According to a Skynova survey of 600 full-time employees with staffing responsibilities, 71% think poaching employees is simply part of doing business. The same percentage also see it as an important hiring strategy.

As an HR professional, you’d benefit from familiarizing yourself with employee poaching — from its definition, legality, and ethics to its different causes and effects.

Contents
What is employee poaching?
Is poaching employees illegal or unethical?
10 employee poaching strategies to retain your talent
How to deal with employee poaching
Tips on how to poach employees ethically
FAQ

What is employee poaching?

Employee poaching refers to the legal practice of an employer approaching an employee of a competing company to try to get them to join their company instead. HR, recruiters, hiring managers, and even employees can be involved in this practice. To sway and entice potential employees, the poaching party may offer higher pay, better benefits, more career advancement opportunities, or anything else the poaching target might want. 

While employee poaching is more common in industries where it’s challenging to find talent — such as tech and customer service — it certainly isn’t limited to those sectors. Any company can and will, from time to time, engage in talent poaching.

Poaching employees is also not limited to external employees. Internal employee poaching works the same way but involves approaching existing personnel at your own organization to convince them to fill a different role within the same company.

Whether internal employee poaching is acceptable depends on the organization. To avoid conflict and maintain a healthy work environment, establish and follow a specific set of rules regarding internal poaching (e.g., always speak to an employee’s manager before approaching the employee themselves).

HR tip

Create a policy on internal poaching and communicate this with the managers in your organization. Emphasize the importance of everyone playing by the rules and encourage people to speak up when something bothers them or they notice anyone not playing by the rules.

Why does employee poaching happen & what is its impact?

Talent poaching often has several causes and has significant effects on both the originating and receiving organizations. Below are some common causes and effects of employee poaching.

Causes:

• Strong market demand for skilled workers amid a weak supply
• Economic factors, such as wage differences between competing companies
• Employee referrals — while not every referral involves an existing employee at another company, some do
• Technological advancements — developments in sourcing and recruiting make it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to scout for and engage with new talent
• Employee disengagement — disengaged employees are usually more open to being poached than those who are content with their jobs and employers.

Effects:

• Loss of knowledge, which happens almost every time an employee leaves a company
• Market dynamics may change, especially if companies poach high-profile personnel
• Potential legal implications — if the poached employee has a non-compete clause or a no-poaching agreement in their existing contract, there may be legal consequences for them and the company poaching them
• Financial implications — for instance, if a small to medium-sized company loses its top-performing salesperson, the business may suffer significant financial loss
• Risk of spreading insider information — when a competitor successfully poaches an employee, the risk of that employee revealing their former employer’s company secrets to their current organization arises.

While these effects are largely negative, as they affect companies whose employees are poached, it’s important to remember there are two sides to these effects. The companies responsible for the poaching will reap the benefits of the same effects, such as gaining knowledge and a competitive edge or improving their financial situation.

Is poaching employees illegal or unethical?

The ethics of employee poaching are debatable and often depend on the circumstances and how an organization goes about it. It also depends on whom you ask, though the vast majority of hiring professionals see it as par for the course. However, a manager who loses their top-performing customer service staff to poaching, for instance, would probably feel very differently about it.

Poaching employees is not illegal in most countries, meaning there is no specific law against it in the U.S. or elsewhere.

“In my opinion, as long as you don’t overdo it, ethical poaching is a smart, strategic recruitment practice, especially when conducted thoughtfully and respectfully. Employees at your competitors not only bring valuable industry knowledge but possess the skills that make them the complete package.”

Chloë de Jonge, People Ops & Office Specialist at AIHR

Can you be sued for poaching employees?

While employee poaching is not illegal, it can have legal implications. These implications are most likely to arise if an organization poaches an employee from a competitor with whom the employee had signed a non-solicitation agreement but ended up breaking it.

A non-solicitation agreement, usually between an employer and employee, prohibits the employee from maintaining professional contact with the employer’s clients and customers upon leaving the company.

However, you should also note that some companies’ actions to prevent employee poaching, namely non-compete clauses and no-poaching agreements, have recently become illegal in the U.S.

Many employers include a non-compete clause in employment contracts to prevent employees from joining competitors for a specified period of time after leaving the company. A no-poaching agreement, on the other hand, is an agreement between competing companies not to poach each other’s employees.

In the U.S., the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have taken a strong stance recently and have filed charges against several companies that have made such agreements. In the EU, the European Commission issued a policy brief in May 2024, stating that it is likely to view wage-fixing and no-poach agreements as having an anti-competitive effect.

The FTC also issued a final rule banning non-competes nationwide in April 2024. The move was made to help “promote competition, protecting the freedom of workers to change jobs, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation.” The FTC expects this nationwide ban to result in, among other things, over 8,500 new businesses a year and higher earnings for employees.

How to deal with employee poaching: 10 HR strategies

Poaching employees is an undeniable aspect of recruiting. In fact, 74% of hiring professionals admit to having poached employees, with 66% considering effective poaching a competitive advantage.

However, as an HR professional, you can still take steps to lower your organization’s chances of losing its employees to poaching. 

Consider the following strategies:

1. Address employee needs

Happy employees are less likely to want to leave the company. Understand employees’ concerns and needs through regular pulse surveys, conversations with their managers, or stay interviews. Then, address these needs and concerns as quickly and effectively as possible.

2. Offer competitive compensation

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, the top reason people leave their jobs is low pay. Poor benefits also rank high on the list. Offer employees a competitive compensation package to increase the likelihood of them staying.

3. Provide career development opportunities

The same study revealed that a lack of advancement opportunities is the second-biggest reason employees resign. Consider implementing a career progression framework to give employees a visible career path and growth opportunities. This will help motivate them and strengthen their long-term commitment to the company.

4. Include a non-compete clause in employment contracts (outside of the US)

This is a more direct way to avoid employee poaching. A non-compete clause usually states that the employee cannot work for a competitor for a certain period (often a couple of months) after resigning from the company. 

In reality, however, it often just postpones employee poaching instead of totally avoiding it. Recruiters still successfully poach employees who have signed such contracts — they then resign and go on garden leave at their employer’s instruction.

As mentioned above, the U.S. has banned non-competes, but they are still quite common in certain roles in the rest of the world. In Europe, for instance, they are deemed legally binding as long as their limitations are reasonable in terms of the geographical area and the time period during which the poached employee cannot work for a competitor.  

5. Consider making a counteroffer

If a competitor poaches one of the organization’s top performers, you can consider making a counteroffer to get them to stay. This isn’t ideal for two main reasons: the employee’s co-workers may perceive it as unfair, and the company should have prevented the circumstances that caused the employee to want to leave. Still, in reality, many companies make counteroffers to retain top talent, and it sometimes works.

6. Have employees sign a non-solicitation agreement

This is a more indirect way to avoid employee poaching and is mainly used for salespeople. A non-solicitation agreement prevents employees from contacting their former employer’s clients. This means they must build their client base from scratch if they resign, which can discourage them from leaving their current employer.  

Non-solicitation agreements are enforceable as long as they are reasonable, though what is considered reasonable may vary from one jurisdiction to another. An organization may want to engage an experienced attorney to determine what is and isn’t reasonable before proceeding.

7. Develop an incentive plan

A well-designed employee incentive program can boost retention and engagement, thus reducing the chances of talent poaching. Use these employee incentive ideas to help you implement a comprehensive, successful employee incentive program.

8. Foster transparency and regular communication

When managers are transparent and regularly communicate with employees, they’re more likely to thrive in their current company. They’re also more likely to tell their managers if any competitor tries to poach them.

9. Increase employee autonomy

Autonomy in the workplace increases employee engagement and motivation, in turn lowering turnover rates. Employees who have the autonomy to decide when, where, and how they want to do their work—to the extent that doing so is possible—are less likely to seek employment elsewhere.

10. Emphasize employee recognition

A study by Gallup and Workhuman found that companies that doubled their employee recognition efforts saw a 22% decrease in absenteeism rates. Creating an effective employee recognition program can help you minimize turnover rates and maximize retention rates.

Tips on how to deal with employee poaching 

Despite your best efforts to retain employees, your organization is likely to experience employee poaching at some point. Here’s how you can deal with it:

Thank and congratulate outgoing employees

It’s important to be gracious towards employees who tender their resignation so they leave on a positive note. Congratulate them on their new job and thank them for their contributions to the company.

Give them a great offboarding

Offboarding presents a great opportunity to ensure employees remain on amicable terms with the organization. These employees are more likely to compliment the company and even return in the future. Check out our offboarding checklist to help you polish your offboarding process.

Determine why they are leaving

The exit interview is an integral part of the offboarding process. It enlightens employers on why an employee has decided to leave the company. It also informs them about the employee’s experiences during their tenure, giving them an opportunity to learn more and minimize the chances of poaching in the future.  

Stay in touch

Ask leaving employees if they want to stay in touch. If so, add them to the company’s alum page on LinkedIn, include them in your talent pool, and add them to the alumni mailing list. This way, they will be updated on the latest news and developments within the organization.

How to poach employees ethically

As the stats reveal, recruiters do use poaching employees as a strategy to attract top talent to organizations, particularly when it comes to highly specialized roles. If your talent acquisition team uses this strategy, consider how you can do it ethically without burning any bridges. 

Here are some steps you can take to poach employees ethically: 

1. Identify the right talent: Examine potential candidates’ online presence, such as LinkedIn profiles and industry-specific forums. Use advanced search filters to narrow down your options and compile a list of potential candidates. Attend networking events and industry conferences. These events can help you connect with professionals and observe how they engage with others in their field. Personal recommendations from current employees can also be a gold mine for identifying top talent.
2. Initiate contact: Proceed with caution and respect. Begin by reaching out through professional platforms such as LinkedIn or industry-specific forums. Personalize your message to show genuine interest in their skills and experience. Avoid spamming candidates with generic messages, as this can damage your credibility.
3. Respect the employee-employer relationship: Ensure your communication with potential candidates is discreet and confidential. Avoid pressuring them to make hasty decisions or disclose sensitive information about their current employer.
4. Understand their career aspirations: Encourage open and honest discussions about their career goals and aspirations. Show empathy and understanding for their current commitments, and emphasize that your primary goal is to support their professional growth. By maintaining this respect, you build trust and credibility with each candidate and their current employer.
5. Offer clarity during the recruitment process: Begin with a thorough and transparent interview process. Clearly explain the steps involved, from initial screening to final decision-making. Provide each candidate with a realistic timeline and keep them informed throughout the process. Avoid making false promises or exaggerating the role’s benefits. Be honest about the challenges and opportunities that come with the position. 
6. Prepare a compelling offer: Your offer should go beyond just salary; consider the overall value proposition. Highlight opportunities for growth, work-life balance, company culture, and any unique benefits your company offers. Provide examples of how current employees have thrived within your organization to make your offer more enticing.
7. Be transparent: Transparency is key when presenting your offer. Clearly outline compensation packages, job responsibilities, and growth opportunities. Be prepared to answer any questions candidates may have to build trust and demonstrate your company’s commitment to their professional development.

“When considering poaching, never approach multiple members of the same team simultaneously. Colleagues talk, and discovering that multiple team members are being targeted can lead to a loss of credibility and potential reputational damage. Instead, focus on individuals who are the best fit for your organization.

Chloë de Jonge, People Ops & Office Specialist at AIHR

HR tip

Be the best employer you can be so your employees won’t want to switch to competitors.

To sum up

While you cannot avoid employee poaching entirely — whether your company’s employees are the targets or your company is the one poaching competitors’ employees — you can prepare yourself for this eventuality in order to handle it as well as possible. From being attuned to employee needs to setting contractual obligations against talent poaching, you can minimize the potential negative impacts of poaching on your organization and its workforce.

FAQ

The post What Is Poaching Employees? The Legalities & How To Deal With Employee Poaching appeared first on AIHR.

Contents
What are interview notes?
9 reasons you should take interview notes
When to take interview notes
Techniques for taking comprehensive interview notes
Free interview notes templates
Post-interview notes: Best practices

What are interview notes?

Interview notes are detailed records of the interactions between interviewers and candidates. They can help recruiters and hiring managers refresh their memory before making important hiring decisions instead of relying on gut instinct, which can lead to biases.

These notes typically include observations, responses, and key points discussed during interviews, ensuring that HR’s evaluation of candidates is comprehensive and objective. These notes capture candidates’ qualifications, skills, experiences, and overall fit for open roles, providing references to aid in the decision-making process.

Interview notes also present an official record for reference in case any questions or disputes arise about the hiring process. They offer transparency and accountability in determining if the recruitment process is conducted methodically and candidates are evaluated fairly. This is especially important if a candidate questions their interview outcome or if a company must address legal or compliance considerations.

9 reasons you should take interview notes

1. They help interviewers remember critical details about candidates: Taking notes not only helps you stay on track and ask more detailed follow-up questions, but it also provides a record of interviews you can refer to later if necessary.
2. They provide a factual basis for evaluating candidates: This reduces the influence of biases and subjective impressions. Hiring managers and recruiters can also compare their notes to obtain a more well-rounded overall picture of each candidate within the company’s culture.
3. They promote fairness in hiring: Consistently capturing notes throughout the recruitment process ensures you can assess all candidates using identical criteria.
4. They facilitate an informed decision-making process: This is particularly important during debriefing sessions, as it enables a thorough comparison of candidates.
5. They provide a shared reference point for discussion: This supports detailed, clear communication among hiring team members, allowing them to make better-informed hiring decisions.
6. They create a clear record of the interview process: This demonstrates if candidate evaluations are conducted methodically. If interview notes don’t reveal a methodical process based on similar questions for candidates, you should initiate a review of the entire process.
7. They can protect you and your organization: Referring to detailed documentation captured during the hiring process can help you and your company in case of legal or compliance issues.
8. They enable you to share constructive post-interview feedback with candidates: This lets you build stronger long-term relationships even with candidates you don’t hire but who may be good fits for future positions. Letting candidates know you value their time and effort will, in turn, lead them to speak favorably about your business.
9. They provide material for training new interviewers: New recruitment and hiring personnel can analyze your past notes to help them improve the interview process. 

When to take interview notes

HR and hiring managers play crucial but different roles throughout the interview process. HR professionals typically handle the early stages of the process, such as pre-screenings and initial screenings, while hiring managers take over during the more extensive interview rounds. 

