If you are a business in the UK looking to expand, you will likely need to hire new staff to accommodate your growing operations. There are plenty of great candidates out there, but finding the right one for your business can be tricky. That is why we have compiled the below advice to ensure the hiring process runs smoothly and successfully:
Identify Your Needs: Clearly define the roles you need to fill. This involves outlining the tasks, responsibilities, and skills required for each position. This is the only way to understand who you need to hire.
There is nothing worse for a candidate than seeing a generic job description or a description that was clearly written by someone who has no idea about the field they are recruiting in.
A great example of this was a story on twitter from a developer named Sebastián Ramírez. He wanted to apply for a job that required using some software called FastAPI. The job description said the company was looking for someone who had 4+ years of experience with this software. However, Sebastián only had a 1.5 years of experience using FastAPI at the time. That is because the software had only been in existence for 1.5 years, and Sebastián Ramírez was the one who invented it.
Your job description is also an opportunity to identify the type of personality and work ethic that will fit well within your existing team and company culture. That means you should put in the extra time to craft a truly great job description.
Advertise Job Vacancies: You can advertise on a variety of job boards, on your company website, via social media, or through recruitment agencies. Where you choose to advertise really depends on who you want to hire.
For example, there are specialist job boards for a variety of careers. You may also have to cast a wide net on larger job sites if you are looking for someone with a very niche skill set.
You can advertise on your company website, but that can be a bit hit-and-miss. Remember to think like a candidate. Unless you are already a large company, it is unlikely that people are coming to your site looking for jobs.
Recruiters are another option. Just keep in mind that you want to use a recruiter who really understands your needs and your industry. You also need to provide the best brief possible to your recruiter so that they can find the top candidates.
To find the right places to advertise, you may want to speak with someone who has the skills you are looking for and ask them where they or their colleagues look for jobs. This can help you target your spending where it is most likely to produce qualified applicants.
Candidate Screening: When you review CVs and application forms to identify candidates who meet the basic requirements, you should be looking for relevant qualifications, experience, and skills. But there is more to this step than just ticking off applicable expertise. You should also be looking at other clues to help you find the right applicant.
For example, if the job you are hiring for requires someone who is very detail oriented, make sure the CVs you shortlist are free of all spelling and grammatical errors. If you need one skill in particular, see if any candidates mention that in their cover letter etc.
Conduct Interviews: In the UK, interviews are typically conducted in person, over the phone, or through video calls. During the interview, you should assess the candidate’s skills, knowledge, potential for growth, and cultural fit.
When you are conducting an interview, make sure you put some real time and thought into crafting good interview questions. Remember, you are trying to impress candidates just as much as they are trying to impress you. If you ask them generic questions and don’t ask any follow-up questions on their answers, they are unlikely to be too interested in working for you.
You may also want to take potential candidates around to meet your current team or have some team members in the interview. This helps to see if personalities mesh and allows others in your business to ask good questions.
It is also important to keep the number of interviews to a reasonable amount. Too often, candidates are pushed through round after round of meetings before any decision is made. This can discourage potential employees, but it also means they have more time to find a job elsewhere.
Job Offer: If a candidate is deemed suitable, the next step is to send out them a job offer. This typically involves a formal letter detailing the job role, salary, benefits, start date, and other terms of employment.
When you send your job offer, make sure to also notify any candidates that you interviewed but decided not to hire. This is not necessary to build a great team, but it makes your business look professional and prevents people from feeling like they are being ignored.
Onboarding Process: Once the candidate accepts the offer, the onboarding process begins. This process should involve providing the new hire with the necessary tools, information, and training to succeed in their new role.
Keep in mind that the better your onboarding process, the sooner your new hire will become an asset to the business. If you just walk someone to a desk and have them read through all the boilerplate company policies, they will struggle to find their feet.
A good boss will have any training they need lined up, introduce them to the team and make sure they have someone available if they have any questions.
Compliance: Remember to remain compliant with UK employment laws throughout the hiring process. For example, the UK has strict laws on non-discrimination and equality, so it’s essential to ensure your hiring process is fair and inclusive. Another compliance issue is data protection regulations. Make sure you understand and follow these rules when collecting and storing candidate information.
If you are interested in hiring new staff, but you don’t currently have the budget, V4B Business Finance can help. We provide a variety of loan options to facilitate growth. Contact us today to speak with one of our experts, and we will help you find the financing you need.
