Having a recruitment checklist gives you the confidence of knowing you can attract the best talent. We’ll cover a nine-point checklist that makes hiring easy.
Recruiting the wrong hire is costly. This is why you need a proven recruitment checklist. It provides a step-by-step process that you can use to hire top talent quickly and without hassle.
This post will cover a nine-point recruitment checklist which you can fall back on when hiring new employees. It will give you the confidence of knowing you can attract the best within a few days.
1. understand the perfect candidate
The first step is to determine what you need in a new hire so you can create compelling messages. Ask yourself the following questions:
- How much experience do they require?
- What qualifications does one need to excel in this role?
- What are the candidate's primary goals, and how can I appeal to these goals?
This will give you a detailed jobseeker persona that you can compare candidates to. This is also a good time to think about the key criteria by which you might look to evaluate prospective candidates for this role.
2. identify primary sourcing channels
Once you've built a jobseeker persona, it's time to identify channels that'll allow you to reach a large yet talented audience. We would encourage you to evaluate the following:
- Generalist job boards (e.g. TotalJobs, Reed, CV Library etc)
- Free to post job boards (e.g. Indeed, Adzuna, etc)
- Specialist job boards, for example in the finance sector you might consider eFinancialCareers
- Other more “social” media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter etc)
- Specialist online communities, for example in the tech sector this might be Github, StackOverflow
Your employee persona will help you decide which platform will work best. A good tip here if you are evaluating a new role you have not hired for before, is to start with a quick search of LinkedIn. For example, if I am looking for a HR manager with experience of the hospitality sector to work in a role in Reading, I can build a quick search on LinkedIn within about 60 seconds.
This LinkedIn search shows there are only 6 people that meet this criteria on LinkedIn who currently work in the hospitality sector and live in Reading. Now as recruiters we know that people move locations and also move from one industry to another, especially in HR. So there are likely many more prospective candidates out there we could find with additional searches.
Remember, the aim of this search was to show us whether these exact mix of skills/experience are in abundance in the local area. The answer is “not really”. This information should then be used to shape our attraction strategy. When you have a good availability of skills strategies like advertising are more likely to work. When you are struggling you will find you will need to rely on sourcing candidates directly via LinkedIn or using recruitment agencies.
Please note: This requires you to know how to search LinkedIn but hireful offers a range of free webinars on this subject.
3. create and publish compelling job adverts
Next, use your jobseeker persona to create impactful job adverts that appeal to the goals and visions of likely candidates. Don't rely on salary to attract employees since it’s unlikely that top talent will leave a company after decades for an increase of five or 10 per cent.
Also, avoid words like "awesome" and "great" as they don’t mean anything. Instead, explain why employees should join your company. If you're short on ideas, consider these reasons:
- Your organisation’s mission, values and direction
- Potential for growth within your company
- Flexible working hours and work-from-home benefits
For more ideas on how to craft great advert copy we recommend reviewing our advert copy guide: https://www.hireful.com/tools/job-advert-copy-guide
4. make applying easy
Surveys show that job seekers won't bother applying for a position if the application process is too long.
So, to give yourself the best chance of attracting suitable candidates, replace lengthy applications with a few quick questions. You could also eliminate the need for cover letters, which reduces application time significantly.
Customers using hireful ATS can see application completion rates of 90%+ as we look to keep the application process simple and remove unnecessary steps like asking candidates to register and create a username/password etc.
5. promote your posting
Posting a few job openings and praying that employees apply limits the quality of people who see your vacancy, thus, limiting your success.
Instead, use promotion strategies like:
- Post to free to post job boards like Indeed, Adzuna, Talent.com
- Consider using paid for job boards
- Promote to your existing staff and remind them of your employee referral scheme
- Posting on your LinkedIn profile and other relevant communities
6. create a shortlist
Once you have a long list of applications in your email inbox or applicant tracking system (ATS), narrow it down using the criteria you identified as key at the start of the process.
You could also narrow the list by asking shortlisted candidates to complete a screening test. This gives you a first-hand view of the strengths and weaknesses of potential employees.
You should have a pile of ‘yes’, ‘no’, and ‘maybe’ employees at the end of your shortlisting process. Move the ‘yes’ and perhaps even some of the ‘maybe’ applicants on to a face-to-face or virtual interview stage.
7. prepare for interviews
You're left with a handful of potential employees who meet the criteria of your employee persona. But you can't hire all of them, so set up a few interviews to find the best fit.
During these interviews, ask value-driven questions:
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What experience do you have that will assist you in this role?
- Why did you leave your previous job?
- What is your ultimate career goal?
Avoid questions like "Why do you want to work for this company?" because it doesn't provide you with valuable information, and candidates likely rehearse these questions before the interview. Instead, stick to practical questions that help you make better hiring decisions.
Using a meeting agenda that keeps your interview on topic is also essential because it prevents unnecessarily long meetings.
8. communicate with candidates and employers
Once you've identified the best person for the role, send them an email saying they've been selected and let them know the steps going forward. You also want to notify the department or company you're recruiting for that you've found a suitable candidate.
9. onboard your new employee
After you've hired an employee, implement an onboarding process that makes the new hire feel welcome and provides them with all the information needed to get started.
Consider onboarding strategies like:
- Assigning a work buddy to show them around
- Sending a welcome bag of goodies to their home
- Creating a welcoming environment
Once you've ticked off all these items, your employee is ready to hit the ground running and start contributing to your team.
attracting the best industry talent is easy with hireful
Recruiting top talent is essential for every business, as it powers your product development and marketing campaigns.
So having a reliable checklist you can turn to allows you to attract the best employees within days and stand out from the competition.
If you’re looking to take your hiring process checklist to the next level, consider signing up for a hireful ATS free trial. The hireful applicant tracking system makes attracting, tracking, and retaining top industry talent easy.
