Many of the SME businesses that I work with want to emulate other businesses that are already successful, such as Google or Facebook, as they feel that if they copy their business principles, they are bound to be successful too, right?

Well to some degree, I agree with them! I also believe that every company is different and therefore needs to do things that work for them and their business. However, it’s always good to hear about great ideas and learn from them isn’t it?

I have wanted to get my hands of Google’s HR strategy for some time to find out exactly what they are doing that is so different and that makes Google such a great place to work. I was pleasantly surprised when I did, as many of the things they are doing, are second nature to me, so I wanted to share some of Googles Resourcing principles that they use to help them find great talent for their business, that are easy to put in place with some good HR help and support;

How to get the best people into your business

• Create a good Job Description – I tell my clients that if they can’t tell me what the person you are hiring needs to do then how can you possibly explain it to a prospective employee? Take some time to really think about what you need this person to do and what skills and experience they will need to perform effectively in the role and then write it down!
• Train your interviewers how to interview well – how many interviews have you been on where there is no structure to the interview, they ask what animal you are most like and you come away wondering what on earth the interview was all about and have no view on the company or on the role you applied for? Your interviewers create the first impression of your business and they need to do a good job and this is a skill that needs to be learnt and honed.
• Use Structured Interviewing that helps you to determine what skills and importantly what behaviours the candidates have is critical. Asking every candidate the same question and grading their answers on a strict scale to ensure a level playing field and that the candidate with the highest score is the candidate offered the role (no fudging allowed!)
• Shape the candidate experience – an interview is a two-way street and you want the candidate to want the job you are offering so you should be treating them like you would a customer! Create a recruitment experience for them that makes them want to come and work for you rather than the next company they have their next interview with in an hour!

Want to get some Google into your business? Then you need to work with an experienced HR professional who will help you to come up with some practical people practices and processes that will work for you and your business. Give me a call and lest have a chat about how I can help you.