MightyRecruiterStaffing Services: Go Beyond the Job Description
When someone asks you what staffing services do, you probably answer along the lines of:
-They help businesses find short-term and long-term help
-They source prospective full-time and part-time employees for companies
-They ease the workload for businesses while cutting down on their hiring costs and interview processes
In order to achieve all of the above, you must go beyond job descriptions. Let’s face it; it doesn’t take long for descriptions to become outdated, if they ever were accurate in the first place. How many people do you know who are doing a vastly different job than the one they were hired for And because a big part of your job in staffing services is to match candidates with positions and companies, you definitely need to know all you can about a job.
Naturally, you ask supervisors and hiring managers to craft specific job descriptions that include information such as main tasks and responsibilities, necessary skills, qualifications and relevant work experience. However, after you review these job descriptions, you need to further dig for specifics. That does not necessarily mean asking for more information. After all, three pages of information versus one page is not an improvement if the supervisor or hiring manager is unaware of what the job really entails.
Ask about Deal Breakers
Some companies like to throw in all kinds of requirements such as GPA, years of experience and level of education, when, in fact, these ïrequirementsï are flexible. So, as someone who works for staffing services and who needs to go beyond job descriptions, investigate how strict or flexible requirements are. In some cases, deal breakers are clear. For instance, a doctor needs a degree (and often, certification). But does this receptionist position really require that candidates must have three years of experience Would two suffice How about this job description that mandates experiencing selling cars Would experience selling car products be okay
Broach the topic like this, ïI’m sure I can get several candidates to you who will bring passion and success to the job. However, if they did not meet this [specific requirement], is that a deal breakerï
Investigate the Job
It’s possible that the person who wrote the job description cobbled it together from descriptions of similar positions online and did not talk to anyone in the company about the actual qualifications needed. Staffing services must get an idea of the true nature of a job, and that entails sitting down for a chat with people at the company who are currently in that position and possibly even the colleagues of these folks. Ask questions like, ïWhat are the main problems for people in this job What do they tend to be successful in, and what do they fail atï
Also, get specifics to clarify generalities such as, ïexcellent team playerï or ïexemplary communicator.ï What does ïteam playerï mean in this case Find out what the teams look like (how many people, for example) how often they meet, how they communicate and how often they change. Does ïexemplary communicatorï mean an expert at public speaking, at delivering presentations Or does it fall more along the lines of troubleshooting client complaints through phone chat
Think about Job Advancement
Find out what happens to most people who have held the position. For example, do they tend to leave quickly for lateral positions elsewhere Do they normally get promoted to management after a few years Use this information to determine what kind of potential candidates you should look for.
Assess the Company Culture
When you meet with hiring managers and folks at the company, you get an idea of the company culture. You should also check out a business’s website and other online sources for insight into company culture. Try to answer for yourself questions such as:
-What types of workers get praised (For example, workers who arrive on time and leave on time, or workers who take risks)
-Does this business encourage employees to take initiative with projects and trust them to get permission later
-What is the work-life balance like with this business
-What type of person fits in well here, and what type does not
Looking at the culture of a business is important because while job descriptions tend to evolve, company atmosphere stays static.
A good rule of thumb is to treat every job description as only 50 percent accurate. It’s up to staffing services to go the extra mile, or the extra 50 percent. As you and other personnel in staffing services make all-star hires, turn to the resources here at Mighty Recruiter for further guidance.