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Client

Shortlisting for Success – 3 Insider Tips!

Shortlisting for Success

Choosing candidates to interview can be a challenge, particularly when you have a popular role on offer and an abundance of applicants. There are a range of tips and tricks that can help you better understand your candidates and how they would suit your organisation. From decoding CVs to discerning hidden talents, there are some key strategies that can help you shortlist a position successfully.

 

Understand their values and interests

One of the most important things to understand when you’re shortlisting candidates for your team is how to look for cultural fit. If you read a CV holistically you can usually gain a good understanding of a candidate’s hobbies and interests, how career driven they are, whether they have taken time away from work to travel overseas and so on. It’s also important to remember that a job application and CV will only tell you so much, so we can’t under-emphasize the value in making that initial phone call to candidate to talk about their background, skills, experience and career goals, and also gaining an understanding if they have a genuine interest in the specific role they have applied for.

Know the red flags

There are a range of things to look out for when assessing your candidates and looking over their CVs and applications. It’s important to be discerning when reading resumes, taking note of any missing information or gaps. Significant gaps in employment are a reason for concern, and raises the question of how the candidate could afford to live over that period. Understanding why they left their last job or why they want to leave their current job is also important as this can show you how well they work in a team, or how they don’t. Job hopping without legitimate reasons can suggest a lack of commitment, or a lack of specific career goals.

Understand their work experience and job roles

Usually when reviewing job applications and CVs we are on the lookout for career progression over time. This doesn’t necessarily mean changing jobs or organisations, however it is a good sign if a candidate is taking on additional responsibilities, putting their hand up for promotions, or acting in leadership opportunities when managers are away. This shows that the candidate has natural leadership ability, and is most likely a high performer, rather than someone who plods along in their role.

 

In summary, shortlisting takes a good eye, sound judgement, and plenty of practice. By incorporating the strategies we have outlined here, you can not only identify the best-suited candidates for your vacancy; you can build a highly skilled team that aligns with your values and can drive your organization forward.

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Client

Three reasons why getting a temp makes good sense…

Three reasons why getting a temp makes good sense

There are a range of benefits to engaging temporary staff, who can be a huge asset to your organisation to increase capacity through periods of staff leave, or as a way of bringing in additional expertise to support growth or special projects. Gone are the days when temps were engaged to “fill a seat” – they can bring a raft of valuable skills and experience to your team without the ongoing employment obligations.

Flexibility

Temporary staff offer a flexible approach to challenging situations. This can include things such as staff leave, long recruitment processes and resourcing crunches. In the current employment market sometimes, it can take a long time to find the perfect candidate to fill your vacancies, and engaging someone temporarily during that time can help you and your team manage the workload. Temporary staff are there to start instantly and won’t need the time to adjust and work their way into the team that someone permanent would. As there are no ongoing employment obligations it’s also a good opportunity for you to “try before you buy”. If they prove to be a valuable asset to your team, you can always extend them or employ them permanently.

Skills

There are often times when you get a new project that needs a very specific skillset, and engaging someone temporarily or on a contract can offer you the ability to find those skills and deliver your project. At the same time, having someone specialized on your team can offer a fresh perspective and new ideas. This can give you the opportunity for change and improvement for the future.

Capacity

Similarly, large projects or transformations in your business might need a larger team to meet the deadline or objective. Temp staff offer you a quick solution to scale up your workforce. Having more staff for these high-pressure moments can help your team evade burnout and stress, boosting morale and ultimately giving you a better end product.

 

In any workplace, adaptability and agility are key to success. Temporary staff offer a multitude of benefits that can significantly impact your team’s performance and overall outcomes. Our Consultants understand the importance of finding the right temporary staff to meet your evolving needs. All of our temporary staff are extensively vetted, and on top of that we look after all of their employment obligations, giving you peace of mind and complete flexibility. For more information on our temporary recruitment services, please do not hesitate to contact us on 02 6103 7000 or email hello@cbrrecruitment.com.au.

