Checklist for reviewing resumes or application forms

Sort applicants by job for which they are applying. Save miscellaneous ones for last.

• Review the job description(s) for the position(s) you are attempting to fill. Note minimum requirements needed and refer to them often as you review resumes/applications.
• Ignore the applicant’s name, address or personal information to limit subconscious biases.
• Attempt to ignore superficial issues such as style, typographical areas in favor of content, unless such issues are directly related to the position for which they are applying. Such scrutiny may unintentionally rule out members of protected classes.
• Check work experience for applicability to the position for which they are applying, length of the time in each position, promotions or awards received, reason for leaving each position.
• Note gaps in employment but do not assume they were caused by negative reasons.
• Check educational background for qualifications necessary to successful job performance.
• Note special skills (i.e. computer software, office equipment).
• Note on a separate piece of paper any pertinent questions that arise when reviewing the resume/application and ask those during a telephone screen.
• Divide resumes into 3 groups – one for those that closely match job requirements and for which a telephone screen is appropriate, one for those who meet some requirements and may be considered secondarily and one for those who do not meet the requirements at all.
• If necessary, screen the top group again to further narrow down the candidates. On average, about 10 resumes per open position should be sufficient.
• During telephone screening briefly describe the position, location, hours and salary range (if appropriate) and ask if the candidate is till interested in being considered. If so, ask for brief clarification on any important questions raised during your initial review.

Interview Do’s and Don’ts

• Once the list of job-related interview questions is created, use it consistently for all applicants for the same position.
• Try to first out the applicant at ease with introductory and welcoming remarks.
• Ask open-questions which focus in behavioral descriptions rather than simply “yes or no” questions (i.e. have them describe a work situation in which they handled stress well rather than just asking if they can “handle stress well”).
• Listen; don’t do all the talking.
• Stay away from questions that have more to do with personal lifestyles than job experience- phrase the question so that the answer will describe on-the-jobqualities - if the question is not related to performance on the job, it should not be asked.

In almost all instances, the following topics should be avoided in an interview:

• Age- is irrelevant unless you are concerned about child labor violations under the Fair Labor Standard Act, in which case you can ask for proof that he/she is old enough to work.
• Arrest record- do not ask at all- you may ask about convictions, but even then it would have to be relevant to the position in order to lead to immediate rejection.
• Association with present employees- this information is not relevant to an applicant’s ability to perform successfully in a particular job, and the tendency to either encourage or prohibit the employment of friends or relatives of existing employees may create an adverse impact on members of protected classes.
• Bankruptcy and credit affairs- never ask about bankruptcy since it is illegal to discriminate on this basis under the Federal Bankruptcy Law – all credit inquires must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• Citizenship – unless required by law or regulation, you may not ask applicants if they are U.S. citizens since it is considered discriminatory under the Immigration Reform and Control Act. You may ask if candidates are authorized to work in the United States.
• Disability – the Americans with Disabilities Act makes it illegal to ask question about an applicant’s disability or perceived disability – it is crucial to focus on the job, not on the disability.
• Driver’s license – Avoid asking about it unless the job requires one since it could statistically screen out females, minorities and/or individuals with disability.•Educational attainment – relevant if it is directly related to successful job performance – if not, avoid it because it could potentially screen out minorities.
• Emergency contact information – unnecessary at the application stage – and it can be discriminatory if it reveals information about the applicant’s membership in a protected class.
• English language skills – only ask if it is a requirement of the job (i.e. an English teacher) – otherwise it could be construed as national origin discrimination.
• Height and weight – can be discriminatory against females, Hispanics, and/ or Asian – it is important to focus on what the job require s, not the person’s physical characteristics.
• Marital status/name changes/spouse/children – any questions relating to these issues may be constructed as discriminatory, especially against women – none are job-related.
• Organization or club membership – this might reveal protected class information and it is irrelevant (i.e. Knight of Columbus, NAACP or diabetes Association).
• Race, color, religion, sex, or national origin – EEOC guidelines prohibit asking questions that may reveal this information; rejected applicants could have grounds for a discrimination suit if any of these questions were part of the application process.
• Union affiliation – could be considered an unfair labor practice under the National Labor Relations Act if the applicant claims he or she was not hired because of the union affiliation.
• Veteran status/military records – general questions about a person’s background in the military should only be asked if based on business necessity or job-related reasons. If requested, such information should include a statement that general or dishonorable discharge will jot be an absolute bar to employment but that other factors will be taken into consideration.
• Weekend work/shift changes – unless required for the job, the applicant should not have to state whether or not they can work on the weekends - this could screen out applicants who cannot work on some weekend days because their religious beliefs.

