CIPD - Recruitment

Recruitment and talent management

Revised August 2008

This factsheet gives introductory guidance. It:

provides advice to help improve the effectiveness and fairness of your recruitment process
documents the stages of the recruitment and selection processes
comments on the use of external recruitment services
includes the CIPD viewpoint.

Having the right person, in the right place, at the right time, 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.

This factsheet gives outline guidance – it doesn’t replace legal advice. All those involved in recruitment activities should be aware of relevant legislation and the latest legal position on issues such as discrimination and the need to treat candidates fairly, asylum and immigration rules, data protection, and employing those with criminal records and anyone who will be working with children or vulnerable adults.

Our other factsheets and research publications cover these topics (for example, our Research Insight Age and recruitment looks at how organisations are addressing recruitment in light of the age discrimination law which came into force in 2006).

CIPD members can find out more on the law from the Employment Law at Work area of our website.

Go to Employment Law at Work

The recruitment process

The figure below gives an overview of the main stages in good practice recruitment and selection.

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 job’s purpose, the outputs required by the job holder and how it fits into the organisation’s structure. It is also important to consider the skills and personal attributes needed to perform the role effectively.

Ways to gather this objective information include observation of the job-holder, questionnaires, interviews or work diaries. Where a new role is being created the use of expert panels is particularly helpful.

This analysis should form the basis of a job description and person specification/job profile.

Job description

The job description benefits the recruitment process by:

providing information to potential applicants and recruitment agencies who may be recruiting on your behalf
acting as an aid in devising job advertisements and employment contracts, choosing selection techniques and, for example, when designing assessment activities and making decisions between candidates
minimising the extent to which recruiters allow subjective judgements to creep into their decision-making, helping to ensure that people are selected fairly.

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.

In general, specifications should include details of:

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.

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

Go to the Competence and competency frameworks factsheet

The person specification/job profile can then be used to inform the criteria you use to shortlist applicants.

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. Our factsheets on development planning and succession planning contain advice on these topics.

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 and they have been growing in popularity over the last few years. But employers should not rely on schemes such as these at the expense of attracting a diverse workforce. see our factsheet on diversity for more information.

Go to the factsheet Diversity: an overview

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 your organisation’s websites.
As the use of technology in recruitment increases, organisations are looking at how they can build databases or pools of ‘ready’ candidates who they can draw on to slot into positions in the organisation as they arise, without the need to re-advertise.

Some organisations have also tapped into virtual worlds such as Second Life to engage with candidates in a unique and powerful way, and are using social networking sites as a mechanism for targeting potential job-seekers. Although our latest recruitment, retention and turnover survey reveals that in reality the practice of these more advanced online methods are still in their infancy. See our factsheet on e-recruitment for more information.

Advertisements should be clear and indicate the:

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

Advertisements should be genuine and relate to a job that actually exists. They need to appeal to all sections of the community using positive visual images and wording.

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 employer’s behalf.

One growing trend to help reduce costs and become more efficient is recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), which involves having one provider to co-ordinate all recruitment needs across agencies.
In order to build and maintain effective working relationships with external providers, remember the following:

Examine the market carefully before selecting an agency or consultancy. Different services are provided by different agencies. It is important that an organisation selects an agency which reflects its aims and objectives and has experience of its labour market.
Be clear about what is required from an agency. Provide a brief in writing, ensure it is fully understood and that all information given is current and accurate.
Always provide accurate, detailed and up-to-date job descriptions and/or person specifications/job profiles.
Agree, in writing, the responsibilities of the agency and the organisation (for example, who will be responsible for checking qualifications or handling references).
Agree the selection tools to be used and the criteria against which applicants will be selected from the initial approaches, to the short-list stage. Ensure these are consistent with the organisation's recruitment policy.
Ensure equal opportunities standards are adhered to consistently and are in line with the requirements for in-house recruitment.

It is important that agencies develop a good understanding of the organisation and its requirements. To ensure the agency is meeting the good practice requirements set out in this factsheet and adding value to the organisation’s recruitment activity, it is essential that they monitor agency performance. 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 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 and the use of e-applications (Internet, intranet and email) is now part of mainstream recruitment practices. See our factsheet on e-recruitment for more information.

