What is recruitment?

Recruitment is the process of having the right person, in the right place, at the right time. It is crucial to organisational performance. Recruitment is a critical activity, not just for the HR team but also for line managers who are increasingly involved in the selection process. All those involved in recruitment activities should be equipped with the appropriate knowledge and skills. Our annual Resourcing and talent planning survey provides data on and analysis of recruitment trends and employers practices, and our quarterly Labour market outlook monitors economic and labour market indicators and the recruitment outlook.

View our latest Resourcing and talent planning survey See the latest Labour Market Outlook

The importance of diversity should be taken into account at each stage of the recruitment process. Processes and systems should be regularly reviewed to ensure hidden bias is removed and to ensure talent is not being blocked from entering the organisation. Everyone taking part in activities such as shortlisting and interviewing should be aware of relevant legislation and the importance of avoiding discrimination. CIPD supports theRecruitment protocol1 launched by the Employers Forum on Disability. See our factsheet on diversity for more information on this issue.

Go to our factsheet on diversity in the workplace

The recruitment process involves working through a series of stages:

defining the role attracting applications managing the application and selection process making the appointment.

The following paragraphs give an overview of these steps.

Defining the role

Job analysis
Before recruiting for a new or existing position, it is important to invest time in gathering information about the nature of the job. This means thinking not only about the content (such as the tasks) making up the job, but also the jobs purpose, the outputs required by the job holder and how it fits into the organisations structure. This analysis should form the basis of a job description and person specification/job profile.

Job description
The job analysis leads to writing a job description. This explains the job to the candidates, and helps the recruitment process by providing a clear guide to all involved about the requirements of the job. It can also be used to communicate expectations about performance to employees and managers to help ensure effective performance in the job.

Person specification/job 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. Competency frameworks may be substituted for job or person specifications but these should include an indication of roles and responsibilities. See our factsheet on competences and competency frameworks for more information.

Go to our competences factsheet

Attracting applications
The first stage is to generate interest from candidates and there is a range of ways of doing this.

Internal methods
It is important not to forget the internal talent pool when recruiting. Providing opportunities for development and career progression increases employee engagement and retention and supports succession planning. See our factsheet on succession more information on this topic.

Go to the succession planning factsheet

Employee referral schemes

Some organisations operate an employee referral scheme. These schemes usually offer an incentive to existing employees to assist in the recruitment of family or friends. But employers should not rely on schemes such as these at the expense of attracting a diverse workforce.

External methods
There are many options available for generating interest from individuals outside the organisation. These include placing advertisements in trade press, newspapers, on commercial job boards and on the organisations website. Social networking sites are also increasingly being used as part of the recruitment process. Technology is also is being used more and more to manage the application process; for example storing candidate details and generating responses to applications. Advertisements, whether online or on paper, should be clear and indicate the:

requirements of the job necessary and the desirable criteria for job applicants (to limit the number of inappropriate applications received) nature of the organisations activities job location reward package job tenure (for example, contract length) details of how to apply.

External recruitment services

Many organisations make use of external providers to assist with their recruitment. Widely known in the industry as recruitment agencies or recruitment consultants, they offer employers a range of services - attracting candidates, managing candidate responses, screening and shortlisting, or running assessment centres on the employers behalf. These services might also be provided by an outsourcing provider.

Go to our factsheet on HR outsourcing

It is important that these recruitment partners develop a good understanding of the organisation and its requirements. Those employers and agencies committed to collaborative partnerships are more likely to achieve positive results. See our productive partnerships guide on the relationship between HR and recruitment agencies for more advice.

Go to our guide on relationships between HR and recruitment agencies

Other ways to attract applications include building links with local colleges/universities, working with the jobcentre and holding open days.

Managing the application and selection process

There are two main formats in which applications are likely to be received: the curriculum vitae (CV) or the application form. It is possible that these could be submitted either on paper or electronically.

Application forms
Application forms allow for information to be presented in a consistent format, and therefore make it easier to collect information from job applicants in a systematic way and assess objectively the candidates suitability for the job. They should be appropriate to the level of the job. Application form design and language is also important - a poorly designed application form can mean applications from some good candidates are overlooked, or that candidates are put off applying. For example, devoting lots of space to present employment disadvantages a candidate who is not currently working. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, it may be necessary to offer application forms in different formats.

CVs
The advantage of CVs is that they give candidates the opportunity to sell themselves in their own way and dont restrict the fitting of information into boxes which often happens on application forms. However, CVs make it possible for candidates to include lots of additional, irrelevant material which may make them harder to assess consistently.

Dealing with applications

All applications should be treated confidentially and circulated only to those individuals involved in the recruitment process. All solicited applications (such as responses to advertisements) should also be acknowledged, and where possible, so should all unsolicited applications. Prompt acknowledgment is good practice and presents a positive image of the organisation.

The candidate experience

The recruitment process is not just about employers identifying suitable employees for the future, its also about candidates finding out more about the business, and considering whether the organisation is one where they would like to work for. The experience of candidates (both successful and unsuccessful) at each stage of the recruitment process will impact on their view of the organisation. This could be both from the perspective of a potential employee and, depending on the nature of the business, as a customer.

