7 Basic Steps to Guide You in Your Recruitment Process

A recruitment process looks so simple from the surface. To be fair, what most people know about it are only the end parts: finding a candidate and hiring them if they fit the job description. But what most people don’t know is the middle part of the recruitment process, which can be the most complex part of it all. 

What is the recruitment process?

The recruitment process is the main function of the Human Resources department. It is an organization-specific model that involves identifying, attracting, screening, shortlisting, interviewing, and hiring employees. 

Typically, the Human Resources department is responsible for the process of recruitment. But some companies may wish to use third-party recruiting firms to do the job for them. 

No, the recruitment process is not always the same.

Some people wonder if the recruitment process for all companies is the same — and the answer is no. What works well for your company may not work well for another. Therefore, it is crucial to be self-aware of your recruiting process. This means you have to formulate your own process that works well for your organization.

Yes, you’ve read it right. As an HR employee, you have to know what works for your company and what doesn’t. But there’s a little more to it than that. In order to recruit the top talent for the job position, you need to rely on a recruitment flowchart to keep you on track.

With all of this in mind, here are the 7 basic steps in the recruitment process to help you hire the right person.

7 Basic Steps to Guide You in Your Recruitment Process

1.  Identify your hiring needs. 

You can’t find what you need if you don’t know what you need in the first place. With that being said, your recruitment process must start with identifying the existing vacancies, then analyze the job specifications you’ll be looking for in every candidate. This includes the skills and experience needed for the role.

To determine your hiring needs, you must first figure out where the gaps are in every team. Do you have new needs in terms of ability and personality? Do you need someone to take care of what’s being addressed currently? It also helps to keep track of the input and output of the team. See if there is an increase in workload, which signifies the need to hire a new employee.

Keep in mind that you need to act urgently every time you recognize that there is a hiring need before it becomes a pressing matter.

2.  Time to prepare the job description.

During the first step, you were able to identify the knowledge, skills, and experience you’ll be looking for in a candidate. Now is the time to determine the duties and responsibilities of the job. To ensure that you get applications from the right candidates, you must prepare a comprehensive job description. Specifically, a job description must include all of the following:

• Title
• Duties and Responsibilities
• Qualifications and Skills
• Location
• Compensation and Benefits

Of course, the content of your job description is not limited to what’s listed above. You can make it more comprehensive if you want. But make sure that you personalize and keep the tone conversational when writing the job description.

3. Talent Search

This is the most important part of the recruitment process. Talent search can be done in different ways. You can advertise the job listing internally to generate referrals. At the same time, you can advertise it externally on popular social networking sites, like LinkedIn.

Recruiting through external sources can offer you a wider scope for the selection of qualified candidates. External talent searches can be done through advertisements, job portals, the company’s career site, and even social networking platforms. 

Once you’re able to gather a huge number of interested applicants, you’re on to the next step.

4. Screening and shortlisting of the candidates

This is where your recruitment process gets tricky and challenging. To resolve this, you must sort applications based on the minimum qualifications. On the other hand, sort the resumes that have the ideal credentials, like certifications, relevant experience, and expertise. You can shortlist candidates who have both the minimum qualifications and ideal qualifications. Finally, make sure to mark any concerns or queries in the resume so you can clarify them during the interview.

5. Interviews

I won’t go into great detail about how to conduct a good interview, but it is worth mentioning the importance of this process. After all, it is the first time you meet the candidate in person (if you’re doing it face-to-face).

Just a tip when doing interviews, be sure to prepare questions that give you deep insights into the job applicant’s professional background. This will help you assess whether they’re a good fit for the role. Most of all, always remain courteous and respectful and be sure to sell the benefits of the job role.

6. Evaluating candidates and offering of employment

There are things you must do once you zero in on a candidate. Specifically, now’s the time to check the candidate’s professional references and verify all their employment details. Once you get to confirm all of those, it is time to draft your contract and make an offer.

When making the job offer, make sure to include everything — from the start date to work hours and compensation. Make sure to keep every detail clear and unambiguous. As an extra tip, you can win the heart of your new hire by putting in some effort to help them settle in. Allow them to feel welcomed by making special arrangements for lunch and get them to know everyone on their team.

7. Once you’re done with the recruitment process, it’s time for the induction of the new employee.

Now that they’ve become an official part of the company, you still need to do another extra step. Make sure to perform pre-employment screening, which includes reference and background checks. Once the verification is done, don’t forget to tell the whole organization to offer their warmest welcome.