Go to our factsheet on e-recruitment

As the use of technology in recruitment increases, organisations are looking at how they can build databases or pools of ‘ready’ candidates who they can draw on to slot into positions in the organisation as they arise, without the need to re-advertise.

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 candidate’s suitability for the job.

A typical application form includes questions on basic biographical information, previous work experience, educational background and work-related training. For any particular job, it can be helpful to tailor the design of the organisation’s general application form as it is unlikely the recruiter will want the same kind of information from a customer services assistant as, say, a senior manager. This also gives employers the opportunity to ask some more involved questions, for example questions which link with the competencies required for the job.

Application forms can also be used to collect sensitive information, for example a candidate's medical history and for equal opportunities monitoring. Any such information should be used only for this purpose and be kept separate from information on which selection decisions will be based (for example using a separate piece of paper or detachable slip from the main application form).

Application form design 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.

Application forms should:

use clear language
be piloted for readability and ease of completion
be realistic and appropriate to the level of the job
not request detailed personal information unless relevant to the job
state the procedure for taking up references, how these will be used and at what stage in the recruitment process they will be taken
be accompanied by details of the job and clear information about the application and selection procedure
enable you to draw up a short list of candidates
provide a source of information to draw on in the interview
help track how applicants found out about the position – to enable a review of the effectiveness of recruitment methods used
provide a store of information about good but unsuccessful candidates that can be filed (either in hard copy or electronically) for future use.

CVs

The advantage of CVs is that they give candidates the opportunity to sell themselves in their own way and don’t 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. Increasingly candidates are being treated as customers – a bad recruitment experience will fail to entice talented individuals into the organisation and is likely to damage the employer brand.

The ‘candidate experience’

The recruitment process is not just about employers identifying suitable employees for the future, it’s 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.

With an upsurge in interest in the idea of ‘employer branding’, more employers are giving thought to ensuring a positive candidate experience and the kind of company material and communications received by individuals as part of the recruitment process. See our employer branding guide for more information on building strong employer brands.

Go to our Employer branding guide

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 factsheets Selecting candidates and Selection interviewing.

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 to see and take copies of relevant documentation - a list of acceptable documents demonstrating the right to work in the UK is available from the Home Office. For more guidance, see our factsheet on employing workers from overseas.

Go to our factsheet on Employing overseas workers

Offers of employment should always be made in writing. But it is important to be aware that an 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 Contracts of employment.

Go to our factsheet on Contracts of employment

More information about terms and conditions of employment is available to CIPD members in our Terms and conditions of employment FAQ in the Employment Law at Work area of our website.

Go to our Terms and condition of employment FAQ

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

Other points to consider

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.

Recruiters should always obtain references to check factual information such as qualifications. But they should not ask former employers to supply a subjective opinion as to an applicant's likely future performance. Such data is unreliable and can be misleading. For further details see our factsheet on references.

Go to our factsheet on References

Medical examinations

It is reasonable to request completion of a health questionnaire where good health is relevant to the job.

Any particular physical or medical requirement should be made clear in the job advertisement or other recruitment literature. Organisations should pay for any medical examinations required.

When it is necessary for medical records to be obtained, the requirements of the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 must be observed. Care should be taken with regard to the Disability Discrimination Act before making selection decisions relating to employee’s mental or physical health.

Documentation

The recruitment process should be documented accurately and access limited to recruitment staff – for more on data protection issues see our factsheet on that topic.

Go to our factsheet on Data protection

Information should be kept for sufficient time to allow for any complaints to be handled - see our factsheet on retaining personnel records for more information on how long records should be kept.

Go to our factsheet on Retention of personnel and other related 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.

Monitoring

Monitoring is not mandatory but it is good practice to ensure that all groups have an equal chance at all stages of the recruitment process. Data collected for monitoring should not be used for any other purposes.

CIPD viewpoint

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.

CIPD believes that selection processes should be based only on a candidate’s:

ability to do the job
ability to make a contribution to the organisation's effectiveness
potential for development.

Recruitment