5 Ways Recruiters Can Minimize Turndowns and Fall-offs

Below are five ways that recruiters can minimize turndowns and fall-offs:

#1. Truly get to know your candidate.

Don’t be in such a rush to fill a job order that you skip the crucial step of getting to know your candidate. Instead of querying your recruiting software and completing a rough candidate data sheet and quickly submitting them for a position, slow down. Take the time to understand what your candidates like and dislike about their current job and employer. Ask what they would change about their situation. Gain an understanding of their personal life: hobbies, recreational activities, their spouse and children, what they would like to do more of. Try to find out everything you can about their personal and professional priorities because a career move is not just about the candidate—it’s about anyone in their circle that will be impacted by the change. Today’s candidates value work-life balance, and you need to understand how a career move can affect that balance.

Dig in. Find out the real reason behind the desire for a change; it’s usually not money. Finally, understand your candidates’ dream job. What is their ideal job, the perfect next move in their career? Only then can you be more than just a recruiter. You’re a talent scout, looking out for the best interest of your clients. You’ll know what makes them tick, why they’re ready for a job change, and what they want next in their careers. When you develop this level of professional relationship with candidates, you increase your odds of a successful placement and decrease the chances of turndowns and fall-offs.

#2. Encourage candidates to ask current employers for changes.

It may sound like you’re helping the opposing team, but it works. Once you understand a candidate’s motivation for a job change, encourage them to ask their employer to accommodate their needs. The vast majority of the time, our candidates won’t do this. But it’s a great way to flush out other areas of professional dissatisfaction to help the candidate really commit to the idea of a job change. “Since you’re unhappy with the overtime hours and all of the excessive travel, why don’t you just ask your boss to be flexible and give you more time to be at your daughter’s softball practice?”

The best time to get the candidate out of the process is during the first conversation. Once the candidate actually attempts to resign, the hiring manager will likely make an effort to change the situation that’s causing the employee to look for another job. Never go forward with a candidate unless they have a good reason for considering a new position or they go to their employer to ask for changes in their current situation. Let them know that you don’t want to waste your time searching for the ideal position unless they’re really ready to make a change. Make them prove it to you.

#3. Get a verbal agreement about a potential job change.

Eliminate gray areas by attaining a verbal agreement from any candidate about their commitment to a career move. Get confirmation that once you’ve found the right position, one that fills the void their current position does not, one that is a desirable next step on their career path, they will act. Candidates need to say it. By verbalizing this commitment to change, it becomes a reality. Avoid working with candidates who are too unrealistic. If they say, “If you find me the perfect job that fits every criteria I am looking for, then I’ll make a job change.” Perfect will never come. The key to getting a verbal commitment is to take a few of the major motivating points for making a change and fulfill them. Once you have it, it’s time to discuss roles in the process and set expectations.

#4. Establish roles and set expectations.

One of the most important steps in the recruiting process is to establish roles and set expectations. Like any relationship, the recruiter/candidate one needs ground rules to thrive. Clearly define how you will work together. Many recruiters don’t. And then they wonder why phone calls are never returned and feedback isn’t given. A great way to begin a relationship is to explain your role in the recruiting process: a professional job description. It is a powerful tool for a recruiter.

