10 Critical Recruitment Process Steps

The recruitment or hiring process which is a significant process for every organisation is in fact an organisation-specific model that is utilised for sourcing the right candidates and hiring them. Generally speaking the onus of the recruitment process lies with the Human Resources function. However, nowadays organisations also take the help of third-party recruiting firms. This onus or ownership pertaining to hiring depends upon the specific organisational structure of every company.

Does the hiring process remain always the same?

To answer this question you would need to understand that every organisation is different and so is the hiring process of each. What may work out brilliantly for one organisation may not work for another. Hence it is crucial for every organisation to have that self-awareness regarding their respective recruiting processes. Using this self-awareness, organisations should only try out only what works for them instead of trying out what looks like it will work for them.

The one thing that organisations must keep in mind is that they should seek top-shelf, A- level candidates, as these types of candidates are not actually looking out for a job. They are in fact already drawing fat pay packages and are treated well by their present employer. However, it is quite a challenge to lure and hire passive candidates. Hence it is not just enough for organisations to share their requirement by simply posting on online forums, sitting back, and waiting for the best candidates to walk in. A proactive mindset is what is called for in such a situation. In other words, the HR needs to focus on identifying, interviewing, hiring, and then retaining these ace candidates after picking them up from the marketplace. That is what a true hiring process entails.

Critical Recruitment Process Steps

To help you out in your process of recruitment, here is a list of 10 most critical recruitment process steps. However, you can always customise them by adding or omitting steps or even moving around a couple of steps to suit your requirement.

1. Identify the need for hiring: It is impossible for you to figure out what you actually need, if you are not aware of what is your requirement. It is just not enough for you to know what position you need to hire for. You must be aware of the details of the job description. In order to understand the details of job description, you need to find out what responsibilities the last employee who left the job had taken up. This is important as the list of responsibilities would differ from what the employee had taken up when he or she newly joined the job to the ones that he or she took up before leaving the job.
2. Put a plan together: Once you have figured out what is it that you need in terms of hard and soft skills, it is time for you to put a plan together. It is important that you get the confirmation of everyone involved with the recruitment process on the steps that you plan to take as well as the various communication channels that you wish to use.
3. Search for the right candidate: You need to act like a hunter and not a gatherer when it comes to looking out for the right candidate. Most organisations act like gatherers where they behave as if candidates are going to rain from the skies. Hence it is important for you to hire agencies like the Headhunters, as such agencies hunt and do not simply gather candidates. Also, these kinds of agencies are quite good at what they do in terms of their connections and expertise.
4. Identify viable candidates: It is not just enough to find a candidate for the position. You also need to find out qualified and apt candidates who fit the bill. If you simply go looking for candidates, you will find them in hordes as they are everywhere. It is the A-level candidates who are hard to find. Hence, seeking, finding, and identifying these A-level candidates become more challenging if you do not follow the above mentioned first three steps.
5. Recruiting A-level candidates: Once you have been able to identify the viable candidates for the required position, you need to hire them. You need to understand the fact that these ace candidates are not just interested in a new job, they are interested in taking up a great new job with an awesome employer. In case they like the job but not the employer, there is every possibility that they won’t take up the job. Hence, recruitment is an important step of the hiring process.
6. Telephonic screening: When you have a list of viable passive candidates, there is a possibility that not each one of them is going to make it through the process. This brings you to the first screening stage of the hiring process using a telephonic interview screening process. Having a telephonic screening will bring down this list so that you can proceed to the next step of the recruitment process.
7. Interviewing face-to-face: You must remember that you can’t stretch the process too long, otherwise the interested candidates will lose their interest. Also, the employer must communicate to the candidates what they can expect in the near future and where they are at presently in the process. If you do not follow this step, candidates will start looking elsewhere, and these A-level candidates are never short of having lucrative offers in hand.
8. Rolling out the offer: This is one of the most significant stages of the hiring process. You should not blindly take for granted that a said candidate is always going to accept your offer. In case you have followed all of the above mentioned steps and cross-checked everything well, then there is a possibility of the candidate accepting the offer most of the times. In case you are working in tandem with a hiring agency, then you must let the consultant roll out the offer to the candidate, as that is what the candidate expects and should happen as well.
9. Hiring the candidate: You must be wondering why the rolling out of offer is and hiring not combined into one single step. The reason for this is that not every offer that you make is likely to be accepted. So for instance if candidate number one rejects the offer, then you need to extend the offer to the next candidate in line and so on and so forth. It is only when a candidate accepts your offer that you should roll out the offer formally.
10. Onboarding of the new hire: The onboarding process is one of the most significant steps in the hiring process. Onboarding of a new employee entails not just paperwork but it is about making the new hire feel wanted even before they officially join your organisation. A lot of organisations fail to do this and that is why they end up in situations where their new hire does not show up for work. One of the best ways to facilitate more placements is to ramp up the hiring process. You must try to utilise a recruiting applicant tracking system which is not only powerful but also simple. It is designed to save you time and energy during the recruitment process. After all, the faster you procure the best candidates, the better it is for your organisation.

For more relevant posts:

1. Onboarding: Why it’s Crucial to HR Management. 
2. Future-Proof HR Trends and Strategies. 
3. Recruitment Strategies to Attract High Potential, High Performing Employees.