The Hiring Handbook Everything you need to make the perfect hire - British Chambers of Commerce
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The Hiring Handbook Everything you need to make the perfect hire
THE HIRING HANDBOOK I 2
Across the Chamber of Commerce
FOREWORD
Network, business of all shapes and sizes
recognise that people are the key to their
success. Filling roles and retaining staff is
crucial for their productivity, morale and
growth potential.
Regardless of the size of the company,
finding the right person can be a
challenging and resource-intensive
exercise. That said, getting it right is so
important and the benefits to a business
of a good team are limitless.
This guide will help firms to think about
the critical things that they need to
consider during the recruitment process.
From finding the right person, to
Claire Walker & Hannah Essex, successfully onboarding and to building
Co-Executive Directors, fruitful relationships for the future.
British Chambers of Commerce
We do hope that readers will find this
a useful guide to recruiting successful
teams that allow their businesses to grow.
We’re delighted to support the small
business community through our
partnership with the British Chambers
of Commerce - an organisation that has
been helping to shape the UK’s business
agenda for more than 150 years.
Our mission at Indeed is simple: we help
people get jobs. Many of those jobs
are found at small and medium sized
businesses (SMBs), which account for
approximately 40% of all UK vacancies.
Through their diversity, ubiquitousness and
hiring appetite, SMBs are a key part of the
labour market and the overall economy.
Hiring the right people can be one of the
biggest challenges for SMBs. We hope
Dr. Pawel Adrjan, that by covering topics from knowing
UK Economist, when to hire to how to compete with
Indeed Hiring Lab larger companies, this handbook can help
SMBs succeed in today’s competitive and
uncertain recruitment market.
www.britishchambers.org.uk www.indeed.co.uk
@britishchambers @IndeedUK
CONTENTS
2 3 4
www.indeed.co.uk
@IndeedUK
NEXT STEPS
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT CANDIDATE
ATTRACTING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES
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@britishchambers
INTRODUCTION
1
INTRODUCTION www.britishchambers.org.uk www.indeed.co.uk @ britishchambers @IndeedUK
THE HIRING HANDBOOK I 5
Clues that it may be time
INTRODUCTION
Introduction to hire
For a small business, making the
right hire can be a transformative Signs of burn-out
undertaking. As something that is often Teams in need of additional
done infrequently, finding the right manpower often show telltale signs
person for the role can carry significant of overextension. Watch for these
weight. It can also be hard to know indications that employees are
where to begin and how to proceed. stretched too thin.
While search engine technology has
levelled the playing field for attracting If multiple team members report
applications, the prospect of managing struggling to get everything
a comprehensive hiring process can done, that’s a sign that too much
be daunting, especially for businesses responsibility may have been
without dedicated HR staff. redistributed to existing employees.
This guide is designed to walk you Don’t miss nonverbal clues, such as
through the process of finding and difficulty with goal setting and project
hiring a new employee, beginning completion.
with the initial decision to hire. There
Employee turnover is a common sign
is also guidance on assessing CVs,
that employees have been given more
interviewing and making a job offer.
responsibility than they can handle.
Indeed provides this information as
a courtesy to users of its site. Please
Opportunity cost
note that we are not recruiting or legal Did you know that not hiring can cost
advisors, we are not responsible for the you money? Watch for these common
content of job descriptions, and none signs that you are losing business or
of the information provided herein incurring costs as a result of being
guarantees performance. short staffed.
• Increases in overtime pay are both a
sign and consequence of an under-
When and why to bring resourced team.
on a new employee • Spikes in customer complaints.
Overtaxed employees may take
longer to respond to inquiries or
Hiring expert advice requests or miss them altogether.
Ask yourself, “Am I losing money by not • Scheduling gaps. Are you having to
having someone completing this work?” rely on the same person over and over
If the answer is yes, it’s time to hire. to fill a shift? Or filling it yourself?
For smaller companies, it is common Turnover is not only inconvenient, it’s
for each member of the team to wear expensive. Losing employees means
many hats and take on tasks as needed. losing their valuable expertise and
This essential resourcefulness can mask experience.
the need for a new hire and cause a
business to be inefficient, undermining Having to say no to a new contract,
productivity. project or market due to insufficient
bandwidth is a classic opportunity cost.
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@britishchambers @IndeedUK
THE HIRING HANDBOOK I 6
Benefits of adding to
INTRODUCTION
your team
When a small company adds to its
core team by hiring externally, the
opportunities to grow revenue, capacity
and brand awareness increase along
with its employee count. By recruiting
for experience and expertise that
augments your existing team rather
than mirroring its skill set, you can put
your growing business in a position to
do more, sooner.
