Probably the most commonly used corporate refrain: People are our biggest asset.
It could be claimed they are the only asset – Ultimately any IP or goodwill on a balance sheet results from the endeavour of the people involved.
Yet, for many businesses, the process of engaging with and renewing these ‘assets’ falls somewhat short of reflecting their level of importance. Short-term expediency often understandably results in recruitment requirements and hiring processes becoming far too prescriptive.
For a business to survive, and thrive, the hiring of talented people requires more than just a job description, an advert and a skills filter.
The start of most recruitment processes invariably concentrates on skills – and always finishes focused on aptitude.
If this is the case, did the original pool of candidates contain the right people?
Actions or Words?
There is a risk that individuals with the greatest potential are eliminated early in the recruitment process. Often candidates are overlooked if they are missing ‘required’ skills, even if they are easily learned or transferred. Sometimes it transpires they weren’t really required at all or, at least, not in the form originally specified. Often tasks don’t sit well together in one position and can require someone with mutually exclusive character traits to be interested in the overall job – this will never end well and it may be worth reviewing the role itself.
Aptitude for the role; intellect, curiosity, emotional intelligence, commercial acumen and ambition, are all likely to have a significantly greater impact on the candidate’s potential in the role than overly specific skills or experience. There are situations where knowledge acquired over years is crucial to performance, but frequently not as precise as originally briefed. This approach can unnecessarily reduce the potential talent pool.
Focusing on Aptitude
For the recruitment of many positions a flipping of the importance from skills to aptitude would often result in far better outcomes. Engage with people who are enthused by the role. This is the biggest determinate of employee satisfaction and so, unsurprisingly, their performance.
The single biggest driver of business success is the people it hires. Does it follow that recruitment is its single most important process?
Approaching recruitment with a strong focus on the core dynamics of the role, the potential character it requires, and a robust challenge of the real and necessary skills needed, often results in significantly improved appointments.
It is often useful at the outset to try to visualise the individual that would best fulfil the role. Ask yourself where the individual may be now and why this would interest them, then see if it is possible to broaden the answers into other areas of the sector - and possibly beyond.
Davies & Robson Recruitment
At Davies & Robson we support recruitment processes by assessing and matching the real business need to individuals with the aptitude, as well as the required skills, to thrive in a new role.
Speak to a recruitment consultant on 01327 220862 or email us at recruitment@daviesrobson.co.uk