Hiring Handbook for Recruiters
By: Priya Kundu
Tags: Talent Acquisition, Human Resources, Hr Talent Management, Recruitment

1) Preparation

This is where we first identify the need for the employees. We set the frame for the position and a profile of required competencies and skills for the new hire. A part of the preparation process is also to put together a job ad and choosing the proper communication channels to spread the message. A proper formation of Job description is equally important.

2) Receive applications

Our ad has been posted and the pile of applications is steadily growing. An important step of creating a good candidate experience is to confirm to applicants that their application has been received.

3) Selection stage 1: Weed out unqualified applicants (Screening Phase)

We’ve now started the selection process of the recruitment. The selection process can in turn be divided into several smaller steps, where each stage eliminates further candidates who are not suited for the position. A first selection is done to eliminate unqualified applicants who don’t meet the basic requirements for the position.

By using selection questions as part of the application process, basically asking if the applicant meets the requirement or not, we can quickly discern who does and does not meet the basic requirements. An important point here is to always get in touch with these applicants to inform them that they have not made it through to the next round, preferably making it clear that it’s because they don’t meet the basic requirements.

In our case the questions raised can be:

· When could you start if you were offered the job?

· How much money would you like to earn in this position?

· What did you find most interesting in the job description?

· What interests you about our company?

· Tell me about this two-year gap in your resume. (If any)

· Why do you want to leave your current position? (If Non-Freshers)

4) Selection stage 2: Rating and ranking candidates

The next step of the selection process will be to figure out which applicants should be asked to come to an interview. In other words, we should rank candidates according to which are the most to least interest to meet with. The rating should be based on how well the candidate fits the profile of requirements and skills needed for the position. This is one of the most time- consuming steps where most spend their time reading through resumes and cover letters.

5) Selection stage 3: In-Person Interviews

We’re now deep in the selection process, having screened candidates, evaluated their skills, assessed their abilities, and created a shortlist of the most qualified people. It’s finally time to meet in person with those promising candidates and determine who’s going to be your next hire.

A good interview will help us make better hiring decisions, as we will objectively evaluate and compare candidates’ potential. But there’s more to do than the actual interview. We need to prepare ourself and the entire hiring team to make sure that we will ask all the right questions. More specifically, we should prepare:

A list of job-related questions that assess how well candidates can manage regular job duties. We can ask a mix of:

· Role-specific questions, to evaluate candidates’ knowledge and experience.

· Soft skills questions, to identify candidates who are good not just on paper.

· Situational questions, to learn how candidates would address different scenarios and issues that may arise on the job.

· Behavioral questions, to discover how candidates have previously handled professional challenges.

Cultural fit questions that will help us pick these candidates who are more likely to thrive in our work environment. For example, we can ask:

· Career goals questions, to find candidates whose professional goals align with our business objectives.

· Collaboration questions, to identify team players.

· Adaptability questions, to learn which candidates are more flexible and will have a smooth transition to their new role if hired.

Once we have your set of interview questions ready (and double-checked that we’re not asking anything illegal), we can invite candidates to our offices — or schedule a video call if we’re hiring remotely. Few things to keep in mind while doing that would be:

· Scheduling interviews at least two or three business days in advance. As they also need some time to prepare themselves for the interview.

· Providing candidates with all necessary information. That will include:

- The exact day and time of the interview, taking into consideration different time zones if you’re interviewing remote candidates

- The address of our offices along with directions on how to get there (or, instructions on how to log in to a video platform, in case of a video interview)

- The names and roles of the interviewers

- The scope of the interview (e.g. “We’ll go over your assignment” or “You’ll meet with the CEO”)

- The estimated duration of the interview

· Sticking to the interview questions we have prepared; small talk with candidates or questions that are irrelevant to the job could result in biased hiring decisions.

· Asking all the candidates the same set of questions in a structured way; this way, it’ll be easier to compare their answers and select the most qualified ones.

· Being prepared to answer questions from candidates, too; they’ll probably want to learn more about the team, the company goals and the employee benefits.

· Reviewing candidates’ profile (e.g. resume, assignment, previous communication) before we meet them; we’ll refresh our memory and won’t ask things they’ve already mentioned.

6) Selection stage 4: Simulated work exercise

Following up on the final top candidates from the last round of interview a simulated work exercise can be conducted. It’s a way to check if the candidate we’ve assessed as being highly qualified and suited for the job can actually deliver in a future work situation.

7) Background & Reference checks (If Any)

Background checks reassure us that our finalists are reliable and don’t pose risks to our company. For example, employers may conduct pre-employment checks to make sure candidates have told the truth in their resumes or don’t currently do illicit drugs.

In the final stages of the selection process, we might want to get some references for our best candidates. This way, we’ll get feedback about their performance from people they’ve actually worked with in the past, such as former managers, former colleagues or business partners and clients.

We can ask candidates to provide contact details from former employers and co-workers. Or, we can reach out directly to people you know they used to work with. In any case, when requesting references for a candidate, it’s best to initially send an email to introduce ourself and explain why we want this information. This way, we can schedule a call where we’ll discuss in more detail.

During reference checks, we can:

· Confirm what candidates have already told us (e.g about time of employment and previous job responsibilities)

· Learn how candidates use their skills on the job

· Discover potential weaknesses or lack of practical experience

· Understand how candidates behave in the work environment (e.g. if they’re punctual, if they receive feedback well, etc.)

To obtain objective and relevant information, we need to ask targeted questions, like:

· When did [Candidate_name] work at your company and what was their job title?

· What were [Candidate_name’s] main responsibilities?

· Could you mention one or two group projects [Candidate_name] was involved in? What was their role and how did they collaborate with their colleagues?

· Do you think [Candidate_name] could take on a more senior role? Why or why not?

Once we’re done taking everything, we learnt in the selection process into account, from our own candidate evaluation to background and reference checks, we’re ready to make your hiring decision.

8) Decision and job offer

Finally, after a series of well-organized selection processes for recruiting new employees, we’ve finally found our perfect employee. Now it’s time to let them know we’re offering them a position at our company.

When a candidate accepts the job offer a hiring cycle ends successfully.