Recruiting the right people for your job openings can sometimes be challenging, especially when you’re looking for someone to fill in a higher position. It’s even more difficult when a company requires interim staff to replace existing staff for a limited period of time.
There are lots of reasons why your company might need interim staff. They can help fill a gap in a company when one of the workers is on maternity or sick leave, or if you require their expertise for only a single project. We have put together five useful tips to help you make the right decision when recruiting interim staff.
When hiring interns, don’t look at their grades only
Interns are also interim staff in that they only stay with your company for a limited amount of time. The idea behind an internship is to give a person an insight into your field of work. Rather than looking at their grades only, choose an intern who shows genuine enthusiasm for working with you. Inc. also suggests that you should make sure your intern can get involved in your operation. Let them draft their own project proposals and introduce them to clients.
However, you don’t have to feel like you only need to give them exciting jobs. After all, they should get a real insight into what it’s like to work in your field. By choosing an enthusiastic intern, you might find a gem and even consider hiring them one day.
Know what you’re looking for in a candidate
You should know exactly what you’re expecting from your perfect interim worker. If you need them to manage a certain project, you need to find someone who can handle the scope of that enterprise. Let potential candidates know exactly what they’ll be expected to do and for how long.
Let interim staff go through the same recruitment process as permanent staff
When choosing interim staff, put the same amount of effort in as you would when choosing a permanent employee. Depending on the role they’re covering, interim staff can have a significant influence on your firm. You want them to make your work easier and not harder, so be sure to let all candidates go through the same recruitment process.
Approach a reputable interim provider
A good interim provider will have thousands of relevant professionals in their database. They can also take a lot of work out of the recruitment process for you as they’ll verify information and check criminal records, for example, so that you don’t have to worry about any of that. You can find more information on recruitment consultants, interim providers, and general careers news and advice on exec-appointments.
Choose someone who fully understand your business’ needs
It’s important that you can rely on and trust your interim staff. They should know what is expected of them.
Charles Russam, chairman of interim manager provider Russam GMS, explains: “Interims should have a clear scope of work and terms of reference for their assignment. They should not be given carte blanche to make key decisions that affect the corporate route without ratification and follow good business and corporate governance. However, they need responsibility to carry out their role without encumbrance but we recommend that a responsible Director (or equivalent) is in place to oversee and approve their activities.”
Don’t waste time
Many companies are looking for good interim staff, which is why it’s very important to start looking for a suitable candidate as soon as possible. Good interim managers for instance, can get snapped up quickly, so if you don’t want to miss out, you shouldn’t waste any time.
Recruiting the right people is absolutely essential for your business’ successful future. Even when hiring interim staff, make sure you choose the right people for the job.