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Client

Mastering the Art of Interviewing: How to Win Over High-Calibre Candidates

Mastering the Art of Interviewing

Finding the perfect candidates for your interviews is just the beginning. With competitive talent becoming scarcer and candidates getting pickier, it’s time we all learn to improve our interview style. Today, interviews are more about convincing the perfect candidate you’re the right choice than it is the candidate convincing you to hire them. You’re going to have to work harder, and smarter, to catch that talent. Here’s how you convince them to stay.

How to prepare

The interview is crucial in both your understanding of the candidate and their understanding of the workplace. Chances are, they know more about you than you know about them. A good way to prepare, both for yourself and your candidate, is to look at it from their point of view. Think about the last time you went through an interview. Assess what you found useful or nerve-wracking and use your own experiences to make the process as comfortable and balanced as possible.

Create Comfort

Interviews are always stressful, and sometimes this can cost you a candidate. Minimising this to the best of your ability is important to ensure they see you positively, and you don’t scare them away. Try to provide as much information as possible, what to wear, where to go, and what you’ll be talking about are all great things to let your candidate know.

Pick the Perfect Location

Location is always important. Just like meeting someone new, the first impression can make or break you. Anywhere too noisy might distract from the importance of the conversation, but performing the interview at the office might distance you socially or make the candidate nervous. Choosing an environment where you’re both comfortable to express what you’re looking for and need from each other could be pivotal to the answer you get after putting out an offer.

Write Your Best Questions

The questions you ask your candidate will form the foundation of your professional relationship. If you want to start off friendly, try beginning with a casual conversation. Something deeper than the weather, but nothing so personal as family. When it comes to the questions themselves, while asking for their greatest weakness might seem like a time-saver, what does it actually tell you? Most likely, such a direct question will get you a rehearsed answer. What you’re going for is authenticity. Ask about their work life, what they enjoy about their current job, or what they think about your company.

 

In the Interview

Think about the perfect ‘fit’

Making sure your team fits together like a puzzle is important in creating a strong workplace culture. Consider whether they will get along, or if you could grow together. Think about their future potential, who they could be in a years’ time. Remember, the person you meet at interview might change when you get to know them. Ask them questions you think will show what their values are and see if yours align.

 

Let them ask you questions:

Have a bit of back and forth with them. If you make the interview feel like a conversation, you’re more likely to get a well-rounded view of the candidate, and they will better understand you and the workplace culture you’re a part of. In addition, the questions they ask will often tell you about their thought processes. Or, how interested they really are. Letting your candidates interview you helps them to better understand your company, and it demonstrates that you value their opinions and concerns.

Sell the role

The interview is as much for you as it is for them. If you like the candidate, spend a bit of time highlighting the role and workplace. They’re not likely to say yes to an offer if you don’t let them know what a great opportunity it is. Chances are, there are other options and employers who are looking for candidates just like you are. So, feel free to really sell it.

 

Maintaining a strong and convincing interview process can be challenging and time consuming. If you find you don’t have the time or ability to find the high calibre candidates you need, we can take all the hassle out of it for you. Our recruitment services are all-encompassing and personalised to your needs to help you attract the best talent in the market.

 

Times are changing, and so are your candidates. If you don’t meet them where they are, chances are you’ll be losing out on high quality talent. It’s important to emphasise how important your staff are in your workplace through how you coordinate your interviews, how comfortable your candidates feel, and how well they understand your values. Using these tips in your interview might just help you in securing your dream team. So, be bold, be friendly, and win over that candidate!

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Client

5 Tips for Running Australian Public Service Interviews

As a panel member involved in an Australian Public Service (APS) recruitment process it’s important to get the most out of the interviews. Conducting interviews with fairness, transparency and adherence to the APS values is vital to find the best candidates for your organization. Here are 5 things to consider when running your next APS interview process.

 

Prepare Structured Questions

Develop a set of well-structured questions that align with the position requirements and the APS values. This ensures a fair and consistent interview process.

 

Assess APS Values Alignment

Include questions that assess how well the candidates’ values align with the APS values of Impartiality, Commitment to Service, Accountability, Respect and Ethical Behaviour.

