Hiring the right compliance professional is crucial for any business, but it can be a daunting task. There are many factors to consider, including the candidate's experience, education, and skill set. To help you find the best fit for your company, here are some tips from the experts at Legal and Compliance Hires.
What do you want them to do?
First and foremost, it's important to have a clear understanding of what a compliance professional does. In short, compliance professionals ensure that a company adheres to all relevant laws and regulations. This can include everything from ensuring compliance with international trade compliance regulations and consumer protection laws to health and safety standards and environmental regulations. A compliance professional is responsible for identifying and mitigating any potential legal risks, as well as developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure ongoing compliance.
But do you want the individual to go beyond that and build a compliance program? If so, it may not be necessary for someone to be an expert in the field of compliance. Good strategists and program managers can develop and deploy systems, as long as there is an individual with the prerequisite legal or compliance experience within the business.
The recruitment process
Once you understand the role and its importance, you can begin the search for the right candidate. The best place to start is with a recruiter who specializes in compliance hires. At Legal and Compliance Hires, our team has extensive experience and knowledge in this field, and can help you find the right candidate for your company.
When working with a recruiter, it's important to be as specific as possible about your company's needs. This will help the recruiter identify candidates who are the best fit for your business. For example, if your company operates in a heavily regulated industry, such as finance or healthcare, you'll want to find a candidate with experience in that specific field, or an individual with a strong transferable skillset, is coachable and able to apply their knowledge and experience to your business.
Once the recruiter has identified a pool of potential candidates, the next step is to conduct thorough interviews. During the interview process, it's important to ask specific questions that will give you a sense of the candidate's experience and expertise. By using the STAR method (Situation, Tasks, Actions and Results) you will easily be able to assess a candidate's strengths. For example, you might ask the candidate to describe a specific compliance challenge they faced in their previous job, and how they addressed it. This will give you a sense of the candidate's problem-solving skills and ability to think on their feet.
Another key factor to consider is the candidate's education and certification. Compliance professionals should have a strong educational background, typically with a degree in a relevant field such as law, business, or finance. Additionally, many compliance professionals choose to earn professional certifications, such as the Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP) or Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) designations. These additional qualifications show a candidate's continued interest and development in the areas of compliance that are pertinent to your business.
Help is at hand
Legal and Compliance Hires can help you find the perfect candidate for your next role. We are a specialist recruitment firm, only placing legal and compliance professionals. Scroll down our home page to contact us.