With strategic recruiting, a new
employee can bring:
New expertise
Hiring someone who knows things
or people you don’t can create new
efficiencies and opportunities. An
expert in a critical function like IT or
Human Resources can improve critical
business processes while a marketing
or sales pro may have long-standing
contacts that help build awareness and
drive revenue.
Immediate scale
The right new employee can walk in the
door with skills that take years to develop.
Hiring for a new skillset builds capacity
quickly and frees up your existing team
members to focus on key objectives.
Fresh perspective
Even the healthiest growing business
can benefit from new ideas that help the
company innovate and make process
improvements. A new person can ask
important new questions and help
the team see things from a new angle
especially if you recruit someone with
a different background or experience
from others in your firm.
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ATTRACTING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES www.britishchambers.org.uk www.indeed.co.uk @britishchambers @IndeedUK
THE HIRING HANDBOOK I 8
How Can SMBs Compete Other stumbling blocks include a lack
ATTRACTING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES
of name recognition (49%) and the
with Larger Companies? reduced likelihood of career progression
(43%), while perks also feature
The battle for talent is tough for prominently; 42% of small business
all employers, with the UK labour owners feel they cannot compete with
market continuing to tighten and their rivals in this regard.
unemployment at its lowest levels
since the mid-1970s. But with many The small business leaders polled also
jobseekers able to take their pick of felt their appeal is diluted by jobseeker
would-be employers, new research by perceptions that working for an SMB
Indeed has found that many SMBs feel involves harder work (29%) and less
their larger rivals enjoy advantages prestige (18%) than working for a big
when it comes to attracting talent. Here name company.
we examine some of the challenges
and provide some solutions for SMBs to Whether or not these fears accurately
attract, hire and retain skilled staff. reflect the impulses of prospective
employees is largely irrelevant; the more
pertinent question is what SMBs can do
to counter the challenges posed by the
goliaths of the UK business scene.
SMB challenges
Indeed researchers who polled SMB
owners found the vast majority (81%)
believe recruitment is more difficult
Building an attractive
for them than it is for larger, more offer for staff
established companies.*
SMB owners are making their cultures
Past experience suggests they might more attractive in a number of other
have a point. A third (34%) say they ways. Office treats (19%), expanded
have issues even finding suitable holiday allowance (18%), contributions
candidates for roles, let alone enticing towards the daily commute (13%) and
them to join their company. private health insurance (10%) are
among the most popular methods being
Coupled with this, nearly half (42%)
adopted to lure skilled staff.
of SMB owners find that it takes them
more than a month to fill vacancies. SMBs can provide positive environments
for fulfilled, engaged and productive
The reasons given for these struggles
staff. Loyalty can be strengthened in
throw up some interesting food for
many ways other than just a bigger
thought. Money can’t buy you love, and
pay cheque, and while SMB owners
it possibly can’t buy you a workforce, or
will always have a fight on their hands
not exclusively at least, with only 26%
to compete with big businesses in
of SMB owners feeling that salary is the
many ways, owners can relish the
key battleground on which they lose
opportunities to do so.
out to larger companies.
Small size can actually play to
The main reason staff are less likely to
their advantage. Many employees
choose a small company over a large
actually prefer to work within smaller
one is the lower level of job security
organisations as they feel more
SMBs are assumed to offer, with 59%
connected both to their colleagues and
of small business owners citing this as
to the goings on within the business itself.
their main recruitment issue.
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@britishchambers @IndeedUKTHE HIRING HANDBOOK I 9
From an employer’s standpoint,
Company reputation
ATTRACTING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES
being small can actually allow their
company to be more nimble and more important than
react more quickly to what employees
want. Having positive attitudes to ever in a competitive
flexibility in working hours, healthy jobs landscape
work-life balance and the need for
many employees to manage caring Today we live in an age of radical
responsibilities are increasingly transparency. In our interconnected
important when dealing with a tight world, we have almost instant access
labour market and maintaining a to a quantity of information that was
productive workforce. unimaginable even a few years ago.
Higher salaries are another viable This online revolution has changed
retention solution, though many SMBs both simple things, such as how we
may feel they will struggle to compete decide what to eat for breakfast, and
with larger companies. Instead, the complicated, life-changing decisions
opportunity for career growth, variation such as how we look for jobs. If
in roles and responsibilities, and a jobseekers want to know what it’s like
flexible approach to time off are all to work at an organisation, insider
emerging as strong options for smaller information in the form of reviews is
employers. only a few taps away.
Happy motivated staff are not the sole But it has also changed how employers
preserve of big businesses, not least hire. A whole discipline of employer
because money can’t buy happiness. branding has emerged in HR; people
All employers face difficulties in working in this field seek to attract
ensuring their staff are motivated and and retain talent by telling their
fulfilled, leading to constant challenges companies’ stories and using an array
in terms of retention and engagement of methods and solutions to proactively
of their workforce. communicate the story of what it’s like
to work for them.