 

Behavioural-based Questions

Use behavioural-based questions to gauge candidates’ past experience and actions in relevant situations, as these can provide insights into their potential future behaviour and performance

 

Diversity and Inclusion

Ensure that your interview panel consists of diverse members to avoid bias and promote inclusivity. Also consider incorporating questions that assess candidates’ commitment to diversity and inclusion.

 

Scoring and Feedback

Develop a scoring system to objectively evaluate candidates’ responses, and as a panel work together to achieve a consensus on each candidate’s performance. Also be prepared to provide constructive feedback to unsuccessful candidates to help them improve for future opportunities.

 

 

For assistance running your next APS recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 02 6103 7000 or email hello@cbrrecruitment.com.au.

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Candidate Client

“Hard Skills” and “Soft Skills” – what are they and why is it important to know?

Hard Skill And Soft Skill

Every job that is carried out by a human contains a mix of what we call “hard skills” and “soft skills”. These vary according to the job, the organisation, and often the organisation’s willingness to train candidates in any potential skill gaps they might have.

What are Hard Skills?

Broadly speaking, “hard skills” refer to tangible or technical skills. This can include degrees, knowledge of a particular language, or aptitude in a computer application. The way to consider “hard skills” from a practical perspective is that a candidate’s proficiency in these areas can usually be assessed by some kind of test, or a measurement of competence, such as a certification or a degree.

What are Soft Skills?

“Soft skills” on the other hand, are much harder to quantify. They cover things like leadership, problem solving ability, multitasking, communication, and reliability. In the recruitment industry we often call these skills the “intangibles” of a role. They often correlate very closely to the overall “fit” of an employee within an organization.

As a general rule “soft skills” cannot be assessed by reading a candidate’s CV. EVERYONE says they have strong leadership skills, great communication skills, or a strong attention to detail. What are great leadership skills? What are great communication skills?

How do we assess soft skills?

CBR Recruitment assists our clients by assessing the “soft skills” of candidates through the candidate registration process. Every candidate who registers with us undertakes a preliminary competency-based interview with an experienced Recruitment Consultant. They are asked to provide examples of situations where they: planned and organized their time; communicated with influence; solved a problem; contributed to a team; and led others to achieve outcomes. This assessment can be bolstered with CBR Recruitment’s DiSC behavioral profiling service, where a candidate’s natural work style, team cohesion and behavior in the workplace can be assessed.

The bottom line is that if an outstanding candidate is lacking a hard skill, such as lack of experience in a particular computer application, this can easily be resolved with some training. However, a general manager who is lacking a soft skill such as effective leadership ability is a much bigger problem!

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Client

How To Answer Those “Tricky” Interview Questions

Tricky Interview Questions

The interview is one of the most important aspects of getting a job, and making a good impression is vital to your chances. Effective employment interviewing involves preparation and practice and to be prepared for an interview you need to acquire knowledge about yourself, about the job, and about the employer you are interested in working for. The following are various techniques that can help you make a good interview impression and answer those “tricky” questions.

 

Research the Organisation and the Position

The more you know about the organisation and the job you are applying for, the better you will appear in the interview. An interviewer will be impressed by your interest and motivation, and you will be able to explain what you can do for the organisation.

You should find out the following information before your interview:

  • The typical duties and salary range for the job in which you are interested;
  • The background of the organisation;
  • The products or services of the organisation;
  • The philosophy and values of the organisation; and
  • Any recent news regarding the organisation.
  • The likely format interview and whether questions will be competency-based or unstructured.

Prepare

Whether the interview is competency-based or unstructured, an interviewer must secure answers to four basic questions, either directly or indirectly through other questions and comments. You should be clear about your thoughts and prepared to give articulate answers to these questions:

  1. Why do you want to join the organisation?
  2. How much experience do you have in this area?
  3. How do your skills and values fit with the organisation?
  4. What are your salary requirements?

