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How to hire great public affairs people

Remember when you were looking for a job and you thought recruitment consultants had it so easy? After all, how difficult could it really be? Just put out an advert and hundreds of great, well qualified people will apply. All you need to do is pick the one you like.

Those of us who have spent time trying to fill a vacancy in a public affairs agency will know that the reality is very different. Recruitment is time consuming and takes your focus away from more important activity such as servicing clients or winning new business. There is a serious potential for disruption if you pick the wrong candidate – in a worst case scenario, making a bad appointment can cost you clients and contribute towards a negative office environment that can have a damaging effect on the company’s performance.

During my time in public affairs, I’ve recruited some fantastic people who have gone on to achieve great things. I’ve also occasionally had the misfortune to hire candidates who haven’t quite worked out.

If you’re currently hiring or looking to fill a position in your agency, you might find the following advice useful.

  1. Be cautious of applicants who have had a series of jobs all lasting less than one year. It’s common for people in the public affairs industry to job-hop, particularly in the early stages of their career when it’s a good way of getting pay rises and promotions more quickly. However, when candidates have held two or three consecutive jobs all lasting less than a year, alarm bells should ring. At best, they’ve had a string of bad luck. At worst, they’re unable to commit to anything for the long term or have struggled to deliver in their previous roles.
  1. Watch out for overlapping dates on applicants’ CVs. Sometimes younger applicants use voluntary experience to fill the gaps on their CV. This isn’t a bad thing – indeed, it should be encouraged. However, if the candidate doesn’t make clear that certain roles were unpaid, or is less than transparent about the nature of the work they were doing, it can make it difficult to judge their level of expertise. If you notice that your applicant has a lot of overlapping dates in their work history, or they appear to have been doing two jobs at once, make sure you clarify the nature of those positions.
  1. Experience is important, but so is personality and fit. Yes, it’s important to have the right experience, but sometimes character, potential and likeability are just as important. You’re going to have to work with whoever you hire on a daily basis, so make sure you choose someone you’re going to be happy having in the office. At the same time, if an applicant looks good on paper but just gives off an unpleasant vibe or you suspect they could be a difficult character, sometimes it’s best to trust your judgement.
  1. Treat people decently. We’re all busy people, but it doesn’t take much effort to be polite and keep applicants informed. You can’t be expected to reply or provide feedback to everyone who sends you their CV, but if someone has taken a morning off work and come in for an interview, it’s basic courtesy to let them know quickly if you don’t want to proceed with their application. Remember that the public affairs industry is both small and fluid. Someone you treat rudely today may be interviewing you for a job in a few years’ time.
  1. Avoid appointing people just like yourself. It’s tempting to hire people who have a similar background or political views to yourself. However, it’s important to recognise that a public affairs agency benefits from having a range of people with different viewpoints and experiences. Diversity means hiring the best talent available and recruiting exclusively on merit.
  1. Don’t forget to check references. In the rush to appoint the right person, this can sometimes be overlooked. Make sure you take up references from at least two people who know your candidate. Be aware of the subtleties that employers may use to avoid saying something bad about someone they want to get rid of. An abrupt confirmation of your candidate’s dates of employment and nothing else is not exactly a ringing endorsement.
  1. If a new appointment doesn’t work out, end the situation quickly. When we make a bad appointment, there can be the tendency to hope that things will get better. If someone’s struggling with their workload or just needs a bit of guidance, but otherwise shows signs of improvement, that may well be the case. However, if a new staff member is displaying a bad attitude, behaves in a manner that is disruptive, or is clearly struggling to perform to their job description, it’s best to bring matters to a conclusion quickly. Prolonging the situation will only expose clients to that person for longer and make it more difficult when you finally end the relationship. It’s fairer, and better for everyone, to have a clean and timely separation.