Smart SMB owners are already growing
wise to this and in many cases are Indeed’s Company Pages is one
showing bigger businesses — with all such solution, combining employer
their inherent advantages — how it is storytelling with employee reviews
done with imaginative and forward- and ratings on work/life balance,
thinking solutions. compensation and benefits and more
to provide deep insight to jobseekers.
*Methodology: Researchers interviewed The public nature of this feedback can
1,006 decision makers in companies with make some employers hesitant, but
fewer than ten employees in the UK. The today’s jobseekers require transparency
research was carried out by Censuswide and insight into a company’s culture
on behalf of Indeed in May 2018. before even applying. And it’s a two-
way street: Company Pages can turn
those reviews to their advantage, and
help employers more effectively reach
jobseekers where they are searching by
collecting all the information they need
in one place.
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@britishchambers @IndeedUKTHE HIRING HANDBOOK I 10
ATTRACTING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES
At Indeed, we recently redesigned
our Company Pages and added new
Online company
features, empowering jobseekers and reviews amongst the
employers alike to connect faster. To
mark this, we surveyed 545 workers top 3 factors when
in the UK to dig into the details considering a job offer
surrounding transparency and what it
means in the world of job search and Online reviews aren’t just important
talent attraction. when candidates are researching
whether or not to apply to a company.
They also play a vital role at the other
Inadequate online end of the process, when deciding
whether or not to accept a job.
presence provokes Only salary information and word of
“automatic” mouth were more important, with
43% of respondents saying that salary
distrust from 57% information is the most important
consideration, however, nearly a third
of jobseekers (30%) of respondents named online
company reviews by current and
former employees as one of the most
Our most recent research found that
important factors for making this
70% of jobseekers said that insight
decision.
into a company’s employer reputation
is important while considering a job
opportunity.*
Name recognition
More than half (56%) said that they
wouldn’t even apply for a role at a remains vital
company with no online presence.
Despite the huge amount of
Furthermore, our research found
information available online, and the
that companies with no online profile
ease with which it can be accessed,
risk being dismissed out of hand by
a strong brand name remains a vital
jobseekers, with 57% saying they would
asset for a company seeking to
automatically distrust a company with
recruit. Just one in nine jobseekers
no internet presence.
(12%) classes a recognisable name as
Information about employee unimportant when deciding whether
satisfaction and how companies treat to apply for a role.
their staff is a key factor in a typical
The internet is also replacing
jobseeker’s decision on whether to
straightforward word of mouth as a
apply for, and then accept a job.
trusted source of information about
Employers need to win the trust of
a potential employer, with only 23%
potential recruits, and transparency
of jobseekers willing to overlook a
is one of the most effective ways to
negative online reputation when
achieve this.
searching for a new role.
Our research suggests the smartest
companies are embracing the
connective power of the internet to
ensure they attract the best possible
candidates, and that they inform them
as well as possible.
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@britishchambers @IndeedUKTHE HIRING HANDBOOK I 11
How to build your 5 Tips for Building a
ATTRACTING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES
employee brand? Workplace That Includes
The culture and expectations Everyone
surrounding job searches have changed
forever. Employers should embrace this Every day our news outlets and social
new culture of transparency and seize feeds are full of reports about strife
every opportunity they have to start over racial, religious and gender issues.
sharing their stories online and build Pair this with a polarised political
their employer brands. climate, and it’s clear that the need for
the acceptance - and celebration - of
How can you do this? Each employer’s our differences is vital. This applies to
brand will vary depending on the workplace, too.
the business and culture of each
organisation. However, it is good to Embracing diversity in the workplace
focus on compelling stories - human encompasses many things:
stories of how your company makes a gender, race, sexual orientation,
difference and why its culture is unique. physical ability, religion, age and
neurodiversity, for instance. Today,
Spotlighting how you enable employees business and HR leaders should
to fulfil their own goals and aspirations be working to create a diverse and
is also key. Go beyond clichés of pool inclusive workplace.
tables and happy hours. Today’s
jobseeker wants a job that provides It’s not just the right thing to do; it’s
meaning as well as a salary. Many good for business. McKinsey’s report
firms highlight how employees, or the Why Diversity Matters examines how
company as a whole, play a role in diversity affects profitability and
social action. long-term valuation. Companies with
the highest gender diversity among
Company Pages play a crucial role. their executive management were
On Indeed, employers can claim 21% more likely to show better-than-
their employer profiles and use them normal profitability than competitors
to engage current and potential with the least gender variance in
employees by hosting and sharing management. Similarly, companies
useful information, such as their with ethnic and cultural diversity
company descriptions, photos and outperform those without by 33%.
videos, jobs and other insights about
their companies. So how can we boost our efforts to
be as inclusive as possible?