Understanding when and why each party takes notes and what these notes should include ensures a cohesive and comprehensive evaluation of candidates.

When should an HR professional take interview notes?

Pre-screening stage

During the pre-screening stage, an HR professional takes notes based on résumé reviews, phone screenings, key qualifications and experiences, and any potential red flags. These notes help filter out unqualified candidates and ensure only suitable candidates proceed to the next stage.

Screening interviews

During screening interviews, HR records detailed notes on candidates’ responses to standard questions, evaluating their basic qualifications, cultural fit, culture add, and interest in open positions. These notes are then shared with the hiring manager, providing them with a comprehensive overview of each candidate.

Initial assessment tests

HR is responsible for documenting the results and any other observations about each candidate’s performance if the recruitment process includes any initial assessments or skills evaluations. This information is crucial for the hiring manager to understand candidates’ capabilities and suitability for different roles.

Reference checks

Detailed notes on feedback from candidates’ previous employers and colleagues are one of the most critical steps in the recruitment process. These notes are essential for verifying the candidate’s background and can counter possible biases. For example, if a candidate’s previous employers or managers express vastly differing opinions of them, you would need to conduct further research before taking the next steps.

Onboarding discussions

During the final stages of the hiring process, HR may discuss each candidate’s salary expectations, availability, and onboarding logistics. Notes from these discussions are essential to ensure a smooth transition for new hires and align their expectations with the company’s.

When does a hiring manager take interview notes?

Technical interviews

A hiring manager takes notes during technical interview rounds on candidates’ skills, problem-solving abilities, and technical knowledge. These are crucial for assessing a candidate’s suitability for the technical aspects of a role and for comparing different candidates’ hard skills and experience.

Additionally, reviewing notes after a technical interview can reveal gaps that were not apparent initially due to the candidate’s ability to appear more knowledgeable than they were.

Behavioral interviews

In behavioral interviews, a hiring manager documents candidates’ responses to situational questions, evaluating their past behavior and potential fit within the company culture. This shows how candidates might perform in real-world scenarios.

Panel interviews

When multiple interviewers are involved, the hiring manager often leads the panel and takes notes on the collective feedback and observations. This ensures the consideration of all perspectives and a balanced view of each candidate.

Case study evaluations

Hiring managers might conduct case study interviews for problem-solving and strategic thinking roles. During these interviews, they take detailed notes on each candidate’s approach, thought process, and proposed solutions to assess their analytical and strategic capabilities.

Final interviews

During the final interview round, typically with senior leadership or the hiring manager, comprehensive notes are taken to capture the final impressions and any additional questions or concerns raised. These notes play a key role in the final decision-making process and in negotiating the offer.

HR tip

Schedule regular post-interview alignment meetings to discuss and align with your HR team on evaluation criteria and candidate assessments. The goal is to fix any discrepancies among team members and make the most of your individual interview notes.

Free interview notes templates

Organized note-taking during interviews helps to accurately assess candidates and make informed hiring decisions. To help you streamline this process, we’ve created two easy-to-use templates: one in Excel and another in Word.

Interview notes template: Excel

Interview notes template: Word

Techniques for taking comprehensive interview notes

1. Prepare well before the interview

Preparation is key to effective note-taking during interviews. HR professionals and recruiters should meet with hiring managers to understand the responsibilities of each open position and clarify any areas of focus or concern.

You should also prepare structured questions in advance to ensure the interview covers all necessary topics systematically. Finally, review each candidate’s résumé and application documents before the interview to help you tailor your questions accordingly.

2. Create a structured interview template

Not only will such a template help you as an HR professional, but it can also help hiring managers. A structured interview template is essential for organizing notes efficiently — it should include sections covering personal information, key qualifications, strengths and weaknesses, and behavioral responses. A consistent format makes it easier to compare candidates and ensures no critical areas are overlooked.

HR tip

Share this template with the hiring manager and other interviewers to ensure consistency among everyone involved. You can then use it to guide the interview and ensure that you cover all important areas.

3. Practice active listening and engagement

Your goal is to take accurate, comprehensive notes, which is only possible if you actively listen to each candidate’s words. You can do so by making eye contact, showing interest in their responses, and using non-verbal cues (like nodding). This enables you to take detailed notes and leaves a positive impression on the candidate.

4. Use abbreviations and symbols

Using abbreviations and symbols can help speed up note-taking and ensure you capture all essential information without losing the flow of conversation with candidates. Create a list of standard abbreviations and symbols for commonly used terms (e.g., “XP” for experience or “Qs” for qualifications) and familiarize yourself with them. You should also share this list with the other interviewers so they will understand your notes after each interview.

5. Highlight key points and quotes

The more candidates you interview, the more notes you’ll have after the interview process. Emphasizing key points and direct quotes from the candidate can help you focus on critical information. You can do so by using different colors to highlight important points and quotes, as well as taking note of particularly strong or weak responses from each candidate for later discussion with your team.

6. Review and edit notes post-interview

Reviewing and editing your notes immediately after each interview can help you fill in gaps, clarify ambiguities, and better organize them. You can add additional notes while the interview is still fresh in your mind and use a structured template to organize your notes for easy reference.

7. Collaborate with your hiring team

Sharing interview notes with your hiring team promotes collaboration and ensures a well-rounded systematic evaluation of each candidate. Use a centralized system to store and share files to make sure everyone on your team can access all relevant interview notes and add their own. After each interview, you can also schedule a debriefing to discuss everyone’s feedback and impressions. 

Post-interview notes: Best practices

Step 1: Enter your notes into an interview evaluation form

Immediately after each interview, enter your notes into a standardized interview evaluation form. This form should align with the structured interview template you used during the interview and can include sections for each aspect of the interview (e.g., technical skills and cultural fit). This enables all information to be centralized, making it easier to review and compare later. You should also make sure all the interviewers follow the same format to maintain consistency.

Step 2: Organize notes based on specific criteria

The next step is to organize the notes based on specific criteria, such as technical skills, cultural fit, behavioral traits, and overall impressions. This will help your team systematically evaluate each candidate against the job requirements.

To facilitate collaboration and cross-referencing, create categories or tags in the evaluation form for easy sorting and filtering. Group similar observations together to identify patterns and ensure each criterion is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity.

Step 3: Highlight key competencies and skills

Identify and highlight each candidate’s key competencies and skills to quickly determine which candidates meet a role’s main requirements. Summarize their top strengths and weaknesses in your notes and cross-reference these competencies with the job description to determine their suitability for the role.

Step 4: Use rating scales

Incorporate rating scales in the evaluation form to quantify each candidate’s performance in different areas. Rating scales can help you compare candidates and make the evaluation process more transparent and objective. Use a consistent scale (e.g., 1-5 or 1-10) for all criteria and provide clear guidelines for each rating to ensure consistency among all interviewers. You can also include a space for comments to explain each rating given.

Step 5: Conduct a comparative analysis of the candidates

Once you’ve interviewed all candidates for a role and organized your notes, conduct a comparative analysis of the interviewees. This involves reviewing and comparing the evaluation forms to identify the strongest candidates.

Create a comparison matrix to visualize each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. Use weighted criteria to prioritize the most critical skills and attributes. All interviewers must participate in this analysis to gather diverse perspectives.

Step 6: Hold a debriefing session with the hiring manager

Schedule a debriefing session with the hiring manager and other interviewers to discuss everyone’s findings from the interviews. This collaborative approach allows all parties to consider all insights before making a final decision.

Share the organized notes and comparative analysis with the hiring team in advance, and structure the debriefing to assess each candidate systematically. Encourage open discussion and debate to address any discrepancies in evaluations.

Step 7: Help hiring managers maintain objectivity and fairness

As an HR professional, you play a crucial role in ensuring the hiring process remains objective and fair. This involves reminding hiring managers to base their decisions on documented evidence and established criteria rather than personal biases.

Using structured evaluation forms and rating scales can minimize subjectivity, but hiring managers must also remember the importance of equal opportunity and non-discrimination when hiring. If necessary, you can also provide training on unconscious bias and objective assessment techniques.

Step 8: Document final decisions and feedback

Finally, document hiring decisions and any interview feedback provided to candidates. This is important for maintaining transparency and for future reference. Record the final decision-making process, including the reasons for selecting or rejecting each candidate. Make sure feedback is constructive and based on specific observations from each interview, then store all notes and evaluation forms in a secure, accessible location for future audits or reviews.

The impact of implementing note-taking best practices

Implementing best practices for interview note-taking can help you record nuanced information that might be forgotten or misremembered later. Done correctly and consistently, this practice ensures transparency and fairness and can align your entire HR team and hiring managers in making informed, objective hiring decisions. It also allows you to provide helpful feedback to candidates and, in more serious cases, protects you and your organization against potential claims of bias or discrimination.

Taking notes during job interviews also requires you to be attentive to interviewees, get detailed information about them, and offer them constructive feedback. This goes a long way toward improving the candidate experience and, as such, can boost your company’s public image among job seekers.

The post Interview Notes: 9 Reasons To Take & Best Practices To Follow (+Free Templates) appeared first on AIHR.

This article will look at various employee onboarding statistics, uncovering trends, challenges, and opportunities in onboarding. 

Contents
The current state of employee onboarding
Preboarding statistics
Employee onboarding duration and timeline
The costs of employee onboarding
Employee onboarding impact on talent retention
Employee onboarding in a remote setting
The future of employee onboarding

The current state of employee onboarding

Employee onboarding is a crucial stage of a new hire’s journey with the company and lays the foundation for the employee-employer relationship. When done well, onboarding positively impacts performance, job satisfaction, and retention. 

1. 34% of employees have not witnessed any onboarding program at their organization. (Talmundo)

Contrary to what most may believe, many employees today still lack proper onboarding when joining a new organization.

2. Only 29% of employees say they feel fully prepared for their new role and ready to excel after their onboarding. (Gallup)

This indicates that many organizations fail to achieve one of the two main onboarding goals: Getting new hires fully operational and ready to succeed in their role.  

3. 81% of new hires report feeling overwhelmed with information during the onboarding process (Glean). 

This issue originates from the extensive use of digital tools—81% of new hires state their organizations employ at least six apps or digital tools, while 33% use eleven or more. This results in information being dispersed across several locations, with 42% of newcomers agreeing that this non-uniform approach is problematic.

Inadequate leadership or mentorship further complicates the situation, leading to 38% of new hires feeling uncertain about where to find help or answers.

4. Employees with an exceptional onboarding experience are 2.6 times more likely to be satisfied at work. (Gallup)

The same survey revealed that only 12% of newly hired employees believe their organization provides a strong onboarding experience. This presents a huge opportunity, as employees who benefit from comprehensive onboarding are 2.6 times more likely to feel satisfied with their jobs.

5. 89% of employees report being engaged at work following an effective onboarding experience. (Bamboo HR)

According to a survey compiled by BambooHR, 89% of employees reported that an effective onboarding process significantly boosted their engagement at work. Additionally, these employees are 30 times more likely to experience high job satisfaction compared to those who found their onboarding process inadequate.

Preboarding statistics

Preboarding refers to the period between the moment when a candidate signs the employment contract and their first day on the job. An effective preboarding process keeps new hires engaged and excited to start and sets companies up for successful onboarding.   

6. A strong preboarding process can increase new hire retention by up to 82% while minimizing the number of non-starters. (Talmundo). 

Preboarding aims to achieve two main objectives: Keeping new hires engaged and providing them with essential information to prepare for their first day. This information may include practical details, administrative procedures, and a 30-60-90-day plan.

7. Best-in-class companies are 35% more likely to begin the onboarding process before day one than all other companies combined (69% vs 45%). (Aberdeen) 

Successful companies understand that it is important to show new hires that their engagement with the company is top of mind.

8. 67% of companies complain about more than a 10% drop-off rate pre joining. (Leena AI) 

Sometimes, there is a considerable amount of time between the moment a candidate signs their employment contract and their first day. During that time, they may get second thoughts about their choice and, if another company comes along in the meantime, choose to work for an organization that does preboard their new employees. 

Employee onboarding duration and timeline

The exact duration of an onboarding process differs based on the organization and the role people are in. This means it’s difficult to define the ideal duration of an onboarding. We can, however, look at what employees think of the duration of their onboarding. 

9. 52% of onboarding processes last less than a month. (Talmundo)

This study divides the duration of onboarding processes into four categories, according to employees who started their jobs recently:

1. 1 week: 14%
2. 1 month: 38%
3. 3-6 months: 29%
4. >6 months: 19%

10. 48% of HR professionals believe onboarding should last at least three months. (Talmundo)

Interestingly, the same study shows that 52% of employees state onboarding lasted less than a month (see the statistic above). So, where does the difference between what HR perceives as an ideal onboarding duration and the actual length of the onboarding process stem from? 

11. 56% of employees say they need just one or two days to ease into their new role. (Bamboo HR)

According to BambooHR, 30% of people prefer a slower, more gradual onboarding before starting their new duties. This illustrates the difficulty of getting employee onboarding right; every person has their preferences, and while some may want a short onboarding, others may be happier with a more extended version. 

12. Younger generations are more likely to want to dive into work on day one. (Bamboo HR)

Generation Z employees show a distinct preference for starting their job duties immediately, with 22% eager to dive into work on day one. This contrasts with Millennials (15%), Gen X (13%), and Baby Boomers (12%), reflecting a generational trend towards a faster, more proactive approach to onboarding.

The costs of employee onboarding

Just as there is no one-size-fits-all answer to how long employee onboarding should take, there is also no fixed cost associated with onboarding new hires. It depends on factors such as the duration of the process, the tools used throughout that process, the role, regulations, and, of course, the available budget. 

13. In the U.S., onboarding costs for an average small to medium-sized business are between $600 and $1800 per new hire. (Leena AI) 

The average onboarding cost per employee varies depending on the company size, the industry, legal and other requirements, and more. 

14. Larger organizations in the U.S. can spend over $3000 per employee during their onboarding. (Leena AI)

Naturally, larger organizations tend to have larger budgets to onboard their new employees than their smaller counterparts. As such, they are more likely to spend more on employee onboarding.

