Identifying and hiring the right talent to best fit your organisation

Effective recruitment means more than simply hiring the right person for the job.
Today, more than ever, the success of any business is largely determined by the calibre and amalgamation of the most suitable talent. In the absence of a rigorous hiring process, recruiters can really make or break your company.
A survey of talent acquisition leaders found that 52% indicated that the most difficult part of recruitment was identifying the right candidates from a large applicant pool.
According to industry stats in South Africa:
- The average job posting receives up to 250 applications,
- 75% of applicants are unqualified for the job,
- 88% are not strong enough to move forward to an interview,
- The average time to successfully fill a vacancy is 39 days,
- The best talent is hired within the first 10 days.
Cost and Expenses
Increasingly, organisations realise that the cost of making a bad hiring decision is immense, as it does not only entail the cost of restarting the entire recruitment process, but can lead to significant legal expenses and ultimately irreparable reputational harm.
There are several expenses included in a single hire, including:
- the vacancy advertising costs,
- productive hours of reviewing applications and performing interviews,
- shortlisting suitable candidates.
Industry research in South Africa indicates that the cost of making a single hire is approximately R30 000 – or more!
Assessment
Reliable human capital screening and scientific assessment tools and practices have become one of the most important mechanisms that successful companies are leveraging in order to to identify top talent – and thus hone their competitive advantage – by ensuring the right hire, first time round.
Utilising a blend of behavioural science and the latest digital technology will ensure an effective and efficient recruitment and selection campaign, and will assist in identifying and hiring the most suitable talent.
Screening and assessment practices in the selection process offer organisations huge financial benefits, as the objective and scientific generation of data and information obtained will:
- enhance the accuracy of the decision,
- improve the quality of hire,
- reduce time-to-hire,
- increase diversity,
- reduce unfair bias,
- increase employee retention,
- allow for a more accurate placement decision.
Retention
Assessing applicants in selection practices increases the probability of hiring the best candidates. People with a suitable skillset to perform optimally are much more likely to be retained. To ensure a seamless person-organisation fit, a potential employee’s range of applicable abilities should be assessed against the competency outcome of the job, aptitude, personality, behaviour styles, and values. These attributes are critical to optimise performance and reduce turnover.
Those employees that are truly right for the vacancy will also be more satisfied, given that their personal attributes will match the requirements of the job and company culture accurately. By ensuring a person-organisational fit, the retention of those individuals that are most competent is enhanced, and is likely to:
- yield long-term increased productivity,
- decrease unnecessary conflict,
- decrease disciplinary action, and
- decrease the rate of re-hiring.
Building a team of competent, diverse, dependable, and motivated employees will directly affect your organisation’s bottom line, which is why recruiting the right people carries supreme importance for the enduring success of any organisation.
21st Century offers cost-effective human capital screening, shortlisting, and assessment solutions and practices. Our customised digital solutions and tools ensure an efficient, effective recruitment campaign that capitalises on identifying the best, most suitable talent for your organisation.
Written by:
Dirk Pretorius
Senior Industrial Psychologist, 21st Century
- Industrial-Organisational Psychologist | MComm.
- HRM Consultant
- Medico/Psycho-legal Practitioner
- Medical Malpractice Mediator (MiM)
- South African Medico-legal Association (SAMLA)
- Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA PS0132322)
- Canadian Psychological Association (CPA 142746)
Seven Decades of Technological Evolution: A New Generational Framework (1960–2030)
Seven Decades of Technological Evolution: A New Generational Framework (1960–2030) Generational theory offers a practical framework for understanding how collective experiences shape human behaviour [...]
Remuneration and Earned Wage Access (EWA) as a cornerstone of a compelling EVP
Remuneration and Earned Wage Access as a cornerstone of a compelling EVP How 21st Century is using a partnered Earned Wage Access tool [...]
Why Your Pay Packet Could Be Your Ticket Out of the Debt Trap
Why your pay packet could be your ticket out of the debt trap ... and how to make it happen! Money troubles don’t [...]
The biggest mistakes employees make when asking for a salary increase
The biggest mistakes employees make when asking for a salary increase Negotiating a salary increase is a crucial career skill, yet many employees make [...]
Announcement: 21st Century Leadership Transition
ANNOUNCEMENT: 21st Century Leadership Transition 21st Century is excited to announce that it has taken a large step towards realising its transformation strategy, as [...]
Salary Trends shaping the Remuneration Revolution – Part 1
Salary trends shaping the remuneration revolution - part 1 The world of remuneration is undergoing seismic shifts as global and local trends redefine [...]