“My role is to become your talent agent. I will present you to new teams that have opportunities that are a potential fit to your background. I will find companies that meet your requirements for the next best step in your career. I will present you in a positive manner, work to get interviews set up, and take care of all the details in between. I will also prepare you before interviews. I’ll discuss with you the hiring manager, the company, and the job description, including what is expected of a successful candidate. I will debrief you after interviews and openly and honestly address any concerns the company might have. Before the final interview, I will help to negotiate a strong compensation and benefits package so it will be a win-win situation. I will walk you through the resignation process and cover the counteroffer. After you join the new team, I will follow up with you on your first day, after two weeks, and after 30 days. If at any time you have any issue, no matter how small, we will work together to resolve it. I want to be a partner in your success—your talent agent for the rest of your career.

“You have a significant role in this process, as well. You need to be as flexible as possible with your schedule for interviews and time to talk with me. You have my total commitment to openness and honesty at every stage of this process, and I need nothing less from you. If you have any questions or concerns, it is imperative that you bring them to my attention immediately. If at any time in this process your interest level wanes, let me know. If you are considering another opportunity, let me know. In order for us to reach a successful conclusion, we need to be able to work closely together and to trust one another completely.”

It’s also important to set expectations on preferred communication methods and times, as well as an expected time frame to return calls. Be firm. Discuss the ramifications of not honoring the ground rules. Let candidates know that they can and will be dropped from the process if they don’t play fair.

#5. Get their “skin in the game.”

The more skin in the game, the better chance you have of winning. It all starts by getting the candidate’s commitment up front to a new opportunity. From being flexible in scheduling time to talk with you, to sending a resume on time, to updating a resume to highlight the most recent relevant experience, it all amounts to “skin in the game.” I like to have candidates send me an email explaining why they are a perfect fit professionally and personally for the opportunity. I try to have candidates do something for the hiring manager or me all through the process—from providing a list of researched competitors to a 90-day business plan of what they would do if they got the job. This keeps the candidate deeply involved in the process and encourages their commitment going forward.

Recruiters can minimize turndowns and fall-offs. However, it requires a strategic approach and a willingness on the part of the recruiter to execute that approach during the placement process.

CREDIT: TPCLN

Closing Candidates . . . When It’s a Candidates’ Market

Knowing how to close a candidate in recruitment is difficult enough, but when it’s a candidates’ market? That can be a special kind of headache.

The reasons for this difficulty in closing candidates are numerous. They include the following:

• Passive, A-level candidates are typically interviewing with more than one company.
• As a result, many of these candidates are expecting to receive more than one offer. (Your client’s offer is NOT the only show in town.)
• This makes the top candidates in the marketplace a little “wishy-washy” when it comes to accepting an offer.

Below are just some of the nightmare scenarios this kind of market can produce:

• The candidate wants to “take a few days to think about it.” What are they really doing? Waiting for the other offer they’re expecting to get. Then they’ll pick the one they like best.
• The candidate accepts the offer, but then calls back a few days later to say they’ve accepted an offer with another organization instead. So clearly, their words means the world to them.
• Or our personal favorite: the candidate accepts your client’s offer, but never shows up for work. That’s because they accepted another offer after accepting your client’s offer and they didn’t bother to tell you OR your client. So now not only did you lose a placement, but you also look less-than-stellar to your client.

See how all of this can produce a special kind of headache?

So the struggle is in learning how to convince a candidate to accept the offer.

Closing candidates in this kind of market can be like herding cats . . . or like trying to catch a chicken . . . or some other third animal analogy. The fact of the matter is that closing top candidates requires a strategic approach that’s planned well and executed even better.