*Methodology: Indeed partnered with
Censuswide to survey 545 UK workers 1. Educate your employees
in April 2018 (20.04.18 – 23.04.18). All It’s important to train new recruiters
respondents were over the age of 16. and hiring managers to recognise
bias and then how to take action.
There are lots of good courses
available on Unconscious Bias and
professional associations that can
help you work to eliminate bias from
your hiring process. The key thing is
to do your homework and choose the
curriculum that is most meaningful to
you and your company culture.
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@britishchambers @IndeedUKTHE HIRING HANDBOOK I 12
But remember: as you introduce 3. Expand the search
ATTRACTING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES
this training, reassure your audience
that this is not about judging them If your company isn’t attracting a
as individuals. Bias, sadly, is just part diverse set of applicants, encourage
of being human. We start to make a recruiters and managers to cast a wide
difference when we acknowledge it. net earlier in candidates’ job search.
Then, knowing what to look for, we can
Do they have good contacts with local
find ways to correct it.
universities and alumni associations?
2. Make job postings inclusive Are they networking with professional
association chapters and other groups
Taking gendered language out of postings that offer student memberships?
may help jobseekers to see possibilities
they may not have considered before and If your company can sponsor
so diversify your talent pool. historically under-represented groups
in your area, you can expose many
The language of job postings can different people to careers they might
influence the kinds of applicants you not have considered in the past.
attract. For instance, researchers at
Duke University and the University of Reach out. You’ll likely find there are many
Waterloo found that ads for traditionally partners eager to cooperate with you!
male-dominated professions — such as
4. Tell good stories
engineering and programming — also
prominently featured words associated People love a good story, and good
with male stereotypes, such as decisive employee stories can do wonders to
and dominant. demonstrate your company’s inclusive
and welcoming culture.
This same study suggests that replacing
stereotypically masculine wording with What stories do you have to share? It
gender-neutral phrasing can lead to doesn’t have to be an article. It could be
more gender parity among candidates. a video, a social campaign or a review
For instance, instead of talking about shared on a third party website such as
“dominance,” you might instead talk Indeed Company Pages. Just make sure
about “excellence in the market.” you get your stories out there.
Similarly, avoiding words traditionally Demonstrating your own inclusivity and
associated with female stereotypes, diversity to a wide audience shows your
such as responsible and together, can commitment to providing opportunities.
attract more men to jobs in traditionally By doing so, you will attract candidates
female-dominated fields such as nursing. who live by these principles, too.
Look for stereotypes and rethink them 5. Build an inclusion team
— then reword them. Tools such as this
gender decoder or Textio can help to If your company doesn’t already have
identify biased language in job postings one, consider adding an inclusion
and other communications. leader to head up your diversity and
inclusion strategy.
It is also extremely helpful to
demonstrate that you are committed This leader can advocate for inclusion
as a business in recruiting a diverse inside your organisation, spearhead
workforce and highlighting any partnerships with external organisations
specific policies (e.g agile or flexible dedicated to advancing inclusion, set
working) that the company offer that up speakers series and advance the
demonstrate this commitment. formation of inclusion groups where
members can collaborate and host
outreach events. And that’s just the tip
of the iceberg.
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Spreading inclusion One area that can contribute to a better
ATTRACTING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES
sense of work/life balance is having
Inclusion is not restricted to any the option to work more flexibly. Desire
one company, and the more that for this is surging – in the last five years
organisations working to create a more searches for working from home or flexible
welcoming workplace team up to learn or remote work have soared 116% as a
from one another, the better. In this share of all searches on Indeed’s UK site.
area of business, there should be no Thankfully, employers are catching on:
competition — only partnership. between 2014 and 2019, we saw a 136%
increase in the phrase “flexible working
Work/Life Balance and hours” in job descriptions in the UK.
Flexibility
The Meaning of Work is a study by Indeed
exploring what work means to people in the
UK in 2019. 2,008 full-time employees in
the UK were surveyed, weighted to reflect
the gender and age composition of the
UK’s full-time employee population based
on data from the ONS Annual Population
Survey from January to December 2018.
Achieving a balance between the
demands of work and everything else
in life was almost as important as pay
to everyone we surveyed, and for those
aged 45 and over it was the most
important factor in their current role.
When we asked what elements of work
have become more important to people
over time, work/life balance swapped
places with salary to take the top spot
having been chosen by 48% of respondents
(versus 46% for salary). Gen X (39-54
year olds) felt this most strongly, with 52%
believing work/life balance has increased in
importance throughout their career.