Employee onboarding impact on talent retention & satisfaction

The onboarding period is a bit like a couple’s honeymoon. It lays the foundation for a happy, lasting relationship between the employee and their employer – or at least that’s what it should aim to do. 

15. 70% of new hires decide within the first month whether a job is the right fit. (Bamboo HR)

According to the same BambooHR survey, 29% of people decide this even in their first week. This stresses the importance of having a strong and effective onboarding process.  

16. People who did not have a positive onboarding experience are twice as likely to look for a new job shortly. (Digitate)

The onboarding period sets the tone for the employee-employer relationship. New hires think of their onboarding as a reflection of what their experience as an employee of the company will be.  

17. Organizations with a formal onboarding process have a 50% higher retention of new hires than those without. (Talmundo)

According to the same study, retention increases by 16% when certain onboarding tasks are automated so that new hires can have access when it suits them best.  

18. 64% of employees working for large companies are satisfied with their onboarding vs. 48% of employees in smaller companies. (Paychex)

The difference may be due to the fact that larger companies often have more budget and resources available to create a well-structured and partially automated onboarding process.  

19. Generationally, Gen Zers are the most likely to feel satisfied (62%) compared to just 43% of Gen Xers. (Paychex) 

While it’s interesting to understand the generational differences, practice caution when applying this view to an entire generation. Every individual is different, after all.

Employee onboarding in a remote setting 

Since 2020, hybrid and remote work has seen a massive surge. In the U.S., for example, a study by McKinsey found that 35% of employees could work from home full-time while 90% could work in a hybrid set-up.

Naturally, this rise in remote working requires an effective remote onboarding process. 

20. Among remote employees, 63% feel that their training during the onboarding process was inadequate. Additionally, 60% reported feeling disoriented after their most recent onboarding experience, and 36% found the process to be confusing. (Paychex)

The onboarding experience for remote employees often leaves them feeling undertrained, disoriented, and confused. This suggests organizations need to refine their remote onboarding procedures to ensure new hires feel well-prepared and integrated into their roles, thereby reducing potential turnover.

21. 37.4% of HR professionals consider remote onboarding the primary challenge when filling a job position. (Workable)

Remote and hybrid workforces offer numerous advantages, and forecasts indicate that remote work is likely to persist and even increase in popularity. A recent survey revealed that 37.4% of HR professionals identified onboarding as the number one concern when hiring remote employees for job positions.

The future of employee onboarding

What will the future of employee onboarding hold, and what will future employee onboarding statistics look like? As for the latter, one thing is sure: there still is a lot of room for improvement.

22. More than 50% of organizations have transitioned to online applications, virtual hiring, and virtual onboarding since the COVID-19 pandemic. (Leena AI)

Post-COVID-19, HR professionals adapted to virtual hiring and onboarding, with 54% of companies adopting virtual onboarding and 59% transitioning to online applications, moving traditional processes online.

23. Re-onboarding may become a common thing. (Paychex)

Re-onboarding is the concept of all employees going through a new introductory process, not just new hires. It can be a great way to check in with your people and boost engagement. Re-onboarding increases employee retention by 43%.  

24. HR practitioners see technology as the missing piece in their onboarding arsenal, with 68% planning on using it in the near future. (Talmundo)

When asked what’s currently missing in their organization’s onboarding, HR professionals said technology was the number one thing, followed by accurate measuring and management involvement.  

25. 92% of HR professionals are familiar with artificial intelligence (AI) automation in onboarding processes. (Leena AI)

It’s interesting to see this statistic, given that HR often indicates that technology is often missing from their company’s onboarding process. 

The question is, what do people mean by ‘being familiar’ with something? Does this indicate they’ve heard of it or that they are actually using it? It’s clear, however, that AI automation will play a significant role in onboarding processes in the future.

Key takeaways

• Employee onboarding is critical in a new hire’s decision to stay with or leave a company. 
• While everyone seems to agree on the importance of a well-structured onboarding process, most of the employee onboarding statistics mentioned show that we still have a long way to go before we reach that 100% satisfaction score.  

The post 25 Employee Onboarding Statistics & Trends You Must Know in 2024 appeared first on AIHR.

In this article, we explain what a job requisition is and what its key elements are. We also provide two job requisition examples and a free template that you can use in your organization.

Contents
What is a job requisition?
Job requisition vs. job description vs. job posting
Key elements of a job requisition
Job requisition examples
Job requisition process steps
Streamlining your job requisition process
Job requisition form template
FAQ

What is a job requisition?

A job requisition is a formal request to create a new position or to fill a vacant role in a company. The requisition, usually a document or an online form, contains information about the need for the new position, whether it is full-time or part-time, and whether the position is temporary or permanent.

Completing a job requisition is the first step in the talent acquisition process. Once the hiring manager finalizes the job requisition form, it’s ready to be sent to HR for review and further steps. As soon as it is approved, HR finalizes the job req and assigns a job requisition number to the document or online form. Then, the job intake (an initial meeting between HR and the requesting manager) takes place, after which the visible recruitment process starts.

For example, Bill is the team lead for accounting. Because the company has grown a lot, his current team of three cannot cope with the work. Bill, therefore, talks with his manager and is asked to fill in a job requisition form.

In the form, he states the reason for expanding the team, that the position will be a permanent and full-time role, and that the person would ideally start within two months. He then forwards the form to his supervisor. A week later, the HR business partner for his department forwards the formal approval, and the same day, the recruiter calls to make an appointment for the job intake to start the hiring process.

Job requisition vs. job description vs. job posting

The job requisition is often confused with a job description or job posting. However, these are each very different. 

• The job requisition is an internal document used to get approval for a new position or fill a vacant role. It is a standard form filled in by the hiring manager and submitted to their supervisor or HR. The job req is the first step in the hiring process. 
• The job description is an internal document that specifies the requirements for a new position, including the required skills, role in the team, personality, and capabilities of a suitable candidate. The job description is based on the vacancy intake, usually written by the recruiter, and forms the basis of the job posting. 
• The job posting (or job advert) is a public announcement that the company wants to fill a new or existing position. It is also an essential marketing tool for recruitment. The goal of a job advert is twofold: i) to provide potential candidates with enough information to get them to apply and ii) to set realistic expectations about the job. In start-ups and small companies, HR usually writes and distributes job postings. In medium- and large-sized organizations, a dedicated team of specialists may be responsible for recruitment and talent acquisition.

As you can see, each document has a different role in the hiring process. This means that the job requisition should not go into too much detail about the skills and qualifications required for the job – this is what the job description is for.

Key elements of a job requisition

A job requisition form has several standard elements that aim to maximize the clarity of key information and streamline the recruitment process. Let’s take a look at these:

• Job title: The job title is the proposed title for the new or existing role. The final title is determined during the job intake. 
• Department: The name of the department or team the role will be a part of. 
• Hiring manager: The name or ID of the manager making the request. 
• Requisition reason: The role can be a newly created one, or the person leaving the role may be transferred, retired, promoted, leave without pay (e.g., go on a sabbatical), go on parental leave, etc. 
• Salary range and benefits: This holds the approximate salary range and benefits for the role and is relevant for budgeting purposes. Any signing bonus should also be specified here. 
• Start date: This is the proposed starting date for the role. 
• FTE/Weekly hours: This field specifies whether the role is full-time or part-time. In the case of a part-time role, either the number of hours or the Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) is defined (e.g., 20 hours per week or 0.5 FTE for a role of 2.5 days per week). 
• Duration: The assignment duration is either permanent or temporary. In the case of a temporary contract, the end date should be defined. 
• Contract type: The contract type is either an employee or a contract worker. The latter is usually only relevant if the duration of the job is temporary. The type of contract will also impact the required budget, as employees are generally eligible for benefits. 
• Required qualifications: Some organizations inquire about the (high-level) required qualifications of the new candidate, e.g., their education level or a minimum level of work experience. 
• Budget: Often, the question is also whether or not the required funding for the role is available. If it’s available, the job requisition can be approved quickly. However, if the budget is unavailable, there will be a more stringent analysis of whether or not the role is needed.  
• Location: The workplace location and whether or not the role comes with remote work possibilities.

Job requisition examples

Job requisition for a new role

Job requisition for an exisiting role

Job requisition process steps

What the job requisition process looks like may vary from one organization to another. As mentioned earlier, in start-ups and small companies, an HR Generalist may be tasked with most of the job requisition process, while in larger organizations, a dedicated team of recruiters may be in charge of this. 

Regardless of company size, though, the process will likely include some of the following steps: 

1. Initiation: The manager or department lead identifies the need for a new position or the need to fill an existing position and fills out the company’s job requisition form. 
2. Submission: The person making the request submits the completed job req form either directly to the HR department or via the organization’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS). 
3. Initial review: The HR department reviews the requisition to ensure all the necessary information is provided and verifies that the request is in line with organizational needs and policies 
4. Department head approval: The requisition is forwarded to the department head or senior manager for approval. They review the necessity and budget implications of the (new) position. 
5. Budget approval: If the position requires additional budget allocation, the job requisition is sent to the finance department or budget committee for financial approval. 
6. Executive approval: For higher-level positions or those with significant budget impact, the requisition may need approval from an executive or a hiring committee. 
7. HR finalization: Once all the necessary approvals are obtained, HR finalizes the requisition and gives it a job requisition number.
8. Communication: The HR department communicates the approval and next steps to the requesting manager and any other relevant parties. HR also sets up a job intake with the hiring manager to gather all the information necessary to create a job description and, based on that, a job advert.
9. Job posting: Once the vacancy intake is done and the job description and job posting have been created according to the hiring manager’s wishes, the former is posted internally and the latter externally. With that, the recruitment process officially begins.

Streamlining your job requisition process

Whether you’re an HR Generalist handling the job requisition process from start to finish or a dedicated team of recruiters handling it, a streamlined process will save you a lot of time and minimize inefficiencies.

Here are seven tips to optimize the job requisition process in your organization: 

• Standardize the job requisition form: This is the starting point for the entire process. What the form needs to include will depend on your organization’s needs and policies, but you can use the job requisition template we’ve included in the next section as the basis.
• Train managers on creating job requisitions: A standardized job requisition form should already minimize the risk of misunderstandings. However, to further reduce the chances of confusion, you may want to give managers brief training on using clear language, being specific, and avoiding bias.
• Work with timelines: Create a clear timeline for each stage of the requisition process to avoid delays and ensure everyone involved knows what to expect and when.
• Establish a straightforward approval process: Approvals could (should) also be integrated into the timeline just mentioned. Examples of approvals needed throughout the requisition process include:
  • HR approval of the initial request, followed by
  • The department head giving their go, followed by
  • Potentially the finance department saying yes.
• Centralize documentation: Keep all job reqs and related documents in a central, easily accessible location for easy reference and tracking. 
• ​​Maintain open communication: Ensure open communication lines between HR, managers, department heads, and other relevant functions in the organization to keep everyone on the same wavelength regarding the process and their expectations.
• Fine-tune where necessary: Consider regularly asking those involved, for instance, every quarter, what they think of the job requisition process. What goes well, and what could be improved? You can tweak the process to further optimize it based on that feedback.

Job requisition form template

The job requisition form template below is designed to make your hiring process a breeze. You can use the form as a printable document or utilize it as the basis for creating your own online job requisition form. 

Ready to get started? You can download the job requisition template here: 

On a final note

Job requisition isn’t just a formality; it’s the foundation of a successful hiring process. When done well, the job requisition process creates a solid inter-departmental collaboration and the best possible start of an organization’s recruitment process.

FAQ

The post What Is a Job Requisition? A Full Guide + FREE Form Template appeared first on AIHR.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the selection process for hiring and share some best practices for designing one that will help you find top-quality employees while also delivering a good candidate experience.

Contents
What is the selection process?
Importance of a strategic selection process
7 selection process steps
Metrics used in the selection process
How to improve the recruitment and selection process: Best practices
FAQ

What is the selection process?

The selection process involves evaluating job candidates’ skills, competencies, and experience to identify the most qualified individuals for the role and the organization.

The selection starts once a job opening is advertised and candidates flow in. The process follows a funnel structure, starting with multiple applicants and progressively narrowing down the candidate pool through interviews and assessments until the best fit for the role is found.

It typically includes the following seven stages, which we will cover in more detail later:

1. Application
2. Screening & pre-selection
3. Interview
4. Assessment
5. References and background check
6. Decision
7. Job offer & contract

Importance of a strategic selection process

Organizations usually have some type of hiring procedures in place that they may or may not consistently follow. However, having a well-thought-out strategy for the process helps you not just fill each vacancy but also contribute to the lasting success of the business.

A strategic selection process offers the following advantages:

• Supporting long-term organizational goals: Incorporating strategic objectives into candidate selection systems puts the focus on finding individuals with the skills, experience, and mindset to carry out what the organization is aiming for currently and in the future. For example, a company that is rapidly growing or facing a merger can look for candidates with attributes such as resilience and adaptability, which indicate the ability to successfully navigate change and uncertainty.

• Creating a positive candidate experience: A structured, consistent selection process helps candidates know what to expect. You can inform them of the forthcoming steps, so they feel in the loop and gauge what’s coming next. Holding candidates’ interest and providing a positive experience can make all the difference in convincing top talent to work for you. According to a PwC study, 49% of job seekers in highly competitive fields claimed to have rejected a job offer due to a bad experience in the hiring process.

• Ensuring job and culture fit: Evaluating candidates on more than just their knowledge and specialized skills helps identify who will thrive in the position and work environment. For instance, someone with the ideal technical expertise yet prefers to work alone may not do well in an organization that functions in teams with shared tasks and constant collaboration.
  
  Starbucks provides a clear picture of its culture and values on its career page. This gives potential employees a better idea of what Starbucks would expect from them and the type of atmosphere they’d be working in. 
  
• Boosting employee performance and satisfaction and reducing turnover rates: Effective candidate vetting and selection produces a stronger likelihood that new hires will be the right fit, perform well, and find contentment in their positions. Not only will they be productive and contribute to business success, but they are also apt to stay with the company longer. 

• Building a competitive advantage: A thorough and strategic selection process can support an organization’s competitive advantage by bringing in the most qualified and productive employees for improved business outcomes. It also creates a better candidate experience which, in turn, improves your employer brand. This earns you a wider and higher quality applicant pool for every job opening. 