How to close a candidate in recruitment

Below are specific steps on how to close a candidate in recruitment . . . when it’s candidates’ market:

#1 — Identify the REAL pain points early in the process

Industry trainer Barb Bruno has formulated a great question for accomplishing this. She asks candidates, “What five things would you change if you were your boss?” It’s easy for somebody to simply say, “I want more money.” But to answer that question would take actual thought, and the answers given would be more specific and accurate than any others that you could get from the candidate. Now the candidate has given you everything you need to close them. (We’re assuming that they’re telling the truth, of course.)

#2—Pre-close the candidate using those pain points.

Basically, what you’re saying to them is this: “Okay, if I came across a position that addressed all five of these things that you’ve told me about, you would be willing to seriously consider it?” You’re accomplishing a couple of different things with this question:

• You’re verifying that these are the reasons they’d leave their current position for another opportunity.
• You’re setting expectations for the future. Then you can hold them accountable for those expectations. When you present an opportunity that addresses all of their pain points, you can say, “Remember when you gave me that list of five things? Well, today is your lucky day!”

This is a way of accurately determining the candidate’s sincerity and sense of urgency. If they’re just “kicking tires,” then they will screen themselves out of the process relatively quickly. They are not placement material. They are headache material.

#3 — Keep closing throughout all stages of the process

Once again, the sage wisdom of Barb Bruno applies here. She advocates asking this question every time you speak with a candidate in the placement pipeline: “Has anything changed since the last time we spoke?”

Do you really think that if something did change, the candidate would just offer that information up willingly? Let’s say they’ve decided they just want to stay with their current employer. Or that they’ve decided to give priority to other employment opportunities. Or that their wife has absolutely forbade them to pursue an opportunity that would require the family to relocate. No, they typically are not going to lead off the conversation with that piece of information.

In short: you must always gauge the candidate’s interest level while at the same time confirming and reconfirming their pain points and reasons for wanting to pursue a new opportunity. Once you do that, you can employ assumptive closing techniques to strengthen your recruiting process.

#4 — Do everything you can to shorten the process

We know it, you know it: time kills all deals. Top candidates only stay in the hiring process steps of a company for four weeks, max. After four weeks, your chances of closing them drops with each passing day. So it only makes sense that the shorter the process, the better. Yes, this will require some cooperation on the part of your client.

As a result, it will require some education on your part. You must convince your client that if the hiring process drags out, it will be more difficult to close the top candidates in the process. Specifically, you must convince them that shortening the process is in their own best interests. You’d think that would be easy to do, but you’d be wrong. Ask any recruiter who lost a placement last year because their client moved too slowly. Show of hands? Yep . . . just about everybody. Okay, hands down.

#5 — Make the offer as soon as the client has decided that it wants to make the offer

Once again, time is of the essence. As soon as the client wants to make the offer, contact the candidate to make the offer. It’s after five o’clock? Who cares? If the candidate is certain to entertain multiple offers, do you think the other company is going to hem and haw when offer time rolls around. Just like you must get quality candidates in front of decision makers as quickly as possible, you must get offers of employment in front of candidates as quickly as possible.

When you make the offer as quickly as you can, these things happen:

• You shorten the hiring process. (See #4.)
• You get the offer in front of the candidate before other offers can be put in front of the candidate.
• You make the candidate feel wanted. (See #7.)

All of these things increase the chances that you will close the candidate. They call it a “war for talent” for a reason. You have an offer on the table? Ready . . . aim . . . FIRE!

#6 — “Sell the socks” off the offer

The offer stage is not the part of the placement process where you kind of glide to the finish line. This is the most precarious part of the process. In other words, victory is NOT assured! Not only must you address their pain points (again), but you must do the following:

• Sell the offer.
• Sell the employment opportunity (again).
• Sell the allure of working for the organization (again).

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Sometimes you have to fight a battle more than once in order to win it.” Well, that’s exactly what it’s like when you’re closing a candidate under current market conditions. You have to close them, close them, and close them again.

