What is Recruitment?
Jan 20, 2023 • 24 min read
Recruiting is one of those words that most people know what it means, but few actually understand how it works. In fact, some recruiters don’t even really know themselves. So we’re here to clear up the confusion.
In short, recruitment is the selection process of finding qualified candidates for open positions within an organization. This could mean posting a job ad on a company website, sending out resumes via email, or reaching out to friends and family members for referrals.
The main goal of recruitment is to find qualified candidates. Once you’ve found someone who meets the qualifications for the position, you’ll then interview him/her and make sure he/she fits into the culture of the company. If everything checks out, you’ll offer the person the job.
There are many different types of recruitment and your recruitment strategy should be based on your needs. Here are just a few examples:
1. Internal Recruitment – Finding employees within an existing company. This usually happens when a company needs to fill a specific role. For example, if a company wants to hire a marketing manager, they might advertise internally for applicants. They’d look at internal databases like LinkedIn and Facebook to see who has the skills needed for the position. This is a good recruitment strategy as it gives people in your company a chance to grow and have access to new opportunities which can be great for employee retention.
2. External Recruitment – Hiring people outside of the company. This is often done when a company needs to expand quickly and need access to a bigger talent pool. An external recruiter would reach out to potential candidates online, such as through social media sites like Twitter or Linkedin. These individuals would then apply directly to the company.
3. Contract Recruitment – Sometimes referred to as “temporary staffing,” contract recruitments are used when a company doesn’t have enough work for full-time employees. Instead, they use temporary workers to help cover shifts. Companies pay the temp agency per hour worked.
You’ll learn:
- What Goes into a Perfect Recruitment Process?
- Importance of a Strong Recruitment Process
- Phases in a Recruitment Process
- Identifying the Hiring Needs
- Factors That Influence Recruitment
- Sources of Recruitment
- Social Media Recruitment
- Interviewing
- Testing
- Making an offer
Ready to build your remote team?
Use the DigiWorks platform to hire, manage, and pay remote talent from all over the world.
What Goes into a Perfect Recruitment Process?
Recruiting is one of the most important functions within a company. In fact, it is often referred to as the “lifeblood” of a company because without people, there is no growth. As such, companies spend significant amounts of money and resources trying to attract qualified candidates. However, while hiring processes vary widely across industries, organizations typically follow similar recruitment process steps. This includes identifying job openings, screening applicants, interviewing finalists, making offers, and onboarding employees. This process is usually overseen by the Human Resources department.
The best way to ensure you’re following a successful recruitment process is to start with a plan. To do this, you’ll need to identify what you want out of your hiring process and how you intend to achieve those goals. Once you’ve done this, you can begin building your strategy. Here are some steps to take to make sure your next hire is a great fit:
Identify Job Openings
Before beginning any recruiting process, you should know exactly what type of positions you wish to fill. For example, if you’re looking to add a salesperson to your team, you might consider posting a job listing that states something like, “We’re seeking a Sales Representative.” By doing this, you’ll give potential candidates a clear idea of what to expect during the interview process. You could even use keywords to help narrow down your pool of candidates. For instance, if you list a position for a “Sales Manager,” you’ll likely find yourself attracting candidates who have experience managing teams.
Screen Applicants
Once you’ve identified job postings, you’ll need to screen applicants. Screening applicants is a crucial step in the hiring process because it allows you to quickly eliminate anyone who doesn’t meet your qualifications and highlight all the suitable candidates. When creating a screening questionnaire, keep in mind that you don’t necessarily need to ask every question listed here. Instead, focus on asking questions that will help you determine whether someone is a good candidate for the role. Some common questions include:
• How much experience does the applicant have?
Importance of a Strong Recruitment Process
Recruitment processes are one of the most important parts of hiring. They help companies identify suitable candidates rapidly and efficiently. However, many recruiters fail to understand the importance of an effective recruitment process. In fact, some even think it is unnecessary. A well-designed recruitment process is essential, it can save you time and money and connect you with several prospective candidates.
If you’re looking for a more affordable and sustainable option for your recruitment process you might consider making use of a hiring platform like DigiWorks. Virtual assistant companies or platforms like DigiWorks are amazing as they not only match you with pre-vetted and assessed team members that can take care of all your business needs but they will also handle all onboarding and payroll needs as well. Since DigiWorks’ talent are from emerging countries, the rates are much lower than the US minimum wage and you don’t have to deal with the risk of dealing with scammers or incompetent freelancers.