 

Handling Difficult Questions

If you are unsure about a question politely ask for the question to be repeated or for more information and write the question down if you need to. It is always better to understand the question than try and answer one that you don’t. Take your time with your answer and think about what you are saying. Never rush questions as you might miss out on saying what you wanted, and if you’re not sure you have answered the question completely, ask the interviewer if they would like you to elaborate. The best way to handle difficult questions in an employment interview is in an honest, positive manner. Some difficult questions employers ask include:

‘Tell me about yourself….’

The employer wants to gain information about your work experience, not your personal life. Talk about experiences and goals that relate to the specific job you are applying for.

‘How would you describe yourself?’

Discuss positive, work-related attitudes. For example, you could suggest that you enjoy working with people of all ages, are loyal, committed, etc.

‘Have you done this type of work before?’

Link the skills you possess to the abilities needed for the job. Answer truthfully about how your experience relates to the position.

‘Why did you leave your last job?’

Be honest, professional and positive in your response – interviewers need to be able to understand your reasoning for leaving past positions. Avoid any statements that may say something negative about yourself, your work, or your ability to get along with others.

‘You seem to be overqualified for this position. Why do you want this job?’

The employer may be questioning your goals or challenging your long-term commitment to the job. Indicate your sincere interest in working for the organisation. Emphasise the unique attitudes, abilities and interests that led you to apply for this job.

 

Ask Questions

You should conclude the interview with questions you have about the job. Make sure you are prepared with some questions you would like answered in the job interview. Apart from frequently-used question regarding the timing of the recruitment decision, if possible use this opportunity to engage with the interviewer about the team or organizational goals, or their expected achievements of the candidate within say the first 100 days of the role. This prompts them to tell you exactly what they expect.

 

After the Interview

End the interview with a handshake or warm farewell, (taking into account COVID-19 and social distancing protocols) and thank the interviewer for their time. Reiterate your interest in the position and your qualifications. Follow up with a phone call if you are not contacted within a week of when the interviewer indicated you would be.

 

The CBR Recruitment Team prides itself on doing our absolute best to prepare you for your interview so you have the best opportunity of winning your next job. To discuss your next career move, please phone: 02 6103 7000 or email: hello@CBRrecruitment.com.au

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Client

Competency Based Interviewing – What is it and why use it?

Competency Based Interviewing

The current industry leading practice is to interview candidates using a technique known as “Competency Based Interviewing” (also called “structured” or “behavioural” interviewing). Competency based interviewing is based upon the concept of linking three parameters – knowledge, skills and attitude. Each question is designed to test one or more specific skills and the answer is then matched against pre-decided criteria and marked or rated accordingly. For example, the interviewer may want to test the candidate’s ability to deal with stress by firstly asking how the candidate generally handles stress and then asking the candidate to provide an example of a situation where he or she worked under pressure.

 

How is Competency Base Interviewing Different?

Competency based interviewing differs from traditional interviewing (also called unstructured interviewing) as traditional interviews are essentially a conversation where the interviewer asks a number of questions that are relevant to what they are looking for, but without any specific aim in mind other than getting an overall impression of the candidate as an individual. Questions are usually quite random and can also be quite open. For example, a question such as “What can you offer our company?” is meant to gather general information about the candidate but does not test any specific skill or competency. In an unstructured interview, the candidate is judged on the general impression that he or she leaves and the process is therefore likely to be more subjective.

 

What are the Benefits?

Competency based interviews are more systematic, with each question targeting a specific skill or competency. Candidates are asked questions relating to their behaviour in specific circumstances, which they then need to back up with concrete examples. The interviewer will then dig further into the examples by asking for specific explanations about the candidate’s behaviour or skills.

 

An example of a competency-based interview question is:

“This is a busy role which manages high volumes of client contact and juggles a number of competing priorities. Can you tell us about a time when you have had to coordinate multiple work outputs with competing deadlines? What strategies did you employ and what was the outcome?”

 

This question tests organisational skills, working at a fast pace, dealing with stressful situations, providing high quality client service and achieving results.

