Your employees are one of, if not, the most important part of your organisation. Without a great team, your school, college or Trust will struggle to reach its full potential and become the best it possibly can. However, finding that top talent can be difficult and getting it wrong in the hiring process can be expensive with the average cost of recruitment in the UK around £3,000 per new employee*.
When it comes to hiring an employee, every organisation will look for different strengths or skills in the candidates, depending on the job role and the recruiter’s personal opinion on what is needed for the job. However, along with the job specific skills, there are actually a few other areas that all companies should look for that will help you to hire the best candidates.
Workplace Culture:
The majority of schools and trusts now have a defined culture to communicate to employees, certain values, beliefs, etc. Asking questions around this and seeing if you believe the candidate will fit in to your culture is massively important as employees that don’t fit in may be difficult to manage and could cause disruption.
Attitude:
Attitude is another extremely important area to look at throughout the hiring process. There are the obvious things such as the candidate being well presented, turning up for the interview on time, etc. However, it’s also a good idea to dive deeper and look at things like, how passionate they seem about the work they will be carrying out. Check their references to see if they talk about them having a good attitude, being hard working, going above and beyond, etc.
Versatility:
Although the pandemic is hopefully coming to an end and the world is returning slowly back to normality, the need to be flexible has become a lot more prominent. Due to this, making sure employees are versatile is extremely important as you never know what the future holds. It is best to look for things such as, experience in other areas, knowledge of specific topics, that could help you cover other roles.
Teamwork:
Being able to work in a team is one of the most important skills to have when working in almost any job and especially in a school or Trust. If an employee can’t work as part of a team, it could cause friction or impact on the quality of their work if the employee is trying to do everything themself and not consulting others. Make sure you ask candidates questions relating to teamwork and check references for anything relating to teamwork.
Future Ambitions:
Unless you are recruiting for maternity cover or a fixed term contract, you don’t want an employee who is going to leave after a couple of months or a year because they are just skipping through jobs, looking for the one with the best pay/benefits. You want someone who is committed to the role they are applying for. Make sure to look for candidates who have an understanding of your organisation and want to be a part of helping to achieve the best outcomes for the school and the children.
If you are finding it difficult to attract the right candidates and then to filter through to get the right fit for your school, college or Trust, then speak to us. FACE-Ed helps you find the face that fits. It is an Applicant Tracking System for schools and Trusts, designed to fulfill safer recruitment requirements and helping you to manage your recruitment campaigns in a more effective manner. Find out why so many schools and Trusts are choosing FACE-Ed and book a demo today.
* Source https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/employers/blog/calculate-cost-per-hire/