Phases in a Recruitment Process
Recruitment processes are often overlooked during the hiring process because companies think it’s just one big funnel. In reality, there are three separate stages to the process: screening, selection, and onboarding. Each phase serves different purposes and each needs to be well-defined and communicated to candidates. This is essential for an effective recruitment process.
Screening – This is where you start looking at potential candidates. If you don’t know how to do this effectively, you could miss out on some great talent. Screening helps you gather information about candidates and identify those whose skills match up with what you’re looking for in a candidate. This follows the application process and usually involves going through resumes and cover letters to find standouts.
Selection – Once you’ve screened the candidates, you narrow down the field to find the best fit for your team. You might look at resumes, references, phone call and in-office interviews, personality tests, etc. Selection allows you to make sure that you’re getting the most qualified people possible. It lets you see if the candidates fit the job requirements and if their career path aligns with your needs.
Onboarding – After selecting the best candidates, you want to help them understand the culture and expectations of your organization. Onboarding ensures that everyone is comfortable and aligned within your organization.
Identifying the Hiring Needs
The hiring process begins with identifying the gaps in your team. Are there too many tasks being handled by one person? Do you lack expertise in certain areas? What are the skills needed to fill those gaps? A good place to start is assessing each member of your team and seeing where they excel and where they could use some additional training. You’ll want to make sure everyone knows exactly how their role fits into the bigger picture.
Once you’ve identified the gaps, you’ll want to list down all the things that your team needs to improve upon. This includes everything from your office setup to your employee benefits package. Make sure you have a clear idea about what you’re trying to achieve here. If you don’t, you might end up with a job description that doesn’t really reflect your goals.
1. Assessing Performance
Regularly assess your team’s progress. Is the work getting done? How well do they perform compared to others? If you’re having trouble figuring out how your team members stack up against one another, consider taking part in a peer review. Peer reviews allow you to compare yourself to others in your industry and pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. Once you’ve assessed your team’s performance, take the time to write down what you think are the key areas of improvement. These are the things that you should focus on during the recruitment process.
2. Creating Your Ideal Candidate Profile
Now that you know what your team needs, it’s time to figure out what sort of candidates you’re looking for to start your talent acquisition process. To do this, you’ll want to outline your desired qualifications and requirements. For example, if you’re looking for a marketing specialist, you’ll want to make sure that potential hires have experience working with social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Also, you’ll want to ensure that they have knowledge of digital marketing trends.
Factors That Influence Recruitment
Recruiting is one of the most important activities within a company. However, it is often overlooked because there are many factors involved. In fact, some people believe that the best candidates come from within the organization. While that might be true for certain positions, it isn’t necessarily true for every position.
In addition, you don’t have to pay a lot of money to advertise internally. You could even do it yourself. On the other hand, finding qualified candidates externally requires a significant investment. If you’re looking for a candidate who is willing to relocate, you’ll likely need to spend several thousand dollars.
However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use both methods. Instead, you should look at each option critically and decide whether it makes sense for your situation. Here are some things to keep in mind:
• External Recruitment Is More Effective For Hiring Quickly
If you’re trying to fill a role immediately, then you probably don’t have time to wait around for someone to apply through your internal channels. You’ll need to make sure that you reach out to potential candidates outside of your organization.
This is especially true if you know that the person you’re searching for is already working somewhere else. If you think that your competitor is poaching your employees, then you should take immediate action. Otherwise, you risk losing those talented individuals to another employer.
You should also consider reaching out to former colleagues and friends. They may be able to recommend someone who fits your needs. As long as you avoid asking for referrals directly, you won’t run into any legal issues.
• Job descriptions help recruiters understand what skills are needed for a particular role and how well applicants match those requirements.
If you’re hiring remotely, make sure you set up a system where everyone knows how to apply for jobs online. This way, you can avoid sending out multiple applications for the same role.
• Preparing the Job Description
A job description is one of the most important documents you will write during the hiring process. This document describes what you are looking for in a potential employee. You want to make sure it is clear and concise. It is also helpful to include examples of previous experience that match the requirements listed in the job posting.
