Experience is the number one priority for business owners when seeking staff, a new survey suggests.
Recruitment firm Select Appointments polled 700 employers, 40% of whom picked experience above any other category.
Personality also rates highly, with 35% of respondents singling that as most important.
Other factors such appearance and industry knowledge were rated less important at 11% and 12%, respectively.
Rachael Moss, of Select Appointments, said: “Employers have a very short window of opportunity to form opinions about potential employees and have to pass quick judgements as to whether or not they are the right fit for the role and organisation.
“Interviewers need to prepare as rigorously as a job seeker does. The information gathered during an interview is essential for making a well-informed decision.
“Unfortunately, many employers don’t spend enough time preparing for interviews.”
But while previous experience highlights an applicant’s ability to carry out a job function, Moss said employers should not discount candidates with the right personality or attributes who could turn out to be invaluable employees of the future, especially for positions where there is the opportunity for on-the-job training.
“Of course, another way to determine whether someone is a good fit, and a means of effectively extending the interview process, is to go down the ‘temporary-to-permanent’ route, if candidates are available for immediate employment,” she said.
