Picking out the right ''man for the job''

Paula Kyabaggu Mukama

Much as recruiting the right people looks simple, once you get it wrong in the beginning, it is not easy to reverse.

The mistake may not always cost you in terms of financial losses, but in cases where your company’s reputation is at stake, it can prove to be quite expensive.

Hence, every company must formulate some recruiting strategies that will enable the human resource personnel to employ the right candidates.

Recruiting the right person involves choosing a candidate with the right qualifications, for the right post, who can meet the right goals of the company at the right time.

By recruiting the right candidates, the HR managers can create a good working environment, which will lay the foundation for fast and future growth of the company.

Any confusion in the recruitment process can lead to the selection of wrong candidates, affecting the efficiency and profitability of the company.

Recruiting people who are wrong for the company can lead to increased labour turnover and costs for the company, and can reduce morale of the workforce.

Such people are likely to be discontented and will not give their best. They may end up leaving voluntarily or involuntarily when their unsuitability becomes evident. Such employees do not offer the flexibility and commitment many companies seek.

Defining the roles and responsibilities of the new employee will bridge the gap between the expectations and delivery.

Applicants that do not match the present nature of the position but may be considered for future requirements should be filed separately and preserved.

The employer also has the legal responsibility to ensure that no unlawful discrimination occurs in the recruitment and selection process on the grounds of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation or religion.

Equality of opportunity is an integral part of the recruitment and selection process.

Managers and supervisors tend to spend a lot of time on the recruitment exercises, when what is needed is a systematic process to assess the role to be filled and the type of skills and abilities needed to fill the position.

If a methodical and systematic approach is followed, it has a positive effect on keeping the new employees happy and propelling profits.

An effective recruitment plan can be the best way for growing a business. Implementing the plan in a good way is even more important to see positive results.

Whether it is volunteers, graduates or any corporate recruitment plan, deciding the skills of candidates to be recruited for the available tasks is of prime importance.

If the candidate recruited lacks the necessary skills, then there will be a lot of work pressure on the exiting employees. The candidate should also not be over qualified because they will end up getting bored on the job.

A process-driven recruitment exercise often yields good results in finding the perfect candidate, and also plays a major role in his retention. Hence, it is important for an employer to design a recruitment process for hiring the best professionals within a given time frame.