The following are some types of questions that should help guide you in writing a good job description:
1. What do I want my ideal candidate to bring to the table?
2. How does he/she fit into our team?
3. Is there anything else we should know?
4. Who is responsible for reviewing the job description?
5. Does the person reading the job description understand what I am asking for?Talent Search
The best talent isn’t always easy to find. In fact, you might say it takes someone special to find it. But there are ways to make sure you’re finding the people you want. Here are three tips to help you find the perfect candidate.
1. Use social media to find applicants.
Social media is one of the easiest places to look for potential employees. You can use sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even Snapchat to find people who fit what you’re looking for. If you notice something interesting about a person, reach out to him or her and ask how he or she got into his or her current position. This could give you insight into why he or she wants to work for you.
2. Look beyond resumes.
You’ve probably heard that resumes aren’t enough anymore. They don’t tell employers much about a candidate’s skills and abilities. Instead, they focus on experience and education. So, what do you really need to know about a candidate? How does he or she think? What motivates him or her? These questions are important because they reveal whether a candidate has the necessary mindset to succeed in your organization.
3. Hire based on personality.
If you hire based solely on qualifications, you’ll end up with a group of interchangeable workers who won’t bring anything unique to your team. Personality plays a big role in determining whether a worker fits well with others. When hiring, consider asking yourself: “What makes this person tick?” And remember, just because someone doesn’t seem like a good fit now doesn’t mean he or she won’t grow into the role over time.
Ready to build your remote team?
Use the DigiWorks platform to hire, manage, and pay remote talent from all over the world.
Sources of Recruitment
Hiring managers are often overlooked when it comes to recruiting. They are typically busy managing their teams and making sure employees are getting along well, but they still play a crucial role in finding candidates. This is where internal sources come into play. Hiring managers know what skills are needed within their organization and can help find those people. If you want to make sure your team members are happy and productive, consider bringing in some internal sources of recruitment.cost of employee turnover is significant. In fact, it accounts for up to 40% of total annual recruitment expenses. So why do companies keep letting people go? A recent study found that 70% of managers say they don’t know how to handle transfers well, and almost half admit that they’ve had no training on the subject.
There are many reasons why you might want to transfer an employee – maybe they’re unhappy, perhaps there isn’t enough work for them, or maybe you just want to bring in a fresher perspective. Whatever the reason, transferring employees is one of the most common ways to save money and increase productivity within your team.
Referrals
The best way to find someone to fill a position is through referrals. If you know someone who knows someone, ask that person to refer you to a candidate. You’ll want to make sure that the referral is genuine though; it could just be a friend or family member trying to do you a favor.
Social Media Recruitment
The hiring process is never easy. From the initial interview to the final offer, it takes a lot of effort to make sure you’re making the right decision. But there are ways to streamline the process and save some time and money along the way. One option is to use external sources of recruitment. These include social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They can be used to source candidates who might otherwise go unnoticed.
LinkedIn is one of the most popular social networking sites out there. With over 500 million members worldwide, it’s a great place to start searching for potential hires. You can upload your job ad and set up alerts for keywords related to your industry. Then, you can browse profiles based on location, skillset, education level and work experience. This allows you to narrow down your search and target specific groups of candidates.
Facebook is another good resource for finding qualified applicants. There are many different types of ads you can run on Facebook. For example, you could post about upcoming career opportunities or promote a particular skill set. If you want to attract passive candidates, you could focus on posting recruitment ads as they are still effective, according to a study conducted by eMarketer. However, digital advertising is gaining popularity because it allows recruitment teams to reach out to consumers through multiple channels like email and social media. These advertisements can be placed across different channels, such as TV, radio, newspapers and magazines, billboards, etc., allowing advertisers to target specific audiences.
The hiring process has become much faster thanks to online job boards. These sites allow companies to post open positions, recruit candidates, and screen applications all within one place. This makes it easier for both employers and employees to find each other. Job portals are becoming increasingly popular among small businesses looking for ways to streamline their recruiting processes. Here are some things you should know about job portals:
1. A Job Portal Is More Than Just An Online Resume Database
A job portal is a tool used by both employers and job seekers to connect with each other. Employers use job portals to advertise open positions and recruit talent. Job seekers use job portals to look for jobs and apply for those positions. Employers and job seekers alike benefit from the convenience of job portals because they make the entire process simpler.
2. Job Portals Are Great For Small Businesses
Smaller businesses often struggle to compete against larger firms with bigger budgets. However, job portals give smaller businesses access to a wide range of potential hires. If you want to hire someone who lives near your office, but don’t have the budget to fly him/her out there, a job portal could be just what you’re looking for.
3. Job Portals Can Help You Find New Employees
If you’ve been struggling to fill certain roles in your organization, a job portal might be able to help. As mentioned above, job portals are convenient tools that let you reach out to a large pool of applicants without having to spend money advertising on Facebook or LinkedIn. With enough interest, you’ll likely be able to find people who meet your minimum requirements.
4. Careers Site
Your career site should be mobile-friendly and integrate with your company’s social media presence. Make sure it looks great and is easy-to-navigate. You want to make it easy for candidates to find jobs and apply online. Remember, you are competing against companies that don’t care about your brand and marketing budget. If you do everything else right, people will come to you.
Include videos, blog posts, and other forms of content to attract candidates. People love watching videos, especially if they’re short and sweet. They’ll watch anything if it’s entertaining. Videos are one of the best ways to showcase your culture and values.
5. Networking Platforms
There are many social networking sites out there, each one offering different features and benefits. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit…the list goes on. Each site offers something unique to help recruiters find candidates who fit their job description.
LinkedIn – LinkedIn allows companies to post jobs, and it also provides a place where employees can look for open positions. LinkedIn is free to use for employers, but it does require some upkeep. Companies must pay $25 per month to maintain their profile.
Facebook – Facebook is another popular social media platform used by businesses looking to hire. Facebook requires a paid membership to access certain information about users. You can set up a fanpage for your organization, and you can even offer incentives like discounts or giveaways to those who “like” your page.
Twitter – Twitter is a great tool for sharing news and promoting events. It’s also a good place to ask questions and engage with customers and clients. Twitter is free to use for both individuals and organizations. However, it does require constant maintenance. Your tweets need to be updated regularly, and you need to respond promptly to customer inquiries.
Instagram – Instagram is a photo-sharing app that lets users take pictures and add text captions. This makes it perfect for posting photos of products or services. Instagram is free to use for individuals, but it costs money to promote posts. If you want to advertise your brand on Instagram, you can purchase ads.
Pinterest – Pinterest is a visual bookmarking site. Users can save images and videos from around the web and organize them into themed boards. They can also follow other users and see what they pin. Pinterest is free to use for individual users, but it costs money for businesses.
Snapchat – Snapchat is a mobile messaging application that sends messages that disappear after reading. These messages can include video clips, photos, GIFs, drawings, and emojis. Businesses can send messages to potential hires directly within the app. Snapchat is free to use for personal accounts, but it costs money if you want to market your brand.
6. Agencies
A placement agency is a service provider that matches job seekers with employers. These companies help businesses find qualified candidates for open positions. In fact, according to CareerBuilder, there are over 3 million people employed by placement agents across the United States.
Recruitment software helps them filter out unsuitable candidates and provides feedback to hiring managers. This allows you to make better decisions about whom to hire. DigiWorks is a great option for this!
7. Screening and Shortlisting
Screening and shortlisting are important parts of the recruiting process. They allow recruiters to narrow down the number of applicants to a manageable size while ensuring the best quality. Background checks are also important at this stage. But how do you go about doing it? What tools can you use to streamline the process? We take a look at some of the options out there to Effectively Screen or Shortlist Candidates.
Applicant tracking systems are designed to help companies manage large volumes of job applications. They allow you to sort resumes based on minimum qualifications or preferred credentials, shortlist candidates who meet both requirements and send out automated follow-up emails to applicants to remind them about upcoming interviews.
A good applicant tracking system will automatically generate reports showing how many jobs each candidate applied for, what percentage of those applications were successful, and what percentage of applicants met minimum qualifications. This information can help you identify potential hires. For example, if you find that most of your applicants don’t meet the required experience level, you might want to consider reviewing your hiring process.
Ready to build your remote team?
Use the DigiWorks platform to hire, manage, and pay remote talent from all over the world.
Interviewing
Interviewing is a very important part of the entire recruitment process. You want to hire the best person possible, and you don’t want to waste your time or theirs. So how do you know if the candidate is telling the truth about his or her experience? Here are some tips on what to look out for during the interview process.
1. Ask questions
The most important thing to remember when conducting interviews is to ask questions. Don’t just let candidates talk about themselves. You’re looking for a fit with your team, so it’s important to understand where they’ve been and where they’d like to go. Questions such as “Tell me about yourself,” “What do you enjoy doing?” and “Why did you choose our organization over others?” help you learn more about the candidate while putting him or her at ease.
2. Look for patterns
If someone tells you he or she loves working with children, but doesn’t mention anything else, chances are there’s something else holding him or her back. If a candidate says he or she wants to work in marketing, but never mentions advertising, you might want to dig deeper into why that is. Be sure to pay attention to patterns. For example, if someone always talks about himself or herself, you probably won’t find much value in having that person join your team. On the other hand, if someone consistently talks about his or her family, that could be a sign that he or she values personal relationships above all else.
3. Watch body language
Body language is another way to gauge whether someone is being truthful. If someone seems nervous, fidgety, or uncomfortable, you’ll likely notice signs of dishonesty. This goes beyond just shaking hands and sitting down. Body language includes things like eye contact, facial expressions, tone of voice, and gestures. Pay attention to how people interact with each other. Are they talking to one another? Do they seem comfortable around each other? These are all important clues to watch out for.
Testing
A psychometric test is a form of psychological testing which measures human performance across several different areas of life. Psychometrics assesses traits such as intelligence, personality, motivation, emotional stability, and social skills.
The most common types of psychometric tests include achievement tests, aptitude tests, and personality tests. Achievement tests measure one’s ability to perform certain tasks, while aptitude tests evaluate one’s potential for success in a particular field. Personality tests measure aspects of behavior, attitudes, and emotions.
These tests provide a comprehensive view of a person’s strengths and weaknesses. They help identify where there might be room to grow.
Making an offer
Before you make an offer to your most desirable candidate, it’s important to check the references. You don’t want to hire someone who might end up costing you money. This is why you should always ask for references. However, there are some things you should know about asking for references. Here are 5 tips to help you avoid common mistakes.
1. Ask for References When They Are Available
If possible, try to request references while the person is still employed. If you wait too long, it could mean losing out on a great opportunity. This is an important part of the screening process!
2. Don’t Be Afraid To Say “No”
You don’t want to come off as rude or pushy. Remember, you’re just trying to protect yourself and save money. Your goal is hiring a good candidate while maintaining an efficient recruitment process.
3. Keep Your Questions Short & Sweet
Don’t bombard people with questions. Instead, keep it simple and concise.
Ready to build your remote team?
Use the DigiWorks platform to hire, manage, and pay remote talent from all over the world.
Conclusion
Recruiting is one of the most important functions within a company. There are many different ways to evaluate and optimize the recruitment process. For example, you could use a job board, social media, email marketing campaigns, etc.
Recruiting is a long process. You don’t want to make a snap decision about whether or not to hire someone. Instead, it’s best to start early in the recruiting process. This way, you’ll be able to interview potential candidates while still in the same mindset as you are now.
You don’t want to make an offer to someone who doesn’t fit your company’s culture. For example, if you run a startup, you might be open to working with someone who has a lot of entrepreneurial spirit. But if you work in an office environment, you probably won’t be comfortable having someone join your team who isn’t willing to follow the rules.
Don’t forget to check references A great reference can turn a good job applicant into a great employee!
Related Articles
About DigiWorks
DigiWorks is an easy-to-use platform that helps small businesses and start ups hire amazing remote talent from around the world. DigiWorks offers a way for you to hire, manage and pay people from all countries. If you find an amazing virtual assistant from Philippines, a content writer from Nigeria, or operations manager from South Africa – manage and pay your entire team from one platform with no hassle.
If you’re looking for a more affordable and sustainable option you might consider making use of a hiring platform like DigiWorks. Virtual assistant companies or platforms like DigiWorks are amazing as they not only match you with pre-vetted and assessed remote workers that can take care of all your business needs but they will also handle all onboarding and payroll needs as well.