7 Tips for Finding the Right Candidate for Your Next Job Vacancy

Filling a job vacancy can seem like a very daunting prospect if you've never done it before. The whole process can be made simple if you break it down into manageable pieces and consider the following tips when finding a candidate for your next job vacancy.

Be clear about the job vacancy
Before you start, it's useful to make a list of what the job entails and the tasks that the candidate will be required to do in their role. Once you've done this you can refine it and amend it but you should be left with a clear and concise job description going forward.

Use a specialist recruitment agency
If the vacancy is in a specialised niche or field, such as social care for example then you may find that it's best to get some expert help and go to a social work recruitment agency or maybe talk to a consultant about your needs. You could save a lot of time and money this way.

Short-list your candidates
Today's tough economic climate means that jobs are in high demand so you're likely to get many more applications for a vacancy than you may expect. Be strict and read each one carefully, ensuring that you only put forward for interview those candidates who are qualified to do the job.

Plan your interview questions carefully
Once you have your shortlist of candidates, you need to compile a list of questions that will encourage the kind of answers you want to hear. It's important to be prepared. Whilst it is important to be prepared in the interview, you should also expect to ask new questions depending on where the interview takes you.

Don't settle for second best
If you have been through the interview process and whittled the candidates down but are still unable to make a choice then don't be afraid to arrange a second interview process. If however, you do not feel that you have found the right candidate then don't settle for second best. Simply go back to the agency and speak to them again.

Refine your candidate requirements
If you did find that the first batch of candidates were not up to standard then it may be worth talking through the criteria with the recruitment agency again and being more specific about the role and the type of person you are looking for.

Consider how the candidate will fit in to your working environment
Whilst finding the candidate who can fill the job vacancy is simple enough on paper, the interview process will give you more of an insight into their personality and from your careful questions and the answers given you should be able to work out whether the candidate would fit in well with your organisation and the team within which they would be placed.

The tips outlined above should give you more of an idea about where to start in your search for the right candidate for your next job vacancy, making the process less daunting and more achievable.