But are people willing to put their money
where their mouth is? Yes.
When we asked people what salary they
would need to earn to ensure happiness,
the average answer was £51,000. Those
who prioritise work/life balance felt they
needed to earn around £49,000 to be
happy, while those who did not required
£55,000. That is a substantial £6,000
less per annum. This underlines the
considerable value many employees place
on keeping the demands of their job and
their lives outside work in balance.
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THE HIRING HANDBOOK I 15
Finding great Soft skills include personality-driven
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT CANDIDATE
attributes that are more difficult
candidates to identify and train for. These are
the traits that make high potential
Hiring expert advice candidates, and high functioning
employees, so valuable. Learning to
To maximise the chances of finding a
recognise these attributes in CVs is key
great match, you need a game plan.
to making a great hire.
Assessing CVs
If you know what to look for, a CV can Clues from the CV
tell you more about a candidate than CVs are more diverse than ever in
just what jobs they’ve held in the past. their design and style, so you’ll likely
CVs hold important clues about how see many different approaches by
an applicant approaches their work, candidates. No matter what the
allowing you to determine whether the document looks like, here are a few
person could be a transformative hire things to look for:
for your business.
When assessing a candidate, keep in Format
mind both the duties a new employee The way information is arranged on
must be prepared to perform as well a CV can give you a sense of how a
as the competencies your job requires. candidate thinks. Is there a clear flow
These are known as hard skills and soft of ideas and are information categories
skills, respectively. Many hard skills meaningful? The CV of a great
are developed through specialised candidate will tell a clear story.
education and past job training and
experience, while others you may be Details
willing to supplement with training.
Attention to detail is always an asset
Indeed Assessments is a great tool and is a must in many roles. Did the
screening talent based on skills. It candidate take the time to check spelling,
quickly identifies your most promising capitalisation and grammar usage?
candidates, offering free* pre-
employment aptitude, skills and Preparation
personality tests. The CV is your first indication of how
Examples of hard skills closely a candidate read your job
description. A motivated candidate will
• Advanced software knowledge
have highlighted skills and experience
• Language fluency that match your job.
• Certifications or licenses
Examples of soft skills
• Interpersonal and communication skills
Looking for soft skills
• Character attributes like CVs also offer important clues about
dependability and tenacity the character of applicants. Here are
• Work style characteristics such as some of the most important attributes
flexibility and an eye for detail a new employee can have and clues
you’ll find in their CVs:
*Terms, conditions, quality
standards, and usage limits apply.
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Grit candidate’s past effectiveness. Even if
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT CANDIDATE
the results weren’t directly applicable
Big results take big effort and to your business, empirical results
tenacious candidates will be eager to (percentage increases or decreases,
point out what it took to be successful numbers of people served or products
on past projects. Look for evidence of made, etc.) show a candidate’s
having tried many approaches in order inclination to track their efforts, evaluate
to get the desired result.
their impact and be accountable.
Motivation Upward Movement
Driven employees have accomplishments
It is important to see a career
and responsibilities that transcend
progression that indicates improvement
their titles. Look for words that imply
and increased capacity. It is particularly
ownership. Motivated candidates will
significant to see that a candidate
have “led,” “developed” and “designed”
has held multiple jobs of ascending
projects and should be asked to
seniority at the same company, as this
elaborate on these in interviews.
shows that they were recognised for
Integrity their work and abilities.
A candidate with integrity will want you Hiring is the most important step you
to have a complete view of his or her can take to grow your business. Use
accomplishments. To this end, they will these tips to help you choose strong
be clear about the role of their team applicants to go on to the next step of
members in any success as well as the your hiring process.
challenges they faced. Watch out for
candidates who portray all successes as
entirely their own and without obstacles.
Effective interviewing
strategy
Finding experience that
matters Hiring expert advice
Each time you meet with a candidate,
Some CVs are impressive for their length
you are having what could be the first
and scope, but don’t assume that a CV
interaction of a new employee’s tenure
with many job entries indicates a strong
at your company.
candidate. Here are the factors that
matter when assessing experience: CVs provide important clues about the
qualifications of candidates, including
Longevity their experience and character-driven
attributes known as soft skills. But there
The amount of time a candidate spent
is no substitute for an interview as part
in a past role can be revealing, but in
of your evaluation process. Interviews,
complicated ways. A relatively short
both in person and over the phone,
tenure, marked by promotions and
allow you to test your impressions of a
completed projects is more valuable
candidate’s CV and ask questions to get
than a long employment period with
a complete picture of how an applicant
no upward movement or increased
might contribute to your team. Don’t
responsibility.
forget that with each interview, you’re
Results also representing your company to a
potential new employee.
