How to get your recruitment right: Interview Process

It costs an employer on average a staggering £35k to replace an employee. This is caused by things like the 6 month ineffective behaviours of the employee before they leave, the ‘in-between’ stage when you are looking to replace them, training up a new member of staff, loss of clients, HR costs, technology costs etc. So it’s really important to do all you can to get your recruitment right.

Here are our tips to attract the right staff and retain them, through a great interview process.

1) Have a set process

Having a set interview process will make sure it’s fair for all candidates and will ensure that you are well prepared when interviewing for the role. This could be a mix of:

2) Make it appropriate for the role

Once you have chosen your interview process, think about the relevance to the role you are hiring for. An informal 20 minute coffee interview for a CEO position will not be appropriate for the complex level of the role. Equally, a one hour presentation for an entry level administration role would also not be right. 

3) Make the candidate work for it

Candidates who have been put through their paces are more likely to be loyal and committed in the long run. Come up with some activities or assessments that are going to get the candidate thinking about what they might be doing on a day to day basis. It will not only show you their suitability, but it will also excite the candidate about what is on offer if they are successful in the position. 

4) Involve a colleague

Involving a colleague in the interview process will give you a second opinion if you’re unsure which candidate to hire. It will give the candidate another familiar face on the inside, if they are successful. It will also make your colleague feel valued that you have chosen them and that you value their opinion. 

5) Communicate the process

From start to finish of your interview and application process, make sure that you communicate to the candidate what to expect throughout the whole process. You don’t want to get to offer stage and the candidate withdraw from accepting because you haven’t communicated what to expect. Communicating the process throughout will help ensure that you seal the deal and get the right candidate for the role.

If you would like any support with your professional services recruitment across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, the team at Lighthouse Personnel are ready to help. Click here to submit a vacancy: