Effective Recruitment Process
STOP!
Before bringing that next recruit onboard, you should definitely read this.
That intro was a tad bit dramatic. Okay, maybe not a tad bit. But it was very necessary to grab your attention considering how much more drama you would have on your hands as an employer should your recruitment process be unsuccessful.
The first step in building an organization’s workforce is Recruitment. Every manager’s goal is to find and hire the right candidate for a job opening in record time while staying within the salary budget.
However, reality throws pretty hard punches and one is forced to admit that the recruitment process isn’t rosy for every single HR manager. For some, it comes with prickly thorns that often take the form of difficulty in finding credible candidates for a job position and trouble retaining employees.
Considering that these are major ingredients in every successful business, it expresses why an effective recruitment process is vital and also why you should read this article to the end as we’ve outlined sure tips for an effective recruitment process!
What Is the Recruitment Process in HR?
Recruitment, in the HR lexicon, refers to all the activities involved in employee onboarding. Such activities include identifying vacant positions/ job roles that need to be filled, analyzing the job requirements, reviewing candidate resumés, conducting interviews, screening and shortlisting of candidates, and lastly, selecting and hiring the best candidate with the required skills, work experience, and personality that fits the job profile.
The recruitment process cuts across as all the procedures involved in attracting and selecting a potential employee to fill a vacancy in an organization. Usually, this process is handled by Executives, HR administrators, Recruitment teams (for companies that have such), or a combined effort of two or all three divisions. It is common knowledge that HR admins are at the forefront of this process and they spearhead the recruitment process while working in collaboration with other departments and team members as is necessary.
Best Practices for an Effective Recruitment Process
To be guaranteed an effective recruitment process, there are certain pointers you need to keep in mind. We have carefully put together 10 best practices to consider for a streamlined recruitment process;
Employee Referral Program
One step to an effective recruitment process is by getting your employees actively involved in the process through the employee referral program. No one better to spread the word about a job opening at your company than your employees. Creating a referral program at your organization allows your employees actively participate in the recruitment process by spreading information about the vacancy and there is a high chance that qualified candidates may come from these referrals. This method also guarantees you a large talent pool of candidates to choose from.
Establish a Strong Organizational brand
Did you really think all of the work was for the potential employees to carry? Of course not! As an employer or HR manager, you must ensure that your company or organization has a clear brand identity that applicants will come across while researching the company. Experienced and skilled applicants are more likely to seek out information about the company online before applying for the role. Their search for information should be met with a detailed and clear account of your company’s mission, vision, and core values which can be displayed on your website or across the company’s digital media pages. Candidates will have a mental picture of what your organizational standards are and this can attract the best highly skilled hands to your organization.
Analyze the Job Requirements
Analyzing the job requirements is one key ingredient in a successful recruitment process and can serve as a guide when drafting out your recruitment strategy. Understanding your business’ needs or the needs of the department holding the vacant position will help you know what exactly it is you are looking for in a candidate. Also, writing out the job requirements helps you communicate the organization’s needs to the prospect and what is expected of them should they be hired as well as selecting candidates who show potential in fulfilling those expectations.
Lay Out a Recruitment Plan
Planning is at the core of every organization process including the recruitment process. You can save yourself the time and energy you would expend moving without direction by laying out a standard well-detailed recruitment plan. Lay out every step in the recruitment process from identifying vacancies up to hiring the candidate that fits the job requirements. Also, doing this helps you have an idea of all the processes involved in achieving the goal and you can assign recruitment tasks to every member of your HR or recruitment team to further simplify the process.
Begin Search
Okay, time to start searching and drawing up a list from the pool of applicants. What are you searching for? Candidates who align with the job requirements. To make your search easier, consider using keyword recruitment tools to filter qualified candidates from unqualified applicants. Also, not many employers think to look inwards but chances are you already have your next recruit working in your organization! For job roles that are not very strict on skills and experience, or in cases where these skills can be acquired through corporate training, it is advisable to look internally before seeking external candidates. The internal candidates are knowledgeable about the organization’s goals and their history and past success within the organization can provide some sort of assurance that they can excel in a new role.
Select the Best Candidates
Choose the best candidates to make up an interview list. Speed is key in this step seeing as experienced and skilled candidates would likely not put all their eggs in one basket meaning that they have probably applied to other companies who might also be thinking the same thing you are — hiring them.
Conduct a Mobile Screening
Once you have your list of top-tier names, it is time for the main game! The one where you conduct a mobile screening process to further narrow down your list and simplify your selection process. One sure tip is to make a list of questions to ask during the mobile interview before you get started.
Conduct Physical Interviews
Soon after the mobile screening should come the physical interviews. Try not to drag the process on for too long, or you risk candidates losing interest or being hired by competitors. Also, make sure to communicate with the prospect the level you are at in the recruitment process and when you would get back to them. A follow-up is very necessary should they have been chosen or not.
Make the Job Offer
Here comes the somewhat tricky part. So, you’ve painstakingly gone through all applications, narrowed down your list, conducted the mobile screening and physical interviews and finally, you have your final choice. But then this perfect-fit-for-the-job employee turns down the offer. How?! Well, it happens. Offering an employee a job doesn’t mean they are going to accept right away or even accept at all. Remember, it is likely that these employees have submitted their resumé to other companies and are also being offered juicy deals. This is where your compensation and benefits packages come into play. Make sure to present an enticing offer that the employee can’t refuse. Negotiations are a must to arrive at a middle point where both parties (employer and employee) are benefitting.
Employee Onboarding
The employee has accepted the offer. Hurray! Now, get to work. The onboarding process is more than just paperwork and contract signing. The newly employed individual has to settle into the position seamlessly, blend in with his/ her team members, and be able to meet the demands of the job and it is the responsibility of the employer to provide resources or any other relevant information that would help the new recruit settle into the new role.
On a final note;
The recruitment process can be a breeze-through for you as an employer should you apply all the above-mentioned best practices. We’re rooting for you and trust you to make the best choices provided you follow our steps. Should you need further assistance, kindly reach out to our trusted professionals at BeaVista to make your recruitment process seamless!
