Looking For Talent? How To Create An Effective Brief

If you intend to use a recruiter to help with your next hire, a well-considered job brief removes any guesswork. Whether you're searching for permanent employees, temp-to-perm opportunities, or even labour hire, the same core principles will help achieve the best results.

Fully understanding a role’s requirements and expectations helps a recruiter source your next star employee. Better staff, better outcomes, better business.

So how can you ensure your brief is thorough enough? What information do you need to include?

Here are some things to consider when preparing your brief.

The Role

Consider why the role has become available. Is it because someone has left or been promoted, or is it a newly created position?

If it’s an existing position, think about what successes the previous employee had and what drove this success. Was it their experience, personality or ambition? This can help you to pinpoint they type of fit you’re looking for.

Conversely, think about how someone with different characteristics or strengths may bring something fresh to the role.

If the role is newly created, think about the sort of person who would successfully establish the role and what that would involve.

Culture Fit

Consider what sort of personality will fit the role and the culture of the organisation. To help, think about your most personable employees and how their values, work ethic and attitude contribute to their success within the organisation.

Think about the pros are of hiring someone who is the right cultural fit versus someone with lots of experience and the wrong fit.

Experience and Skills

Certain skills and experience will be required to effectively fill the role so this information is particularly important. Is it necessary for someone to have prior experience? If so, what level of experience is a must, what is ideal and what would be beneficial?  

Consider if you’re able to hire someone with less experience and train them up.

From a personality point of view, think about if the role requires someone more outspoken versus introverted or a leader versus someone who works well under direction?

Responsibility

Think about your organisation’s structure and where the role sits in the company’s hierarchy.

What level of responsibility will the employee have and how many, if any, staff will they be managing? Is this a stand-alone role or will the employee be part of a team?

Consider who the role reports to and what sort of personality would complement this senior personnel.

Scope of the Role

Most organisations have a way of measuring the efficacy and success of their staff, so it’s worth outlining these to potential candidates.

Consider what the main targets or deliverables for this role are and how these are measured. What would be the minimum expectation on an employee in meeting these targets?

Growth Prospects

Many employees are looking to step into a role where there’s scope for career progression and growth. It’s important to include this information to attract the right people.

Consider what opportunities the organisation offers. Will the employee be supported and encouraged to undertake further training or upskilling? What promotional opportunities are available? How often are performance and salary reviews conducted?

Benefits and Incentives

Staff benefits and rewards play an important role in attracting potential employees. People want to work in organisations where they’re professionally valued and personally looked after

Outline corporate benefits including any health insurance, gym memberships, corporate discounts, recognition rewards, flexible work arrangements and social clubs.

Salary

One of, if not the, most important things that a potentially candidate wants to know when applying for a job is the salary on offer. While you may not want to advertise a salary, it’s worthwhile having a ballpoint figure in mind or a range so that a recruiter can identify candidates whose expectations meet with yours.

Hire with Confidence

Using a recruitment agency is a great way to take the stress out of recruiting. With access to an active candidate database and a thorough brief, recruiters can select, interview and find top candidates.

When engaging a recruiter, it’s worth asking them:

• How will the process work?
• What questions will you be asking?
• Wow many candidates will you select and how many rounds of interview will you do?
• What is the current market salary for this type of role?
• What is the current market availability?
• How long do you think the process will take?

Ask FHR about your recruitment and labour hire needs. A brief but meaningful chat can lead to secure and long-lasting relationships all round.

Author - Frontline Human Resources