GROUP CASE STUDY

Stage 1: Robot-IC Ltd

Background

A few years ago two graduates, Jamie Bashforth and Harry Soutar, left university and started work in a large manufacturing company as graduate trainees. Jamie has a BSc in Computer Science and Harry has a BEng in Engineering. Both were fascinated by robots and in their spare time they built a robot called The Crusher which won the regional finals for Robot Wars but unfortunately was fatally injured by a pick axe to the central processing unit during the national finals. Over coffee at work one day they began to talk about all the processes in the factory that could be automated if the right robot could be found. They then set to work, in Harry’s mother’s garage, to build a robot which could do flexible, vision basedassembly line work. After 3 years they finally developed an automatic racking prototype which could see and then pick upitems from a moving conveyor belt and stack them into a rack. It was a major breakthrough because vision guided robotic applications not only required heavy duty machine building but also robot programming, machine vision engineering and system controls engineering.It was also clear that this approach could be used to automate a wide range of manufacturing processes.

With a working prototype under their belt Jamie and Harry filed for patents (which were subsequently granted) and then set about finding funding to support the move into commercial development. Through the local Business Development Agency they managed to track downa Financial Adviserwho specialised in raising private equity to support technology based start-up ventures. She was very interested andgot together a syndicate of Business Angels who, after seeing a demonstration of the robots potential, agreed to invest up to £400,000 in the first 12 months, with expected with-profits returns within 4 years.Jamie and Harry resigned from their jobs and became Directors of the new company, with Jamietaking on the role ofManaging Director and Harry the role of Director of Production Processes.

The money was used to start up the company Robot-IC Ltd. Premises were found in Stafford (where they live and Jamie’s son goes to school), a receptionist and two technicians employed and equipment and materials purchases. A local company produced them a website to advertise their company. In the first 12 months Jamie and Harry developed a commercial version of their automatic racking machine which they showcased at a number of trade fairs. This generated a lot of interest and they received advance orders from three manufacturing companies. With guaranteed revenues of £150,000 they set their technicians on producing the ordered machines and moved their attention to developing a small range of prototypes to tackle different manufacturing processes.

Preparing recruitment collateral

Jamie and Harry have nowrealised that they cannot run the company, design the products, market the products and manufacturer the machines with only 2 technicians so they have decided to recruit more staff. However, with revenues still low and further sales not guaranteed they have decided to employ a placement studentto work in each of the following areas: software engineering, and web design. There were a number of reasons for this decision. Firstly, they will be able to offer slightly lower salaries; secondly, theyare keen to have graduates to work as part of the team because they want a strong focus on research and development as well as production (indeed, in the long term they envisage that once they have enough orders on their books the mass production of the robots will be contracted out to a suitable machine manufacturer); thirdly they are keen to develop some research and development links with a local university; fourthly, if they can find someone to take on their website and make it work harder for them they might be able to get that person to maintain that site on a part time basis whilst they complete the final year of their degree course.

Having decided that they want to employ two graduate placement students, they now need to produce job descriptions for the two technical posts – software engineer and web designer. What do they want each post holder’s duties and responsibilities to be? Who will they report to on a daily basis? How much salary should they offer for each post? (They have calculated that they can budget approximately £60,000 for salaries and on costs.)

They also need to produce personal specifications for each post? What sorts of skills are essential, and which desirable, for each post? What personal qualities are required? What sort of previous experience is essential/desirable?

They then need to produce an advert for each post. What information do they need to include in the advert to attract the very best applicants? What sort of image should they project of the company? How should each advert be worded to grab student’s attention?

DELIVERABLE 1:

Assuming you are working on behalf of Jamie and Harry:

  • Produce job descriptions for each of the twoplacements
  • Produce personal specifications for each of the two posts
  • Produce eye catching advertisements for each of the two posts

Stage 2: Robot-IC Ltd

Developing a recruitment strategy and timetable

Jamie and Harry have now got job adverts, job descriptions and personal specifications for the three technical posts – software engineer, mechanical engineer and web designer. They now need to decide on a recruitment strategy for the 3 posts outlining the steps they will take to attract, select and recruit the new post holders. Do they advertise any of the vacancies nationally? Where do they advertise them? Should they use local job centres or the internet? Can the local universities help in any way? How do they want applicants to apply? How do they want to deal with applications? Should they interview applicants? Should they use tests and assessment centres? Clearly with such a small team it is essential that they get the best possible people for the jobs.

DELIVERABLE 2:

Assuming you are working on behalf of Jamie and Harry:

  • Decide on a suitable recruitment strategy – how will they attract and select the most suitable candidate?
  • Produce a recruitment timetable showing what will happen, by when and who will be responsible for each stage of the recruitment process.

Stage 3: Robot-IC Ltd

Shortlisting applicants

Jamie and Harry have now advertised their 3 technical placement vacancies through a range of media and there has been some interest in the posts. They have received 3 applications for each post but have now realised that they only have time to interview 4 people. So they decide to invite to interview the two strongest applicants on paper for each post.

DELIVERABLE 3:

Assuming you are working on behalf of Jamie and Harry, you now have to look at the paper applications and decide which two out of the three applicants for each post should be interviewed.

  • Produce a short list of two candidates for each post
  • List your reasons for accepting or rejecting each application on the grid provided.

Stage 4: Robot-IC Ltd

Interviewing applicants

Jamie and Harry have now shortlisted 4 applicants, 2 for each of the 2 posts. They have arranged for them to attend a selection day in a local hotel. The morning will be taken up with the agreed selection and recruitment activities. In the afternoon each candidate will get a 40 minute interview with both of them. Jamie and Harry want to treat the candidates fairly by asking them the same questions (so that they can compare how the applicants come across in their interviews) so they decide they will need some sort of checklist to use to score each candidate.

DELIVERABLE 4:

Assuming you are working on behalf of Jamie and Harry:

  • Design an interview score sheet for each of the 2 technical posts, for use in the interviews. Each sheet must clearly show:
  • The criteria being assessed – the skills, experiences or competencies required to be able to do the job
  • A scoring system – this can be points or ratings
  • A minimum of 10 questions per post (these should be designed to get the interviewee to provide evidence against the criteria being assessed)

Provided with permission from Staffordshire University Careers Centre | / 1