The Right Fit

Companies which rely on finding out just how good their new recruits are once they are in the job could be putting their finances and reputation at risk. This is the key message in a new guide produced by recruitment communications and candidate assessment experts, TMP Worldwide.In its latest White Paper ‘The Right Fit: Reducing the Risk of Recruitment’, TMP provides organisations with a guide to measuring the value of potential employees before they are in position.TMP Worldwide, Chief Executive, Andrew Wilkinson who launched the White paper at the HR Business Directors Summit held at the ICC in Birmingham on the 21st and 22nd January (http://www.hrevent.com/), says finding the ‘right fit’ means being clear about which behaviours lead to effective performance for your organisation. These need to be measured against the specific requirements of the job i.e. job competencies and should be linked to how organisations attract candidates via their employer brand.“Now, more than ever, expensive mistakes in recruiting the wrong people cannot afford to be made. Companies need to make sure they are attracting and retaining people who will add maximum value rather than just fill vacancies,” said Wilkinson.He suggests that the following four step approach will eradicate risky recruitment based on gut instinct.1. Understand the behaviours that lead to better performance which should be documented in an organisational competency model2. Attract the right people through defining and communicating an honest and compelling employer brand3. Create a ‘fit for purpose’ recruitment process4. Engage with candidates in their journey to becoming employees through a seamless on boarding programme.The White Paper takes business leader and recruiters through defining, creating and communicating an organisational competency model.According to TMP’s Wilkinson, Employer Brand is also key in establishing the differentiator that makes a company stand out from it competitors. “Having an effectively managed employer brand can improve engagement levels by up to 30% and increase the size of the labour pool by around 50%,” he said.When it comes to finding the ‘right fit’ Wilkinson recommends that companies start by identifying the behaviours and characteristics of high performing individuals to understand ‘what great looks like’. Once this is in place recruiters can use a number of tools from competency-based interviews, competency-sifting questionnaires and tailored assessment centre exercises to detect a candidate’s suitability for a role, says Wilkinson.Through the AMEC Nuclear case study within the White Paper, recruiters can see how TMP helped the company to create a competency framework which its HR and Capability Director says will differentiate AMEC Nuclear and drive the business forward.“Organisations will see immediate value and reduced recruitment risk from our ‘right fit’ approach which will identify the right people with the right behaviours for the company’s culture and vision,” concluded Wilkinson.‘The Right Fit: Reducing the Risk of Recruitment’ is available via email. Please contact Amy Johnson at amy.johnson@tmpw.co.uk
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Finding the right fit with a new recruit is truly the "Holy Grail" in resourcing. Time and again we interview line managers who give every indication that an applicant would not be the right fit for the organisation they are joining. Subsequent research proves that indeed the longevity of the employee is short and the performance leaves a lot to be desired. The skills and abilities may be there, but further assessment is imperative when making the recruitment decision. At Powerchex we talk to referees and this helps us communicate to the resourcing team our observations on the fit of the applicant. It is quite often that an offer is retracted based on this criteria. Now that the labour market is a bit looser, I would recommend to companies to take the time and effort to establish the right fit when making their decision.