Look for quantitative evidence of a
A productive interview is more than the
meeting itself. To maximise the chances
of finding a great match, you need a
game plan.
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@britishchambers @IndeedUKTHE HIRING HANDBOOK I 17
Prepare thoroughly guidelines for employers to help them
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT CANDIDATE
understand what kinds of questions
violate the rights of jobseekers. Familiarise
Ask the right questions yourself with these best practices before
Taking the time to think strategically interviewing candidates.
about the profile of an ideal candidate
and asking the right questions in Under-asked questions
interviews are the keys to finding the
high potential employee you’re looking
in interviews include:
for. In order to elicit answers that will
help you gauge a candidate’s abilities, it’s
What do you know about our
important to prepare good questions. To company?
help you, here are some tips: It’s hard to equivocate when answering
An effective interview begins with this question. Either the candidate
careful preparation. has done research in preparation, or
they haven’t. This question also lets
1. Take a fresh look at your job you know how detailed to be in your
description and make a list of the overview of the company.
competencies (flexibility, innovative
thinking, attention to detail, creativity) Describe your career
the job requires. These are personality progression and the story it
traits and soft skills that will make
the ideal candidate successful in the
tells about you
position for which you are hiring. Understanding a candidate’s
motivation for job changes helps you
2. Use this list of soft skills to help you understand their goals and interests.
develop your questions. For example,
if your job requires interpersonal and Why do you want this job/
communications skills to work with
other teams, you may want to ask think you can do this job?
interviewees to describe experiences There is a difference between wanting
where their work involved working a particular job and wanting any
cross-functionally. job. A good answer to this question
shows that a candidate has done their
3. Experienced hiring managers homework and is motivated to join your
recommend over-communicating team because they believe they have
with candidates about the interview something to offer.
beforehand. In addition to the time
and location, prepare them for traffic Describe past team dynamics
conditions and parking and let them
know pertinent details such as how that either inspired your best
reception works at your company work or held you back
(whether or not they will need to show
It is important to know what factors
ID, for example).
create an ideal situation for a candidate
and this question will give you
Understand candidate something to compare to the profile you
protections created while prepping for the interview.
To prevent discrimination, the Equality
and Human Rights Commission published
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@britishchambers @IndeedUKTHE HIRING HANDBOOK I 18
Give an example of an Writing samples and
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT CANDIDATE
unsuccessful project you’ve on-site exercises
worked on. What happened Provide a situational cue and ask the
and what did you learn? applicant to write an email to a customer
or a sales letter to see how clearly they
Asking candidates to reflect on
can express ideas in writing.
“meaningful mistakes” helps you tease
out the markers of grit and resilience
as well as the impulse to try new things
Role plays and scenarios
and work for better results. In key roles, Describe a situation an employee might
beware the candidate who can’t think encounter and ask them to describe or
of any examples of missteps or places act out a response. This strategy works
the responsibility elsewhere. particularly well when interviewing for
customer service roles.
Technical assessments
Don’t forget to follow- Certain roles may require maths skills or
up on answers for software proficiency that can be verified
with commercially available tests. You
additional insights can also create your own assessment
based on your company’s needs.
How did you do that?
A candidate with real ownership of an Document and debrief
accomplishment will be able to detail When the interview ends, record and
the planning, innovation and necessary reflect on the conversation.
resources that were required to do
impressive things. Immediately after each interview,
review and add details to notes
What was the result? you made during the conversation.
Important nuances and ideas can be
Press for details to better understand lost if you delay this step.
a candidate’s investment in their
projects, their drive to see a project Outline the strengths and weaknesses
through to completion and to evaluate of the candidate and what support they
the impact of their work. might need to be successful.
Collect written input from others
involved in your hiring process and, if
possible, compare notes.
Quantify key skills with
application tasks
An in-person interview can tell you a
You’ve chosen a
lot about a candidate, but you may candidate. Now what?
find it necessary to have an applicant
demonstrate proficiency by performing You’ve prepared, recruited, interviewed
an application task. Here are some and finally, you’ve decided on the right
ways they can be useful as part of the candidate for your position. It’s time
interview process: to communicate with the candidates
who’ve made it to your final round of
consideration.
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THE HIRING HANDBOOK I 20
The art of saying NO Time is short, and there are so many
things to do. It can be especially tempting
NEXT STEPS
in high volume hiring situations.
