PICTURE: PEXELS/ HIRING
Growing your team is a fantastic milestone! It is time to hire new employees, but you do not know where to begin.
You may have a general idea of the responsibilities you’d like to pass on, but don’t know how to find and interview a candidate. We’ve got you covered!
Finding the right fit
With many potentially qualified applicants, how do you ensure that they can represent your business well and are a good fit? The workforce as it exists today is filled with multiskilled individuals, especially post-pandemic.
Progressive start-ups, businesses and corporates recognise the importance and responsibility they have towards the people they now employ. When hiring new talent, you have to assess if the individuals you are hiring are fit for your business and if you fit their values and goals too, to ensure longevity for both parties.
Nkgabiseng Motau, co-founder and chief creative officer of Think Creative Africa says each person, especially in professional services, is like a battery cell that powers your business. ‘When all cells are offering the right amount of power, the business runs. If one cell doesn’t run well, it drains the power in others and makes the overall running weaker. That’s the analogy that comes to mind. The people are the success or failure of every business,’ she says.
Asking the right questions
A positive interview experience lies equally on the shoulders of the interviewer and the interviewee. Conducting an interview in which only common interview questions are asked won’t be enough to find the best candidate for a job. Instead, ask questions that bring out an applicant’s true character and values.
Attracting and retaining the best employees
One of the best ways to keep your company growing is to retain core talent. Highly talented employees are competitively sought after. It is much easier to attract and retain new talent when your company has a favourable culture.
Nkgabiseng says that retaining and attracting the best employees is an ongoing business task. ‘Externally, it is about sharing your vision and accomplishments with individuals. Internally, it’s about nurturing talent and finding ways to ensure people have room to grow within the business,’ she explains.
Fostering personal growth
Allowing someone to develop and grow themselves and their career is one of the greater seeds to ensuring your employees are happy in your business. Seeking to foster your future employees’ personal growth will show that, as a business, you take an interest in them as individuals and in their success. ‘What makes businesses or organisations attractive to potential employees is that people look for a place where they can best grow in skills and in their profile,’ says Nkgabiseng.
Four strategies to find and hire the best employees
- Referrals must always be at the top of your list.
Getting reviews and recommendations for promising candidates from people you can trust can help you substantially. - Look for a culture add, instead of a culture fit. The employee should have a positive attitude and core values that align with that of the business. It’s therefore important to be thorough when doing criminal- and reference checks, so you don’t get any surprises at a later stage.
- Try to identify value alignments upfront. This is vital for making sure that everyone in the business has the same vision and values, and that everyone understands how their goals will help the organisation succeed.
- When possible, work with an industry specialist recruiter. Working with a recruiter, who already has a strong network of existing relationships in the industry, can help you find the right talent. From the preservation of workplace culture to the boosting of your business’ reputation, customise parts of the recruiting process to make it resemble your core brand culture and values. This is one of the best ways to ensure you hire right!
Originally published for print in BONA Magazine
Writer: Ondela Mlandu
Also see: Humbly highlight your strengths on your CV with these tips
