Every employer is different, in that different criteria are given different priorities, by different employers. For a job seeker to have the best chance of employment, they need to understand the full range of criteria that might be considered, and do their utmost to present themselves in a positive light with respect to every one of those criteria.
How Employers might Select Temporary Workers, Casual Workers or Contractors
There are different types of workers who may be required in small businesses who are not fulltime or permanent employees. There are advantages to having some non-permanent staff. For instance, they may only be needed for several hours per week e.g. a cleaner, or it may be cheaper to employ a contractor for a particular project rather than keep them on fulltime. Of course, it can mean that you have to put a lot of time and effort into finding new temporary staff or contractors. For some businesses it is as well to have a framework of permanent staff who can train temporary staff and contractors where needed.
As with recruiting permanent staff, for many positions an interview will be required. You might be looking at a person to work for you temporarily in a variety of capacities such as:
- On a one-off basis (e.g. fixed length contract for a project)
- Carrying out some repair work on your website
- Doing regular updates on your website
- Helping with relocation of a business
- A cleaner
- A gardener
- A delivery driver
Some of these positions may be regular or semi-permanent e.g. the same day a week, or over a period of time. Others may be more sporadic. You may require a consultant to do work as required on a regular basis, such as a marketing advisor, who you pay as a freelancer once a month.
Regardless of the need, to attract suitable candidates takes some pre-planning. If you leave your recruitment until the last minute then you will only be filling a position when the time comes from a relatively smaller pool of applicants. If you think ahead, you can begin looking for potential recruits before they are needed and approach them when you are ready. If you are prepared to spend time sourcing the right personnel they may well hold off on taking other conflicting positions if they know there is likelihood of employment with you. It does also mean that you need to offer competitive rates of remuneration so you have to be aware of what others in your industry are paying.
Assessing Individual Qualities
When it comes to interviewing, you'll need to be familiar with the personal qualities that may be required. These will vary in accordance with the particular role. For instance, for some positions a smart appearance may be paramount. If the individual is to front the public and represent the organisation or business directly then they will need to be presentable. If they are working for the company from home, this may not be so important. For any position it is worth drawing up a list of required qualities and a list of preferred or desirable qualities. For example, if a receptionist is sought a list may look something like this:
- Required Qualities
- Punctuality
- Well-presented
- Well-spoken
- Good communication skills
- Politeness
Desirable Qualities
- Ability to work independently
- Openness to learn new tasks
- Able to work flexible hours
- Good working memory
- Knowledge of other languages
- Multicultural awareness
There may be other preferences relating to the industry and who the receptionist is likely to be dealing with. Other qualities might be things which you can help to nurture through on-the-job training. In addition to personal qualities, skills and qualifications may need assessing.
Assessing Skills and Qualifications
To review requirements in terms of qualifications you need to look at the actual job role and skills required. For instance, continuing with the position of receptionist:
- Ability to type
- Ability to type x number of words per minute
- Knowledge of computers
- Awareness of how to use email
- Familiarity with particular computer software
- Knowledge of invoicing
- Office skills
- Bookkeeping skills
- Certificates, diplomas or other qualifications
For each qualification or skill, references may be required or documents to prove they have been acquired. Previous experience may be verified through consulting referees or contacting past employers.
When recruiting for a position an employer or manager must comply with employment practices as established through national or local government policies. That is recruitment and selection must be equitable. Employers are not able to discriminate on the grounds of race, age, religion, skin colour, sex or gender. It is also not fair to discriminate against a person on account of them having a disability if it does not affect their ability to undertake the role they are being sought for.
Other precautions when employing non-permanent staff include ensuring you have appropriate security measures in place for property and items of value to the company, including access to accounts, to avoid any potential losses. Adequate and suitable insurance may also be needed to compensate for any work related injuries or disputes