How to secure the right staff

Sources for getting staff

Some of the sources available for you to choose from are as follows:

1. Employment Agencies
2. Centrelink
3. Local Schools and Institutes
4. Professional and Trade Associations
5. Unions
6. By advertising in newspaper, radio, magazines etc

Before any advertising can be done you must know exactly what kind of job you are filling and what kind of skills are needed.

You need to think about the following things:

• What the new employee has to do
• The need for previous experience
• Whether the job calls for any degree of responsibility
• The nature and amount of material or money which might be handled
• Skills involved - whether operating skills or mathematical ability is necessary etc
• Any special attributes which may be needed by the employee
• Whether the employee’s age, physical appearance etc has a bearing on his or her performance

Newspapers are an effective advertising medium because of their wide circulation. You just have to choose a newspaper that is most appropriate for your needs and carefully select where in the newspaper you would like your advertisement to appear.

You can also seek staff in other ways such as - posting the vacancy within the firm itself, posting the vacancy outside the gate, using an employment agency, approaching local groups such as unions, schools, community groups etc.

Selecting staff

The basis of selection is fact finding, either by asking questions or by requiring applicants to demonstrate the skills that they claim to have. Some organisations, which have many applicants, use an application form to save time. Basic details such as name, age, address and work experience can help shorten the time needed to select the right applicants.

The success of an interview depends to a great extent on how much preparation is done. Fact-finding can be more effective if you plan questions in advance and a standard set of questions makes comparisons easier.

The staff Interview

Most interviews would follow the following steps:

• Introduce yourself and explain what you do in the firm.
• Give the applicant a brief description of the operations, the job and the working conditions. Ask questions and confirm that the applicant is still interested. If not, then there is no point in continuing and the interview should be terminated.
• Introduce yourself and explain what you do in the firm.
• Where appropriate ask the applicant to demonstrate the skills most necessary for the job.
• Introduce yourself and explain what you do in the firm.
• Follow up facts or other topics of interest in the work history of the applicant.
• Introduce yourself and explain what you do in the firm.
• If you have called for written references of any kind, then go through them.
• Introduce yourself and explain what you do in the firm.
• Indicate when and how you will let the applicant know of your decision.
• Introduce yourself and explain what you do in the firm.
• Take some notes to consolidate your ideas.
• Introduce yourself and explain what you do in the firm.
• If you have the names of previous employees as referees, then consult them before making your final decision.

Interviewing is not easy, but you can improve your technique by following these basic guidelines:

• Introduce yourself and explain what you do in the firm.
• Prepare adequately
• Do not talk too much
• Be realistic
• Be thorough