Employee Recruitment And Selection Of Team Members

When it comes to employee recruitment and selection the role of a leader is very important if you are looking for a strong and efficient team that will perform well under pressure.

• Employee recruitment and selection of team members
• The importance of the applicant's skills
• The applicant's experience
• Personal characteristics of the applicant
• Physical characteristics in relation to job requirements
• Will it make your work easier?
• Employee recruitment and selection - Summary

Employee Recruitment and Selection of team members

As a manager, you are most likely to have very little influence as to who your team consists of. Most big companies let Human Resources handle the employee recruitment and selection process from start to finish. 

The manager usually only gets involved with the staff selection process during the start and at the end of the process. It is also common that some managers to feel they are too busy to get involved in HR matters.

It is important that managers play a bigger role in the recruitment and selection of their team members for the following reasons:

• You are responsible for the results of your unit
• You are responsible for team motivation
• You are to train and coach the members of your unit
• You must be able to use the team member’s full potential

If you are lucky enough to participate in the selection of your own team it is essential to know that the criteria for selection can be divided into the following categories:

• The applicant's level of education
• His experience related to your requirements
• Personal characteristics of the applicant
• Physical characteristics in relation to job requirements

Remember as a manager you would like to make your work as easy as possible and selecting the right person to work with is the start of all. Before you start you will obviously draw up a list of your preferred criteria for the above categories.

The Importance of the applicant's skills

Applicant's Education

The company recruitment and selection policy will indicate the minimum employee selection criteria and other job specifications but as a manager use it only as a guideline. 

In order to get the best return on an employee appointment, you must make sure you attracted the right skills. 

When you handle the recruitment and selection process make sure that the following questions can be answered favourably.

Q: Do they meet the minimum standard?

You must keep company policy in mind when establishing minimum requirements.

Q: Are their education level fit for the position?

It is no good to have a BCom in a position that only requires a secondary diploma unless you are planning to develop the applicant into a higher position. 

In other instances, it is easier to use a minimum level entry and then develop him onto a higher level.

Q: If they are overqualified why did they apply for this position?

Establish why they would be satisfied with the position and determine if their motives are real.

Q: Is the potential employee still studying?

It shows that they are interested in self-development and with your guidance, it can be beneficial for you as well as the applicant.

The Applicant's Experience

Experience can often be more beneficial than education so you must work out beforehand what is an acceptable balance for you.

Q: How experienced is the candidate in relation to the position?

Having the experience for what you need them for will lighten your own load.

Q: What other experience do they have?

The scope of skills and experience shows the applicant's willingness to self-develop. It is also possible that you can gain from drawing from that experience to achieve the unit’s goals.

Q: Can they bring something new to the table that is relevant?

You should know the direction you are steering your unit in and if the applicant has the experience that can assist or speed up this process consider it an advantage.

Q: Can they gain anything new from their work experience with us?

To not let someone become complacent after the appointment you must ensure that there are other experiences he can gain while reporting to you. The only way to keep new employees engaged is when they can learn new things.

Personal characteristics of the applicant

It is important to know that a new member will fit in well with the rest of your team.

Q: Do their personal characteristics correspond with other people that are currently successful in the same position?

The easiest measurement is to use the profile of people you had reporting to you that was successful.

Q: Their position in the team?

Do they have the characteristics to become a leader and maintain authority if need be?

Q: Will they be pleasant and practical to deal with?

To ensure good communication in the team the new members must be able to fit in and perform their duties successfully.

Q: Are they sincere?

You want to know that the person has a stable personality and will be a member of your team for the time to come. Do they take pride in their work?

Physical characteristics in relation to job requirements 

There is a saying that the strongest doesn’t always survive. This is true when it comes to the workplace but there are certain things you have to take into consideration.

Q: Will they be physically able to perform the job they are applying for?

Some positions need physical strength and other mental strengths but it is not every employee that can always perform both for extended periods of time.

Q: Do they have any health issues or disabilities that will hamper their output?

You need an employee that can be there when you need them. Employing someone that will be off work often will only increase the pressure on you.

Q: If it is a stressful position will they be able to handle it?

Look at previous employment records to see if they were working under pressure. Let them know beforehand the stress levels they can expect so it does not come as a surprise.

Will it make your work easier?

The employee recruitment and selection policy of your organization are what the business foundation is built on.

At the end of the day, you are looking for someone to make your work easier and leave you to focus on managing the team. The benefits of selecting the right person are:

• Lighten your workload
• Free you up to do more important things
• Enjoy reporting to you and support you all the way
• Perform at his peak to meet targets
• Blend in with your team in a positive way

When selecting team members remember to select the best you can afford in order to build strong teams.

Employee recruitment and selection - Summary

If you are responsible for your own employee recruitment and selection process it provides you with the perfect opportunity to target specific applicants that will bring value to your team and the organization.

The secret is knowing how to plan the process and knowing exactly who you are looking for and the main reason behind it.