to be sat next to this person on a flight to Australia - could you cope?
Tip 8: Don’t judge people by how good the question they ask is! I find it really pointless. They are either to be judged a swot or dull - it is unfair
Tip 9: Finally - please do me one favour. Avoid asking ‘clever’ questions. I was once asked in an interview for a job at KPMG (I will name and shame!) “If you were an animal what animal would you be?” I looked back at my interviewer and asked her “What makes love like a tiger and winks?” She looked at me shocked and said “I don’t know”. I smiled at her and winked!
I finished by saying “I am sorry, but if you are going to ask me a silly question you are going to get a silly answer”
Would you have employed me with that answer?
Hi and welcome to my blog. 
Jun 25 at 11:19
I like this post - I read an interesting related thought recently. How about requesting references from people that were below the candidate. It would be interesting if the workplace suddenly not only had to think about what their boss, but also the people they managed, thought of them
Jun 25 at 12:14
Sorry to disagree with a reader! But I have a problem with this whole 360 thing. Managers are there to manage and lead. There are times when I have had to do thinks which made me very unpopular - but it was the right thing for the companies. As a start up you have to employ strong leaders and not popularity competitions! Sorry!
Jun 25 at 15:29
Sorry to disagree with the author, but I believe that 360s are essential tools for evaluating a person (when administrated properly). You are right that managers are there to lead and that they have to make difficult decisions sometimes. But a great leader learns how to communicate their decisions. A well managed 360 will uncover ability to engage, motivate, educate and support all the people around them.
Every entrepreneur is pulled in two directions when recruiting for a senior role; by a desire to make the right rational choice and from gut feeling. It is my judgment that the optimal way to find the right candidate is by allowing oneself to be pulled in both directions.
First, tightly define the role and describe the personality traits that would personify the perfect person. Then, collect data from CVs, 360s and psychometric tests to help narrow the search.
Finally, take each of the shortlisted candidates out for lunch and order the set menu. Never employ a senior recruit until you have broken bread with them. And if you find yourself staring at your phone before the coffee arrives, wishing that a best friend would call to rescue you from a dull first date, you known that the search continues.
Jun 25 at 17:30
Thank you Marc - I bow to your experience. There is never only one correct formula - which is what makes business so interesting I guess! Let me ask you a question though on the dull thing. What if you are looking for someone to do a dull role (in your opinion)?
Jun 25 at 20:07
Marc - I like the take them out idea. A good friend of mine runs a very successful creative agency (plug http://www.exposure.net) and one of his tests was “would I mind sitting next to this person at the Christmas party?”
Permjot - Perhaps you’re the wrong person to be recruiting them
Jun 26 at 15:37
Permjot - There are no dull things in business, only things that some people find dull. I know people who get excited in an almost sexual way when they are doing the filing. The rules are the same though, use psychometric testing to make sure that the personality traits of the candidate match the role. My point about taking a candidate out to lunch is most pertinent for senior or early recruits.