Communicating with rejected
candidates But a study by Indeed found that
waiting to hear back from a potential
Hiring the right staff is one of the most employer is the number-one pain point
important things your business can for 48% of jobseekers.
do. But how you go about turning
down candidates is also crucial. After So if you’re ghosting candidates, or
all, most companies reject far more even thinking about it, then it could be
people than they hire and in today’s bad for your reputation.
interconnected world people can share
their experiences more easily than ever. According to a 2016 report from Talent
Board, candidates share negative
This means that word about the type experiences with their inner circles 66%
of candidate experience you offer can of the time.
quickly spread. We know they’re looking:
95% of jobseekers tell us that insight Put simply: adopting a “no answer means
into company reputation is somewhat no” rejection strategy isn’t a solution.
or extremely important. How you
handle rejection is part of the candidate
experience, and impacts your reputation. Every candidate
If you can master the art of saying “no”, deserves a response
that rejected candidate could still put in a
good word for you with other jobseekers, To prevent bad candidate experiences,
which is even more important if you are communicate outcomes clearly.
doing high volume hiring. Or maybe All applicants who apply for a job and
they’ll come and work for you later in a are unsuccessful should receive a clear
role that’s a better fit for them. indication that they did not get the role
So, just how can you increase the odds as soon as you know they are no longer
that even rejected candidates will become being considered.
advocates for your company? Here are a It can be done. Transportation giant
few tips to follow when saying no. Enterprise is dedicated to providing
a positive recruitment experience
to everyone who applies, and that
Don’t ghost candidates includes a strict policy of always
replying to applicants.
The term “ghosting”, disappearing
from contact without explanation, may Why? As Marie Artim, VP of Talent
usually be reserved for dating, but Acquisition at Enterprise, recently
there’s no doubt that it happens in the told us, “We make sure that people
world of hiring too. understand that they’re important to us,
even if it doesn’t work out.”
Likely we’ve all had that experience at
one time or another; applying for a job So, at a minimum, make sure that you
only to wait and wait for a response have a polite email ready for those who
that never comes. didn’t make it past the CV stage or
phone screen.
Of course, it’s easy to understand why
many employers might just drop out Thank them for taking the time to apply,
of contact and let that serve as a “no.” and make sure you wish them the best
in their job hunt. Of course, leave the
door open for them to apply to you
again, if another suitable role appears.
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Explain why the
NEXT STEPS
empathetic, but do not play into their
combative behaviour. This will only
candidate didn’t get heighten the situation.
the job When that initial emotional response
fades, you will have done the candidate
If you can make the message a favour by not allowing the situation
personalised, thanking the candidate to spiral into one of the parties saying
for their time and interest, all the better. something that could be regretted later.
Building empathy into your rejection
process will benefit both parties. Summing up
Letting someone know why they didn’t When you recognise the rejected
get a job is news that they can use for candidate’s time and effort, they’ll likely
future job searches. appreciate it.
If you were looking for more experience And who knows where your next best
in a certain area, say so. Did the project candidate is coming from?
you were hiring for fall through?
Let them know. Were their deficits It could be a friend or colleague of
skill-related? Be clear about any someone you never hired, but who
certifications or experience that would really appreciated the courtesy you
have improved their chances. treated them with and so put in a good
word for you.
If they appreciate your feedback, then
they may share that within their circles We all want to be treated with respect,
or online, giving your reputation a boost. so put yourself in the candidate’s shoes
and remember that everyone you deal
Meanwhile, if you liked them and want with is a potential ambassador for your
to keep their CV on file for future company!
openings, let them know that as well.
How to handle The art of saying YES
combative candidates Extending an offer of
Even after doing all you can to ease
employment
the rejection process, some candidates Congratulations, you’ve found a great
may still allow their emotions and candidate! It’s time to let them know
disappointment to get the better of them you’re inviting them to join your team. The
and can become combative or difficult. process of making an offer has two parts:
the verbal offer and the written offer.
Rejection can be hard, so don’t take it
personally when somebody “bites back.”
Terms to include in your
Remember that the person is most
likely frustrated with the situation, not
offer
you, and their emotions can have them • Company name
directing that frustration outward. • Position name
• Start date
When dealing with a hostile rejected
• Compensation (specify hourly, rate,
candidate, keep things brief and stay
yearly salary)
calm. As always, be respectful and
• Bonus or commission structure
• Pay frequency and days of payment
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(e.g. bi-weekly on Fridays, or the 1st
and 15th of each month, etc.)
Onboarding a new
NEXT STEPS
• Any legal constraints that apply (i.e. employee
non-competes)
• Date by which the offer should be Onboarding is more than helping a
accepted or declined new employee acclimate to a new
• Any agreed flexible working or hours work environment, it sets the stage for
of work how an employee will function in your
company in the future. The effort you
The verbal offer make to set expectations and ensure
that a new person feels connected
It’s a good idea to arrange a time to talk to the company will pay dividends
via email. At the appointed time, present throughout their employment. Taking
all of the terms of your offer. If the some time to plan your new team
candidate is interested, let them know member’s initial experience will help
to expect a written offer letter and make you get everyone off to a great start.
clear how much time they can take to
consider it, generally 24-48 hours. Prior to the start date, begin to think
about what you’d like this employee to
accomplish in the short and long term.
