Recruitment guides

Ten must-dos when you're recruiting

1. Make sure the job is necessary.
2. Set up a recruitment panel.
3. Clearly set out the duties and responsibilities of the job and the personal characteristics you would expect from the applicant—develop a job description and selection criteria to suit the position.
4. Develop a strategy to recruit your ideal candidate.
5. Develop a screening process to identify suitable applicants.
6. Interview candidates in a positive environment.
7. Choose the right person.
8. Be aware of legal requirements throughout the recruitment process.
9. Develop a staff induction plan.
10. Be an employer of choice.

1. Make sure the job is necessary

• Think creatively about how the work can be done without adding or replacing staff. Maybe the work can be redistributed, shared or done in a different way.
• Should this be a full-time or part-time job?
• Review staffing requirements regularly as well as your budget to see how many staff you can afford. Also look at your business plan to see what projects or workloads lie ahead that might require more staff.

2. Set up a recruitment panel

• Depending on the job this might include directors, the CEO and/or a human resources manager.
• It is the panel’s job to consider employment needs and identify the responsibilities or duties of the new job based on these employment needs.
• Panel members should make sure that they have the time available to complete the recruitment process.

3. Clearly set out the duties and responsibilities of the job and the personal characteristics you would expect from the applicant—develop a job description and selection criteria to suit the position

• A job description that lets applicants know the exact requirements and expectations of the job is useful and will get more interest from the right people.

4. How to recruit your ideal candidate

• Actively try to develop a diverse candidate pool as this will give the recruitment panel the opportunity to select a candidate who best fits the job and the culture of the corporation. You can do this by advertising widely. Corporation jobs is an easy and free way to reach a wide range of people.
• Consider advertising the job internally. This will give existing employees an opportunity to develop their skills. It might also be kinder on the budget!

5. Develop a process to identify suitable applicants

• It is important that you are satisfied that the applicants fully meet the selection criteria. They might do this in their application or at an interview.
• Who will be looking at the applications—will the whole recruitment panel assess the applications or a single officer?
• Make a list of suitable candidates and rank them according to preference.
• When looking at applications, remember that cover letters are also important and part of the application.
• It may also be necessary to screen applicants by phone whose credentials and/or experience appear to be a good fit for the job.

6. Interview candidates in a positive environment

• Schedule interviews with suitable applicants. Make sure members of the recruitment panel are all available for the scheduled interview times.
• Let candidates know how long the interview will be and also when you think you’ll make your decision.
• The panel could also do interviews over the phone instead of in person. In this case, the recruitment panel may have to adjust their questions and interview techniques.
• Ask clear questions based on the selection criteria that allow candidates to expand on their application and demonstrate their capabilities.
• Before the interview plan which questions each interviewer will ask and agree on the structure of the interview—present a united front.
• Ask questions in a positive way—negative questions may make the candidate feel uncomfortable and do not present a good image of the corporation’s working environment.

7. Selecting the right person

• Ideally, the recruitment panel should agree on the best applicant.
• When ranking candidates after the interviews, look again at their application, references and responses to interview questions.
• Develop a ranking system that helps to assess suitability.
• If the selection process takes a long time keep in contact with the most qualified candidates as this will retain their motivation and interest in the job.
• Always notify unsuccessful applicants and provide feedback if they ask. An unsuccessful applicant now might be the right person for a future job.

8. Be aware of legal requirements throughout the recruitment process

• If you are unsure about the legal requirements, contact the relevant Commonwealth or state office. ORIC has provided links to various Commonwealth bodies that might assist corporations with their employment needs (e.g. FairWork Australia or the Workplace Ombudsman’s Office).

9. Develop a staff induction plan

• This is important to help staff settle into a new workplace. It usually outlines how the business is run and other practical things that make it easier to get around.
• Include staff contracts, induction processes and codes of conduct and annual publications as appropriate.

10. Be an employer of choice

• Be aware of and promote the strengths of the corporation as an employer and communicate these benefits to all employees. The best advertisement for working with your corporation is what your existing employees tell others.