7 Steps to a Successful Recruitment Process
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There are seven simple steps to the recruiting process that you should follow every time you hire.
The recruiting process can be incredibly time consuming. The good news is that almost all recruiting can be broken down into seven simple steps, many of which you are already familiar with.
Here's a single guide you can use over and over again. It's perfect for staying legally compliant, conducting a foolproof recruiting process, and hiring the right candidates to last and reduce costs down the road.
Find More interesting facts... New Recruitment Methods You can Follow
Know what you need
The key to getting what you want? Knowing what you're looking for. That's where good planning comes in. By making sure you have a thorough understanding of the role you're recruiting for, the rest of the recruiting process will be easier and faster, as you'll quickly be able to determine who has the experience needed to successfully fill the role. This also ensures that candidates have a clear purpose and planned goals for the position when they join the company, eliminating any ambiguity about where they fit into the company's overall goals.
Key questions to answer:
Why is a new employee needed?
What will be the duties and responsibilities of the successful candidate?
What skills or abilities are required to succeed in this role?
How does this role fit into the overall structure of the company?
Prepare the job description and personnel specification
These are written descriptions of:
They will be one of the first things job seekers read when they find your job posting. Attracting the right candidates during the recruiting process depends largely on the quality of these two documents, so it's worth spending time on them before moving on to the next steps.
Try to include key responsibilities in the job description to give a good idea of what the position entails, as well as to give an idea of who they will be working with and what success looks like.
The person specifications help you characterize the type of skills and mindset that will thrive in the role.
Choose where to post your ads
Job sites
- Advantages: a quick way to get wide exposure of your job posting to thousands of registered job seekers.
- Cons: you may end up with hundreds of resumes to sift through, and you're likely to get a lot of random applications, as people "spam" their resumes in hopes of getting hired.
In-house
- Advantages: the person you are looking for could be right under your nose! You save time and money on recruiting costs, you motivate your employees by offering them opportunities, and they are already integrated into the culture and rhythm of the company.
- Disadvantages: For some roles, bringing in a new perspective or skill set can help build your team's capabilities.
Social Media
- Advantages: LinkedIn is the leading social platform for recruiting and screening candidates with nearly 740 million professionals present, ahead of Facebook and Twitter, and allows you to specifically target content based on the skills and expertise required for a position.
- Disadvantages: Your company page must have good quality content - the platform is as much for candidates to see if your company is the right place for them to work as it is for you to see if they are the right candidate for you.
Expert support
If you're already struggling to fit everything into the recruitment process, you may want to consider using a recruitment agency, especially if you're serious about finding the right candidate for you.
- Advantages: a good recruitment agency can take care of everything, without forcing you to relinquish control over important decisions. As the UK's leading recruitment company, we have placed hundreds of thousands of talented job seekers with satisfied employers. Our specialist divisions ensure that you get someone who knows your industry and tailors the process to your needs.
- Disadvantages: We understand that the costs associated with using recruitment consultants can be daunting, especially for smaller companies. However, using a specialist can both strengthen and speed up the process, allowing you to reclaim valuable time to do more within the company.
Review your applications
Good candidates need to quickly and clearly highlight how their experience fits the position. So re-read your job description and person specification to remind yourself what you're looking for. Don't feel bad about reading applications under a magnifying glass. The onus is on your candidates to prove their suitability as quickly as possible. And, trust us, after reading a hundred resumes, you'll be able to spot the best candidates from a mile away. Take a deep breath and dive in.
No matter how good your job description and specifications are, you will always receive unsolicited applications. And you don't always have to discredit them. Sometimes smart flexibility can pay off.
Conducting interviews
A key element of the recruitment process is the interview, which gives you invaluable contact time with your candidates. Good preparation is essential to getting the most out of the conversation. It's about knowing what the most important talking points are, including the highlights of their CV or application, and of course, the key requirements of the role. We are also seeing the interview process rapidly transform with new video technologies.
Candidate expectations are evolving like those of any consumer, with an increased desire for convenient, mobile experiences, with a seamless transition between digital and physical interactions with a brand. It's worth exploring how new tools and technologies can enhance your candidates' experience throughout the process. If you're not sure where to start, talk to one of our consultants.
Check references, write a contract and offer the position
Once you've shortlisted your top candidates, it's time to check their references. Many employers skip this step in recruiting, but it's essential to check your candidate's background to make sure they are who they say they are. (Hiring the wrong person can be very costly).
Welcome your new rising star as they move in
Being the new person is often awkward, difficult and uncomfortable. Here are our top tips for ensuring a welcoming company culture, making a good impression from the start and earning serious brownie points by making a special effort to help your new candidate settle in:
The recruiting process isn't easy to do alone. But when you have a proven process to follow, you have more time to focus on the important things, like finding a candidate that fits your company, your budget and the position you're recruiting for.
Read More.. How to Overcome the Recruitment Challenges
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