7 selection process steps

Although the specifics differ according to each organization and position, the selection process happens in a series of steps that candidates move through.

Let’s take a closer look at each step:

1. Application

Once you’ve published a job advert, candidates begin to apply. That’s the first step in your selection process. However, the number, quality, and diversity of applications will vary. Here’s what you need to about the different aspects of the application stage:

Application process

The application process itself is crucial. Is it mobile-friendly and quick? Or do you require candidates to manually fill in all the info from their CVs into your system? Requiring applicants to create a profile on your career site but failing to optimize the site for mobile are practical elements of web design can hinder HR’s success in the candidate selection process. 

Test your application process yourself to understand where applicants might struggle. That way, you can ensure you’re providing a smooth application experience that won’t turn away potential employees.

Advertising channels and tools

Where you post and promote your job ads matters too. Here are the five most popular sources for jobseekers:

• Online sites: Job boards, such as Indeed, and postings on social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook. 
• Company websites/career pages: If you work in HR for a large enterprise, such as Walmart in the U.S. or the NHS in Britain, many people will come directly to your site. For smaller companies, job seekers may not target your website for job announcements. However, they may refer to the website once they learn about the opening elsewhere. 
• Recruitment agencies and sites: Jobhunters may register with one or several recruitment agencies or seek out field-specific recruitment sites.
• University and college career departments: Consider holding promotion and recruitment events at local, national, or international educational institutions. In Britain, the Civil Service and armed forces host many events like this, often visiting campuses with more socially and ethnically diverse populations. 
• Word of mouth: Many people will ask their family and friends for advice on where to apply and for any leads on job openings.

Optimizing job ads

Digital tools can create more efficient job postings that bring in diverse applicants. Textio uses data and AI machine learning to help companies optimize their job adverts. The tool makes sure the text reflects not only what your business is looking for in a candidate, but also what culture and values matter to your company.

According to Michaela Schütt, SVP and Head of Global Talent Acquisition Ecosystem at Siemens, Textio has had a positive impact on their talent attraction efforts. At an HR tech event, Schütt mentioned that job ads with high Textio scores, meaning they follow inclusive language guidelines, brought the company 23% more qualified applicants and 11 days faster hiring times.

Why does inclusivity matter? To increase the diversity of your workforce, you must take concrete steps to expand inclusivity. Diversity matters not just from an idealist or moral perspective but also for maximum success and profit. A report published by McKinsey & Company found that ethnically diverse companies were 39% more likely to outperform competitors.

Other factors impacting the number and quality of applicants

The size of an application pool is influenced by many factors, including the following:

• External issues: These are the matters taking place outside the organization and beyond HR’s scope. Namely, the economic climate, unemployment rates, demographic trends, and social and cultural factors. 
• Industry conditions: An organization’s industry also impacts the size of its applicant pool. For instance, if you’re trying to recruit candidates with specific qualifications like teachers, law enforcement, or hospital nurses, your recruiting department’s role will be more challenging than those that hire for less specialized roles.
• Internal factors: The size of an organization and its employer brand will draw in varying numbers of applicants. Google, for example, receives around 3 million applications a year. This means that, on average, more than 400 people apply per job opening. What an organization offers in the form of pay, benefits, and opportunities for progression has a considerable impact as well.
• Sourcing strategy: The number and quality of applicants also depend on a compelling job posting and where you publish it. How informative, engaging, and widely appealing it is directly impacts who you will attract. Job adverts should always use gender-neutral and inclusive language.
• Your requirements: For example, you can also assess whether higher education is a necessity for certain positions. If it’s not, you’ll increase the number of available candidates. The recent SHRM State of the Workplace report found that 28% of HR departments are relaxing their education/degree requirements. For example, The Spectator is a widely read British weekly magazine. The publication does not require a university degree or even a CV for its internships. 

2. Screening & pre-selection

The goal of the initial screening phase is to reduce the pool of candidates from a large number to a manageable group of between 3-10 people who are eligible for an interview. This can be done in various ways, such as the following:

Resume screening

The most commonly known technique is resume or CV screening. Resume screening helps to assess if candidates comply with the criteria needed for the job. If you require 5+ years of work experience, a recent college graduate without this experience can be easily ruled out.

U.S. grocery chain Trader Joe’s looks for applicants who express a certain sentiment. As one store manager put it, “People who express their love for Trader Joe’s in the application are the ones that really catch our eye. They put a couple of sentences about why they wanna work here. They’ve shopped with us for years, or they grew up on Trader Joe’s. That’s a big one.”

CV reviewing in large companies can be time-consuming for HR. Software is an efficient and cost-effective way to manage this challenge. Options range from resume screening tools built into an ATS to resume screeners that use artificial intelligence to predict the quality of hire.

Be careful not to overuse this kind of technology, though. You need to ensure that it is regularly reviewed for bias. You can also consider implementing a “blind review” policy by removing all personal characteristics from resumes, such as name, age, and gender. This aims to counter implicit bias.

Phone screening/chatbot

After the resume screening, a phone (or video) screening interview is next. This helps align expectations between the candidate and employer. The recruiter can ask candidates any questions they have following the screening of resumes. The recruiter can go through a checklist that may include topics like pay expectations, full-time or part-time hours, flexible working options, starting date, and other potential deal-breakers. Since this is a fairly standard procedure, having a chatbot ask these questions is also an option.

As mentioned above, technology now enables us to do these screenings in an automated way. Chatbots ask candidates questions and make the interview interactive. An example is a large engineering company that implemented a chatbot intended to optimize the recruitment process and keep candidates engaged. The data showed that after implementing the chatbot, completion rates went up from 74% to 96%. 

Pre-selection or pre-employment assessments

Pre-selection is a powerful screening method that helps eliminate potential mismatches. The SHRM State of the Workplace report (mentioned earlier) showed that 35% of HR departments rely on pre-employment tests/assessments to identify qualified candidates.

Dedicated pre-selection tools provide assessments that can include cognitive testing, a job simulation, or other tests that help to predict the quality of the new hire. Sometimes, resume screening is included in these tools. 

A job simulation provides a realistic job preview. This shows both the most enjoyable and interesting aspects of a role but also the challenging elements, resulting in authentic insight for the candidate. This helps align expectations between employer and employee and leads to hires who are a stronger fit. Pre-selection tools are another aspect of the increasing role of AI technology in the recruitment landscape.

These pre-selection tests are often used for high-volume recruiting (roles with large numbers of applicants), for example, assessing a customer service rep on their active listening skills. These screening tools eliminate the obvious misfits so the most suitable candidates remain. 

Be aware that not all pre-selection tools and screenings are fully accurate, so choose your vendor with care. We’ll cover other types of assessments below in stage 4.

3. Interview

The third step in the candidate selection process funnel is the most visible one, the job interview. Its purpose is to assess how well-suited candidates are for the role and gain insight into their verbal fluency and sociability. 

A job interview involves the candidate being asked questions by the direct manager or the recruiter (or both). It provides the structure for posing job-related questions to the candidate and presents the opportunity to sell the job to them.

Interviews may take place virtually or in person. Many companies conduct a first-stage interview remotely for more efficient time management. Some of them then choose to do the final interview on-site to promote a stronger personal connection and allow the candidate to experience the workplace culture and environment. 

Informing candidates upfront about how the interview process works can make it more productive. American software company Salesforce has an “Understanding the Interview Process” page on its website that explains who candidates will meet with and provides resources to help them prepare. 

Types of interviews

There are two main types of interviews: structured and unstructured. In a structured interview, a standardized set of questions is prepared in advance and posed to all interviewees. This provides the interviewer with a uniform method of recording information and standardizing the rating of each applicant’s qualifications. 

An unstructured interview does not adhere to a pre-determined list of questions. The questioning works more like a conversation, and the interviewer can improvise according to what comes up during the discussion.

In academic literature, the structured interview has proven to be almost twice as reliable as the unstructured interview (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998). The structured interview enables the interviewer to accurately compare candidates and to make the best decision based on data.

Other interview types include candidates being interviewed by peers or a panel. These dialogues aim to gain insights into a candidate’s personality, behavior, and approachability among team members, or with those they will be supporting in a job.

Evaluating interviews

A common interviewing technique is the STAR method which is a systematic way to retrieve information from the candidate. STAR is an acronym for:

• Situation: Have the candidate describe a particular situation they were in.
• Task: What goal was the candidate working towards?
• Action: Have the candidate describe in detail which actions they took to make the best of the situation and complete their task.
• Result: Have the candidate describe the outcome of the action and ask what the candidate learned.

The STAR method works well to see if the candidate has the key competencies necessary for the job. If the role calls for dealing with various types of shareholders, an example question could be: “Describe a situation in which you had to manage multiple shareholders.” 

Using an interview evaluation form makes the evaluation of candidates at this stage of the selection process more consistent and fair. Also, implementing interview guides will help the interviewers conduct productive interviews.

4. Assessment

While screening and pre-employment assessments can roughly weed out the least suitable candidates, a full assessment is usually more accurate.

Commonly used assessments are a General Mental Ability (GMA) test (also known as an IQ test) and a Five-Factor Model of Personality test. Higher IQ is associated with faster learning and higher top performance. While these assessments can be a part of your pre-selection process, many organizations choose to conduct them in later stages of the hiring process.

Multinational technology corporation IBM has designed “scientifically validated assessments to be engaging, fair, and relevant to each role.”  With these assessments, IBM recruiters can measure skills and abilities that may not be revealed during interviews. This provides candidates with the opportunity to showcase all that they have to offer. 

When it comes to conducting personality questionnaires, research shows that conscientiousness is the strongest noncognitive predictor of job performance. More conscientious candidates perform better in their jobs. Candidates who score high in conscientiousness are often described as hard-working, dutiful, achievement-oriented, and detail-oriented.

Other assessments include work sample tests, integrity tests, and job knowledge tests. The scientific literature shows that assessments in the form of work sample tests are among the best predictors of job performance.

It is good practice to have candidates do a case study or solve a real problem during their interview. This makes it possible to compare the quality of a candidate’s work with the other applicants, as well as against the expected or ideal performance. What’s more, a practical assignment also gives applicants an idea of what they’d be doing in the role.

Work sample tests can bring the most value in roles where practical skills, problem-solving abilities, and job-specific tasks are critical to performance. For example, you can give candidates for a software developer role a coding task or ask them to debug a piece of code to demonstrate their programming and problem-solving skills.

Assessments should be reasonable in scope and accurately reflect the job’s requirements without imposing undue burden on candidates.

5. References and background check

By this point, you have reduced the long list of applicants down to one to three candidates. Reference checking is the essential next step in the candidate selection process.

Ask the candidate to provide references. Reference checks confirm the accuracy of what a candidate has told you and your impressions of them. If, during the interview, you have doubts about a certain competency or skill, the reference check is an excellent way to gather more information from a different perspective. 

A background check is commonly used for government departments and other jobs that involve access to highly confidential information, such as healthcare roles. It can also be a prerequisite before applying and taking part in the pre-selection.

An example is a confirmation of good conduct or criminal record checks for teaching positions and other roles that involve a high responsibility for others. These investigations help eliminate people who may abuse their duty of care over vulnerable people. However, unless absolutely necessary, you should conduct background checks later in the selection process.

Requirements and practices for background checks vary by country. In the U.S., employers typically use private companies to conduct background checks. Background checks in hiring are subject to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and they need to fulfill the requirements of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Selecting an FCRA-compliant provider to conduct the background checks on your behalf ensures it is done correctly and consistently.

6. Decision

The next selection process step is deciding on a candidate with the greatest potential for the organization. Pre-defined criteria by which every candidate is rated during the selection process will reveal the best candidate. 

Usually, the hiring manager makes the final decision. It may also involve input from other managers and colleagues. Sometimes, the optimal choice is someone less qualified at the moment but who is committed to growing and staying with the organization for a long time.

7. Job offer & contract

Once the decision is made, the selection process has one last phase. The chosen candidate still needs to accept the offer. At this point, you should have gleaned enough information from the various screenings and job interviews to have some confidence that the candidate is likely to accept the job. 

The offer is then made to the candidate. You can send an offer letter outlining the main job details and employment conditions. If they accept the offer, you can proceed to issue a formal employment contract. Once that is signed by all parties are the selection process steps complete.

Metrics used in the selection process

Tracking certain recruiting metrics helps you evaluate the outcomes of the candidate selection process. The following benchmarks are commonly used as indicators of an effective selection process:

• Application completion rate: This metric shows what percentage of candidates that complete and submit an application form after accessing it. A low completion rate may mean the application form is cumbersome or has technical glitches.
• Time to fill: This measures the time it takes to hire a candidate from the moment of approving a job requisition until the candidate accepts your offer. A lengthy time to fill metric indicates a prolonged and inefficient selection process.
• 90-day and 1-year attrition: Attrition within the first three months signals a weakness in the selection process steps. The estimations of the cost of a bad hire differ between sources but are estimated to be between 50% to 200% of their annual salary. It is recommended to treat every case of 90-day attrition as a critical HR incident and analyze it closely for what went wrong. Then, you can prevent it from happening again through better communication, selection, onboarding, and management. A high first-year attrition rate can also be attributed to an inadequate selection process. 
• Candidate experience: How do candidates rate their experience in this selection process? If it is an agreeable experience for them, your process is on the right track. In addition, they will have a positive outlook on the organization whether they are hired or not. Satisfied candidates won’t be deterred from applying again in the future and will advocate for your business and employer brand.
• Selection process funnel effectiveness: Because selection goes through a funnel with multiple steps, knowing the effectiveness of the funnel helps. You don’t want 50% of your 100 applicants to pass through to the interview stage, otherwise, you’ll be interviewing too many people. Yield ratio is a recruiting metric that indicates the percentage of candidates that move from one stage of the recruitment process to the next.
• Offer acceptance rate: The offer acceptance rate is the percentage of job offers that candidates accept out of the total number of offers your organization extends. It indicates the attractiveness of the job offers and the overall effectiveness of the recruitment process in aligning with candidates’ expectations and needs.
• Quality of hire: This metric measures how well a new hire is performing after a year in their job. This is usually rated by their manager in the annual performance appraisal. If the quality of hire is consistently good, it suggests that the employee selection process works.

