7 Steps to Effective Recruitment
Having the right person, in the right place, at the right time, is crucial to organisational performance.
Therefore recruitment is a critical activity and should incorporate the following steps:
Step 1 - What’s the job?
Gather information about the nature of the job. Think about:
 The content (such as the tasks) making up the job
 The job’s purpose
 The outputs required by the job holder
 How it fits into the organisation’s structure
 The skills and personal attributes needed to perform the role effectively.
This analysis can form the basis of a job description and person specification.
Step 2 - Prepare a job and person profile
A person specification or job profile states the necessary and desirable criteria for selection.
Increasingly such specifications are based on a set of competencies identified as necessary for the performance of the job. Include:
 skills, aptitude, knowledge and experience
 qualifications (which should be only those necessary to do the job - unless candidates are recruited on the basis of future potential , for example graduates)
 personal qualities relevant to the job, such as ability to work as part of a team.
The document formed from the person specification can then be used to inform the criteria you use to shortlist applicants.
Step 3 – Finding candidates
Internal methods :
 Staff referrals
 Succession planning
 Secondments
 Job sharing
It is important not to forget the internal talent pool when recruiting. Providing opportunities for development and career progression is an important factor for employee retention and motivation
External methods : There are many options available for generating interest from individuals outside the organisation.
 Online recruitment
 Press advertising
 Networking
 Open days
Advertising remains the most common means of