Selecting candidates
Selecting candidates involves two main processes: shortlisting and assessing applicants to decide who should be offered a job. Selection decisions should be made after using a range of tools appropriate to the time and resources available. Care should be taken to use techniques which are relevant to the job and the business objectives of the organisation. All tools used should be validated and constantly reviewed to ensure their fairness and reliability. More information on this stage of the process can be found in our factsheet on selection methods.

Go to our selection methods factsheet

Making the appointment

Before making an offer of employment, employers have responsibility for checking that applicants have the right to work in the UK and are appropriate for the work. For more guidance, see our factsheets on pre-employment checks and employing workers from overseas.

Go to our pre-employment checks factsheet Go to our factsheet on employing overseas workers

References
A recruitment policy should state clearly how references will be used, when in the recruitment process they will be taken up and what kind of references will be necessary (for example, from former employers). These rules should be applied consistently. Candidates should always be informed of the procedure for taking up references. References are most frequently sought after the applicant has been given a provisional offer. More on the process of the giving and receiving of references can be found in our factsheet on selection methods and CIPD members can find out more on the legal aspects in our References law FAQs.

Go to our Selection methods factsheet Go to our References law FAQs

Medical examinations
The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to ask candidates to complete a medical questionnaire before being offered a job. Only essential medical issues should be discussed at this stage stage - see more in our factsheet on disability and employment.

Go to our Disability and employment factsheet

However, any particular physical or medical requirement should be made clear in the job advertisement or other recruitment literature. Employers should also take care before making selection decisions relating to a candidates mental or physical health. They need to think creatively and innovatively about where they can make reasonable adjustments, such as flexible working, where someone has a disability.

Employment offer
Offers of employment should always be made in writing. But it is important to be aware that a verbal offer of employment made in an interview is as legally binding as a letter to the candidate. Employers must also be aware of the legal requirements of and what information should be given in the written statement of particulars of employment - see our factsheet on employment contracts.

Go to our factsheet on contracts of employment

More information about the legal aspects of employment contracts is available to CIPD members in our law FAQs on terms and conditions of employment.

Go to our Terms and conditions of employment law FAQs

Joining the organisation

Well-planned induction enables new employees to become fully operational quickly and should be integrated into the recruitment process. For further information on this important phase, see our factsheet on induction.

Go to our factsheet on Induction

Documentation

The recruitment process should be documented accurately and access limited to recruitment staff for more on data protection issues, CIPD members can see our law FAQs.

Go to our Data protection law FAQs

It is good practice to monitor applications and decisions to ensure that equality of opportunity is being allowed. Information should be kept for sufficient time to allow for any complaints to be handled - see our factsheet on retaining HR records for more information on how long records should be kept.

Go to our factsheet on Retention of HR records

Unsuccessful candidates should be notified promptly in writing and if possible given feedback. As a minimum, feedback on any psychometric test results should be given.

CIPD viewpoint
The CIPD believes that effective recruitment is central and crucial to the successful day-to-day functioning of any organisation. Successful recruitment depends upon finding people with the right skills, expertise and qualifications to deliver organisational objectives and the ability to make a positive contribution to the values and aims of the organisation. Recruitment is not only carried out to fulfil current needs. Recruiters should always be aware of and refer to future plans that have implications for organisational resourcing. Recruiters also need to be fully aware of equal opportunities legislation and understand how discrimination can occur both directly and indirectly in the recruitment process. For example, untrained interviewers can make subjective judgements based on non job-related criteria and some forms of advertising may discourage or fail to reach potential applicants from certain groups. A diverse workforce which reflects customer groups within the local community is to be encouraged. Organisations should monitor their recruitment processes continuously to ensure their validity, and that they are non-discriminatory. The CIPD believes that selection processes should be based only on a candidates ability to do the job, ability to make a contribution to the organisation's effectiveness and potential for development.

Useful contacts

Business Link - take on staff Business Link discrimination when deciding who to employ Department for Business Innovation & Skills - professional recruitment guide Recruitment and Employment Confederation

References

1. EMPLOYERS FORUM ON DISABILITY. (2011) Recruitmentprotocol. Available at:http://www.efd.org.uk/sites/all/files/EFD_Recruitment_Protocol.pdf

Further reading
Books and reports
ACAS. (2010) Recruitment and induction [online]. Advisory booklet. London: Acas. Available at:http://www.acas.org.uk GOVERNMENT EQUALITIES OFFICE. (2011) Equality Act 2010: What do I need to know? A quick start guide to using positive action in recruitment and promotion. London: GEO. Available at:http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/equalities/equality-act-publications/equality-actguidance/positive-action-recruitment INCOMES DATA SERVICES. (2011) Recruitment. HR studies. London: IDS. TAYLOR, S. (2010) Resourcing and talent management. 5th ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Visit the CIPD Store to see all our priced publications currently in print.

Journal articles
COTTELL, C. (2009) Snowed under. Recruiter. 16 September. pp27-28. MATTHEWS, V. (2011) Social media background checks: a minefield for recruiters. Employers' Law. October, pp14-15. NEWMAN, D. (2011) Positive action in recruitment and promotion. IRS Employment Review. 12 April. 6pp. RANKIN, N. (2009) Using corporate websites for recruitment: the 2009 IRS survey. IRS Employment Review. No 926, 3 August. 15pp. CIPD members can use our online journals to find articles from over 300 journal titles relevant to HR. Members and People Management subscribers can see articles on the People Management website.