Planning for Recruitment

Recruitment is simply identifying a role vacancy and attracting, interviewing, selecting, hiring and onboarding the right person for that particular role within the organisation. Most organisations undertake set processes to identify and establish the skills, knowledge, and qualifications required for the vacancy and when, where, and how the recruitment should be conducted.

The recruitment process aims to find and engage the most suitable candidate for a job vacancy.

A recruitment process should:

• be undertaken in a timely and cost-effective manner
• promote open, transparent and merit-based recruitment principles
• follow policies, procedures, guidelines and documentation relating to engaging in the recruitment and selection process
• provide candidates with information about the organisation, its mission and its vision.

An equitable process will ensure that the merits of each application will:

• be recognised, acknowledged and given the appropriate value
• be unique as people bring different talents and strengths to their applications based on different life experiences and values.

Most organisations have a process for the authority to fill a position. It might be a completed form and forwarded to the manager or delegate for approval. The form may include details of the vacancy, an attached position description and possible suggested advertisements.

Once the form has been checked and approved by the manager or delegate, the form is usually then sent to the human resources department to commence the recruitment and selection process.

A recruitment process example:

• Identifying and reviewinf the role and job analysis. Advertising vacancy
• Sourcing candidates and shortlisting
• Screening and interviews
• Referee, identity and probity checks
• Job offer
• Onboarding and probationary period

Planning a recruitment process is imperative for ensuring that there is consistency when it comes to recruiting and onboarding across an organisation. Steps in the recruitment process are as follows:

1. Identify a genuine vacancy
   • Create an employment checklist that outlines the vacancy title, competency requirements, relevant award or agreement, roles to be undertaken and who the position will be reporting to
   • Confirm the need for this job to be filled
   • Construct a job description
2. Obtain the authority to recruit
   • Ensure that the authority o recruit is obtained from senior management
   • Ensure that the recruitment process includes a whole of business view
   • Obtain authority from a designated authority if necessary
3. Conduct a job analysis
   • Look at the major areas of responsibility of the role
   • Identify the main tasks involved in these areas of responsibilities
   • Identify and determine the major requirements of the role
   • Determine the relative importance of these requirements
   • Establish the requirements for a person to successfully perform the role's duties
4. Write or review the position description
   • Conduct a review of the current position description
   • Conduct an analysis of the job you want to fill
   • Consider if the nature of the job has changed
   • Describe the main tasks, duties and responsibilities of the job
5. Source candidates
   • Source candidates according to the organisations advertising and requirement policies and procedures

Important Readings

Read the following article by CLEVERISM titled ‘What is recruitment? Definition, Recruitment Process, Best Practices’ in relation to the definition of ‘recruitment:’

Read the following article by Business Victoria titled ‘Hire staff for the first time’ in relation to hiring staff.

Read the following information by The Queensland Government titled ‘Recruitment and selection procedure’ in relation to the consistent approach of recruitment and selection standards across the Department of Education.

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It is essential to ensure that consultation occurs with the relevant stakeholders when developing:

• job descriptions
• key selection criteria
• the organisation's workforce strategy.

The workforce strategy includes planning for the workforce's future requirements that are aligned to the strategic plan and overall direction of the organisation.

The stakeholders can provide valuable insight into the organisation's workforce needs now and in the future. Stakeholders may also be able to provide specific details about the role and the required selection criteria. The job or position descriptions tend to be written in conjunction with staff involved directly with that role or position and the manager responsible for that particular role.

The relevant stakeholders may include:

• External stakeholders such as employer organisations, industry peak bodies and associations, recruitment agencies and workplace relations specialists
• Internal stakeholders include colleagues, human resource managers, human resource officers, senior management, supervisors and team leaders.

The relevant stakeholders can provide specific details about the job or position that can be included in the descriptions. Usually, the job or position descriptions are written in conjunction with the manager responsible for managing that particular role and other staff involved directly with that role or position.

It is imperative that consultation with the relevant stakeholders is conducted for valuable input into the job descriptions and selection criteria and to gain any necessary approvals for changes. The job or position descriptions will often have an authority at the bottom that is usually approved and signed by the direct manager.

Important Readings

Read the following information by ONGIG titled ‘"The 8 Key Stakeholders in a Job Description Rewriting Project" on the stakeholders that should be engaged when developing job descriptions.

Read the following article by B2B International titled "Stakeholder Research Consultation: Keep Your Ears To The Ground" on stakeholder consultation.

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The purpose of a position description or a job description is to provide a statement that clearly outlines and describes the position or role and documents the responsibilities of the position. It should include the purpose of the role, which is often referred to as the job purpose, position purpose or position objective. The position description outlines the conditions of the role or job and its competency requirements, including the tasks required to be performed by the role, job holder or incumbent and a description of how they must be performed. A position or job description will usually also outline any licenses that are required to perform the duties.

Position or job descriptions:

• Are an essential document to be used as a basis for recruitment, appraisals and salary negotiation.
• State what an employee must accomplish and the position they hold.
• Contain a detailed analysis of the position’s tasks.

Should include the following:

• Job title.
• Objective and purpose.
• List of duties or tasks.
• Relationships with other roles.
• Job location.
• Salary range.

Think

Think about roles that you held in the past or roles you have applied for. Were the job descriptions similar? Did they outline competency requirements and the tasks required to be performed?

When developing position descriptions, it is essential to consider what kind of person is required to do the job. This is called a person specification.

The position description describes what the job will entail, and a person specification will describe the type of person the company needs to fulfil the role.