For more information regarding the candidate selection process or recruiting metrics, check our Sourcing & Recruitment Certificate Program.

How to improve the recruitment and selection process: Best practices

We’ve explained the different stages of the selection process, but other dynamics are always in play behind the scenes. 

Here are some best practices to consider as you try to create more effective methods of selection: 

Build a solid job intake process

A clear understanding of a role is the key to finding the right candidate for it. This starts with a function profile based on the job description, i.e., what type of work experience, educational background, and skill proficiencies are needed. Open communication between hiring managers and recruiters will provide the insight needed to effectively kick off the selection process.

In many cases, recruiters should dig deeper than what is on a job intake form. Speaking directly with hiring managers helps clarify the job requirements. Recruiters who practice active listening will glean valuable details on what personality types and soft skills suit the role and will balance out a team. 

Strengthen hiring manager-recruiter relationships

A strong partnership between hiring managers and recruiters helps the selection process flow more smoothly and improves the candidate experience. Emphasize that recruiters should build a good rapport with hiring managers, keep them informed, and ask for their input. This will allow the candidates who are the closest fit to make it to the end.

Working side-by-side with recruiters means hiring managers’ needs are more clearly understood. This, in turn, builds trust that recruiters are doing their best to fill positions sufficiently.

Standardize the selection process

Every organization will have its own approach to the selection process for hiring, but it should always be standardized. By following the same structure for each job opening, the process remains consistent. This leads to more reliable outcomes and a satisfying hiring experience for candidates. 

A standardized selection process will include:

• Reliable or automated screening methods
• Structured interview formats
• Use of interview guides
• Consistently applied assessments
• Established criteria and scorecards for evaluating candidates
• Thorough documentation and checklists.

Train hiring managers/decision-makers

Ensure that whoever is doing the hiring is equipped to carry out their role in the selection process. This includes explaining the steps in the process and preparing them with interview checklists.

It may also be necessary to train decision-makers in how to conduct structured interviews, as well as unconscious bias awareness and interpreting body language.

Use a data-driven approach

Utilizing data throughout the selection process enables you to combat bias and speculation. Information gathered from resumes, assessments, and interview scorecards can be the basis for moving candidates through the selection funnel. Although hiring decisions shouldn’t be made only on data, it can help get the most qualified applicants to the interview stage.

Moreover, analyzing this data can reveal bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the selection process, allowing for continuous improvement.

Continuously evaluate and improve the process

Your employee selection process will evolve as the needs and circumstances of the organization change. You should also update it regularly to match your hiring standards and business goals.

As we’ve just mentioned, using data helps you identify which parts of the process need attention. Gather feedback from candidates and hiring managers to ensure the process remains effective.

Implementing these improvements not only optimizes the selection process but also enhances candidate experience and strengthens overall recruitment outcomes.

A final word

Employees are the cornerstone of any organization’s long-term viability. This makes high-quality talent acquisition one of HR’s most crucial functions., as bad hiring decisions cost companies time and money.

A strategic and thorough recruitment and selection process ensures the placement of the best employees who can contribute to swift organizational success and competitive advantage.

FAQ

The post Selection Process: 7 Steps & Best Practices To Hire Top Talent appeared first on AIHR.

You may find reference check questions a tedious and time-consuming part of the recruitment process, but it’s a necessary step, as a résumé often does not provide an accurate picture of a candidate. In fact, in a Job Applicant Behavior Survey, 70% of workers confessed to lying on their résumés, with 37% of these respondents admitting to doing so frequently.

A little extra scrutiny can make all the difference. By asking targeted reference check questions, you can confirm your instincts or uncover hidden issues, and help inform the hiring manager’s final decision with solid, reliable information.

Contents
What are reference check questions?
Conducting reference checks: Legal considerations
Employee reference check questions
Reference check questions for management positions
Checklist: 13 tips for conducting HR reference checks

What are reference check questions?

Reference check questions are inquiries recruiters direct toward a candidate’s previous employers, supervisors, or colleagues to gather information about their work history, skills, performance, and behavior. These questions are a vital part of the selection process — they help verify the accuracy of the candidate’s résumé, evaluate their suitability for the position, and provide insights that may not be evident from interviews alone.

Finding the right fit in hiring is crucial because it directly impacts team dynamics, productivity, and overall company culture. Employees who align well with your organization’s values and work environment are more likely to be engaged, satisfied, and motivated. This leads to better performance and lower turnover rates.

A poor fit can result in conflict, decreased morale, and higher costs should you need to rehire and train new staff. But effective reference checks help ensure that candidates have the necessary skills and mesh well with the company’s culture, contributing to long-term success and stability​.

Reference checks are a necessary part of your recruiting process because they help you to:

1. Verify a candidate’s work history
2. Assess their suitability for a role
3. Determine if they’re a good culture-fit match.

Conducting reference checks: Legal considerations

When conducting reference checks in the US, recruiters and HR professionals must remember several legal considerations to ensure compliance with federal and state laws. 

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

The FCRA governs how background checks (including reference checks) are conducted when outsourced to third-party agencies. 

Under the FCRA, you must obtain written consent from the candidate before conducting their reference check, and provide them with a summary of their rights. If the reference check results in adverse action being taken, you must inform the candidate and give them a copy of the report, along with an opportunity to dispute any inaccuracies.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Additionally, non-discrimination laws play a crucial role in reference checks. Make sure your inquiries don’t violate the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, which are designed to enforce federal laws prohibiting workplace discrimination. 

These guidelines ensure employers do not discriminate against job applicants based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information.  

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is another critical aspect of conducting reference checks. Keep information gathered during these checks confidential and only share it with individuals directly involved in the hiring process.

Avoid asking questions that could invade the candidate’s privacy, such as those related to health, family status, or other personal matters irrelevant to the job. Adhering to these legal requirements helps protect both employer and candidate, ensuring a fair and respectful hiring process.

HR tip

Take culture fit into consideration when hiring. Overlooking it could result in hiring a candidate who may not thrive in your work environment despite being technically qualified. Include questions that help determine whether the candidate will fit well within your company culture. Ask the references to describe the candidate’s working relationship with their team and how they fared in the company environment.

15 reference check questions to ask

Asking detailed questions will help you gather further insights into the candidate’s suitability for the role. Each sample reference check question is designed to elicit specific, detailed responses that highlight the candidate’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall fit for the job.

Employee reference check questions

1. Can you confirm the candidate’s employment period and job title?

• Reason: To verify the accuracy of the candidate’s résumé and application details.
• What to look for: The candidate’s references should be able to confirm the dates and job titles they’ve provided. Discrepancies could indicate dishonesty on the candidate’s part.

2. What were the candidate’s primary responsibilities?

• Reason: To understand the scope and nature of the candidate’s previous roles.
• What to look for: A detailed list of responsibilities that align with the candidate’s résumé and indicate they possess relevant experience.

3. How would you describe the candidate’s work performance?

• Reason: To assess the candidate’s reliability, quality of work, and overall professional performance.
• What to look for: Examples and specific instances of the candidate’s outstanding or sub-par performance, consistency in delivering results, and contributions or lack thereof.

4. Can you provide an example of a significant contribution the candidate made?

• Reason: To identify the candidate’s specific strengths and key achievements.
• What to look for: Detailed examples showcasing the candidate’s skills, creativity, and impact on projects or the organization.

5. How did the candidate handle deadlines and pressure?

• Reason: To identify the candidate’s specific strengths and key achievements.
• What to look for: Detailed examples showcasing the candidate’s skills, creativity, and impact on projects or the organization.

6. How would you describe the candidate’s teamwork and collaboration skills?

• Reason: To understand the candidate’s ability to work well with others on a team.
• What to look for: Examples of positive team interactions, collective projects, and the candidate’s role in promoting a collaborative environment.

HR tip

If a reference doesn’t check out, determining the reason will help you distinguish red flags from less important concerns. Arrange a follow-up interview with the candidate to allow them to explain. Assess how potential issues may affect the role and company culture, but avoid overreacting to minor discrepancies. Instead, seek to understand their context or impact. Document all relevant findings to ensure clarity and compliance.

7. What are the candidate’s areas for improvement?

• Reason: To gain a balanced view of the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.
• What to look for: Constructive feedback on areas where the candidate could develop further and indications of their willingness to improve and grow.

8. Would you rehire the candidate if given the opportunity?

• Reason: To gauge the reference’s overall satisfaction with and confidence in the candidate.
• What to look for: A clear yes or no answer and reasons supporting their decision. These will provide insight into the candidate’s overall fit.

Reference check questions for management positions

9. How did the candidate demonstrate leadership in their role?

• Reason: To assess the candidate’s leadership qualities and effectiveness in a managerial role.
• What to look for: Examples of leadership actions, how they motivated their team, strategic decisions they made, and their impact on the organization.

10. Can you describe a challenging situation the candidate faced and how they handled it?

• Reason: To understand the candidate’s problem-solving and decision-making skills under pressure.
• What to look for: Details of the challenging situation, the candidate’s approach to resolving it, and the outcomes they achieved.

11. How did the candidate manage and motivate their team?

• Reason: To evaluate the candidate’s managerial skills and ability to inspire and lead a team.
• What to look for: Techniques the candidate used for motivation, examples of effective team management, and how this influenced team performance.

12. How did the candidate handle conflict within their team or with other departments?

• Reason: To assess conflict resolution skills and interpersonal effectiveness.
• What to look for: Examples of conflicts, how they were addressed, and the resolutions achieved, indicating the candidate’s ability to maintain a harmonious work environment.

13. How effective was the candidate in achieving strategic goals?

• Reason: To determine the candidate’s strategic planning and execution abilities.
• What to look for: Their achievements, whether they met or exceeded strategic goals, any initiatives they led, and their contributions to the organization’s success.

14. How would you describe the candidate’s communication style and skills?

• Reason: To evaluate the candidate’s communication skills, which are crucial for management roles.
• What to look for: Clarity, effectiveness, and appropriateness of the candidate’s communication in different situations. These include team meetings, presentations, and one-on-one interactions.

15. How did the candidate handle performance evaluations and feedback with their team?

• Reason: To understand the candidate’s approach to performance management and development.
• What to look for: Their methods of providing feedback, handling performance issues, and encouraging professional growth within their team.

Checklist: 13 tips for conducting HR reference checks

HR tip

Contact multiple references to get a comprehensive, balanced view of a candidate. Different perspectives provide a more rounded understanding of their performance and behavior. In contrast, relying on a single reference can result in a biased or incomplete view of the candidate’s abilities. You can make a more informed hiring decision ​by gathering insights from several sources.

To sum up

Recruiters and HR professionals use reference check questions to get insights on candidates from their previous employers. Relying solely on gut instinct can lead to you trusting an unreliable candidate who seems ideal on the surface. You could also end up writing off an ideal candidate who happens to be more reserved and introverted. To avoid making such mistakes, use reference check questions to verify facts, determine strengths, and expose potential red flags.

Asking a candidate’s former supervisors or colleagues targeted questions about their work history, skills, performance, and behavior will either confirm your instincts or reveal hidden concerns. This, in turn, ensures your hiring decisions are based on solid information rather than just a hunch, which can improve your chances of hiring the right person for the job.

The post 15 Insightful Reference Check Questions To Ask About Your Next Hire appeared first on AIHR.

This is evident in Indeed & Glassdoor’s research. The majority of workers aged 18 to 34 said they’d consider turning down a job offer or leaving a company if their manager didn’t support DEIB initiatives (72%), the company’s leadership had a gender imbalance (67%), or the organization lacked ethnic diversity (65%).

In addition, job-seekers are prioritizing remote jobs above higher pay. All these statistics point to a rapidly shifting employment landscape, and future-focused HR professionals must adapt to stay ahead.

Contents
What is candidate sourcing?
Types of candidate sourcing
9 steps to successful candidate sourcing
Candidate sourcing strategies to consider
ROI metrics to measure for candidate sourcing
7 tips to ensure diversity in candidate sourcing

What is candidate sourcing?

Traditionally, employers or recruiters post job vacancies and wait for job hunters to apply. Candidate sourcing works the opposite way—it’s a longer-term process where employers or recruiters actively search for potential candidates to fill current and future positions.

If successful, candidate sourcing helps employers and recruiters develop a reliable, robust pipeline of qualified candidates they can contact when relevant job vacancies open up. These potential candidates may not necessarily be in the job market, but if their skills and experience match different role requirements, employers or recruiters may be able to interest them in exploring available positions.

Sourcing vs. recruiting: The differences

Types of candidate sourcing 

1. Passive candidate sourcing

Passive candidate sourcing entails getting to know individuals who are satisfied with their current jobs and not actively looking for a new role. However, if you can spark their interest, they may be open to discussing what your organization has to offer.

According to Randstad’s Workmonitor 2024 survey, 60% of respondents prioritize personal life over work life. Work-life balance now ranks as high as salary on workers’ lists of priorities (93%), surpassing all other factors. When considering their next career move, work-life balance is even more important (57%) than a higher salary (55%).

Passive candidates aren’t found via sources like job postings or active job search platforms. Instead, passive candidate sourcing is about building and nurturing relationships with those with the skills, qualifications, and experience your company needs. If you succeed at this step, the candidate is likely to be interested when a relevant opportunity arises.

HR tip

Develop a talent pool of passive candidates by identifying the type of experience and culture fit you want to achieve in your new hires. Continue to nurture your passive candidates by sending them personalized messages about the company, its initiatives, or future open roles that may match their interests and skills. This shows you’ve taken the time to understand their experience, skills, motivations, and aspirations and could encourage them to engage with you.

2. AI candidate sourcing

IBM’s Global AI Adoption Index reveals that about 42% of enterprise-scale companies have actively deployed AI in their businesses. Generative AI is gradually influencing almost every element of work, including HR. For example, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed use AI to assist job seekers in finding opportunities aligned with their experience and help companies identify suitable candidates.

AI is changing the recruiting process with several core improvements to the overall process. According to LinkedIn’s The Future of Recruiting 2024, GenAI tools’ top benefits for recruiters are:

• Faster/easier job posting creation (57%)
• Automated tasks that free up time for more fulfilling work (45%)
• Removal of daily mundane tasks (42%)
• Improvement in overall productivity (41%)
• Faster/easier engagement with candidates (35%).

