Recruitment & Selection Stages
Full life cycle recruiting consists of several steps from the first step of locating potential applicants to selecting the perfect candidate for the job. Independent contract recruiters generally use the term full life cycle recruiting; however, in-house recruiters also use this method, particularly when their duties include hard-to-fill positions.
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Sourcing
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When recruiters refer to sourcing candidates, they are looking for individuals whose qualifications may be ideally suited to certain positions. Sourcing candidates refers to both passive job seekers and active job seekers. The difference between passive and active job seekers means simply those who can be encouraged to explore professional opportunities and people who are actively seeking positions by completing online applications and emailing resumes to recruiters.
Posting
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Posting job vacancies to online job boards, newspapers, and in trade journals and magazines requires a comprehensive understanding of the job duties and responsibilities, as well as the company philosophy, mission and values. Applicants seek employment with organizations known for their ethical business practices and opportunities for employee development. Advertisements for position openings should clearly explain what the company has to offer prospective employees. After sourcing potential candidates, posting and advertising may be the step during which a recruiter must demonstrate the most creativity. Online job boards contain thousands of postings. Therefore, recruiters are responsible for creating job postings that stand out among the rest.
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Screening
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Upon receiving applicant resumes and online applications, the next stage in the recruitment and selection process is preliminary screening. Many recruiters conduct preliminary phone interviews to verify work history, qualifications and the applicant's continued interest in the job. Screening applicants also gives recruiters an initial opportunity to describe the vacancy in greater detail than is possible on an online job board. One 20- to 30-minute telephone interview may be sufficient time to determine whether to invite the applicant to a personal interview.
Interviewing
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For some positions, the interview process is one of the most complex steps in the recruitment and selection process. In-house recruiters for organizations that conduct panel interviews must be able to coordinate the participation of several people. The recruiter must be capable of composing interview questions and briefing panel members on the applicant's telephone demeanor and responses to preliminary interview questions. Many recruiters provide guidance to panel members who have limited experience interviewing candidates. Interviewing tips include appropriate questions and the differences between behavioral and situational interview questions.
Hiring
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The final stage in the recruitment and selection process is the actual hiring decision. Hiring managers generally confer with the recruiter or employment specialist about the suitability of one candidate over another. Another scenario involves decision by consensus, which is popular after a panel interview. The advantage of a panel interview is the variety of perspectives and input from each panel member. Once the selection process is over, the recruiter prepares a letter to extend an offer of employment. Beyond the selection stage, a background investigation and drug analysis may be required of the person selected for the job.
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References
- "Entrepreneur"; Steps in Successful Selection Interviewing; 1999
- ERE: The Steps of the Recruiting Process ... and How to Identify Failure Points; Dr. John Sullivan; May 2010
- The White House; Presidential Memorandum -- Improving the Federal Recruiting and Hiring Process; May 2010
- Purdue: The Hiring Process
- Outsourcing Center; The Revolution in Recruitment Process Outsourcing; Kathleen Goolsby; December 2008
