Size 10½ Boots associate, John Stokes, delivers this month's Top Tips and demonstrates that at a time when many firms would like to grow their business and recruit, but are still a little hesitant, there are strategies that can provide reassurance and enable you to stay ahead of your competition.

A much quoted expression from the Wall Street Journal says that 70% of all hiring decisions are based on first impressions and personal chemistry. What it doesn't say is, behind that 70%, there is a solid recruitment strategy to back that up - isn't there?! A good hire will significantly add value to your organisation - a poor hire will cost in terms of loss of reputation, income and morale.

1. A good place to start is with a full recruitment process audit 

Hiring top performers is not a matter of luck but the result of developing and following a consistent hiring strategy. Address the basic principles first.

• Ensure that there is complete buy-in internally towards the recruitment
• Ensure you have a clear set of required skills, qualifications and expectations
• Ensure you have the budget to commit both to the recruitment costs and the salary range you need to offer
• Commit to a timeframe to have your new recruit on board
• Think hard about the selling points of your opportunity and your firm
• Decide in advance whether to use an agency, Headhunter, own advertising, job boards etc. If you can’t decide, talk to your marketing and business development consultant or a recruitment strategist.
• Put all of the above in writing

2. Talk to your marketing and business development team or consultants

Good recruitment goes hand in hand with business development. You may have a plan to win new business, or to develop new business sectors, but to carry that through and show strength and depth, you need a plan to bring on board new talent alongside or in anticipation of that growth.

3. Don’t fill vacancies

Forget about “filling a vacancy”. An effective recruitment strategy is about planning for the future – it can take 6-12 months to source the very best talent for your business, so set the wheels in motion in good time.

4. Speculate to accumulate

It’s a well worn phrase – but for good reason. Your competitors know that their business has grown because they have proactively gone out and recruited the best talent to work for them – not someone else. Commit to an ongoing relationship with your Headhunter and they will let you know when there are “recruitment opportunities” that can add value to your business.

5. Retain your recruit

“We have made some lateral hires, but they usually don’t work out” is a phrase that is often heard. Ensure that you are prepared to invest not just in the cost of hiring and hoping it all works out, but in integration, training, development and business support. Your most recent hires are the ones you need to put in front of your marketing and BD consultants first.

6. Consider the use of nonspecific recruitment tools

Behavioural profiling can provide significant comfort when you need to assess a person’s capabilities beyond those of purely technical skills. Benchmarking your behavioural needs and then comparing them with the potential recruit provides you with essential information during the final stages of the recruitment process; and into the first stages of their integration into your organisation.

7. Scalability

Economies of scale – if you tot up the cost of recruiting, training, and lead in times before your prize hire contributes in fees, it can sometimes be equivalent to a  year’s salary. Bring in 2 people at the same time and you may find that that you get a second person 'free'.

8. Market intelligence is everything

We all want to get rid of the pain of recruiting. Don’t only rely on agents you’ve always used before. Consider a Headhunter – one who you can really 'partner with' and you enjoy working with - a good Headhunter will know your market better than you. Knowledge, trends and competitor intelligence are essential to ensure that your ideal candidate actually exists and can be recruited. Choose wisely, as your agent or Headhunter is your ambassador in the market and you want them to leave a good impression.

9. Avoid panic hiring

It’s always flattering when a candidate shows an interest in your firm, but there really is no rush to recruit. A solid recruitment strategy helps avoid 'panic hiring' and engaging the wrong person for the job whilst overlooking the right ones. 

10. Outsource your recruitment management

If your firm doesn’t employ a high level expert recruitment director, particularly if you are not a frequent hirer, why waste the internal resource of fee earners or generalist HR to recruit? Use a market expert recruitment strategist to do all the work for you. They can interface with you internally to design a recruitment strategy, and then manage the external process either through their own resources, or by negotiating fee deals and dealing with agents on your behalf.

10½. Congratulate yourself

Well why not? If all has gone to plan, you have made a significant contribution to the future success and wellbeing of your organisation.

John Stokes, Associate

Famous feet

Cheryl Cole
Singer
Shoe size: 5½