Your organisation has identified a need for a new employee: where to from here?  No matter if you are part of a large or small organisation, considerable planning must go into the recruitment process to ensure you attract the right person for the job.

Select the right recruitment agency:

Time is well spent researching your potential recruitment agency. Some key areas for consideration are:

• Is the agency a specialist recruiter in your area? The key to a specialist recruiter’s success is strong connections to industry ie) Dairy and Food. Specialist recruiters are more likely to have a bigger and more active network of active candidates in the field.

• How does the recruiter target potential candidates? Reliance on advertising as a sole source of potential candidates provides poor service. Seek a recruiter with excellent networking practices and an active industry database in order to find the right person for the role.

• Does the recruiter understand the nature of the industry in which you work? Do they have experience in general management, technical, sales, production roles in the dairy and food industry?

Prepare a detailed recruitment brief, including:

• A detailed job description- a clear and defined job description is necessary to

a)    provide to potential candidates, as requested, so that they get a clear picture of the job requirements and thus enables them prepare for the interview process
b)    provide a clear picture of the requirements of the role, so that recruiters may accurately hone in on the most suitable candidates for the role

• Overview of the organisational structure- important for the reasons mentioned above
• Clear and defined key selection criteria for the role. Decide which criteria are most important- this may include work experience or personality traits which are best suited to the role
• Key advantages of working for your company or taking on this particular role. This will enable the recruiter to more effectively “sell” your role to potential candidates.
• An overview on the challenges a potential candidate may face within the role or the organisation- again, this is very important in finding a person who is the right fit for the role.
• Remuneration information. Give careful consideration to the remuneration on offer for the role and feel free to seek advice from the recruiter if required. Remember: specialist recruiters have a excellent knowledge on remuneration within the industry & therefore can guide you on remuneration packages that are likely to attract the “right candidate” for the role.

Interaction during the recruitment process:

There are some key points that will help the search process progress smoothly and in a timely manner. These include:

• Communicating any changes in the recruitment brief to the recruiter as soon as they arise. Changes to the brief can potentially affect the type of candidates targeted for the role. This may include:

a)    Salary on offer
b)    Job responsibilities
c)    Job title or seniority of the role
d)    Job location

• Provide feedback to the recruiter on candidates forwarded as soon as possible- this will enable them to keep the process on track by:

a)    Keeping suitable applicants interested and informed
b)    Understanding if there is a need to change direction on the type of candidates forwarded.
c)    Organising the next steps in the process as required, such as interviews and referee checks, negotiation of salary packages etc.

Shamrock Food provides specialist recruitment services to the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Dairy and Food Industries. For more information, contact Adrienne Heslin This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 0414 585 510.