“Recruitment is something I do extensively,” she says. “Our challenges in recruiting involve making sure we have right skill set to meet the needs of our customer service business. We use several tools including testing and one-on-one behavioral type interviewing. Our employees work on the front line with customers, day in and day out. It’s a challenge to know whether the people you hire have the right skills for the job until they actually do it, but by using several interview tools, we can more effectively determine the best candidates up front.”

Yates says it’s important to discuss the job responsibilities with potential employees, so they have a clear understanding of the job description.

“You have to make sure the job mandate has the right outline for what is needed. In the past, I’ve worked in large companies, where HR worked hand-in-hand with line managers. Accu-Link is a small company, so HR plays a vital role throughout the entire recruitment process. When a company has fewer than 60 to 80 employees, HR is particularly critical.” Included in the recruitment process are things like job analysis, writing up the job mandate-outlining qualifications, advertising, interviewing and selection. Bridget Carter reinforces the fact that today’s recruitment challenges include finding the best candidate when faced with a sea of applications and resumés. Carter is Principal of Sapphire Consulting and President of the Human Resources Professionals of York Region, a chapter of HRPAO. “Sometimes the numbers received are simply overwhelming,” she says. “Companies have to work with new technology to develop and use better recruitment tools. Plus, there’s the challenge of recognizing foreign qualifications and/or degrees. The government is working on speeding up the process of assessing foreign credentials.”

She adds that for smaller firms, there are sometimes problems in ensuring compliance with human rights and other legislation, and in time management. “Smaller firms are unlikely to have access to the online tools/technology that bigger firms have, simply because of the cost involved.”

Carter stresses that the solution is to train recruiters and managers in best practices, a variety of interview techniques and current legislation requirements. “Companies today need training in the new technology to better manage applications and track applicants in order to ensure that the applications received are handled in a fair, unbiased and consistent manner. This means keeping current regarding the assessment of credentials.” Again, she points out that HR professionals can help. “Smaller firms may have any member of staff responsible for hiring, possibly without adequate training, without providing them enough time to review applications properly or learn to write a good ad, and without the knowledge on how to comply with current legislation. They might ask employment or interview questions that are not legal. An HR presence can ensure that a consistent process is in place, thereby avoiding complications and possibly overlooking the most qualified candidate.”

As for the right cost, Carter says it is relative and varies by company. “To calculate the cost per hire, add anything you paid for advertising, agency, referral, recruiter, travel, training for new employees, etc., and divide by the number of hires. If a small firm is hiring only one or two employees each year, the percentage per hire would be higher than a firm that can spread costs out over more hires.”

Recruitment works best when companies look at the big picture, and HR professionals have the vision to help ensure a win-win situation for everyone involved.