An Overview of The Recruitment Selection Process
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<h2>Key Takeaways</h2>
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<li>Prioritise an effective and efficient process: Aim to increase the likelihood of hiring Great Performers and reduce the time and distractions that recruitment can cause for SMEs. This involves focusing on solutions that offer the best return on investment.</li>
<li>Enhance the candidate experience: Balance achievable actions that respect the candidate’s time and the company’s resources.</li>
<li>Utilise comprehensive assessment tools: Select assessment methods that are job relevant, objective, consistent, comprehensive, and predictive of success in the role, such as Job Simulations and Structured Interviews.</li>
<li>Promote diversity and avoid discrimination: Actively work to reduce bias and discrimination through fair and inclusive recruitment practices.</li>
<li>Be cautious with AI in recruitment: Recognise the limitations of AI in the recruitment process, emphasising the importance of human judgement and interaction.</li>
<li>Question the use of psychometric tests: Be cautious about using psychometric tests, especially for SMEs, due to their cost, complexity, and potential for negative candidate experiences.</li>
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My selection process starts with broad screening, and progresses to more specific assessments. Throughout, it prioritises:
- Effectiveness: We want to increase the likelihood of recruiting Great Performers and reduce mis-hires.
- Efficiency: Recruitment can be a time-consuming hassle and a distraction for many hiring managers, but my process makes efficient use of your time and budget.
- Fairer and less biased: While we should endeavour to treat everyone equally and fairly, it is practically impossible, we are human after all. Most anti-discrimination and diversity training is a failure, so I raise awareness and offer a more pragmatic approach.
- Smooth process: Many of the SECRETS and tips I share with you reduce the chance of issues arising. These range from simple methods to ensure more candidates turn up to interview, to the powerful Promise of a Reference Call (PORC), which acts like a truth serum making the candidate more honest.
- Good candidate experience: It’s important to create a positive candidate experience, not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because they can say “No” to job offers and tell others about a poor experience.
Assessment Tools
There are many “tools” and methods to assess a candidate and help predict whether they are going to be a good fit. These tools should have five key features:
- Job relevant: They need to be appropriate for the job you’re recruiting for. For example, giving a numeracy assessment for an accounts job is more relevant than for a sales job.
- Objective: Attempting to reduce bias as much as humanly possible and commercially practical.
- Consistent: We want repeatable results.
- Comprehensive: Covering the most essential skills, experience, and behaviours required for the job. Going beyond these may be a waste of everyone’s time.
- Predictive: A valid and reliable way of predicting success on the job.
There are also two fundamental principles to remember:
- Observations are better than predictions: Observing a candidate do a job is consistently better than predicting how they will likely perform. This is why I use Job Simulations to watch a candidate complete a task, and avoid psychometrics that predict how they might perform a task.
- More assessments = more accuracy: Schmidt and Hunter (1998) analysed over 85 years of assessment tools to determine which ones had the best predictive power. This illustration shows the best assessment methods, and most importantly that combining assessments (ie. using more than one) gives an even higher predictive power:
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Overview of the Selection Process
I have a tried and tested selection process appropriate for most SMEs. My process has suitable trade-offs, uses low-cost and easy-to-use methods, invests more time with relevant candidates, and achieves better results by combining more valid assessment methods without overloading the hiring manager and the candidate.
Shortlisting applicants
The first stage is to shortlist applications daily. Although reviewing CVs only has a 0.35 score for predictive power, it is still valid and there are few alternatives. I have an article that runs through the exact process on shortlisting candidates. We will improve the rigour by adding the next assessment: a Telephone Interview.
Telephone Interview
These are a mini form of Structured Interview. To make them even more powerful, we introduce one of my SECRETS; the Promise of a Reference Call (PORC).
Whilst the questions I provide for Telephone Interviews are generic, they are sufficient to know whether you should decline an unsuitable candidate or invite them for a Structured Interview.
<span class="grey-callout"><span class="text-color-purple">Note:</span> For some high volume blue-collar jobs (eg. warehouse staff), if I’m impressed by a candidate over the phone and they are available immediately, I may offer them a job straight away and treat their probation period as a pseudo Job Simulation.</span>
Structured Interview
Structured Interviews have a high predictive power (0.51), and again, we use the PORC to increase a candidate’s honesty. They are very different from an unstructured interview, which is effectively a chat. They are also different from a competency-based interview, where the candidate is effectively allowed to tell stories.
Again, the questions are job relevant, consistent, and comprehensive. The structure will help to benchmark against a Great Performance Profile whilst reducing bias.
Job Simulation and Work Culture Assessment
Job Simulations are valid predictions of future job success (0.54) because they are job relevant observations.
I also include a Work Culture Assessment at this stage, where a candidate is introduced to potential colleagues. Whilst not included in Schmidt & Hunter’s work, up to this point the employer has primarily assessed the candidate, but now the candidate is also assessing the employer.
Make the right decision
Now is the time to make an objective recruitment decision using two more of my SECRETS: the Delphi Technique and Fibonacci Sequence.
Candidate-arranged Reference Call
Candidate-arranged Reference Calls are a unique opportunity to speak with people who know the candidate well. (These should not be mistaken for a reference check, which have poor predictive power (0.26) and can’t be considered valid.)
You choose who to talk to, and the candidate sets up the appointment.
Additional steps
Whilst not strictly part of the “selection” process, additional parts of The Great Recruitment Method include:
- How to make a job offer, managing counteroffers and competing offers.
- The importance of keeping in touch with new employees to ensure they start.
- How to professionally decline candidates (chapter 18).
- How to onboard, train and manage employees to improve retention.
Other recruitment selection methods
I've intentionally not included psychometric tests because I generally don't recommend them, but I do have an article about them.
Similarly, aritificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment is in its infancy and another article provides current insiges.
Done is Not “Done”
It’s particularly important to appreciate that many things can go wrong in recruitment, and you must never take anything for granted.
Applicants may apply, but then you can’t reach them. Even if you do speak with them and decide to arrange a Structured Interview, they may not turn up.
However, the real damage occurs when you’re about to make a job offer; you think recruitment is “done”, but the candidate may not accept. Or, far worse, the candidate initially accepts your offer, and then accepts a competing offer or a counteroffer. Sometimes, you may not even know they’re not starting until their first day!
It’s similar to selling a house. You could accept an offer, but the chain may break down. Recruitment is even more difficult because, unlike your house, a candidate can say, “No”.
Whilst I provide advice to reduce the chances of it happening to you, my main point is that recruitment isn’t “done” until the candidate has successfully started. Please don’t take your eye off the ball until the new member of staff has completed their probation period.
Additional Resources
- Talent Acquisition Book; The Secrets of Great Recruitment - How to Recruitment Great Employees.
- Article; Improve Candidate Experience in Recruitment: Best Practice.
- Article; Avoid Discrimination in Recruitment: Ensure Fairness.
- Article; Artificial Intelligence in Recruitment: The Dark Truth.
The secrets of great recruitment
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