The recruitment of high calibre staff is critical to all organisations. Many service sector or knowledge-worker environments are nothing without their people. Appropriate staff will contribute significantly to the success of the organisation, but the wrong staff could not only fail to achieve targets, but possibly bring about the collapse of the organisation. For these reasons alone, recruitment, particularly of senior positions, is one of the most important tasks Z/Yen can undertake. Our risk/reward methodology is of particular use when recruiting. For example, we often create imaginative remuneration packages designed to find the right balance of risk and reward for both the employer and employee.
Much has been written about the 'right' way to recruit, and there is no shortage of experts ready to provide ready-made solutions. There are at least half a dozen methodologies which can be adopted, each with their own proponents, ranging from in-depth three day assessment centres to graphology and even astrology! In addition, the recruitment market place itself can be a confusing and capricious one, affected by a host of factors ranging from the macro economic climate to peculiar local ones. However, whichever approach is taken, there is nearly always one common factor: cost. Recruitment, at all levels, is usually an expensive exercise, and managers must weigh up the one-off cost of getting it right against the contribution that can be made by the right individual.
Z/Yen people have decades of experience of helping clients identify and recruit the right staff. Projects have ranged across all sectors and across most organisational functions. Approaches adopted have included search ("head-hunting"), advertised selection, assessment centres, psychometric testing and, occasionally, graphology (but not, alas, astrology). The common theme, however, has always been to provide the most appropriate methodology to solve the client's particular need; discretion in the use of ancillary techniques such as psychometric testing also helps prevent the position becoming unnecessarily clouded.
The key to successful recruitment is the consultant's understanding of the client's business and the reasons behind the recruitment. Z/Yen people have established a reputation for achieving success by investing more time than is usual in ensuring that they fully understand the client's objectives; then, and only then, can they know what they are looking for in potential candidates.
Z/Yen's approach to recruitment is based on six steps: establishing the client's needs; assessing the market and company; looking for candidates - which might involve writing advertising copy and selecting appropriate media, or research; reviewing opportunities and interviewing; assembling information, undertaking interview(s) with the client, taking references; structuring negotiations and acting as 'go-between' to secure the right people.
The focus on risk/reward management inherent in Z/Yen's approach to recruitment provides clients with the assurance that an appropriate approach is adopted for each recruitment project and that the market is being effectively and professionally scanned for suitable candidates.
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