Why sausages and recruitment are now tenuously linked...by me!

Don’t ever say that I haven’t taken my public duty seriously. This week I’ve been researching the perfect sausage sandwich! What? You might be thinking I have lost my mind. No, I happened to be researching the food news feed and discovered that BBC’s Newsround, had been experimenting and now the secret to the perfect sausage sandwich has been published!

How do you like to eat your sausages? Any thoughts?

If you are vaguely curious I can now announce that the ultimate sausage sandwich comprises of:

‘15mm thick slices of sausage (carefully measured with a ruler and cooked after slicing), placed between two 15mm-thick slices of buttered white bread (commonly labelled as 'thickly sliced'). Sauce optional.’

This got me thinking. It’s all very well to describe a so-called perfect sausage butty but as Europe is uppermost in our national psyche I did wonder what the Polish, Germans or Italians might think of this! However, that aside, it has to be said, no matter where you are sausages are a hot topic (see what I did there?).

Can you compare recruitment to the humble sausage sandwich? Let me try

So what is my point? Well, I never expected to compare what I do for a living to the humble sausage sandwich let me tell you. Yet, as I conducted my own kitchen experiments I realised that actually I do have a recruitment process and a specific way of doing things. But actually it’s not a prescribed method from which I never deviate. In fact as the years have passed I find that I am searching for individuals all over the world, and although I follow a process, it’s highly likely that the outline will be tailored to suit each client’s needs and each specific vacancy. Therefore I realise, to continue the sausage analogy, for some, brown sauce is the perfect accompaniment and for others it’s mustard.

How do recruiters deal with bespoke recruitment requests?

This prompted some further thoughts about a client I worked with just a few months back. I was asked to find a candidate for quite a small organisation. The company was a manufacturer and distributor of coffee powders for vending machines. Although it was a small company but they were specifically searching for someone whose past experience had been with a major player in that particular sector. You might say it was a very bespoke request. This company had 25 people in one plant. The chosen candidate would have to manage these teams and also be production director.

What does it take find the right mindset as well as the perfect skillset?

The business owner had actually found potential candidates himself but was concerned that someone who might have managed upwards of 2000 people would find the change and resulting expectation somewhat daunting. Were they going to be a personality and character fit in what was a more entrepreneurial environment? Did they have the 'roll up your sleeves' mentality alongside the ‘can do’ mindset which might well be very different to a big player?

What else do you need from a new employee apart from skills, qualifications and expertise?

This was a very real fear so we tackled the concern by undertaking some personality profiling.It was extremely useful to examine character traits and therefore establish whether a candidate would fit into the specific culture, Could they handle demands over and above their specific skills, qualifications or expertise? The company was very keen to search out a new employee that would actually fit easily.

Yes we do use a process where we hunt for a skill fit but we also tailor what we do for the individual and I guess that’s the difference when you are on the hunt for the perfect new hire and also the sausage sandwich that really makes your taste buds tingle.

How do you like yours? Is it brown or red sauce, mustard, mayonnaise or a mixture?

If any of these musings have given you food for thought then perhaps it’s worth having a chat about your potential options. If this is of interest then do give me a call for a no obligation discussion on +44 7793 526078. On the other hand you can Click Here to schedule an appointment directly with me to suit your needs.