24 | LETTERS
YOUR SHOUT
www.opp.org.uk |MARCH 2011 What do you think?
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How can you make sure that your business hires the very best people? Dear Editor
A key factor in the success of a business is without a doubt its staff . A good business will have the right people properly placed within it. The key is fi nding those people to fi ll the roles. For a company based in a single domicile, fi nding the right people can be diffi cult enough but for those of us in the international arena, where we are looking for people of the right calibre and with suitable qualifi cations in a diverse range of countries, those diffi culties can be magnifi ed. First let me set the background and our situation before I go on to
look at how we tackle the task of recruiting our staff. As an international financial advice company, Guardian Wealth Management operates in eleven countries throughout Europe and the Middle East. We already worked to the rules and guidance laid down by the UK regulator, the Financial Services Authority, but in expanding overseas we found that there was a plethora of legislation, regulation, and market practices with which to get to grips. As a result our growing international presence has required a particularly strict recruitment process to ensure the people working for us have not only suitable qualifications appropriate experience and technical knowledge, but also are of the right frame of mind to work in what may be new and very different environs.
The fundamentals The fi rst step is to recruit the right senior management. These have to be very committed and tireless individuals, absolutely trustworthy and prepared to put in the considerable time and eff ort needed to make the business work, particularly when their manager or director may be sitting hundreds or thousands of miles away. It is important to establish a minimum level of experience and standard of
qualifi cations that are required for all roles. This sets a defi ned starting point and all candidates can be measured against the same benchmark. Likewise, it is fundamental for the successful business is that the clients also know they are being served by people with the right set of qualifi cations and who adhere to a standard of ethics and behaviour. Achieving that as a business spread across countries means looking to qualifi cations that are developed to international standards and so recognised around the world. At the same time, staff should be encouraged and supported in their own
ambitions to improve and develop. If this can be done through fi nancial incentive such as a pay upgrade for exam successor and/or study leave, not only will you end up with better qualifi ed staff but they are more likely to be loyal to and work harder for the company.
The practicalities In our experience there are primary areas to examine and question candidates on during the interview process. First, look at the individual’s longevity in their previous roles. If someone has
moved around a lot you should query it. A candidate who has stayed with an employer for a good few years may show greater loyalty to your own fi rm.
In our business ongoing success comes from the ability to develop
long-term relationships with clients. Therefore, we look at the interviewee’s client retention rate. A good retention rate shows what rapport they have with clients. A very useful discriminator between candidates can be to put them
through an assessment centre. This brings a few candidates together to see how well they interact with others. It can be easy for a candidate to behave in a certain way in shorter interviews, but in assessment days through the use of role plays, discussion, mathematical and verbal reasoning tests, it is possible to see how the individual reacts in a group environment and what part they play in the group. Look also at a person’s continued professional development. A good
candidate is someone who wants to stay abreast in their chosen professional and continually keep up-to-date, their qualifi cation history is a good indicator of this. With such a widespread team it is essential the people we appoint
are absolutely right for the job. Therefore, we will conduct two to three interviews, including the assessment centres mentioned above and the personality profiles. Finally, and this can be the biggest failing in a recruitment process - make sure the people undertaking the interview process have a clear idea of the calibre of candidate required, the full job role, qualifications and experience required. If there is one certainty it is that you can never stand still. Since clients
will often move around the world, with their company or their job type, we have to look to the next location our clients may want us to have a presence. Also, clients are becoming more demanding as greater access to knowledge and information through the internet and the ability to compare services and products has grown. Just as client intelligence progresses so must that of the business. David Howell, Chief Executive, Guardian Wealth Management
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