A person specification describes:

• attributes
• experience expected
• skills needed
• qualifications required.

There are two elements to consider:

Essential – without these, the person can not fulfil the role, for example, a qualification.

Desirable – these elements will enhance the person's suitability for the role, such as skills in a software program that are desirable but not essential. The person can also learn this skill on the job.

You can contribute to the development of the position description by ensuring that it has the required input from the hiring manager and reflects the requirements of the role. A well written and clear position description is used as the foundation for recruiting, selecting, onboarding and developing the individual. It is also used as a benchmark for managing performance.

Watch the following short video by GreggU titled ‘Job Descriptions and Specifications’ to learn more about position descriptions and person specifications.

In the real world

CBSA is a consultancy company. Details from their business plan are as follows:

Target market: Small, medium and enterprise size organisations.

Marketing strategy: Broad strategies of electronic, event-based and traditional advertising.

Tag line: “Your business expert”

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Sourcing potential candidates for a vacancy is often the next part of the recruitment process once the job description has been written and the need to fill a vacancy has been identified and approved.

The various strategies to be implemented to assist in sourcing candidates should be done according to organisational policies and procedures. These may include:

• Recruitment policy and procedure
• Advertising policy and procedure
• Interviewing policy and procedure
• Selection policy and procedure

The introduction of software programs, including the expansion and use of the internet, has led to increased efficiency. This includes the effectiveness of organisational processes regarding recruitment. The recruitment process itself has evolved and changed to reflect the needs of the organisation and meet the ever-changing needs of the environment in which businesses operate.

The various organisational policies and procedures will usually outline the preferred process of sourcing candidates. This may include the use of different technology available to source suitable candidates. This may include:

• Software such as an online system to search online applications and look for specific criteria
• Online interview applications to record the candidate and watch and review videos at a later time and date
• Social media applications such as LinkedIn to match potential candidates

There are several standard methods of attracting candidates that include:

• Explicit advertisements about the role and showcase your organisation.
• Outlining career development and professional development opportunities.
• Using internal referral systems, sometimes your staff may know of someone who may be the ideal candidate.
• Using recruitment agencies, especially for specialist roles, has access to potential candidates.
• Using any professional organisations or bodies to advertise the position.
• Have a stall or stand at a career expo (if you are part of a large organisation) to showcase the various positions.
• Offering flexible working arrangements such as an opportunity to work from home (if the role allows).
• Highlight any monetary incentives that the organisation may have, such as discounts on products or services.
• Using social media to recruit.

In each stage of the vacancy advertising and recruitment process, adhering to relevant legislation, standards, regulations, and awards is vital. The legislative and compliance requirements must be considered in every part of recruiting for a vacancy. It includes writing and advertising a vacancy, interviewing applicants, conducting referee checks, and selecting a candidate.

You need to become familiar with the legislative requirements to ensure that the recruitment policy and procedures meet Australian law, standards, regulations and various legislative provisions that apply to the organisation.

When sourcing candidates, relevant legislation must be adhered to, especially when developing the position description and advertisement. Different applicable legislation, regulations, standards, and codes of practice may affect an employment agency and organisation’s recruiting processes. This may include the following:

Legislation may include:

• Local, state and territory work health and safety (WHS) legislation
• State, territory and federal workplace legislation relating to organisatonal recruitment processes (e.g. Fair Work Act 2009, anti-discrimination legislation, Privacy Act 1988)

Regulations and standards may relate to:

• Awards and agreements
• Diversity and inclusion
• Fair Work Regulations 2009

Codes of practice may include:

• Non-prescribed voluntary codes
• Organisational codes
• Prescribed mandatory industry codes

The following are principles you should be aware of when advertising vacancies:

• There must be a real vacancy to fill
• The job advertisement must not be discriminatory
• The advertisement should be realistic and honest
• Promises that cannot be kept should not be made
• The advertisement should include a copy of the job description or the details of a person that applicants can contact for further information

In addition to the principles above, you must also ensure that the advertising of vacant positions complies with relevant legislation. The Australian anti-discrimination legislation, for example, includes the following acts:

• Age Discrimination Act 2004
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992
• Racial Discrimination Act 1975
• Sex Discrimination Act 1984
• Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986

The various relevant legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice may vary according to industry.

In the real world

ABC buses have been granted a contract to provide bus services across 15% of the Melbourne metropolitan area. The company must adhere to various additional legislation for their industry that includes bus safety legislation in Victoria that is made up of several acts and regulations including:

Bus Safety Act 2009 (Vic)

Bus Safety Regulations 2020 (Vic)

Transport (Safety Schemes Compliance and Enforcement) Act 2014 (Vic)

Heavy Vehicle National Law Application Act 2013 (Vic)

Watch the following short video by GreggU titled ‘Technology for Recruiting’

Important Readings

Read the following article by Beamery titled ‘Sourcing Candidates: The 10 Most Important Best Practices’ on sourcing candidates.

Read the following article by Springboard titled ‘Sourcing Candidates in 2021’.

Check your understanding of the content so far!

Prior to moving on to the next topic, have a conversation with someone that is not in Human Resources or studying this qualification and in your own words:

• Describe the purpose of a position or job description.
• Explain why is important to include a description of the tasks and responsibilities in a job description.
• Describe different types of technology that is available to source suitable candidates.
• Explain why you would need to consult with stakeholders in relation to job descriptions.
• Explain how you would coordinate the recruitment of two candidates across your organisation.