Assessment process

Organisations have different cultures, requirements and needs when recruiting so there is no process which fits all. Nevertheless, there are guidelines that form the basis for an internal standard operating procedure for recruitment.

Most organisations commence their recruitment process by considering what they require in terms of experience and competence, deciding where such a person can be found, writing an advert and advertising the job as applicable.

Work Profiling System

This is essential so as to determine the following elements:

• In which context will the candidate be working in? On their own of in a team?
• Who will the candidates customers be? Individuals, groups or companies?
• What competencies are needed? Problem Solving, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Selling skills, Customer Service Orientation, Relationship Building, Pro-activity, Business Acumen, Concern for Order and Accuracy.
• What outputs will have to be achieved? After sales service, maintained customer relationship?

We would point out that all information gained from any assessment instruments (questionnaires, discrete selection, role plays, psychometric tests, individual or panel interviews) should not be used in isolation within the "screening in" process. In order to ensure fair practice, they should always be considered with all other available information.

Once these competencies have been determined it is important to compile a set of valid and reliable assessment instruments to assess the candidates true potential. The recruitment process does not stop here. It is vital to develop any competencies that do not meet the selection criteria.

Hiring the wrong people impacts your bottom line. Findings from recent research by the Future Foundation are alarming. $158 billion is lost worldwide every year through managing poor performers – people that could and should have been identified by better recruitment practices. Recruitment should therefore be considered a "strategic" issue because success or failure can have a dramatic effect on organisational performance.