What Are the Stages Of The Recruitment Process?

The importance of recruitment cannot be overstated: hiring staff that can succeed in your company is the key to a successful business. The features of the recruitment process—spread across nine stages—highlight the things to consider when hiring an employee.

But exactly how does one go about navigating these stages of recruitment like a pro? What is the key to unlocking a good eye for recognizing, interviewing, and employing top talent? How do you find a unicorn that checks all the boxes?

Have no fear: this is our comprehensive guide to the main features of the recruitment process. Let’s dive in so you can get started on hiring!

What Is the Recruitment Process?

The recruitment process encompasses each step of the hiring staircase, from the job description to the offer letter. While there is no fixed formula for the perfect recruitment process, there is a quintessential blueprint built for success.

Whether you conduct it in person, online, or over the phone, knowing how to put these key features of recruitment into action will set you up for hiring success!

9 stages of the Recruitment Process

1. Identify a Vacancy

The first step you need to take is backward to look at the big picture of your company.

Not all vacancies are easy to spot in your position. Sometimes, you need to evaluate every department to determine which positions need to be filled. Job vacancies open up when someone leaves the company or gets promoted to a new position. Other times, an establishment grows, consequently catalyzing the need for new roles.

Pinpoint this need, and you’ve got step one down!

2. Write the Job Description

This step involves deciding what you are looking for in a perfect candidate.

Does the role require specific technical skills, like web design? Will your new hire need extensive work experience in the given field? Would the position require them to speak multiple languages, interact with customers, or work in a large team? What would their daily tasks and responsibilities look like?

These questions will set expectations before anyone hits the apply button.

3. Create a Recruitment Model

One of the factors to consider when recruiting employees is whether you plan to look externally or internally for candidates. Ideally, you should employ both methods to ensure you settle on the best person for the job.

External Recruitment

When looking for candidates externally, you can utilize the services of job portals or let recruitment agencies do all the heavy lifting for you.

Taking a deeper look into the ways of external recruitment, the human resources team can also choose to harness the power of passive recruitment. This involves reaching out to industry professionals to offer them to apply for the job vacancy. Linkedin is a popular platform to locate people who could be great fits for your company.

Internal Recruitment

Another method of hiring is internally. This is when the person set to fill the role already works at the company. Sometimes, the ideal person for the job is closer than you think—just make sure the offer is enticing!

4. Accepting Resumes

Once the job post is out there, the waiting game for applicants begins. Your human resources department will receive resumes and cover letters via the chosen channels.

The influx of applications calls for proper sorting and storage. One of the best ways to save and keep track of resumes is via a CRM app. Another method to build this database of applications is by using an online cloud storage service.

5. Build a Shortlist

Now, it’s time to perform an initial screening and build a shortlist of applicants to call back.

The applicants who don’t meet the minimum requirements will need to be addressed with a formal rejection letter before you reach out to your shortlist to schedule interviews. As far as hiring tips for managers go, this is a big one!

6. Conduct Interviews

The interview stage entails a rigorous process of evaluating and gauging the candidates’ skills and proficiency. A well-rounded job interview should consist of ice-breaker questions, personality questions, career history queries, and evaluate problem-solving abilities.

7. Practical Exercises

If necessary, some recruiters like to include a practical test before deciding which candidate to have on board. Selection tests typically come in the form of knowledge assessments, aptitude tests, personality quizzes, and psychometric evaluations.

8. Collate Candidate Data

Collect all the resumes, interview evaluations, and test results.

Creating individual reports gives the human resources team easy access for a quick look back when making a final decision. The last thing you want to do is to be struggling to remember an important detail of an otherwise excellent candidate!

9. Make the Job Offer

You’ve officially reached the final stage of the recruitment process. (Yay!)

This all-important decision defines which candidate will be your newest colleague and teammate. We’re going to be honest: sometimes, the best candidate wins by a landslide, but sometimes it’s a photo finish. Nonetheless, it’s important to move quickly once you have made your decision to ensure you don’t lose your desired candidate.

Take all data into account, and good luck making a decision!

Hire a Star Candidate With Ad Culture

There you have them: the nine stages of recruitment!

As a hiring manager, it’s important you understand them so you can follow due process to get the best candidates possible. However, hiring is often easier said than done—unless you’re enlisting the help of Ad Culture, of course!

We’re ready to support you, from posting that initial job description to helping make your final decision. When you rely on expertise, you’re bound to find your unicorn.

Give us a call to start hiring quality talent!