Having an effective recruitment process in place is key to a company’s success in attracting quality candidates in the long-term and decreasing the time it takes to select them. But companies don’t always get it right, often losing out on the talent that their business requires.

To help make sure your resourcing is streamlined, here are a few practical tips to enhance the recruitment process in your organisation.

1. Build a real employer brand
   Review sites such as Glassdoor may be used by potential candidates to check feedback from current and past employees, allowing them to assess whether the employer brand you’re promoting holds true. As part of your talent attraction programme you should ensure that your core messages are based on real values and experiences, and are supported by those testimonials. Remember, your employees can be your greatest brand advocates and critics.

   With a well defined and accurate employer brand, you’re more likely to attract the right talent to your business, ultimately increasing retention and ROI.

2. Develop your online presence
   Social media is a great means to engage and build relationships with your candidates, clients, prospects and partners. As a company, take the time to build, grow and nurture your profile and network so that any potential new contacts can get an immediate idea of who you are and what your company stands for.

   Build on your presence by sharing relevant news and information from your company, get involved in topical conversations within your industry and most importantly, communicate directly with your audience on a regular basis.

3. Be clear on job requirements
   Be clear and concise about the role you’re advertising and provide a clear call to action. Candidates can quickly lose interest if the vacancy appears too vague or too complicated. The goal is to communicate what is expected of the role, the tasks and responsibilities involved, as well as the skills required.

   The AIDA method is a useful tool to help you write an effective job advert:

   • Attention – attract the candidate’s attention by including a clear, descriptive, yet concise job title
   • Interest – generate interest by providing an overview of the company and why the candidate should want to work here
   • Desire – convince the candidate that they desire the job by highlighting the salary, benefits, career development and any other opportunities
   • Action – encourage them to apply by providing clear steps for the application process
    
4. Create a person specification
   Create a profile of the ideal candidate to save time whilst sifting through the applications and to help you choose the most qualified candidate for the job. Include the skills, knowledge and competencies required for the job and if you can, highlight whether each item is required or desired. This profile will help you assess all applications objectively and compare the candidates’ experiences against the job requirements.
 
Ensure communication and follow-up
Communication is one of the most important factors for job seekers throughout the recruitment process. Remember, they’ve invested time and interest in your brand. Ensure you take the time to thank them for applying, update them on their status as soon as possible – even if they are unsuccessful – advise them on the next stage and don’t forget to keep your promise to contact them when you say you will (even if you haven’t yet made your decision).
It may seem like a time-consuming process but being proactive will go a long way in terms of delivering the right candidate experience and whether candidates apply for future positions again.
Manage the candidate’s expectations
Once the applicant is considered a successful candidate for the job, provide them with a job specification to ensure they fully understand the role before they decide to accept the offer. This will serve as a guide to ensure that the employee and company’s expectations are aligned with each other.
 
Complete the final details
All companies require pre-employment checks and necessary paperwork for the employment registration process. Confirm exactly what is required ahead of the start date and ensure any outstanding queries are resolved, contract of employment, documentation filing and final checks are fully complete. This way you will ensure your candidate has enough time to prepare and complete the documents, with everything in place for the first day to go smoothly.
 
Organise the first day
Ensure the candidate’s first day at the new job is organised by providing them with a brief that includes directions, time of arrival, who are they going to meet, dress code, an induction timetable, if applicable, and any other vital information. You might also want to go a step further by providing a welcome pack but at the very least try to ensure all of their equipment is ready for them to start work. There’s nothing worse than trying to busy yourself without a computer on your first day.
 
Invest in relationships
Finally, take the time to develop and invest in relationships in your candidate pool. Remember, just because a candidate doesn’t have the required skills for the current vacancy you’re trying to fill, doesn’t mean they won’t be suitable for future roles. By following the above tips, you can create a good impression and maintain your relationships, throughout and after the recruitment process.

Get in touch today to find out more.

Contact Experis here.