Although AI brings many advantages to recruiting, don’t forget the importance of the human element in your candidate interaction. Candidates may form negative value judgments if they feel they are being evaluated solely through AI. 

3. Active candidate sourcing

Like passive candidate sourcing, active candidate sourcing involves seeking out and speaking to potential candidates — the main difference is that these candidates are actively looking for work. This means you can easily approach them via platforms like LinkedIn job boards, career websites, or job applications. 

These candidates are probably also applying for multiple positions based on where they are advertised or what they know about the company. This is where advertising and employer branding become critical. 

Ensure that you post your job ads where your ideal candidates can find them, such as on LinkedIn or industry-specific job boards. Develop strong employer branding so potential candidates see your business as a great workplace and actively seek out your company when looking for a job.

4. Automated candidate sourcing

Automated candidate sourcing (also called automated talent systems, automated recruitment software, or automated online sourcing) can help you find suitable candidates and select whom to hire.

Automation can help you source potential employees in various ways. A common technique involves creating an applicant funnel (similar to a sales funnel), from which automation can weed out and remove unsuitable candidates. You can also use automation to reach passive candidates through targeted emails or advertising pop-ups.

Chatbots can also streamline the sourcing process. Simply program your chatbot with the answers to common job—and company-related questions. This way, it can lay the foundation for you by initiating contact and building relationships with potential candidates. 

9 steps to successful candidate sourcing

1. Identify hiring needs: Determine the skills, experience, and qualifications your company or client requires for their job vacancies.
2. Develop a sourcing strategy: Create a plan to source and attract candidates. This may include choosing the right platforms, targeting specific demographics, and determining the outreach methods.
3. Create job postings: Write and share job descriptions on various job boards, company websites, and social media platforms.
4. Search for candidates: Actively search for potential candidates through LinkedIn, other professional networks, job fairs, job boards, and other sourcing channels.
5. Screen applicants: Review applications and résumés to help you shortlist the most suitable candidates.
6. Engage with candidates: Contact potential candidates via email, phone, or social media to arrange initial interviews.
7. Interview and assess candidates: Conduct interviews and assessments to evaluate candidates’ skills, experience, interest in the available jobs, and cultural fit.
8. Extend offers to the best candidates: Decide on the best candidate for each job, extend an offer, and complete the hiring process.
9. Onboard new hires: Provide training and resources to help new employees integrate into the company and understand their roles. This can include orientation sessions, employee handbooks, and on-the-job training.

Candidate sourcing strategies to consider

Boolean search

A Boolean search entails using specific operators to refine your search queries for candidates. This technique helps you filter out irrelevant profiles and focus on finding the best matches for your organization’s job openings.

Learn and utilize Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to create precise search strings on platforms like LinkedIn, job boards, and search engines. Combine keywords, job titles, and skill sets to narrow down your search results, then save your successful search strings and refine them over time to improve your sourcing efficiency.

If you’re looking for a software engineer with Python and machine learning experience, you might use a search string like: 

arduino
Copy code
(“Software Engineer” OR “Developer”) AND “Python” AND (“Machine Learning” OR “ML”)

Employee referral programs

Encouraging existing employees to refer potential candidates can be a great way to find quality hires. You can encourage participation by implementing a structured referral program with clear guidelines and attractive incentives and highlighting previous referrals that resulted in successful hires.

Salesforce has a robust referral program that incentivizes employees using bonuses and recognition. The company regularly communicates the importance of referrals and celebrates successful referral hires.

Social media engagement

Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram are powerful tools for engaging with potential candidates. By creating and sharing appealing content, you can attract interest from passive candidates.

Develop a content strategy that includes job postings, company culture highlights, employee testimonials, and industry insights. Interact with followers by responding to comments, hosting Q&A sessions, and participating in relevant industry discussions. You can also use platform-specific features like Instagram stories or Facebook polls to engage with your audience.

HubSpot uses social media to showcase its company culture and interact with potential candidates. It shares behind-the-scenes content, employee stories, and industry news to attract talent.

Talent pools

Creating and maintaining a talent pool allows you to have a readily available group of potential candidates who have shown interest in your company and may be a good cultural fit. You can use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to store and organize candidate information.

Regularly update your talent pool with new candidates you meet via job fairs, networking events, and unsolicited applications. Keep in touch with candidates in your talent pool by sending periodic updates about your company, its open positions, and relevant industry news.

IBM maintains a talent pool and nurtures relationships with potential candidates by sending them newsletters and updates about the company’s projects and achievements. This keeps candidates engaged and interested in future opportunities. It even has a business, Kenexa BrassRing, that offers a channel communication platform allowing customers to proactively deliver deliberate messaging to prospective employees. 

Custom recruitment events

Hosting recruitment events tailored to your industry and the types of roles you are hiring for can be a great way to meet potential candidates in person. You can plan events like hackathons, coding competitions, career fairs, or open houses at your office.

You can also partner with educational institutions and industry organizations to co-host events and reach a wider audience. Provide opportunities for attendees to learn about your company, meet current employees, and showcase their skills.

Facebook hosts annual events such as Meta University, an internship program aimed at students. It also hosts tech talks and workshops to engage with potential candidates and build its employer brand within the tech community.

ROI metrics to measure for candidate sourcing

In candidate sourcing, ROI (return on investment) measures the financial return on the resources invested in the recruiting process. There are seven key metrics you can use to measure how successful your candidate sourcing strategies are:

Once you have the relevant figures, you can calculate your overall ROI in the following three steps:

1. Add up the total recruiting cost

Include all expenses related to recruiting, such as advertising, recruiter salaries, technology/tools, and travel expenses

2. Determine gains from new hires

Determine the company’s financial gains from hiring effective employees — look at increased revenue, productivity, and the value new hires have added

3. Calculate your ROI 

For example, if the total recruiting cost is $50,000 and the gains from new hires amount to $200,000, your equation would look like this:

ROI = [(200,000 – 50,000) / 50,000] x 100 = 300%

This indicates a 300% ROI in candidate sourcing, meaning the gains are three times the costs incurred.

7 tips to ensure diversity in candidate sourcing

With diversity becoming increasingly important for job seekers — particularly younger candidates — focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in your candidate sourcing strategies will boost your organization’s reputation and business results. 

According to McKinsey’s Diversity Matters Even More report, companies with significant ethnic diversity are 39% more likely to outperform businesses with limited ethnic representation. 

Similarly, organizations where women make up at least 30% of the workforce are significantly more likely to financially outperform those where this figure is below 30%. Furthermore, diversity usually leads to greater opportunities for innovation, as well as broader experiences and a greater variety of strengths. Here are seven ways to ensure diversity in candidate sourcing:

1. Make use of diverse job boards and platforms: Some job boards and platforms that cater to underrepresented groups include diversity.com and workplacediversity.com. You can also partner with organizations and networks that emphasize diversity in the workplace.
2. Use inclusive language in job descriptions: This will help your organization attract a wider range of candidates and give you a more varied talent pool to choose from.
3. Avoid jargon or overly technical terms: These may discourage more candidates from applying, leaving you with a limited, less diverse talent pool.
4. Implement blind recruitment practices: Omits personal information (e.g., names, gender, photos) from résumés to minimize unconscious bias. You can also use software tools to anonymize candidate data during the initial screening process.
5. Encourage diverse referrals: You can do so by incentivizing employees to refer candidates from different backgrounds. Educate them on the importance of diversity and provide them with tools to help them identify and refer diverse talent.
6. Establish diverse interview panels: Interview panels should be diverse in terms of gender, race, and background so they can provide different perspectives and reduce bias. Interviewers should also undergo training on DEIB best practices and the importance of a fair assessment process.
7. Track diversity metrics: At each stage of the recruitment process, track metrics like workforce composition, retention rate by demographic, and sourcing channels, as well as diversity among applicants, shortlisted candidates, and new hires. This will allow you to identify potential bottlenecks or biases more easily.

Key takeaways

• Be adaptable and innovative: Adaptation and innovation are vital in candidate sourcing strategies in a competitive labor market. Embracing AI tools, automated systems, and proactive candidate sourcing can streamline your recruitment process, making it more efficient and effective. These technologies help you identify and attract top talent quickly, giving your company an edge. You can also take advantage of AIHR’s Sourcing & Recruitment Certificate Program to improve your candidate sourcing skills and master end-to-end recruitment.

• Emphasize human connection: As AI and automation become more common in candidate sourcing, maintaining the human element is vital to optimizing the candidate experience. Building and nurturing relationships with potential candidates helps create a strong talent pool. Personalized outreach, clear communication, and ethical policies make candidates feel valued and respected throughout the hiring process, ultimately leading to better hiring outcomes.

• Commit to DEIB: A diverse and inclusive workforce drives innovation and business success. Implementing inclusive sourcing practices means your talent pool will include a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives. By prioritizing DEIB in your candidate sourcing strategies, you will attract top talent and build a stronger, more dynamic organization.

The post Candidate Sourcing: Your Ultimate 2024 Guide (+Tips & Strategies) appeared first on AIHR.

Robert Half’s State of U.S. Hiring Survey revealed that 57% of companies plan to introduce new full-time positions in the first six months of the year. Additionally, 39% anticipate hiring for vacated positions, and 67% expect to hire contract employees as part of their staffing strategy.

According to Jobvite’s Employ Recruiter Nation report, HR decision-makers are highly optimistic about the recruiting landscape. An incredible 86% of talent practitioners stated that they were confident about the future of talent acquisition. 47% of talent teams planning to increase their recruiting spending also intend to increase their budgets for new recruiting team hires. 

This means more job opportunities for recruiters.

Contents
What is a recruiter?
What does a recruiter do?
A recruiter’s salary
How to become a recruiter

What is a recruiter? 

A recruiter connects employers looking to hire and potential employees looking to be hired. They source, identify, screen, and interview candidates, negotiate benefits and salaries with them, and guide candidates throughout the application process.

There are two types of recruiters: internal and external. Companies employ internal recruiters to help them fill open positions, while staffing agencies hire external recruiters or headhunters to recruit candidates for various clients. 

A recruiter’s role within a Human Resources (HR) team varies, depending on company size or structure. Small companies with up to 49 employees may manage the entire hiring cycle, from sourcing and screening candidates to making job offers. Due to limited resources, recruiters in these companies may use free resources and employee referrals to find applicants. 

Recruiters at medium-sized enterprises with 50 to 250 staff may have specialized functions. They perform duties like sourcing candidates or conducting initial interviews. They also work with HR managers on more extensive talent acquisition initiatives, like developing employer branding strategies or participating in career fairs.

In large organizations with over 250 employees, recruitment involves more specific functions, such as sourcing, screening, and interviewing job seekers. Those responsible for these functions are generally recruitment specialists who collaborate with HR managers to fine-tune recruitment procedures. For example, if you’re a recruiter at a tech company, you may concentrate on sourcing candidates with specific tech skills. 

As a recruiter, your career path can stretch from three to 15 years and involve any of the following roles:

• Senior recruiter or team leader: This person typically handles a team of recruiters, delegates tasks, and ensures the team meets its hiring goals.
• Recruiting manager: This is a middle-management role that entails managing the recruitment budget, leading the recruitment function, or handling complex hires.
• Recruiting or talent acquisition director: This is a senior position that reports to the VP of HR and is responsible for the company’s overall recruitment strategy and direction. 

What does a recruiter do?

Acting as a headhunter for one organization or different clients, a recruiter’s job involves strategic planning, administrative duties, and interpersonal communications.

A recruiter’s responsibilities and qualifications usually include:

• Collaborating with hiring managers to understand the qualifications and requirements for open positions, such as skills, experience, and culture fit
• Crafting job descriptions that accurately reflect available vacancies
• Posting job listings on the company’s career pages, job boards, and social media platforms 
• Sourcing candidates by searching job boards and online databases, attending industry events, using LinkedIn, and looking through employee referrals
• Contacting suitable candidates by phone, email, or direct message to gauge their interest
• Screening applications to shortlist candidates with relevant qualifications and experience
• Conducting initial interviews with candidates to evaluate their skills and suitability and joining panel interviews to assess applicants’ skills, experiences, and qualifications
• Participating in salary and benefits negotiations with selected candidates
• Assisting with the onboarding process to ensure a smooth transition for new hires
• Staying informed about labor industry trends, salary benchmarks, and employment laws in order to make informed hiring decisions
• Contributing to employer branding initiatives that enhance the company’s image in potential candidates’ eyes.

A recruiter’s salary

How much a recruiter earns is typically based on education, years of experience, industry, and qualifications. Indeed estimates that the average recruiter base salary in the US is approximately $55,679 annually, while according to Glassdoor, the average total annual pay for an experienced recruiter is around $103,911. 

The average pay also varies by city and state. Glassdoor states that the average annual salary for recruiters in Chicago is just above $63,952, while their New York counterparts earn over $81,377 a year.

According to Zippia, the average annual recruiter salaries in Washington, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts are the highest in the US. At the same time, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Indiana have the lowest average annual recruiter salaries.

Also, the highest-paying industries for recruiters are technology, finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and government.

How to become a recruiter

Interested in becoming a recruiter? Here’s how: 

Step 1: Get educated and certified

While no specific educational background is needed to work as a recruiter, most recruiters have a degree in HR, business administration, psychology, or a related field. 

You also don’t necessarily need a bachelor’s degree; you can become a certified recruiter through HR certificate programs: 

1. Sourcing & Recruitment (AIHR): Learn about candidate sourcing and screening, employer branding, and the entire hiring process.
2. Strategic Talent Acquisition (AIHR): Learn about talent acquisition strategy, sprint recruiting, candidate experience, and recruitment analytics.
3. Certified Professional (SHRM-CP): Focus on recruitment to build a strong foundation of HR practices that will help you become a well-rounded recruiter.
4. Certified People Sourcing Professional (Sourcing Certifications): Learn sourcing techniques critical to effective recruitment practices.

AIHR has a practical career map tool to view the various HR positions and to help you plan your career path. 

Step 2: Develop recruiting skills 

To be a successful recruiter, you must have the following set of skills: 

1. Communication

• Write compelling job postings to attract top talent
• Explain job descriptions and company culture to candidates 
• Ask insightful questions during interviews to assess candidates’ skills
• Give feedback to both candidates and hiring managers.

