Recruitment efforts: Diligence needed
Google receives over 2 million job applications per year and getting employment there is like being admitted into a prestigious university

Google receives over 2 million job applications per year and getting employment there is like being admitted into a prestigious university

Shelter Chieza Change Management
There should be no place for under achievers if we are serious about turning around the country’s economy.

I believe that roles come with responsibilities and the inability to fulfil that requirement nullifies the purpose for one’s appointment.

Leniency has been known to cost companies a lot of money. It’s costly to keep human “liabilities” within your company.

If you were to work out the cost that a company incurs due to an unproductive employee, you may be shocked by the figure.

This therefore means that companies need to be diligent when recruiting their staff.

I take a cue from one of the best performing companies in the world, Google. Google receives over 2 million applications each year.

Two million applications is enough to drive one insane. Being offered a job at Google is akin to being enrolled at the Stanford Graduate School in the United States.

Given the high demand for jobs at the organisation, Google does not hesitate when it comes to firing under achievers.

In fact that is the reason why their recruitment bill is extremely high.

The problem with most employees is that as soon as one is offered a job and they pass their probation they relax and see it as a means to an end.

For instance the CEO’s chair looks so attractive before you get there and the tendency is to work hard to ensure that you get there but once you are there, you slacken.

However if there are over 2 million people vying for your post, you can’t afford to take your eyes off the ball.

Such competition will keep you on your toes and ensure that your key deliverables are achieved, targets are met and innovation and efficiency issues are optimised.

This level of agility lacks in most of our management.

This brings into focus the need to ensure that you have the best recruitment practices.

Early in 2009, Google revealed that it had 400 internal recruiters that are looking and searching for the best of the best.

This was not an easy call. This was just a minimum number compared to the outside recruiters and contractors that only focus on hiring and picking up the cream de la crème.

The decisions for companies to hire and fire are policy based. A policy that values hard work and excellence is reflected in the budget reserved for your human resources.

A top performing marketing manager is seen by the portfolios they have grown and handled.

Taking an average marketing manager may not be the best option no matter how many calculations you present to me.

The lavish perks and job flexibility issues are often a way of baiting and attracting such excellent managers.

The best recruiting drives are often said to be long, cumbersome, mechanical to the point of them being boring.

It is easy to pick up the calibre of a person you are searching for if you know precisely what you are looking for.

Google recruitment at one point used to take over 6 months with an individual attending more than 10 interviews all in the name of gaining useful knowledge about the applicant.

I am amazed at the number of companies that only have a single interview. Single interviews never really give you an appreciation of the type of person you are recruiting.

It makes it difficult to settle for employees that are smart, high achievers, highly reliable and innovative.

Having a mechanical sorting system for your internal recruitment would make your job a little easier.

Companies also need to reconsider how they are advertising vacancies; maybe they are opening too wide.

If a company is into agro business, what benefit would it have if is advertises a vacancy in a sports magazine?

Take time to look at where you are advertising. A lot of benefits may be reaped from there.

In most cases it pays to outsource the job to recruitment agencies that have the time and expertise to perform the arduous tasks.

A little help from them goes a long way in selecting the best candidate for you.

Till next week, may God richly bless you!

Shelter Chieza is a Management Consultant. She holds over a decade of Management Experience .She can be contacted at [email protected]

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