#7 — Make the candidate feel wanted

This is where some organizations and recruiters can the upper hand over others. That’s because this is an intangible that’s absolutely necessary for candidates, especially those who fancy themselves at the top of their profession. Remember, when top candidates receive multiple offers, the level of compensation is almost always equal across the board. They command top dollar. They know they command top dollar.

What these candidates are interested in are the “tiebreakers,” those things that will tip the scale in one direction or another. And ALL candidates want to feel wanted. More than likely, they can get the money just about anywhere. But they can’t get that feeling of being wanted just about anywhere. This is the X factor that can push your client’s offer over the top. Once again, your client should be educated about this reality of the marketplace.

Can you 100% stop candidates from weaseling their way out of a commitment? Can you 100% stop them from going back on their word? Can you 100% stop them from outright lying to you?

No, you can not.

However, there are steps you can take that make it more difficult for them to do all of these things. And yes, not all candidates want to weasel their way out of a commitment. And yes, they don’t all want to lie to you.

But when it comes to the employment marketplace and job changes and compensation levels and relocation, life . . . can get tricky.

CREDIT: TPCLN

Recruiting Strategies, Methods, and Tactics for Success

If there was ever a profession that involved strategy, it’s recruiting. Recruiting strategies are essential to success, there are no two ways about it.

But before we kick into high gear, let’s set the stage with a definition. Because clearly defining the parameters is almost always a prerequisite for success.

What is a recruiting strategy?

A recruiting strategy is formal plan of action involving an organization’s attempts to successfully identify, recruit, and hire high-quality candidates for the purpose of filling its open positions. However, this plan extends to and involves any search consultants or recruiting agencies that the organization enlists in its attempts to hire.

What are some examples of recruitment strategies?

However, strategy is not needed in just one instance. Or even just a couple of instances. We’re talking about strategy at every single stage of the recruitment process! There are two reasons for this. First, recruiting is a sales profession. Second, there are people at both ends of the sale. There are people everywhere, and all of them can object to the sale at the last possible minute.

So if you’re looking for a comprehensive recruiting strategy plan, then you brace yourself. That plan is comprised of many, smaller plans, each of which focuses on one part of the process. The good news is that this gives us the opportunity to present examples of recruitment strategies.

Now keep in mind that this blog post is primarily intended for search consultants and recruiters. It’s not primarily intended for internal recruiters or hiring managers, although there is some overlap when discussing recruiting strategy in regards to all parties. In other words, search consultants may require more strategy because it’s necessary for them to deal with more stages of the process. An example would be finding clients and getting job orders. Hiring managers don’t have to find clients or get job orders, but search consultants do.

Recruitment strategy examples for hiring process stages

With that in mind, it’s nearly impossible to present a recruitment strategy example for every single stage of the process. However, it is advisable to have a strategy for the most important stages. Those stages are as follows:

• Finding clients
• Getting job orders
• Sourcing candidates
• Recruiting candidates
• Closing placements
• Collecting fees
• Avoiding fall-offs

So what are we going to do in this blog post? You guessed it! We’re going to explore these many, smaller plans that focus on one part of the process. And as mentioned above, we’ll be focusing on some of the most important parts of that process. Because when you focus on what’s most important, you dramatically increase the chances that you’ll be more successful.

So let us embark upon our journey . . .

Recruiting strategies for finding clients

How do recruiters find clients? Well, there are a number of different strategies that they can take. The best approach is a comprehensive one. In other words, employing multiple strategies is more effective than employing just one.

Below is a short list of recruiting strategies for finding clients:

• Cold calling
• Email marketing
• Referrals
• Social media
• Job posting websites

Another factor is that of personal preference. This may sound crazy, but some recruiters don’t like cold calling. (Whaaaaaaa?) Others don’t like email marketing and so on and so on. In many cases, the strategy that a recruiter likes the best is the strategy that works the best for them.

