How to get the best employees for your business

For most law firms, having the right person in the right position is crucial. DAVID POTTS offers some ideas.

When it comes to recruitment, the more effort, the better the results. It's worth spending time on it and the first step is to think - hard - about what you need and what you should be looking for in candidates.

Use an accurate job description and know what you're looking for. Do you need someone with a strong academic record? Do you need someone who will be able to relate well to your client base? Are you after someone who can generate work? It's important to decide what attributes are most important.

It takes a village

If you can, use someone else in the recruitment process. Two different perspectives are often better than one. Don't just employ someone that you like, often complimentary rather than similar personalities will achieve better results.

Think about what process. Use questions that are tailored to the position with appropriate practical component. Ask how employees have overcome problems in a previous position. Try and get specific and practical examples of the practical situations in that job and see how the employee will cope.

Consider multiple interviews and carefully check references, being careful to find out who in the organisation has provided them. What is their relationship with the applicant and what are they're not saying. Do they comment on why someone left the employment? Do they talk about attendance, achievements and competencies?

Make sure you properly verify who is providing any phone references. In one recent case that I was involved with a candidate provided a mobile telephone number for a reference. The number was answered by a friend who posed as a referee. You should always verify who you are speaking to carefully. Landlines can be useful as can a current search of the previous employer's structure.

When you're employing someone, it is important that you set out the terms and conditions of the employment. Set out the working conditions in a formal letter. Consider carefully whether or not you include a confidentiality provision and any post-employment restraints. It is much easier to have an employee agree to these provisions before they commence their employment rather than after. It is also important to obtain a signed acceptance of those conditions before the employee commences employment.

It is mandatory to provide the Fair Work Information Statement to all new employees before or as soon as possible to when they start a new job. Ideally you should supply this as an attachment to the letter of offer to the new employee before they start. Find out more here.