xera recognises and understands the very real impact that a poor recruitment decision can have on both the individual and the organisation involved.

But why do these poor decisions occur so frequently?

We think it is due to a range of reasons that typically fall into one of two categories:

• the organisation doesn't know what they are looking for
• the candidate doesn't have a clear idea of what they want to do

That's simple enough but why does it keep happening? We are very strong in our belief that it comes down to a lack of preparation - sometimes by the organisation and at other times by the individual themselves.

For the organisation, this preparation should involve the development of a very clear picture of not only the tasks and activities that will be assigned to the new member of the team but also a whole range of equally, if not more, important aspects of the role such as cultural and environmental fit, the likely evolution of the role as circumstances change within the organisation, the succession planning for the candidate and the colleagues around them, etc, etc.

Let us be clear, xera is NOT a recruitment agency. We don't maintain a database of outdated resumes. We don't market "red-hot" candidates. And, importantly, we don't charge the often exorbitant rates that some recruitment agencies charge. Instead, we work with clients to ensure that their recruitment activities are successful through a consultative, project-based approach. Please click here for more information about our recruitment support program

And if you are an individual who is thinking about your next role, this preparation should involve so much more than just considering the "shape" of that position. There are many other things to consider including the type of organisation you want to work with, how you go about finding that next role, whether to use recruitment agencies and if so, which ones to approach ... the list goes on and on. This becomes so much more complex and urgent if your circumstances have changed suddenly through redundancy or some other unforeseen event.

And then there's networking. What does that means? How do you "do" networking? Where should you start?

At xera, we work with individuals to help them to discover ... what it is they want to do, where they want to work, the steps they should take towards their next role, the people they should be talking to.

If you would like to know more about how we work with individuals, please click here.

Regardless of whether you are part of an organisation about to recruit or an individual looking towards your next challenge, then it's probably time for you to talk with a xera consultant.