2. Sourcing

• Identify the best talent using job boards, professional networks, social media platforms, or employee referrals 
• Understand candidate personas by determining the ideal candidate’s background, skills, and motivations to help target sourcing efforts.

3. Screening

• Review résumés and cover letters to evaluate candidates’ skills and experience quickly and whether these align with the job description
• Conduct phone interviews to discuss candidates’ qualifications and shortlist the best applicants
• Using personality and skill assessments to evaluate each candidate’s suitability for an open role
• Conduct background and reference checks.

4. Interviewing

• Ask candidates questions about their experience to determine their strengths and weaknesses
• Practice active listening and closely observe their answers and nonverbal cues
• Build rapport so candidates feel comfortable sharing their work experiences and asking questions.

5. Employer branding

• Develop a strong employer value proposition (EVP) 
• Establish and maintain a strong social media image by showcasing company culture, employee stories, and career opportunities
• Create positive word-of-mouth about your company as a desirable employer.

6. Interpersonal

• Help candidates feel comfortable sharing their experiences and goals
• Understand the hiring manager’s needs and find the perfect candidate based on the role’s requirements 
• Foster relationships with professionals in your network to help source potential candidates.

7. Organizational

• Manage several job openings at different stages of the hiring process
• Monitor candidate applications, résumés, and interview notes
• Meet deadlines and stay on top of hiring timelines
• Utilize project management tools to help you prioritize tasks and maximize efficiency.

8. Negotiation

• Secure a competitive salary and benefits package for the candidate 
• Answer questions and concerns the candidate has about the offer
• Draft a job offer that satisfies both the employer and the candidate.

9. Technical

• Use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to manage applicants and schedule interviews
• Use social media to build employer branding and source candidates
• Use video conferencing tools to conduct remote interviews 
• Use job boards to post job openings.

You can acquire these skills through hands-on experience, training programs, workshops, and online HR courses. 

Understand employment laws and regulations 

Recruiters must have a solid understanding of relevant employment laws and regulations to avoid legal issues. In the US, for instance, the Civil Rights Act (CRA) of 1964 prohibits discrimination against applicants based on protected characteristics like sex, race, religion, color, and national origin.

At the same time, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination against persons aged 40 or older, while the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against candidates with disabilities.

Furthermore, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act mandates that organizations must not discriminate against applicants due to pregnancy, childbirth, or any associated medical conditions.

Finally, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website explains EEO laws, regulations, and best practices and offers resources and guidance for employers and employees.

Step 3: Gain relevant experience

Any professional experience in HR, communications, customer service, or sales can help you to become a recruiter. Skills gained in these areas will assist you in developing networking, relationship-building, and interviewing skills.

Start with an HR internship to learn the basics of job posting, interviewing, and employee management. You can also volunteer to assist recruiters in your company, a non-profit, or a community organization. If you are able, work as a recruiting coordinator or in a similar position to understand the hiring process.

Step 4: Build your network

Networking is crucial in recruiting. It can help you expand your network and connect with potential candidates and clients. One way to get started is to join professional organizations and associations like the American Staffing Association (ASA), National Association of Personnel Services, and NPAworldwide.

You should also attend recruitment and staffing-related industry events and build relationships with recruitment professionals to access more job opportunities, employers, and clients. In addition, you can leverage social media platforms like LinkedIn to connect with candidates and other industry professionals.

Step 5: Seek employment 

Once you have gained the relevant skills and experience, you can apply for recruiting positions with companies, staffing agencies, or executive search firms. Your résumé should include all your relevant skills, experience, certifications, and credentials. Carefully read each job description and customize your résumé and cover letter to match the employer’s requirements. 

List all your recruitment-related work experience, including internships or volunteer positions. Prepare for job interviews by researching employer details and commonly asked questions in recruiter interviews.

Step 6: Choose your specialization

Some recruiters specialize in a particular vertical, role, or skill set. Specialization can help you develop expertise in a particular niche and make you more marketable to clients and candidates in that industry: 

Industry specialization

• Tech recruiters specialize in filling tech roles, so knowledge of specific tech skills and trends is critical
• Healthcare recruiters understand the healthcare industry’s unique needs, from nurses and doctors to medical technicians.

Job type specialization

• Executive recruiters or headhunters cater to high-level positions, conducting confidential searches for CEOs, CFOs, and other senior executives
• Engineering recruiters specialize in technical roles, identifying qualified engineers across various disciplines.

Employment structure specialization

• Staffing agencies employ agency recruiters and work with various clients across different industries to fill their job openings
• Temporary and contract recruiters specialize in placing candidates in temporary, contract, or freelance positions
• Niche recruiters concentrate on highly specialized roles within a particular industry or that require unique skill sets.

Step 7: Always upskill 

Recruiting is dynamic, so make sure you stay updated on industry trends and technologies. Research online resources, networking groups, and professional organizations for best practices. Regularly upskill, enroll in workshops, and participate in conferences and networking events to constantly improve your skills as a recruiter.

To sum up

Companies need recruiters to attract talented workers to meet their business goals. From sourcing candidates to onboarding new hires, recruiters are responsible for an effective and streamlined hiring process. 

Becoming a recruiter might be the right profession for you if you’re passionate about helping people fulfill their career goals and matching companies with the right individuals. If you’re concerned about career progression, remember that being a recruiter can lead to more senior positions, such as recruitment director or VP of HR.

The post How To Become a Recruiter: A 9-Step Practical Guide appeared first on AIHR.

So, what are screening interview questions, what are good examples of such questions, how can you ask them in different situations, and how can you best analyze responses to them?

Contents
What are screening interview questions?
Types of screening interview questions
38 screening interview questions to ask (with sample answers)
How to ask screening interview questions

What are screening interview questions?

As a recruiter, pre-screening and screening interview questions can help you gather information about candidates’ personalities, experiences, knowledge, communication skills, temperament, and career goals. This allows you to better assess candidates’ suitability for the roles they’ve applied for.

You can ask these questions during the application stage, on a quick 10-minute phone screen, or even on an online video screen. Recruiters who receive many responses for each open position use this process to remove unsuitable candidates from the recruitment funnel as quickly as possible and move the most qualified ones to the next stage. This gives them a clear first impression of each candidate on paper without having to conduct an extensive interview with every applicant.

Types of screening interview questions

Different types of screening interview questions reveal different kinds of information about job candidates. These include:

1. Basic information questions: Ask basic screening questions at the start of the interview to warm up the candidates and get to know them a little better. These questions are usually about their career aspirations, salary expectations, and why they want to join the company. 
2. Behavioral interview questions: Help recruiters assess a candidate’s attitude in work settings and better understand their skills and qualities. Questions like this typically start with, “Give me an example of…”
3. Situational interview questions: Ask candidates to describe a time (real or hypothetical) when they dealt with a specific challenge at work. The aim is to help recruiters assess a candidate’s soft skills, such as time management, conflict resolution, and interpersonal communication.
4. Technical or skill-related interview questions: Help assess a candidate’s specific technical skills or knowledge. These include questions on programming, algorithms, software tools, and other industry-specific knowledge. 

38 screening interview questions to ask (with sample answers) 

1. What are you passionate about?

“I’m passionate about helping my clients reach breakthroughs, improving as a therapist, and constantly educating and developing myself to give my clients the best service possible.”

2. What do you know about our company?

“I’ve been reading your newsletters for years, so I know the organization is passionate about driving change, protecting the planet, and nurturing its employees.”

3. How does your previous work experience relate to this role?

“Over the past five years, I’ve gained knowledge and experience in marketing, sales, client communications, and product knowledge in several MNCs. I believe this gives me the experience needed to thrive in this role.”

4. What was your biggest challenge in your last role, and how did you resolve it?

“The biggest challenge for me was losing a key team member and having to assume their workload while we searched for a replacement. It turned out to be too much responsibility, so I had an honest conversation with my manager, and we worked together to reduce the pressure on me.”

5. Describe what you do in your current role.

“A typical day for me involves communicating with suppliers, looking at new product samples, raising purchase orders for new lines, and managing junior team members.”

6. What are your career aspirations?

“I would love to eventually be in senior management so I can mentor junior team members. Ideally, I’m seeking long-term growth within a company.”

7. How will this position help move you closer to your goals?

“I think this role will help develop my managerial and coaching skills so I can eventually move into a senior management position.” 

8. Why did you leave/are you leaving your last/current job?

“I enjoyed the work but am ready for the next step in my career, so I’m looking for an employer in the tech space where I believe I can have a bigger impact.”

9. How do you like to be managed?

“I respect managers who are direct, clear, and realistic in their expectations. Kindness is equally important to me, so I’d like to be managed by someone who shows appreciation for my professional contributions.”

10. What type of work environment helps you to thrive? 

“I thrive in work environments with a strong sense of community and collaboration. I also love organizations that encourage innovation and creativity, as I tend to have a lot of ideas.”

11. Describe your ideal workday

“My ideal workday entails being given the space to complete my tasks with minimal distractions and supervision, as well as working on things that challenge me while delivering a sense of purpose.”

12. Talk me through your résumé

“Since graduating, I’ve worked in a junior admin role for a few large organizations, managing supervisors’ schedules and inboxes. Now, I’m looking to take on a senior administrative position with greater responsibility. I want to work for a company whose values align with mine, which is why I’m interested in this position.”

13. Do you prefer working with a team or on your own?

“I enjoy a mix of working solo and on a team. But if I had to choose one, it would be working by myself because I prefer having no distractions while I work.”

14. What role do you usually take on within a team?

“I tend to take on a leadership role in a team as I’m quite confident and vocal. Colleagues often look to me for advice and reassurance, and I’m happy to fill this role in a team.”

15. What do you think makes a team successful?

“I think the most successful teams listen to each member’s ideas, communicate effectively, and strategically plan and execute their tasks and projects.”

16. Describe a problem or challenge you’ve experienced in a team and how you resolved it.

“In my current job, one of my colleagues wasn’t putting in as much effort as the rest of us, and we had an open conversation with them to address it. It turned out they were dealing with some personal issues at the time. After we discussed it, they made an effort to be more active on the team, and we gave them the space they needed to sort things out.”

17. Have you ever had multiple simultaneous deadlines? How did you manage your time effectively?

“Time-blocking my calendar has helped me plan when to work on particular tasks and ensures no one interrupts that time unless truly urgent. Understanding how long a project will take to complete and allowing extra wiggle room has always been my way of managing multiple simultaneous deadlines.”

18. What are/were your responsibilities in your current/last job?

“I am/was responsible for writing copy for clients’ websites, creating social media posts, scheduling their social calendars, editing junior copywriters’ work, and developing relationships with existing and potential clients.”

19. What’s your greatest strength?

“I believe my greatest strength is my resilience — it helps me work well under pressure, bounce back from failure, and can also inspire and motivate those around me.”

20. Did/do you have responsibilities in your previous/current role that were/are not part of your job scope? If so, what were/are they?

“In my current role, I’ve taken on liaising with the press team and being the spokesperson for our product department. This has helped me develop skills essential to a more senior position, like the one I’m applying for.”

21. Do you have any experience with remote or hybrid working?

“Yes, my current company has a hybrid arrangement, which means I usually work at the office three days a week and work from home the other two. I like the balance and flexibility of hybrid working.”

22. What experiences, responsibilities, or challenges are you hoping for in this new role and company?

“I’m excited to take on responsibilities such as managing junior staff members and working with bigger clients. I’m also eager to work in a larger organization like yours, which offers greater growth and development opportunities.”

23. How do you prioritize tasks?

“I prioritize tasks based on how urgent and important they are in relation to the company’s greater goals.”

24. What tools do you use to manage projects and make sure you complete them on time?

“I typically use Google Calendar, Trello, and Asana to create tasks, monitor their progress, and mark them as done.” 

25. Are you willing to travel or relocate for work?

“One of the reasons I applied for this role was the travel opportunities. I am open to relocating in the future but would need advance notice, as I have two young children in school.”

26. Why do you want this job?

“I want this job because it requires a mix of HR, business, and marketing skills, which are areas I’m both interested and experienced in.”

27. Why do you want to work at this company?

“As someone who deeply cares about equality and women’s rights, I would love to work for a company like yours, which champions women of all backgrounds and has had such a profound impact on women worldwide.”

28. Where do you see yourself in five years?

“In five years, I see myself in a senior management position in a company like this, leading a sales team to success.”

29. What about this position made you want to apply?

“I’ve been a loyal customer of yours for over a decade, so when I saw this position, I felt compelled to apply. I feel this is a dream job!”

30. How familiar are you with our company and what we do?

“I know you’re one of the leaders in women’s health and wellness, and your primary offerings are online yoga and meditation classes, as well as women’s workout apparel.”

31. What makes you want to work for us instead of our competitors?

“Your company has positively impacted the world, and I’d be delighted to work for such an organization.”

32. What are your salary requirements?

“I’m looking for a salary in the range of $80,000 per annum for this role.”

33. What benefits are important to you?

“I find healthcare, sufficient paid vacation time, and help with childcare to be the most important benefits.”

34. Why should we hire you?

“I have the unique mix of experience and skills required to excel in this role, and my passion for your products will make me the perfect brand ambassador.”

35. When can you start?

“My current job requires me to give four weeks’ notice, so I’m happy to start work with you as soon as I’ve served my notice.”

36. Explain the employment gap in your résumé

“I left my first job at 23 to immigrate to a new country. This gave me time to find my feet in a new country and understand the job market before finding my previous role.”

37. Describe a time when you had to adapt to sudden change.

“Earlier this year, my current company introduced a new software to replace the one we’d been using for the past five years. It took a while to get used to the new system but it turned out to be a positive move for the company.”

38. Do you have any questions for me?

• “What do you love most about working here?”
• “Can you tell me about a project I’d be working on if I got the job?”
• “When can I expect to hear back from you?”

How to ask screening interview questions

How you approach screening interview questions depends on the situation. This includes which questions to ask first, how to order the questions you’ve prepared, and how to pose or phrase those questions. For example, an online application would require a slightly different approach from an in-person meeting. 

An online form

If you’re asking screening questions via an online form, make sure you have different forms for different roles and that the standardized questions are relevant to new hires. Opt for as few questions as possible to ensure a high completion rate—the longer a candidate needs to complete an application, the less likely they are to do so.

