Recruitment and Selection Stages

Recruitment and Selection Stages

Having a recruitment policy (defined procedure) in a large organisation guides managerial action. Such a policy usually reflects the prescriptions of the literature on recruitment which themselves form an implementation checklist covering e.g. use of interviews of given sequence and composition, adoption of educational qualification standards, use of limited sources for recruits (we use only only the top 20 universities), strict regulation of references and candidate vetting, use of a psychometric test etc.
The steps form a heuristic - a general, sensible chart with which to navigate the recruitment maze. Standardisation serves to reduce risk and share experience. In a bureaucratic framework it circumscribes discretion and behaviour of decision-makers in the organisation.
Typical stages of recruitment and selection can be summarised as:

Stage What is involved?
1 Response to vacancy

Vacancy arises. Impact on staffing plan? Job re-design, re-shuffle?
Permission to recruit/replace?
Exit interviews?

2 Job analysis

Is the post understood by participants in the process?
What are the priorities, demands, competences required? Analyse the job.
Produce/up-date job description, personnel specification.
Define target groups - where are they and what will attract them to apply?

3 Employment terms

Define the terms and conditions of employment.
Agree the rewards package internally.
Anticipate anomalous relationships with other jobs.
Equal opportunities?

4 Communicate Vacancy

Where will we get our candidates from (sources)?
Should the vacancy be offered openly?
Is there scope for internal promotions and job transfers. Knock-on effects?
External sourcing. DIY and/or use agencies? Confidentiality?
Determine budgets and placement schedules.
Prepare copy and place. Advertising - standards?

5 Process applications

Is the administrative machine ready to respond to applications? Is job documentation for candidates prepared?
Log applications/CVs. Compare each with personnel profile
Follow-up on references/security clearances
Decide on/organise recruitment programme. Who, when (meetings, appointments), where (on-site, off-site).
Short-list and invite candidates to selection activity
Courteous rejections/on-hold candidates

6 Carry out selection programme

Organise candidate accommodation, Cook's tour and arrangements for testing
Brief reception staff.
Finalise selector briefing/training and interviewer preparation/strategy
Implement selection programme: conduct interviews, exercises, tests
Review candidate data and make selection

7 Make job offer(s) and finalise contract

Advise unsuccessful candidates of rejection or stand-by
Process job acceptances
Complete reference investigations
Confirm terms and conditions of employment
Confirm arrangements for job start
Design new starter induction programme

8 Evaluate effectiveness of

recruitment process and methods. Validity, reliability and utility?
the recruitment service - internal or external agency. Were all the costs necessary?
the selection decisions. Is the new employee really suitable? If not how was the selection process at fault?

BOLA is developed and maintained by Chris Jarvis

Stage	What is involved?
1	Response to vacancy Vacancy arises. Impact on staffing plan? Job re-design, re-shuffle? Permission to recruit/replace? Exit interviews?
2	Job analysis Is the post understood by participants in the process? What are the priorities, demands, competences required? Analyse the job. Produce/up-date job description, personnel specification. Define target groups - where are they and what will attract them to apply?
3	Employment terms Define the terms and conditions of employment. Agree the rewards package internally. Anticipate anomalous relationships with other jobs. Equal opportunities?
4	Communicate Vacancy Where will we get our candidates from (sources)? Should the vacancy be offered openly? Is there scope for internal promotions and job transfers. Knock-on effects? External sourcing. DIY and/or use agencies? Confidentiality? Determine budgets and placement schedules. Prepare copy and place. Advertising - standards?
5	Process applications Is the administrative machine ready to respond to applications? Is job documentation for candidates prepared? Log applications/CVs. Compare each with personnel profile Follow-up on references/security clearances Decide on/organise recruitment programme. Who, when (meetings, appointments), where (on-site, off-site). Short-list and invite candidates to selection activity Courteous rejections/on-hold candidates
6	Carry out selection programme Organise candidate accommodation, Cook's tour and arrangements for testing Brief reception staff. Finalise selector briefing/training and interviewer preparation/strategy Implement selection programme: conduct interviews, exercises, tests Review candidate data and make selection
7	Make job offer(s) and finalise contract Advise unsuccessful candidates of rejection or stand-by Process job acceptances Complete reference investigations Confirm terms and conditions of employment Confirm arrangements for job start Design new starter induction programme
8	Evaluate effectiveness of recruitment process and methods. Validity, reliability and utility? the recruitment service - internal or external agency. Were all the costs necessary? the selection decisions. Is the new employee really suitable? If not how was the selection process at fault?