Many employers believe that salary is what attracts and keeps staff. Tracey Bacon, development director at Just Recruitment Group, a company that achieves staff retention levels way in excess of industry averages and that won Training and Development awards in both Suffolk Recruitment Awards and East Anglian Business Awards, says that the picture is more complex than they imagine.

As few as 10 percent of staff regard financial reward as the prime motivator when looking for a new job, according to a new survey carried out by global HR consultancy, Blessingwhite. Their research showed that for nearly 40 percent, the prospect of more interesting work was the main reason for seeking a new job. For one in three the work/life balance tops their reasons.

The survey results come as no surprise to us. Whilst salary is an important consideration for many people, once their basic money needs are met, they are normally looking for other qualities in a job. Transparent career progression, supportive and motivating corporate culture and the good reputation of a prospective employer rank very highly in their list of requirements.

Attracting new staff is essential of course, but with it costing an average £3,500 to recruit a new team member focussing on staff retention makes sense. Working with existing team members to ensure that their needs are being met becomes very important.

Our top tips for good staff retention are:

• Take the time to talk to staff about their jobs and aspirations: consultation, appraisals and informal discussions can all highlight problems that might otherwise be overlooked
• Provide good and appropriate training to ensure that they can do their jobs well; this is essential to their job satisfaction
• Keep staff motivated; this can be achieved through financial reward, but personal recognition is just as important. Good team leaders, who understand the value of motivation, are essential

Take the time to treat people fairly and well. If you recognise and respect that they have lives and responsibilities outside of the workplace, then you will have a more motivated and productive team. Retention rates will improve and you will see significant business benefits wherever you look.

You’re being interviewed for what you believe to be your dream job. Tracey Bacon, development director at the Just Recruitment Group, says that it’s important for you, as the candidate, to ask the right questions.

Many people expect an interview to be a one way process. They think that the interviewer holds all the cards and that the role of the candidate is purely and simply to impress. As a result, they may well leave the interview lacking essential information – the detail that will enable them make a decision about their future.

If you are being interviewed, don’t be afraid to produce your own written list of questions, which can demonstrate that you have prepared properly and that you’re confident of your abilities. We’d suggest asking questions like:

• What is the culture of this organisation?
• What is the focus for the coming year?
• What are the long term prospects in this job?
• Who would I be working for?
• What kind of reporting and feedback processes do you have?

Whilst it can be difficult to ask outright about salary levels, it is information that you will undoubtedly need. Asking an outright question – especially if it is the only question – about money, tends to convey a negative impression.

We’d suggest a more subtle approach, leaving it virtually to the last point of the interview, then say… “We haven’t talked at all about the employment package…”

Finally, ensure that you wrap up the interview confidently. You are entitled to ask:

• What is the next stage?
• When do I expect to hear from you?

Tracey Bacon, development director at the Just Recruitment Group, says that taking a consistent and professional attitude to interviewing candidates promises the best possible outcome.

Clearly the attributes you look for in a nursery school teacher are very different to those you’d ask for in a high powered sales director. But nevertheless there are hard and fast rules that apply whatever the post. By adopting them you can successfully fill round holes with round pegs, every time.

1. Ensure a consistent interviewing team, ideally each member with a different perspective, so that you get a truly objective outcome
2. Screen your candidates according to your three main criteria (for instance: local knowledge, sales background, experience of your industry)
3. Create at least one interview question specifically to address each of your criteria. If you’re looking to recruit someone with local knowledge, something like: “who would you see as our main competitors in this area?” But also, avoid “closed” questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”
4. Check that the candidate not only has the right skills but also will fit into your company culture. Suitable questions might include:
   • What attracted you to this position?
   • Why do you think you should be considered?
   • Describe yourself in three words?
   • What knowledge do you have of us as a company?
   • Describe a situation where you showed problem solving skills?
5. If you are offering second interviews, consider a more radical approach to uncover strengths and weaknesses. A 12 hour interview, for instance – working alongside your existing team and socialising after hours – can reveal a lot more than a straightforward face to face meeting. You and your colleagues can see how they interact, how they react to pressure and whether they are the right person for your job.

You’re offered an interview for your dream job. It’s your opportunity to impress. Tracey Bacon, development director at the Just Recruitment Group, explains that making the right impression is essential. Here she offers her five top tips:

1. Find out all you can about the interview in advance. Is this a preliminary interview? Is there a job description available? What is the company looking for in a candidate?
2. Do your homework. Look at the client’s website. Focus on three things you’ve learnt to show that you’ve put effort into your application. It conveys straight away that you’re interested and have initiative.
3. Prepare yourself for tough questions. Employers will be looking for you to demonstrate qualities such as reliability, confidence, self-motivation or an ability to function as a member of a team. So the interviewer’s questions will be designed to find out if you meet their criteria, and may include things like:
   • Why should we recruit you?
   • What can you do for us/what do you bring to this business?
   • How would your colleagues describe you?
   • What do you regard as your biggest achievement?
4. Get the basics right. Clean and tidy appearance is a must. So polish those shoes! If it’s a job where you’d be meeting clients this is particularly important. A candidate for a sales job wearing jeans and trainers is unlikely to win anyone over. If you’re unsure about what to wear, then check in advance.
5. Look as if you’re capable of doing the job. The most outstanding CV won’t help if your body language is giving out different signals. Looking nervous, fidgeting or avoiding eye contact simply won’t inspire confidence.

