Most recruiting that is done is considered urgent! Whenever we ask the question, “When would you like this position filled by”, the answer is invariably “yesterday”. There is pressure, therefore, to dive into the recruiting process without paying attention to the details of the position. This can cause extreme dissatisfaction later on in the recruiting process, when the candidates aren’t suitable for one reason or another.
It, therefore, behoves the recruiter to pay attention to detail at the very outset of the recruiting mandate. The following is a checklist of what the recruiter and the hiring manager should think about and agree upon before the choice of recruiting method is made. It is important that every aspect of the position is discussed, agreed upon, and documented beforehand.
The Job Specification
The job specification should include an appropriate title that relates to the role. It should also include a description of the organization and of the department in which the position is based. The reporting line should be specified clearly as should the number of peers and subordinates, both direct and indirect.
It is a good idea to start the role description with a scope statement that consists of one or two sentences that summarize why the position exists, and its key objectives. This should be followed by a series of tasks that describe how the objectives are to be reached.
Some housekeeping statements are often required in the job spec and these would include language requirements, amount of travel required, future mobility requirements, etc.
By describing the background requirement of the position, the academic prerequisites should be clarified, as well as issues such as minimum years of experience in a similar role, specific technology experience or knowledge, and supervisory experience. It should be very clear in the specification which ones are mandatory, preferred, or simply desirable. The following is a useful template:
| Mandatory | Preferred | Desirable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Academic | |||
| 2. Discipline / subject | |||
| 3. Number of years experience | |||
| 4. Specific experience | |||
| 5. Specific technology or specific knowledge | |||
| 6. Supervisory experience: number of years | |||
| 7. Bilingual/other languages: (Please state) | |||
| 8. Future/lateral mobility |
In the spec, the relevant soft skills that will be measured in order to perform well in the role should also be very clear. Communication skills are almost always number one on the list, and others include leadership ability, judgment, the ability to work or to lead in a team environment, customer orientation, the ability to take initiative, adaptability, creativity, and a whole host of others.
The value proposition attached to the job is often overlooked on a job spec. It is important for the recruiter to be fully aware of all the positive factors associated with both the employing organization and the job itself. If you are an employer of choice, let the world know, and enhance your possibility of attracting the best candidates. If you are not sure why your organization is a good one to work for, simply ask your employees. They will be the best barometer of what the work culture is really like. With respect to the position itself, you must analyze why the position is an interesting one, whether it has growth opportunities, and why the position is open, especially if it is open due to an internal promotion.
Where are the candidates?
It is a good idea to estimate the size of the target population in the local, provincial, national, and international marketplace. This will help you to determine where to apply your recruiting effort. It is also a good idea to be fully aware of which target industries and specific target companies are considered primary places of current employment for the best candidates. Finally, it is important to analyze whether or not the most appropriate candidates belong to particular groups, industry associations, or societies.
Housekeeping issues
What is often overlooked in the recruiting process is who is responsible for which part of the process. Nearly always, it is a team effort (often between HR and the hiring manager). It is important to be clear on who does what at the various stages of the process, including initial screening of CVs, arranging interviews, conducting first and second interviews, the decision making responsibility, reference checks, and the letter of offer.
The salary range (both fixed and variable components) and the level of the position within the organization should also be discussed and agreed upon beforehand.
Forewarned is forearmed
In business, surprises are rarely a good thing. In recruiting, surprises normally translate into losing a top candidate by omission of key details in the recruiting process, or at worst, by making a complete mis-hire through lack of due diligence in either specifying the position correctly, or employing an ill-prepared and inadequate selection process. The only way to avoid these disasters is to design and implement an exquisitely detailed recruiting process, paying attention to all of the details that, if ignored, will come back to haunt you and derail the process.
Alan Davis is founder and president of Alan Davis & Associates Inc., a specialized recruiting practice based in Quebec. He has 29 years experience in recruiting and has managed many recruiting campaigns, both in Canada and overseas. His company provides specialized services in executive search, strategic recruitment & selection, succession management, and interview training. Alan is a regular conference speaker and a frequently published author on recruiting and selection topics.