Recruitment strategies for getting job orders

Job orders are the lifeblood of any recruiting agency. If you have a lot of them, that’s great. If you don’t have a lot, that’s not. So there’s always pressure to get more. (You can never be too thin or have too many job orders.)

With that in mind, below is a list of five recruitment strategies for getting job orders:

• Fill your existing job orders quickly and with excellence.
• Build and cultivate relationships with hiring managers and hiring authorities.
• Market MPCs (most place-able candidates).
• Work the job orders of other recruiters through membership in a split fee recruiting network.
• Offer contract staffing services, so that clients will give you contract job orders.

Note: contract staffing is a great way to get more job orders from existing clients, in addition to securing job orders from new clients.

Effective recruitment strategies for sourcing candidates

Even though job orders are the lifeblood of a recruiting agency, you still can’t make placements if you don’t have candidates. That’s why you need an effective recruitment sourcing strategy. In fact, in a candidates’ market (like the one that we’re currently experiencing), having an affinity for sourcing passive candidates is like the “Midas Touch.” Every job order turns to gold.

Below are some effective recruitment strategies for sourcing candidates:

• Your own recruiting database (a no-brainer!)
• Candidate referrals from other candidates
• Social media recruiting (LinkedIn, anyone?)
• Online job posting services

Now of course, not all candidates are created equal. The candidates who apply for your agency’s online job postings might not be the candidates that your clients want to hire. In that situation, you might as well have no candidates at all. That’s when you have to “dig a little deeper.”

Recruiting strategies for hard-to-fill positions

Recruiting passive candidates often requires a relationship approach. The problem with that approach is that it requires an investment of time. Building a relationship with top candidates over the course of years does reap benefits. But what if you don’t have that kind of time? What if your client doesn’t have that kind of time?

Below are two recruiting strategies for hard-to-fill positions:

#1—Membership in a recruiting network

Just like a split network can help when you need job orders, it can also help when you need candidates. And not just any candidates, either. We’re talking about hard-to-find candidates for hard-to-fill positions. Sure, you have to split the fee . . . but half of something is better than absolutely nothing!

#2—Contract to direct placements

If you can’t find the “perfect candidate” for your client’s hard-to-fill position, then perhaps you can convince them to hire a candidate into a contract position first. Then, if they like the work that the contractor does, they can convert them to direct hire employment. The good news for you? You get paid for every hour that the contractor works, and then you receive a contract-to-hire conversion fee when the contractor goes direct! (But you must have contract conversion language in your fee agreement. You do have that, right . . . right?!)

Recruitment ideas for actually recruiting candidates

It’s one thing to source candidates. It’s another thing to successfully recruit them. Just because they exist does not mean that they’re going to be automatically interested in your client’s opening. No, they’re going to need a little crystal-blue persuasion. (And no, I don’t mean the Breaking Bad kind. Or any kind that you think is bad.)

Below are four strategies for recruiting candidates, especially top passive ones:

• Recruit on the opportunity.
• Recruit on the organization. (Because the opportunity is just one part of the equation.)
• Recruit on the company culture.
• Recruit on what the move will mean for the candidate’s career.

You must convince top candidates to consider your client’s opportunity. And remember: they will only make a move if that opportunity is better than the one they already have. If it’s not, then it might not matter how good you are at persuasion. (The crystal-blue variety or any other, for that matter.)

Recruiting methods and strategies for closing placements

You know the ABC’s of sales, right? Always Be Closing. Well, that certainly applies to the recruiting profession. As we mentioned, there are people on both ends of the sale. That definitely increases the degree of difficulty.

One such recruitment strategy is called the assumptive close. With this close, you act like the candidate is going to accept a job offer throughout the entire recruitment process. By using this recruitment closing technique, your confidence makes it harder for candidates to turn you down.