By preparing yourself, practicing your answers and projecting your personality, you’ve already given yourself a head start over other candidates.

Tracey Bacon, development director at the Just Recruitment Group, says that filling a vacancy takes time and it costs on average £3,500.

There are tried and tested techniques to remove the pain and save time (estimated at approximately one week of “man hours”). Obviously, she says, you’ll still need to review CVs and screen candidates, but her tips can help identify front-runners easily and reduce time spent in endless face-to-face interviews:

1. To ensure an absolutely objective process, funnel all of the CVs through just one trained and skilled person
2. Ensure that whoever is handling the recruitment process is fully conversant with all relevant employment legislation
3. Decide right at the outset the three key attributes you seek, and look for these in the CV. Recognise that these attributes will vary: in a sales role you may be looking for career progression within job history, evidence of achievements and transport or location. In a childcare worker, you’re more likely to want an ability to cope with challenging situations, an untarnished work record and relevant qualifications.
4. Having discarded obviously unsuitable candidates, use the telephone – preferably outside of the candidate’s working hours – to find out more about them. Do this even if you plan to offer an interview subsequently
5. Consistently ask the same questions of each candidate
   • What relevant experience do you have for this position?
   • Why should you be considered?
   • What would you bring to this organisation?

With just these three “killer questions” you will find it easier to whittle down to a handful of candidates to meet. It saves time, ensures an even playing field, and you’ll have more time to devote to the all important process of interviewing the most appropriate candidates.

Tracey Bacon, development director at Just Recruitment Group, explains how to read between the lines on CVs.

Stories are legion of companies that find themselves swamped with CVs when they advertise. Looking at it positively, it means plenty of choice! But if you’re wanting to shortlist from 100 applications, you’re probably going to need to narrow the field down to no more than 10 candidates for interview.

One approach might be a telephone conversation with “possibles” to ask some specific questions. A CV can give you a lot of information but there are other things that you might want to ask. Try, for instance, “how would your colleagues describe you and your attitude to work?” Whilst educational attainment is important, commitment and motivation are more highly prized in most working environments.

The same applies to “work experience”. Remember that “experience” is not the same as “initiative” and paid experience isn’t necessarily more valuable than unpaid. Nor is previous experience; knowledge in a different environment can mean new ideas are brought into yours.

New Age Discrimination legislation has levelled the playing field, but it’s my belief that age should be irrelevant anyway. Is an applicant with three years experience better than one with 20? Twenty years in one role may be an indication of something quite different.

Consider what the applicant has achieved in the past two years. In particular look at what can they say about their current role. Look for evidence of commitment – in terms of taking on extra responsibilities – but remembering that this may not be reflected in a move up the career ladder.

Initiative and commitment are the true indicators of good employees – people who, week in and week out, demonstrate a willingness to developing their career and to making a difference.

Always remember, skills can be learnt – attitudes are harder!

Tracey Bacon, development director at the Just Recruitment Group, explains that the first week in a new job is critical.

Stepping into a new job can be daunting for everyone, except for the supremely confident. In that first week a warm welcome and a well planned induction make all the difference.

The alternative can be a very expensive mistake. We’ve all heard of horror stories where workers failed to turn up on Day Two!

Preparation is the key. You can even start the induction at the interview, so that candidates understand the culture of your business, long before you make a job offer.

Once we’ve confirmed an appointment we provide a detailed timetable for that vital first week. We aim to ease the new candidate through their early days, by explaining what they’ll be doing, with whom and what ground they will be covering.

But don’t imagine for one minute that the induction week is an easy option for anyone. Like any form of training, it’s designed to meet a specific business need. Providing a worthwhile induction is very labour-intensive and, naturally enough, we expect a measurable return from it.

Induction isn’t just delivering a message and then walking away. Evaluation is essential if it’s going to be cost-effective. You’ll need to check that information has been assimilated and working practices adopted and followed.

Of course, there’s a fine line to be drawn here between preparation and strait-jacketing! One of the advantages of taking on new recruits is that we, as employers, can learn from their previous experience.

Few people can claim to know everything about their industry. By making induction a two-way process where everyone listens and learns, we’ve found that we’ve created an opportunity that delivers benefits all around.