HR resource planning is critical to business success. That said, businesses can easily be tripped up when positions become vacant or business growth requires finding suitable candidates, fast.
That’s why it’s essential to have a clear recruitment process in place, to ensure that the most suitable candidates are sought, and hired, as quickly and efficiently as possible, lessening the chances of business objectives being de-railed.
Both HR teams and In-house recruiters regularly use agencies to help with new hires. It’s often a quicker, less restrictive process, providing instant access to vetted candidates. The expertise of agencies helped recruiters find almost a million people permanent jobs in 2016/17 (REC). To optimise this relationship, establish clear procedures for the recruitment process with your agency, at the outset, so you get what you want.
According to Bullhorn, the biggest priority for recruitment agencies is the current talent shortage (52 percent). This has seen recruitment shift to become candidate-driven and, in the UK, Brexit is compounding this. So, outlining what talent you are looking for, gives your agency the best opportunity to source the right candidates.
Make it clear what’s in the job description – the specifics of what the candidate will be expected to do - and the job role – where the position sits in the organisation and who the person will report to – to get the process off to a flying start. Share this at the outset, so your agency makes the best selection for you. It’s also worth being clear about the contract type, as this too will make a difference, based on what candidates are looking for.
Again, from the get-go, set clear and reasonable expectations for the terms and conditions of the role; skill levels, salary, whether there is a bonus or commission, how performance is assessed, whether there’s an annual pay review and so on.
You will also need to set out the timeframe. This way, if anyone is in a desperate hurry, you needn’t waste time seeing them, if you’re not.
In today’s marketplace, businesses realise that, to grow or maintain their competitive edge, hiring professional and skilled candidates is a top priority. And yet, many candidates are not happy with how the process is managed. According to www.mysteryapplicant.com 58 percent of candidates did not receive regular updates on their applications.
A lot of recruiters agree that communication is one of the most important things to get right, in the process. It makes a big difference especially in the fight to retain top talent.
It’s important to maintain communication throughout the process, not just at the start. It’s also a good way for the agency to stay in touch with candidates who get through to the second or third round, to check their motivations and ascertain how their job search is going.
Regardless of job level, everyone, from graduates, through to the most seasoned talent, will expect the recruitment process to be fast and efficient. If you anticipate a four-stage recruitment process, brief this to your agency so they can manage expectations.
It’s important to stress to senior managers involved in the recruitment process the importance of their role. If they need to see the candidates at some stage, make sure they can clear their diaries for the interviews. Otherwise, you risk jeopardising the whole process.
This is especially true for strong candidates, many of whom will simply move onto the next opportunity, should delays start to creep in.
Recruitment is no longer limited to face to face interviews. Nowadays, group interviews, presentations, video or conference call interviews, as well as getting candidates to spend half a day with the team, are all commonly used as part of the selection process.
You will need to specify your exact process again, so expectations can be met and candidates fully prepped. Businesses are often keen to find out if a candidate, on top of having the right skills and experience, will be someone who will feel at home in their environment. It’s a much harder thing to establish, as, after all, how can anyone tell what an organisation will be like to work for, just from spending 1-2 hours in the office?
Some companies will go to the trouble of psychometric tests or using Myers-Briggs team profiling as this can be an ideal way to get the candidate who will fit in. Spell this out too. Some of the methods above, are great to delve further.
Always remember that, while you are busily assessing your candidates’ potential, you also need to sell the job to them. 53 percent of employees said that a job role that placed a focus on work-life balance and personal well-being was of paramount importance to them.
This is why it’s important to remember the more personal side of things and clearly communicating your firm’s approach to work-life balance, flexible working and suchlike. Any staff benefits should be highlighted as well, such as pension, medical care, training opportunities and gym membership.
Forward thinking organisations will be comfortable asking for feedback on the recruitment process, once the selection process is finalised. Even if it’s not what you expect, anything that helps you to learn, to reinforce good practices in recruitment will be worthwhile and continue to make the selection process more rounded, each time.
The use of agencies to help with the recruitment process is at an all-time high, according to the REC. If you would like to know more about how to fulfil your hiring goals, contact our Managing Director, Richard Morgan on richard@remithq.com or call him on 020 7183 6232.