Details of the Selection Process

Taking the Job Order; Job Analysis
CREAM of the Crop will undertake job analysis and establish a job description for the executive position. This will take the form of a consultancy service (included in our pricing), and will involve discussing the role and associated tasks and required competencies with relevant client staff.

Establishing Competency Profile and Selecting Assessments
If you are interested in updating executive job specifications CREAM of the Crop will work to establish a relevant competency profile and ensure the psychometric tools to be used in assessment will measure these competencies.

Sourcing Candidates / Advertising
At CREAM of the Crop we pride ourselves on the range of highly skilled and experienced candidates on our database. We have an ongoing candidate resourcing process whereby the best candidates in Australia are identified for registration and placement. A thorough analysis of the leadership competencies of this group will occur prior to determining whether an advertising campaign will be required.

CREAM of the Crop will liaise with our experienced advertising company to write, prepare and lodge an agreed display advert, including client logo if required.

A well conceived advertising campaign using national/regional newspapers may be required to fill the position. Our recommendations for the first week of advertising and associated costings will be provided according to your agreed budget. Should this initial insertion prove unsuccessful, a follow-up advert strategy will be devised.

Receiving Applications and Candidate Care
CREAM of the Crop takes pride in promoting the highest level of candidate care at each stage of the recruitment process. This ensures that a positive image of our clients will be maintained throughout the project.

Although CREAM of the Crop often uses a structured online application form for less senior positions (accessed via our website), we prefer to receive resumes either via email, fax or post for senior and executive roles, as this provides a more personalised service.

CREAM of the Crop will keep a record of all resumes received, so that all applications can be acknowledged. Documentation acknowledging a person’s application may include: 
-  Unsuccessful letter to unsuitable candidates
-  Invitations to partake in the next stage of the recruitment process

Unlike informal interview techniques, behavioural interview responses can be scored and compared objectively, improving the overall validity and reliability of the interview as a predictor of future job performance.

Following the results of the psychometric assessment, CREAM of the Crop will shortlist candidates and conduct a detailed face-to-face behavioural interview which will ask candidates to describe and discuss situations in which they demonstrated the competencies required for the role of CEO for our clients. This interview is objectively scored.

Reference checking
CREAM of the Crop will conduct 2 reference checks for each candidate, and using a structured form, validate the information gathered about the candidate at various stages of the selection process.

Background Checks/Security Checks
Should security or other checks be required, CREAM of the Crop can arrange this. Employers check potential and current workers for several reasons. The things an employer wants to know varies with each job. Here are a few of the reasons for employment screening.

• Negligent hiring -  lawsuits are on the rise. If an employee's actions hurt someone, the employer may be liable. The threat of liability gives employers reason to be cautious in checking an applicant's past. A bad decision can wreck havoc on a company's budget and reputation as well as ruin the career of the hiring official. Employers no longer feel secure in relying on their instinct as a basis to hire.
• Current events - have caused an increase in employment screening.
• Child abuse and child abductions - in the news in recent years have resulted in criminal background checks for anyone who works with children.
• Terrorist acts of September 11, 2001 -  have resulted in heightened security and identity-verification strategies by employers. Potential job candidates and long-time employees alike are being examined with a new eye following September 11, 2001.
• Corporate executives, officers, and directors  - now face a degree of scrutiny in both professional and private life unknown before the Enron debacle and other corporate scandals of 2002.
• False or inflated information - supplied by job applicants is frequently in the news. Some estimates are that 30% to 40% of all job applications and resumes include some false or inflated facts. Such reports make employers wary of accepting anyone's word at face value.
• Federal and state laws - require that background checks be conducted for certain jobs. Many state and federal government jobs require a background check, and depending on the kind of job, may require an extensive investigation for a security clearance.
• The "information age" - itself may be a reason for the increase in employment screening -- the availability of computer databases containing millions of records of personal data. As the cost of searching these sources drops, employers are finding it more feasible to conduct background checks.