Reviewing the situation

Whether a vacancy arises due to the resignation of an employee or as a result of company expansion, the recruitment process can be complex. The job interview is your chance to get to know each applicant and is an essential tool for making the right hiring decision.

Preparation is key, so review the skills, knowledge and experience required and make a list of these details so they are prioritised. Organise a package of information about the company to give to the candidate. This should only take a few minutes, but can make a lasting impression. Remember that in industries where skills shortages are well documented, it is a candidate-driven market so the candidate will be assessing you as much as you are assessing them.

It is important that you look and act professionally during the interview. Dress appropriately and make sure you are well groomed. Be aware of your body language; smile, offer a firm handshake and maintain eye contact. Inform the candidate of the structure of the interview and explain why this post is integral to accomplishing the department’s goals and objectives.

At the end of the interview, let the applicant know how things will proceed and how long you estimate it to be before a hiring decision is made. Ensure you provide them with your contact details and thank them for their time before they leave.

Never underestimate the importance of conducting an “interview review”. This relies upon detailed note taking during each interview and a thorough analysis of these notes straight afterwards. Use a checklist or scoring system as a measure of their suitability.

This can serve the additional purpose of documentation to support your decision in the event of it being disputed. You must not interview in a way that discriminates on grounds of race, colour, marital status, belief, age, sexual orientation, gender or disability.

An effective interview review can also be used to provide unsuccessful applicants with constructive feedback. If competition for the post has been intense, providing constructive feedback is an excellent way to maintain the best possible relationship with unsuccessful applicants so that they can be considered for any similar vacancies that might arise in the future.

You can also use an interview review when working with a recruitment consultant to find a suitable candidate as it can illustrate reasons that candidates were not offered the position and therefore increase the recruitment consultant’s understanding of your hiring needs.

Ben Byram, building services recruitment consultant at NES, ben.byram@nes.co.uk

Office

Faber Maunsell has been shortlisted by the Institute of Fundraising for the firm’s payroll giving scheme which generates around £43,700 a year for a total of 122 charities.

The scheme has been in place since 1994, but in November 2006 it was re-launched with Faber Maunsell paying all administrative costs so that all money donated now goes straight to charity.

The introduction of the scheme last year has seen the numbers of staff who donate to charities straight from their gross pay rise from 1% to 12%.

The firm says it is looking to improve on this figure in the future. For more information contact www.workplacegiving-uk.com

Money

Work Wise Week takes place from May 16 to 22. The week will include:

• 16 May – Work Wise Summit at the QEII Conference Centre, London
• 17 May – focus on the impact of smarter working on the environment
• 18 May – National Work from Home Day
• 19-20 May – Wise Work Weekend – guidance to help those who want to change the way they work
• 21 May – Impact of travel on smarter working
• 22 May – Social impacts of smarter working including a better work-life balance.

Work Wise UK is a not for profit organisation organised by the IT Forum Foundation.

For more information log on to www.workwiseuk.org

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Over two-thirds of UK employees are keen to help their organisation cut carbon emissions, but do not know how, according to the Carbon Trust. The trust says that only 18% of employees are happy their company is doing enough to cut emissions. Business accounts for 40% of the UK’s annual carbon emissions and poor energy efficiency is claimed to cost businesses an estimated £2 billion a year. Tom Delay, Carbon Trust chief executive, said the benefits of carbon cutting are clear: “Not only does it help an organisation’s bottom line and brand, it also has increasing value among customers, shareholders and now employees.