Thinking of employing someone? - Six top tips!

We know that recruitment can seem like a daunting process, especially if you’ve never done it before! So if you’re at a stage where you feel ready to take on an employee this guide will give you some handy advice!

Six top tips for hiring the right person!  

• 1. Consider the type of worker that you require
  Could the job be carried out by a part-time, freelance worker or an apprentice? Many functions can be outsourced without the need of making someone an employee such as bookkeeping and IT. Taking on an apprentice can come with financial incentive through government support schemes.

• 2. Take time to write a clear, detailed job description and person specification
  Getting this right at the start can save a great deal of time and expense later on. A good job description should contain a job title; duties; skills; reporting lines and salary. If set out comprehensively it should help to ensure that you only receive applications from those with suitable skills and experience. Remember that this document is vital after you have recruited as it is a means of measuring performance. You can find templates and tools freely available on the ACAS website.

• 3. Look at what's already out there
  Once you've written a draft job specification you should take a look at the kinds of roles other businesses are recruiting for that appear to be similar to what you are looking for in a new employee. This is a great way to see what else you might want to include, the different ways to phrase your specific requirements to ensure you get the most suitable candidates, as well as giving you the opportunity to check out how competitive the market is for those types of roles and the demand, etc.

• 4. Read up on the National Minimum Wage and the basics on Equality and Diversity laws
  You are required to pay the minimum wage. To see details on the current minimum wage for each age group visit the ACAS website. When writing job descriptions, person specifications and conducting interviews you must not discriminate.

• 5. Use your existing networks to advertise the post
  Agencies can be expensive so try to advertise the post on your social media sites such as LinkedIn and through your personal and business connections.
  You can also advertise your vacancy on the government site 'Universal Jobmatch'.

• 6. Ask someone else to join you when you interview
  It’s a cliché, but when it comes to interviewing two heads really are better than one! Having another person assist you with interviewing allows for one of you to take notes whilst the other keeps the interview flowing and also helps with maintaining an objective viewpoint about the candidate.