I have a colleague who is a complete waste of space. However, his CV is impressive, his appearance immaculate and he sailed through three interviews and a psychometric test. 

Once he started work, however, the truth came out. He is incompetent, lazy and unreliable. The bad news is that he is often too “sick” to come into the office. The worse news is that he is so awful at his PR job, it’s better for us when he stays at home. 

Now we have to go through the arduous process of trying to get rid of him. If only we could take the Alan Sugar approach, raise a finger and shout “You’re Fired!”. But no, red tape and our HR policies mean that it will be a long, drawn-out process that include taking notes of everything he does wrong, and everything we do to put it right afterwards. Yawn. Plus, it’s not nice heaving someone out of a job in today’s economic climate. Even if he is crap. 

Then there’s the financial worry. Employing someone who is rubbish is a waste of a good salary. And then going through the recruitment process again is another expense. 

We wouldn’t be in this position if interviews worked. Or psychometric tests. But what other ways are there of finding new talent? Here’s a few worth trying: 

1. Employ friends. But only the ones you know REALLY well. And bear in mind that if someone is brilliant company, this does not mean they are a genius at work. The downside is that it can be hard staying friends with someone you work with. 

2. Steal. If you come across a brilliant PRO working for someone else, pinch ‘em. You know your competitors would do the same. 

3. Snoop. If you find a brilliant candidate who looks good on paper, be suspicious. See if you can think of anyone you know who may have worked with this person to give an honest opinion (off the record). 

4. Ask journalists who their favourite PR contact is. The problem is that the PROs who journalists like aren’t always the same PROs who clients like. Also, journalists always think you are offering them a job if you ask them for recommendations, which can get embarrassing. 

5. Put the names of everyone who has applied for the job into a hat. Give the job to the first name you pull out. It saves the hassle of interviews, and it’s probably just as reliable.