 

Utilising Methodology

The “STAR” methodology can be useful tool to frame competency-based interview questions.

 

Situation

Ask the candidate to set the context by describing the circumstance where they used the skills or qualities you are seeking.

Task

What was their role / involvement in the situation?

Actions

What did they do and how did they do it?

Results

What did they achieve? What was the outcome of their actions?

 

Regardless of the specific position being recruited it is always worthwhile asking a question about communication skills, teamwork and organisational skills as these qualities are important requirements of most jobs.

 

Secondary Interviews

Another effective technique in assisting to select the best candidate for the position is to conduct a secondary interview with the top one or two candidates. This interview should be a much less formal unstructured interview – at a café for example. This is a good opportunity to meet the candidate in a less stressful environment than the initial interview, and will give you an excellent insight into their potential fit into the culture of your organisation, and you should be able to effectively gauge how you would work with the candidate on a day-to-day basis.

 

For assistance with your next recruitment campaign or with developing competency-based interview questions, please call CBR Recruitment on 02 6103 7000 or email: hello@CBRrecruitment.com.au

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Client

5 Key Recruitment Tips for Small Business Owners – How to achieve the “perfect fit”.

Recruitment Tips

Almost every small business owner I speak to says that recruiting and retaining high quality staff for their business is one of their biggest challenges. Recruiting staff is certainly a big step – wages are an expensive overhead, and the difference between an excellent staff member and a substandard staff member can have a profound impact on the overall performance of your business.

We look at recruiting staff as being an investment in your business – an opportunity to grow, to increase performance, and to provide your stakeholders with a better service or experience. Before we even start to consider “fit” there are several important steps in any recruitment campaign that need to be undertaken.

Firstly run a formal recruitment process – including at least first and second round interviews. Secondly ensure that the person actually has the technical skills to do the job, so do appropriate background checking and skills assessments.

 

What does “fit” actually mean?

“Fit” can be a hard thing to quantify, however we define “fit” as: how the candidate’s goals and objectives align with those of the business – and also whether they have the skills and experience that the business needs at a specific point in time.

While each business is unique, there are some specific characteristics that we look for in candidates when we recruit for small businesses:

A Track Record in Client Service Roles

There are very few roles in small business which don’t have a client service component – everyone represents your business to some extent, so we look favourably on candidates who have worked in hospitality or retail roles early on in their careers. Even if it was a long time ago, while studying for example, these types of candidates naturally gravitate towards people and enjoy human interaction. Skills developed in hospitality or retail roles include: communication skills, negotiation experience, problem solving ability, teamwork, along with having a client centric approach.

Broad Skillsets

Candidates with narrow skillsets or a very specific area of expertise can often be less versatile, which can be problematic if your business is rapidly growing or changing – job roles, corporate structures and skill requirements can change dramatically. People who can take on some tasks which fall outside their specific job role can be a huge asset – particularly if someone has the ability to take away some of the peripheral tasks you do as a business owner. Look for candidates who demonstrate versatility, adaptability, the ability to multi-task, and are highly organised.

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is something that can’t be measured on a CV, however it’s crucial when it comes to the fit of the candidate within your business. How intuitive are they, what will they be like to work with, and how do their personal goals and values align with those of your business? When interviewing candidates for your business, think about their overall job suitability, how they have previously shown initiative, and also how they interact with you during the interview.

Results / Outcome Focussed

Results or outcome focussed people generally understand the commercial reality of being in business – they will want to help the business to grow, they will look to take on more, and they like working to deadlines. Look for a track record of achievement in previous roles, their personal drive and overall “energy”.

Loyalty

In small business staff loyalty is very important due to the time and effort involved in recruiting and training a new staff member. Look at a candidate’s employment background thoroughly, put yourself into their shoes, and try to understand their reasoning for leaving previous positions. The other thing to consider is their current relationship with past employers, so be very thorough when conducting references.

 

If you need any assistance with identifying candidates who are a perfect fit for your small business, please call 02 6103 7000 or email: hello@CBRrecruitment.com.au