Preparing for the Hiring Process with a Recruitment Template
Recruitment is an inevitable staple of people management, but for many it can be a hugely time consuming and troublesome exercise. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Having a thorough plan in place will help to fine tune the recruitment process, eradicating pain points and ensuring the right IT, digital and transformation talent is brought on board. To help you get started, below is the recruitment template we use within our business.
Write or Review the Job Description
The first step when preparing for the hiring process is to create a job description that clearly depicts the role and is tailored to attract the most suitable candidates. A good job description will explain who the role reports to, state whether it is a temporary or permanent position and outline any key and secondary tasks involved.
It should also contain a candidate persona describing the background, strengths and qualifications of a typical applicant, as well as other types of candidates who would be capable of performing the role. In addition, try to include the position’s purpose, goals and the value it adds to the existing team, as this will go a long way towards making the vacancy attractive and selling it to the right professionals (for more information on writing a great job description, check out our IT job description template).
Review the Market
Another key task on the recruitment and selection checklist is to analyse the job market to gain a better understanding of the current talent pool and how the role compares with others out there. Start by checking for any internal options and assess the availability of both temporary contractors and permanent employees.
Don’t forget to look at how the salary compares with the market average, as this will provide an idea of what other companies are paying for similar roles, and whether the salary may need to be adjusted to meet candidates’ expectations. If you’re interested in what the market rates are for your team, then request a copy of our IT Salaries Report here. Finally, think about what makes this role stand out and why job seekers should choose to work for your company rather than others on the market.
Build Your Selection Criteria
Preparing thorough selection criteria is a valuable part of the recruitment checklist because it acts as a guide to help employers make decisions during the candidate screening process, ensuring potential hires meet the requirements of the role. This can take the form of a tick sheet based on the job description and should detail the ideal qualities of candidates, as well as what is next best.
Plan Your Job Marketing
Developing a strategy to market the role is essential when preparing for the hiring process and is a step that many employers neglect. Without a solid marketing plan, it becomes difficult to draw in the interest of top IT and Transformation professionals and the talent pool may be somewhat limited as a result.
Some aspects to consider include the budget that will be dedicated to promoting the role, which region will be targeted (whether local or international), along with the job boards and social media platforms that will be used. While LinkedIn may be the obvious choice, other digital platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have their own advantages when marketing a vacancy. Professional networks and referrals are another great source of candidates and should be taken into account when building a job marketing plan. Also, it’s important to decide if you’ll be going it alone, or work with a specialist Recruitment Agency to save time and energy.
Decide on the Recruitment Process
Lastly, there are a number of key decisions to make regarding the recruitment process itself. Determine appropriate timeframes for the interviews, job offer and start date for the successful candidate, as well as the process for the initial shortlisting of applicants. This is where the recruitment selection criteria tick sheet mentioned earlier will come in handy, enabling individuals with the necessary qualifications to be easily identified and shortlisted.
The number of interviews that will be appropriate depends on the nature of the role and the volume of applicants. If a large number of people apply, consider using phone interviews to streamline this stage. Also, decide on who is going to check candidates’ references, and what sort of testing and skills assessments will be conducted. The final step is to plan how you’ll make the job offer to the successful candidate, along with the rejection process for the applicants who aren’t the right fit.
All of this needs to be taken into account when estimating the time-to-fill; how will candidates be managed, and when and how are applications reviewed, and what is the interview process going to consist of.
Summary
Preparing for the hiring process can be demanding but utilising a recruitment template can save you some major headaches later down the track. Using a specialist recruitment partner would see them take control of many of these elements, so if you need help finding quality IT, digital and transformation professionals in Auckland and across New Zealand, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.