Via phone or video call

If you’re asking screening interview questions over the phone or via a video call, begin with basic questions to warm each candidate up before moving on to behavioral, situational, or technical questions. Select a range of questions to help you decide who should progress to the next stage.

Pay close attention to each candidate’s responses and take notes on their personality, attitude, and temperament so you can share this information with the hiring manager at the next stage. 

HR tip

A phone screening interview should take between 15 and 30 minutes to complete. During this time, you should be able to decide whether a candidate’s application should progress to the next round.

In-person

You would only shortlist the very best candidates for face-to-face interviews. Based on previous screening questions and hiring stages, you’d likely already know they’re qualified for the position. As such, use an in-person interview to ask behavioral and situational questions that help you learn more about how each candidate operates at work and deals with specific situations and challenges. 

To sum up

The right screening interview questions can help recruiters filter the best candidates through their hiring process, eliminate unsuitable applicants, and save time. 

To ensure you thoroughly understand each candidate, prepare various questions and tailor them to suit the situation. Don’t forget to analyze the responses you receive to make the most of your screening questions.

The post 38 Screening Interview Questions To Help Select Top Candidates [+ Sample Answers] appeared first on AIHR.

When it comes to onboarding, first impressions count. Research has shown organizations that run impactful onboarding processes enjoy an 82% improvement in new hire retention and a productivity boost of over 70% within the first year compared to those that don’t.

Ready to get your onboarding process in shape? Begin by establishing a set of clear, well-organized onboarding documents to help your HR department obtain the info and contracts it needs and help your recruits confidently navigate their new role.

Contents
What are onboarding documents?
Employee onboarding documents checklist
Onboarding documents for new hires
1. Preboarding
2. Onboarding
3. Additional new hire employee forms

What are onboarding documents?

Onboarding documents are an essential part of the onboarding process, enabling HR to gather the necessary employee data and signed contracts. They are also there to help the new hire become familiar with your company’s policies and culture, understand their key responsibilities, and gain the upfront knowledge needed to be successful in their new role.

Onboarding documents typically include legal paperwork such as your employment contract, company policies, handbooks, and code of conduct, along with role-specific details such as job descriptions, manager and team contacts, and more.

Employee onboarding documents checklist

Onboarding documents for new hires

Take a moment to review this list of essential onboarding documents and cross-check whether your organization has established policies and templates in place. We have some handy templates you can use to help you fill the gaps. 

Preboarding

Preboarding is the process that takes place from the moment recruits accept your offer until they join your company. It’s an opportunity for you to share information to create a good impression, clarity, and excitement around the new role.

A strong preboarding process includes new hire paperwork that is designed to keep your incoming employees engaged and informed. Here are some examples of onboarding documents to use in your preboarding for a smooth on-ramp:

1. Offer letter

An offer letter is a precursor to an employment contract that formalizes your company’s hiring intent and clarifies the key job details for the role. It’s more than just a notification, though. While it does not carry the legal weight of an employment contract, it does outline compensation and benefits, responsibilities, and start date to help the candidate make an informed decision whether to accept or decline your position.

For companies committed to strengthening their employer brands, this document provides an opportunity to showcase your professionalism by clearly presenting your offer and communicating your value proposition to potential hires. This positive first impression can help shape the candidate’s decision to accept your position and set the tone for a successful working relationship.

2. Employment contract 

Comprehensive employment contracts are critical for detailing the organization’s and employee expectations and responsibilities within a legal framework to protect both parties.

A well-crafted contract should address aspects like job duties and compensation, including salary, benefits, overtime, working hours and parameters, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property ownership, and termination procedures. If applicable, it should also specify at-will employment status, which is common in the US, where either party can terminate the relationship without cause.

Depending on your organization’s workplace requirements, you may need multiple types of employment contracts, including:

• Permanent: Full-time, indefinite employment with benefits
• Part-time: Regular, but less than full-time work, potentially including benefits
• Fixed-term: Employment for a predetermined period, typically for specific projects
• Temporary: Short-term employment to fill a temporary need with limited or no benefits
• 1099: Independent contractor agreement, where the worker is responsible for their own taxes
• Casual: Unscheduled, on-call work with no guaranteed hours or benefits
• Internship: Educational experience with potential mentorship and limited compensation
• Apprenticeship: Structured learning program combining classroom-type instruction with on-the-job training
• Remote work agreement: Specified terms for working outside of a physical office.

Get your legal team to review your employment contracts to avoid ambiguities that could lead to costly disputes. Regular updates should also take place to ensure compliance with changes to labor laws and minimize legal risks.

3. Welcome to the team email 

A well-crafted welcome to the team email sets the stage for smooth onboarding by establishing a warm tone and building excitement about the position.

To ensure a positive first impression, HR professionals should include essential information for the new employee’s first day, such as details on their role, information about their team, the start date, work hours, any necessary documents, logistics (such as parking and arrival instructions), and a first-day schedule. Some companies also include a high-level snapshot of the recruit’s overall onboarding plan. A welcome email also provides a platform to highlight important aspects of your company culture.

Additionally, your welcome email should include key contact info for HR, the new recruit’s manager, and anyone else they may need to reach.

Finally, add a personal touch by expressing your appreciation for them joining your company and highlighting how excited you are to have them on board.

Onboarding

Once preboarding is over, the focus shifts to collecting important employee data and familiarising your candidates with your company’s policies and culture.

4. 30-60-90 day onboarding template 

If you want to establish world-class systems in your company and HR department, 30-60-90 day onboarding plans are a must for delivering a goal-oriented onboarding process. These structured plans will help you track a new hire’s progress in gaining knowledge, developing skills, and achieving performance goals to help them excel in their role.

A 30-day plan typically focuses on foundational knowledge and skills. It should outline essential company policies, basic job duties, and initial training completion. The 60-day plan builds on this by introducing more complex tasks and tracking early performance indicators. Here, the focus may shift to project involvement or team collaboration. 

Finally, the 90-day plan typically assesses overall competency and goal achievement. This stage may involve independent project work or client interaction, demonstrating the employee’s ability to contribute meaningfully without high levels of supervision.

Tailoring your 30-60-90 day plan onboarding documents to each role will ensure new hires receive personalized and targeted guidance. For example, a marketing hire’s 30-day plan may include social media training, while a sales hire’s plan might focus on product knowledge and sales process.

Sharing detailed plans during onboarding sets clear expectations for both employee and employer by establishing direction and transparency from the very beginning.

5. Employee information form

An employee information form is an important document used during onboarding to collect essential employee data that streamlines record-keeping and ensures payroll accuracy.

The form typically gathers full legal name, contact details, emergency contacts, tax, and banking information. It also captures details relevant to benefits program enrollment and job-specific requirements.

6. Employee emergency contact form 

As the title suggests, an employee emergency contact form gathers vital information in case of workplace accidents or emergencies. It should include names and contact information for emergency contacts (family, close friends) and any relevant medical history or allergies the employee wishes to disclose.

Importantly for HR, gathering emergency contact information is not a ‘one-and-done’ exercise. This data should be updated every six to 12 months to allow for a swift response during critical situations.

7. Hybrid work schedule

As employees look for greater flexibility and work-life balance, a hybrid work schedule clarifies your organization’s expectations for employees splitting their time between the office and off-site work.

The schedule outlines core work hours or days when physical presence is required at your premises while also defining flexibility for remote work on designated days. This transparency creates clear boundaries and ensures employees understand when they’re expected to be available.

An in-depth hybrid work schedule should also outline communication protocols and accountability expectations for remote work to ensure everyone feels informed and empowered.

8. Employee handbook and HR policies

When orienting new employees, a strong employee handbook and clear HR policies form the cornerstone of a smooth onboarding process.

An employee handbook serves as a central go-to reference point, informing new hires about company culture, benefits, and expectations. This reduces confusion and empowers recruits to assimilate into their roles.

Meanwhile, HR policies outline everything from dress code to vacation time to ensure consistency and fairness throughout the organization.

By providing access to this information from the get-go, you can help new hires feel informed and confident through their transitions.

HR tip: Onboarding activities

• No one wants to join a new company simply to be shown to their desk and given a hefty handbook to read for their onboarding. Instead, onboarding activities should be multifaceted to maximize impact and engagement.
• Consider pairing job-specific training with interactive orientation programs that equip new hires with the knowledge and confidence they need to excel. Social events and team-building activities foster connections and a sense of belonging, while mentorship programs provide invaluable guidance and frequent manager check-ins, build connections, and solidify expectations and goals.
• By incorporating some or all of these elements, onboarding becomes an engaging experience, setting up both the employee and employer for success.

9. Company mission, vision, and values

Until a new recruit understands and embodies your company’s mission, they are a product of the values and vision of their previous employers. That’s why a clearly defined company mission statement shared with new recruits during onboarding is essential for setting a new tone and standard.

An effective mission statement serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it paints a clear picture of the organization’s purpose, its aspirations, and its guiding principles. This can help foster adoption and a successful long-term fit between your recruit’s values and your company’s mission.

Secondly, it can ignite enthusiasm by showcasing the impact the new hire can have in their individual capacity. It also helps them understand how they can contribute to the company’s bigger picture and inspires them to be part of something larger than themselves.

10. Equal-opportunity employer statement

An equal opportunity employer (EEO) statement is vital for fostering an inclusive workplace and a strong employer brand. It establishes a company’s commitment to fair treatment and opportunity for all qualified candidates. This creates a welcoming environment of universal belonging for diverse talent and stimulates innovation by including many perspectives.

A strong EEO statement should clearly articulate your company’s stance against discrimination based on factors like race, gender, religion, or disability. It should also emphasize your organization’s commitment to building a diverse workforce through your recruitment process and promotion policies.

By showcasing these values, your company can position itself as a progressive and ethical employer. This will help you attract today’s top talent who seek workplaces that value inclusion. This, in turn, not only benefits your company culture but also enhances your reputation among customers and stakeholders who increasingly prioritize social responsibility.

11. Paid time off (PTO) policy

A paid time off (PTO) policy benefits both employers and employees by clarifying expectations for time off, ensuring fairness and consistency across the organization, and reducing confusion and the potential for conflict.

For employees, a clear PTO policy that allows for paid time off contributes to a healthy work-life balance by enabling them to recharge and return feeling refreshed, leading to increased productivity and morale.

A well-defined PTO policy should include details such as accrual rates (how much PTO is earned over time), eligibility requirements (who qualifies for PTO), carryover limitations (if unused PTO can be saved for future use), and how to request time off.

12. Code of conduct policy

An effective code of conduct policy establishes clear expectations and boundaries for professional behavior in the workplace. It outlines acceptable and unacceptable conduct, promoting a respectful and inclusive environment.

The policy should cover discrimination, harassment, bullying, workplace violence, confidentiality, and proper use of company property. Providing a clear framework empowers employees to report misconduct and serves as an important tool to uphold a culture of accountability.

13. Attendance policy

An attendance policy is essential for a well-functioning workplace. It lays out clear expectations regarding work hours, absences, tardiness, and leave requests, and when implemented effectively, it promotes fairness, minimizes disruption, and ensures adequate staffing levels.

Your attendance policy should outline acceptable reasons for absences, such as illness and emergencies, the proper procedures for reporting them, and the consequences for violating these rules. The policy should also address procedures for requesting time off, including paid time off and sick leave.

14. Bereavement policy

In providing a framework for compassion and support, a bereavement policy demonstrates that your company values its employees’ wellbeing during a time of personal loss.

Your policy should offer clear guidelines for paid or unpaid leave following the death of a close family member or loved one. This can reduce the stress on grieving employees to some degree by alleviating uncertainty about time away from work.

The policy should define covered relationships (spouse, child, parent, and extended family members, for instance) and the amount of leave allotted for each. It may also outline notification procedures and details on returning to work, such as easing back into duties or offering access to employee assistance programs if applicable.

15. Anti-harassment policy

No one wants to work in a company where they are vulnerable to abuse. That’s why an anti-harassment policy is a must to establish safe and respectful work environments.

A code of conduct typically outlines broader standards for professionalism and behavior, such as punctuality, dress code, and social media use. An anti-harassment policy specifically focuses on preventing offensive behavior and protects employees from discrimination-based factors that may include race, gender, religion, nationality, or age.

A thorough anti-harassment policy will outline the complaint process, and ensure a fair investigation together with the appropriate disciplinary action. Having such a policy in place will empower your employees to report incidents and will help to discourage instances of future harassment at your company.

16. No-call no show policy

When an employee goes absent without leave (AWOL), it can be considered a serious offense. A no call no-show policy establishes clear expectations for employee communication during absences.

This policy outlines punitive steps taken when an employee fails to show up for work without notification and a valid reason. It serves to deter unscheduled absences, protect the workplace from staffing shortages, and ensure fairness by holding all employees accountable.

Your policy should define a timeframe for acceptable notification, outline progressive disciplinary actions for violations, and provide clarity on your appeal process.

Additional new hire employee forms

17. Vacation request form

A vacation request form specifically focuses on requesting paid time off for leisure purposes. This form is designed to streamline leave management by ensuring a clear process regarding who to notify, the approval process, and deadlines for notification to promote fair scheduling and avoid overlapping employee absences.

The form should allow all details to be captured and provide a section for management approval.

18. Time off request form

Time-off requests cater for a wider range of absences beyond just vacations, such as sick leave, personal days, and bereavement leave.

A time-off request form should include the employee’s details, the type of leave they are requesting (vacation, sick leave, etc.), the start and end dates of the absence, and any additional relevant information regarding the request, such as a reason for the leave request.

Over to you 

Creating a well-defined onboarding process with all the necessary new hire paperwork and HR documents takes considerable time and effort. The long-term benefits, however, are undeniable as an effective onboarding program streamlines the experience for new hires, reduces confusion, and accelerates their productivity.

Using the AIHR links provided above to download pre-built templates and forms for essential onboarding templates can significantly cut down HR’s setup time.

But remember, great onboarding programs aren’t static – they require continuous improvement. So, collect feedback from new hires to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. This continuous feedback loop, along with updates on evolving company policies and changes to labor laws, will ensure your onboarding stays current and effective.

The post 18 Must-Have Onboarding Documents (+ Free Templates) appeared first on AIHR.