Maxim Recruitment’s guide to more effective construction recruitment

Don’t let anybody tell you that finding the right member of staff is easy because it usually isn’t. When recruiting, we all like to do things our own way however, following certain recruitment processes will save time and can get a better end result. In this article we will give some recruitment best practice tips that will do this as recommended by bodies such as The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD). Some of the key issues will be further developed in future newsletters.

The better the recruitment processes you as an employer and Maxim as a supplier carry out, the more likely you are to find the perfect quantity surveying or engineering candidate for the job. The best possible candidate will be more productive, stay with you longer and you will not have to waste time recruiting for that position twice or more.

Maxim Recruitment can work with you to develop an efficient construction job recruitment process which will save you time and resources by following best practice in the following five areas.

The five stages of effective recruitment

1. Job analysis
2. Writing a job description/person specification
3. Shortlisting
4. Interviewing
5. The job offer start date and probation period

Stage 1 - Job analysis
Research and define the nature of the job be it a new position or the result of a departure
Evaluate the jobs purpose and the outputs required by the job holder
Evaluate how the job fits into the organisational structure
Evaluate the skills and attributes required of the job holder

Stage 2 - Writing a job description/person specification
This will state the necessary and desirable criteria for selection (Skills/experience/qualifications) etc.
It may include a set of competences identified to do the job
Either of the above will allow direct applicants and recruitment agencies to understand and identify what defines a suitable candidate be it a quantity surveyor, engineer or project manager
A job description/person specification can demonstrate the best way for the HR department to go about getting a vacancy filled e.g. direct advertising and/or contacting a trusted recruitment agency
A job description/person specification can also be used to measure performance in their defined role

Stage 3 - Shortlisting
Usually the biggest headache for employers, having followed the process above; this now becomes an easy and efficient process
Decide the best person in your company to match up applicants received to the job description
Set a deadline for this shortlist of suitable applicants to be contacted for interview

Stage 4 - Interviewing
With a good shortlist you can now telephone interview a manageable number of your ex-pat construction professionals and arrange face to face interviews with those who have impressed

Stage 5 - The construction job offer start date and probation period
Having identified the engineer or quantity surveyor that best matches your job description it is critical to move quickly and professionally through the final stages to their start date and induction

Maintaining a professional impression of both yourself and the business is critical to securing a good candidate who may have alternative offers in progress. This might include being available to answer any questions and encourage them to make the right decision. Establishing rapport with potential employees can make the difference between securing your preferred candidate and losing them to a competitor.

At Maxim Recruitment we have found following such a process to give us a very high success rate with both employers and job seekers.

If you would like to discuss recruitment good practice or how we can help you define and fill a live vacancy please give us a call.