Recruitment: Getting the right people

For seasonal businesses the annual recruitment exercise will be beginning shortly and here on the Isle of Wight there are a large number of businesses and organisation’s that rely on large numbers of seasonal staff to help them through the busiest times of year.

Many of our clients are concerned about commitment from staff and judging if they are going to stick around. This is the same for many businesses (not just the seasonal ones) that rely on large numbers of minimum wage staff.

Certainly, as a business you do not want to spend time on a recruitment exercise, train them and get them up to speed in the job role for them then to leave within a short period of time.

With this in mind we have considered 5 questions to ask which can give you an idea of an applicant’s commitment at the interview stage.

1. Why are you interested in the role? When asking this question, you should be looking to find out what motivates the applicant. Do they find meaning in their work? Or do they struggle to give a confident answer?

2. Where do you see yourself in three years? This should tell you whether an applicant plans on sticking around. Find out what their short and long-term goals are. Are these in-line with your business?

3. Do you have any hesitations about the role? Asking this question should give you an idea what would hold the applicant back. Salary? No potential to grow? Skills weakness?

4. Why do you think this job would be different or better than your current job? This question should reveal what the applicant is looking for in a new job in the first place. There may be a reason why they want to leave their current job. They may think that your company will be better?

5. If we offer you the job, how long do you think you will stay here? This question is clearly straight to the point and in most cases if someone is not really committed to the role, they will not tell you directly but it may reveal whether an applicant is serious or not. Keep an eye on body language and listen to their voice tone when they answer.

This article was written and researched by Abigail Stiles, Business Administration Apprentice

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