Industry trainer Bob Marshall has been in the recruiting profession for more than 30 years. He knows all about how to close candidates. Check out these blog posts by Bob that contain recruiting methods and strategies for closing placements:

• “5 Classic Recruiting Closes to Seal the Deal”
• “5 More Classic Closes for Recruiters”
• “Another 5 Recruiting Closes for Making More Placements”

Ultimately, the best recruitment strategy for closing candidates and deals is “WIIFM.” That means “What’s in it for them?” Focus on what’s in it for the candidate and close, close, close!

Creative recruiting strategies for collecting fees

The only thing better than making the placement is collecting the placement fee. So make sure that you collect your fee.

Of course, every recruiter would love to collect 30% fees. However, if you’re willing to creative (and flexible), then you can make sure that you not only collect your fees, but that you also collect them more quickly. Disclaimer: all of the creative recruiting strategies below involves lowering your fee percentage. BUT there is a trade-off in each instance.

• Lowering your percentage, but in exchange for a recruitment agency exclusivity agreement.
• You can also lower your percentage in exchange for multiple searches instead of just one. For example, instead of 25% for one search, you lower your fee percentage to 20% for three exclusive searches.
• Lowering your fee percentage slightly (usually 2% or 3%), but only if the client pays your invoice within a certain time frame. This time frame is typically between 10 to 15 business days.
• Lowering your fee percentage, but only if you’re being tasked with helping to hire an entirely new department or if you’re helping a start-up or new company build their organization.
• Recruitment tactics for avoiding fall-offs

The last thing you want is to actually make the placement and then lose it because the candidate falls off. Talk about painful. However, there are things you can do to help prevent it from happening.

In fact, industry trainer Jon Bartos has written an excellent article for doing just that: “5 Ways Recruiters Can Minimize Turndowns and Fall-offs.” In that article, Bartos provides five recruitment tactics for avoiding fall-offs:

• Truly get to know your candidate.
• Encourage candidates to ask current employers for changes.
• Get a verbal agreement about a potential job change.
• Establish roles and set expectations.
• Get the candidates’ “skin” in the game.

In the words of Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over until it’s over.” When is it over? When the candidate works past the guarantee period and you don’t have to give your placement fee back.

How to create a recruiting strategy

Creating a recruiting strategy is like creating any other strategy. Ask yourself a series of questions to help you get started. The answers to these questions form the foundation of your recruitment strategy template. That series of questions is as follows:

• What is the desired outcome?
• What recruiting tools and resources do I have at my disposal?
• Which of my personal experiences will help guide me?
• How will the experiences of other people help guide me?
• What research can I conduct that can help guide me?
• What criteria will I use to track the effectiveness of my strategy?
• How will my analysis allow me to improve the effectiveness of my strategy?

Recruitment strategy template components

An effective recruitment strategy template is comprised of a number of important components. The answers to the above questions is one of them. Other components include the following:

• Identification of the stage(s) of the recruitment process being addressed
• Identification of all of the variables involved in that stage, including the people involved
• The timeframe involved
• The expectations for all parties concerned during the stage
• How those expectations are communicated
• How all parties are held accountable for those expectations
• What happens if and when expectations are not met

It must be kept in mind that creating a recruiting strategy and a corresponding recruitment strategy template is an ongoing process. In other words, for a strategy to be continuously effective, it must be updated and revised as necessary. That’s because things change—market conditions change, recruitment industry conditions change, and economic conditions change. So it looks something like the following five-step process:

• Create the recruiting strategy.
• Execute the strategy.
• Track the effectiveness of the strategy.
• Analysis the results.
• Make adjustments to the strategy based on your analysis of its effectiveness.

Once again, not only do you need an overall strategy for your entire recruiting process, but you need one for every stage of that process. The recruiting profession is nothing but multiple layers of strategy. Even its strategy has strategy.

However, like everything else, the more you do something, the better you’ll get. The more you create recruiting strategies, execute them, and learn from them, the better able you’ll be to generate the results that you’re seeking.

So what are you looking at? Get started!

CREDIT: TPCLN