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The first and most important step in recruiting a new staff member is the advertisement. If your ad is too general, you will have applicants who are under or over qualified applying for the position, and you will have to spend time wading through unsuitable applications.

Your ad should include the position and duties, as well as stating experience requirements. This will help to decrease the amount of unsuitable applicants, and also give you a checklist to use when looking over applications and selecting a short list of candidates.

It is also important to know the salary package that will be on offer. Whether you work as an in-house recruiter or at a recruitment agency, you need to know what the company is willing to offer potential employees and if there is any room for negotiation based on their experience and qualifications.

When it comes time for interviews, once an appointment is set don't make changes to the day or the time unless absolutely necessary. Like yours, your candidate's time is valuable, and it is likely they have had to juggle their work schedule to attend the interview.

Make sure that the interview environment is as relaxed and comfortable as possible, and that you are prepared before the interview begins. As much as they are trying to impress, a potential candidate also needs to be impressed. Watching you shuffle papers as you look for your questions, or answers to their questions is not going to leave them with a good image.

Be honest in the interview. If the candidate has a question that you don't know the answer to, tell them, but promise to find out and follow up with them within 24 hours.

There is of course no exact science to recruitment, and things will vary from company to company. However, by knowing and understanding what is needed in an applicant and what can be offered, your job will be much easier and far more enjoyable.

Learn more about this author, Kris Zelunka.
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