The written offer Then make a job plan that includes goals
The offer letter should only go out after and expectations for the first week,
a candidate has indicated interest in month and quarter. A motivated new hire
the verbal offer and should reiterate will want to understand expectations and
all of the terms exactly as they were have goals to meet and exceed.
presented in the verbal offer. Compile the important information a
new employee will need and provide
Other things to include in as many of these details as possible in
the written offer letter: writing, so that the person can have
answers at the ready when questions
• A proposed start date (and any come up. Don’t forget to include initial
contingencies that might affect this, login details for email, network access
such as the completion of other and building access. If the employee
work with a current employer or a will have a dedicated workspace, have
background check) it ready for them to get started.
• The name of the manager to whom
the employee will report
• A brief summary of additional
compensation and benefits as well
as contact information for a person
at your company who can answer
questions about benefits/pay
• Any agreed flexible working
arrangements
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Other onboarding Nurture your brand
NEXT STEPS
ideas from Indeed Look at your publicly available company
materials through the eyes of a jobseeker.
recruitment experts Does your website and social media
presence project a work environment
If you hire frequently, consider starting a talented employee would like to join?
new employees in new hire groups. Augment these by claiming your Indeed
This allows new employees to start on Company Page, where you can add
the same day and onboard together, so information and photos that will interest
they feel less alone. jobseekers looking to learn more about
Consider preparing a small “swag bag” your business.
with branded and useful items to give
new employees a sense of company Watch for talent
pride and belonging.
Keep your CV assessment skills sharp by
Set up lunches for the employee’s first browsing CVs. Search millions of CVs for
week so that they can get to know the free on Indeed and note how candidates
different people and teams with whom with the skills your business requires
they will be interacting on a daily basis. present themselves. This research will
help you create a meaningful profile of
Assign a first week mentor who can be a qualified candidate to guide your next
available to answer a range of questions hiring effort.
and make the new employee feel at ease.
Happy hiring!
Be ready for the
next hire
Congratulations! You have chosen
and onboarded a new employee. But
don’t wait for the next urgent need
to get ready to hire again. In between
vacancies, take these steps to prepare
for the next recruitment campaign.
Monitor job trends
Periodically conduct your own “job
search” by entering titles associated
with your business needs. Notice
how these roles are presented, which
titles are commonly used and what
qualifications other employers require.
This data will help you create a
competitive job description when the
time comes.
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@britishchambers @IndeedUKHANDBOOK OFFER £50 Credit for a Sponsored Job on Indeed For a limited time, we’re offering a £50 credit to sponsor your first job.* Receive premium placement in search results to help great candidates find and apply to your job faster. Create an account to redeem your credit and start finding your next employee today. Claim Credit Give your recruitment a boost and enjoy: Speed Your Sponsored Job is easy to spot in relevant search results. Premium placement helps great candidates find you early so that you can hire faster. Effectiveness With over 1.1 million unique visitors in the UK every month, chances are your next hire could be searching on Indeed right now.1 Flexibility No long term contracts or upfront fees means that you decide when to start and stop paying for enhanced visibility. Pause or close your job at any time. You’re completely in control. Claim Credit 1 comScore, Unique Visitors, February 2018 *Offer only available for new accounts in the UK that post a job. Credit expires one year after account creation. Terms, conditions, quality standards and usage limits apply. www.britishchambers.org.uk www.indeed.co.uk @britishchambers @IndeedUK
About Us
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is a advice and support to British companies
dynamic and independent business network with trading around the world.
accredited Chambers in every nation and region
of the UK, and in key markets around the world. Chambers help businesses connect, belong, and
succeed. For over 150 years, our business has
Accredited Chambers are at the heart of local been helping UK business grow.
business communities, helping thousands of
companies - of every size and sector - to grow For more information about this report, contact:
and thrive. Together with our fast-growing
global network, Chambers provide practical Faye Busby, Director of Business Development
f.busby@britishchambers.org.uk
Indeed is the #1 job site in the world1 with over passionately pursuing this purpose and improving
250 million unique visitors2 every month. Indeed the recruitment journey through real stories
strives to put jobseekers first, giving them free and data. We foster a collaborative workplace
access to search for jobs, post CVs, and research that strives to create the best experience for
companies. Every day, we connect millions of jobseekers.
people to new opportunities.
comScore Total Visits, March 2018, 2Google
1
At Indeed, our mission is to help people get jobs. Analytics, Unique Visitors, September 2018
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