Staying one step ahead

We would all readily accept that, in the African Bush, tracking down and capturing the most prized Big Game needs careful planning (not to mention a meticulous attention to detail and considerable patience). A difficult task, then. One requiring specialist skills and a highly focused approach.

In today's security market, capturing the very best candidate for your team calls for strikingly similar tactics. In spite of that, though, you'd be amazed at how many employers have yet to recognise the need to give proper priority to the recruitment process.

The security industry has never enjoyed a 'sexy' image and, while this is not a bar to attracting candidates at times of high unemployment, it's an important factor today. A continuing high level of employment means that the best managers will not immediately be attracted to industries where long – and often anti-social – hours are perceived to be the norm. The (often unfair) portrayal of the industry by some sections of the media as being one that is lacking in professionalism and adequate quality standards is another deterrent to some potential candidates.

In common with many other service industries – including the police, nursing and fire services – the security sector has to address the challenge of attracting the right calibre of candidate to a career in the industry.

Thankfully, all's not lost. There are a few basic principles that employers can adopt which will greatly enhance their chances of making a successful appointment.

Timescales and The Company
Set a realistic timescale for making an appointment, plan the various stages that you believe are required within the process and stick to them. All-too-often the prospective candidate is encouraged to apply immediately, but is then delayed by a combination of factors (including the need for that candidate to be interviewed by a number of different managers, interviews being cancelled or postponed and, sometimes, through mere moments of indecision).

Much too often, interviewers behave as though they hold all the cards, and then wonder why good candidates are attracted to other employers who make more of an effort at the interview stage. As an in-house professional, don’t forget that the interview pro

Make no mistake about it. Your 'hot prospect' for the post of Operations Director or Control Room Manager will go cold if he or she is kept waiting, and can only conclude that you're not really interested in taking them on in the first place. End result? They'll go elsewhere in search of employment in the private sector.

Simply communicating with your candidate – whether directly or through your recruitment consultant/agency – can avoid this problem. A period of one month from receipt of applications to offer should be more than enough to conclude the recruitment cycle.

Much too often, interviewers behave as though they hold all the cards, and then wonder why good candidates are attracted to other employers who make more of an effort at the interview stage. As an in-house professional, don't forget that the interview proper is a great opportunity to 'sell' your company to the candidate.

Remember the old adage: "First impressions count..."? Well, that's just as true for the interviewer as it is for the interviewee.

If a recruitment consultancy is representing you and your company in the initial stages of the recruitment process, make sure they are sufficiently aware about you and the security team, the company and what it does, the job itself and the terms and conditions of employment. Sounds obvious, but you'd be surprised how many times these basic factors are overlooked.

If a recruitment consultancy is representing you and your company in the initial stages of the recruitment process, make sure they are sufficiently aware about you and the security team – and the company, and what it actually does

Don't be so transparent!
There's absolutely no point in advertising a job with slogans like: "Salary level of up to £x 000's for the right candidate", only for you to assume that the candidate will eventually accept substantially less. The offer letter may also be very different to that verbally discussed with the candidate. You can be sure that good candidates will be put off by such an approach. Even if they initially accept the job and 'take up residency', they're likely to move on when something better comes along.

Be honest about any bonuses (performance-related or otherwise) and, most importantly, ALL the terms and conditions for the job in question. Misleading a candidate is unlikely to conclude with a successful appointment. Remember, too, that time costs money.

The change in Inland Revenue rules for company car drivers means that many employees now prefer to take a car allowance. Recruiters are finding this to be an important factor in attracting suitable candidates. Suffice to say that employing organisations who don't offer this flexibility can be severely disadvantaged...

Choosing the right consultant
In all cases, the employing organisation/-management team should select a recruitment consultant that can offer a full range of services, from basic file search through to complete candidate search and selection. Different security jobs will require a different approach, so make sure your consultant can tailor its service to meet the need.

You are also likely to be privy to a more committed recruitment service if you use a small number of consultants rather than circulating your vacancies to every agency in the business. It's important for the consultant to get to know your business and your needs.

Nobody would approach the hunt for Big Game in an amateur fashion for fear of the consequences. The result of poor security recruitment disciplines can be just as serious, in terms of the cost of having key positions vacant and re-filling posts where the wrong appointments were made at the outset.