Recruitment: Finding the Right Strategy

When looking to fill open positions, it is important to determine whether your recruitment strategy will encompass internal, external, or both types of resources. Developing an accurate job description is an essential step before attempting to find a suitable candidate or even deciding where to look for one. Develop a job description that defines the key responsibilities and outputs of the position. Then, define the behavioral characteristics of the person you feel is your ideal candidate. Finally, list the key responsibilities and characteristics you will use to screen resumes, perform phone screens and eventually, establish the questions for the candidates you interview.

Determine your resources

In order to decide the type of recruitment strategy to be used, a company must first determine whether it already has suitable employees which possess the knowledge and professionalism required to fill the vacant position. If the answer is yes, then a recruitment strategy can be planned and undertaken internally, otherwise the company will search for external candidates.

A) Internal recruitment

Internal vacancies are usually advertised within the business via a variety of media:
- Staff notice boards
- Intranets
- In-house magazines
- Staff meetings

Advantages of internal recruitment

- Motivation: the prospect of potential promotion or transfers provides a clear sign to the current work force that the organization offers room for advancement. This addresses the employee's need for self-achievement and may even help to retain staff who might otherwise leave.

- Familiarity: the familiarity of the employee has two-sides. On one hand the employee is familiar with the organization's policies, procedures, and customs. At the same time, the organization has established an employment history showing the workers formal and informal skills and abilities, therefore it will not risk recruiting an external candidate that might turn out to be unsuitable for the position.

- Recruitment costs: Since the recruiting machinery is focused on an already existing pool of employees to fill a vacant position, the selection process is less time and money consuming.

Disadvantages of internal recruitment

- Limits the number of potential applicants for a job

- External candidates might be better suited / qualified for the job

- Another vacancy will be created that has to be filled

- Existing staff may feel they have the automatic right to be promoted, whether or not they are competent

- Reduces the likelihood of innovation and new perspectives. A lack of new employees from the outside leads to a lack of new ideas and approaches.

- Internal recruitment demands a higher degree of employee training.

B) External recruitment: finding resources

In the event that the recruitment strategy requires the services of an outside agency, specific issues must be resolved. The company first needs to determine the type of search firm they want to use. Possibilities include: 

- Employment / recruitment agencies:  These businesses specialize in recruitment and selection. They often specialize in recruitment for specific sectors (e.g. finance, travel, secretarial). They usually provide a shortlist of candidates based on the people registered with the agency. 

The main advantages with using an agency are the specialist skills they bring and the speed with which they normally provide candidates. They also reduce the administrative burden of recruitment. The disadvantage is the high agency fees charged.

- Headhunters / Recruitment Consultancies:  These are up-market recruitment agents who provide a more specialized approach to the recruitment of key employees and senior management. They tend to approach individuals with a good reputation rather than relying on long lists of registered applicants - often using privileged industry contacts to draw up a short list. The cost of using a headhunter or recruitment consultant is high.

- Internet headhunters: These could be classified as recruitment firms that search for required candidates through building large internet databases of resumes. Such firms invite candidates to submit their resumes online and might follow up with a personal interview in order to get a clearer evaluation of the job seeker. The firm would then give client companies access to their database of resumes, or would conduct searches on their database themselves and refer suitable candidates to the client company.

- Advertising: Probably the most common method. Advertising allows the employer to reach a wider audience. The choice of advertising media (e.g. national newspaper, internet, company website, specialist magazine) depends on the requirement for the advert to reach a particular audience and, crucially, the advertising budget.

Dealing with recruitment firms

Companies must address a multitude of questions when dealing with outside search firms. Keep the following ones in mind when looking for external recruitment services:

1- Is the role of the agency to act as a clearinghouse, by processing and forwarding resumes, or should the agency make initial contact with candidates? 
2- Do you want the agency to provide information about your company? Or will a company spokesperson provide this data? 
3- Are discounts given for multiple placements? 
4- Is the search exclusive to that agency? 
5- Does the search firm offer "employment compatibility guarantees"? 
6- Do all involved understand the hiring procedures? 
7- Do the agencies have a "hands off" policy regarding their previous placements? 

The key to the recruitment process is to effectively communicate with outside search firms - help them to help you. Provide the agency with as much information about your ideal candidate as possible along with the job description. Be prepared to educate search firm consultants about your company, its history, mission, benefits and relocation policies. 

Provide recruiters with written information, financial statements, investment brochures, and copies of your benefits manuals. In order to successfully recruit employees (either internally or externally), you must be clear and concise as to what your needs and expectations will be throughout the entire process. By doing this, you can avoid wasting your time reviewing resumes or speaking to candidates who do not meet the established criteria. 

Your company must also stay in constant contact with its representatives in the search or recruitment firm by asking for and receiving updates. This helps to clarify what your expectations are and shapes the feedback process regarding reviewed resumes and screened candidates. Good recruitment firms make an intensive effort to provide usable data to their clients. This is accomplished by creating a written synopsis of a candidate's skills and experiences in relation to the job order their clients have given them.

Tips for a successful staffing process

- Maintain frequent contact with interested candidates
Don't let potential employees submit their resumes and never hear from you again. You'd lose all the momentum you just spent time developing with the favored few. Continue and nurture the relationship by enabling interested candidates to subscribe to the company newsletter; consider writing a mini-newsletter just for them. Follow-up all website submissions with a greeting that thanks the individual for their interest in your company. Send a periodic update about your job openings. Invite the potential employee to visit your organization when they are in the area. Your professional, ongoing contact with interested people ensures recruiting success.

- Become an employer of choice
Think about what a potential employee considers before agreeing to join your organization or business. Are you stable, making money and growing? Are you employee-friendly? Does your mission appeal to the people you most want to recruit? Will a new employee feel part of something bigger than themselves if they join you? Will your organization nurture their talent and provide exciting opportunities for challenge and professional growth?

If you can answer these questions affirmatively, analyze every component of your recruiting process to make sure that you are sending these messages. If you want to be an employer of choice, you must act like an employer of choice. Further more, you must communicate this commitment to your prospective employees.

People look for little things such as noticing whether you return phone calls promptly. They observe whether all interviewers repeat the same questions. They are aware that you responded to acknowledge receipt of their resume. They appreciate a phone call when someone else is picked for the job they wanted; they feel welcomed when they can communicate with you via email. Most importantly, being an employer of choice is a reputation you build within your industry that is a powerful tool in attracting top talent.

Sources:
www.vault.com
www.tutor2u.net
www.about.com
www.bsad.uvm.edu