RECRUITMENT & HIRING PROCESS - HOW TO HIRE THE RIGHT PEOPLE

You need a new salesperson.

So you post a job ad.

You get 100 applications.

You interview a few.

You pick someone who "seemed nice."

3 months later, they're not working out.

Wrong hire cost: £30,000-£100,000+ (salary, training, replacement, lost productivity).

Yet 70% of businesses have no structured hiring process.

They wing it.

THE REAL COST OF WRONG HIRES

- Salary: £30,000-£60,000+

- Training/ramp-up: £5,000-£15,000

- Lost productivity: £10,000-£30,000 (while they're ramping or not working out)

- Replacement process: £2,000-£10,000 (recruiting, hiring, onboarding again)

- Opportunity cost: £10,000-£50,000 (other things not done)

Total: £57,000-£165,000+ per wrong hire

Yet most companies spend <£2,000 on hiring process.

THE SOLUTION: STRUCTURED HIRING PROCESS

STEP 1: DEFINE THE ROLE

Before you hire, get clear:

- What's the job? (specific responsibilities)

- What skills are required? (technical, soft skills)

- What experience level? (junior, mid, senior)

- What's the salary range?

- What's the team like?

Write a detailed job description (so candidates know what they're signing up for).

STEP 2: SOURCE CANDIDATES

Where to find people:

- Job boards (Indeed, LinkedIn, Totaljobs)

- Recruitment agencies (cost more but pre-screened)

- Employee referrals (often better quality)

- Social media (passive candidates)

- Direct outreach (for specific profiles)

STEP 3: SCREEN APPLICATIONS

Don't interview everyone.

Screen for:

- Required skills (do they have basic qualifications?)

- Experience level (right seniority?)

- Culture fit signals (from cover letter/background)

Interview only top 5-10 candidates.

STEP 4: STRUCTURED INTERVIEW

Same questions for all candidates (so you can compare fairly).

Questions to ask:

- Why are you interested in this role?

- Tell me about a time you [handled conflict/delivered results/etc.]?

- How do you approach [key part of job]?

- What's your experience with [required skill]?

- Why are you leaving current role?

- What's important to you in a job?

Take notes on answers (compare later).

STEP 5: REFERENCE CHECKS

Before hiring, call references.

Ask:

- How long did they work together?

- What was their performance like?

- Any concerns?

- Would you hire them again?

Many people skip this. Don't. It catches problems.

STEP 6: TRIAL PERIOD/PROBATION

Hire them on 3-month probation.

Use this time to:

- See if they can actually do the job

- See if they fit the team

- Provide support/training

- Make decision: Keep or let go?

STEP 7: ONBOARDING

First 30 days are critical.

- Day 1: Orientation (welcome, systems, team intro)

- Week 1: Role overview, meet team, key meetings

- Week 2-4: Training on specific tasks

- Throughout: Check-ins (how's it going?)

Good onboarding improves retention by 30-40%.

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REAL EXAMPLE: STRUCTURED HIRING

BEFORE (UNSTRUCTURED)

- Post job ad

- Get 100 applications

- Interview 3-4 (whoever seemed friendly)

- Pick one based on "gut feeling"

- Minimal onboarding

- 50% chance they work out

Cost of wrong hire: £60,000+

AFTER (STRUCTURED)

- Define role clearly (responsibilities, skills, level)

- Source from multiple channels

- Screen applications (eliminate clearly unqualified)

- Interview top 5-8 using same questions

- Reference checks (call 2 references)

- Hire best fit

- 3-month probation + structured onboarding

- 80%+ success rate

Extra cost: £1,000-£3,000 (time, reference checks, better job ad)

Benefit: Avoid wrong hire (£60,000+ saved)

ROI: 20-60x

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RED FLAGS: YOUR HIRING PROCESS NEEDS IMPROVEMENT IF...

- Hire based on "gut feeling"

- Don't check references

- No probation period

- Minimal onboarding

- High turnover (>30%/year)

- Frequently find hires aren't working out

If you have 2+, implement structured hiring process this quarter.

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NEXT STEPS: IMPROVE YOUR HIRING

1. Define role clearly (what are you actually hiring for?)

2. Source from multiple channels (don't just post ad)

3. Create screening criteria (eliminate obvious misfits)

4. Prepare structured interview questions (same for everyone)

5. Always check references (it matters)

6. Use probation period (time to really assess)

7. Invest in onboarding (first 30 days are critical)

Most companies see turnover drop 30-50% and quality improve significantly after implementing structured hiring. Ready to build a smarter recruitment process and hire the right people the first time? 

Reduce hiring mistakes, improve employee retention, and create a high-performing team with expert HR and business advisory support from Sharp Scale Global.

Book your consultation today at https://www.sharpscaleglobal.com/ and start building a recruitment strategy that drives long-term business growth.