The recruitment process is always very important for every company.  Enriching with new talent can serve as an excellent renewal and revitalisation of the corporate culture and, of course, launch efficiency at all levels and in every area of activity.  

By Mia Kollia

Translated by Alexandros Theodoropoulos

The last decade has brought great changes in the field of recruitment, with strengthening of the Human Resources departments of the companies and the addition of active recruiters. Many companies have completely changed their approach to recruitment, often adding online meetings and gamification to their tactics.

Despite these fresh ideas and the new possibilities offered by new technologies, there are acquired time-tested approaches that always work. For example, the most important rule for companies that want to recruit is to always look for candidates first through their existing workforce.

Employees who have already proven their worth in their respective positions, who are certainly acclimatized to the work environment and are well acquainted with the culture of a company, are the ideal candidates. The prospect of professional development within the company strengthens the commitment of employees and fuels their ambition and efficiency.

If, despite internal movements, there is still a need for recruitment to fill new positions, it is important to have a strategic methodology for the best possible results. 

Human resources recruitment process

1. Recognition of the need

The first step is to analyse the organisation chart and identify the needs that create gaps that need to be filled by hiring new employees. Is there a real need that is not being met by the relocation of existing staff?

2. Writing the description of the position

Once this gap is identified, HR managers record the vacancy requirements. Many companies tend to include excessive demands at this point, with the intention of finding even more ideal, capable and overqualified candidates. In fact, the more honest the analysis of the requirements of the vacancy, the more effective will be the search and, ultimately, the staffing of the position.  

3. Ad promotion / Search for candidates

The channels on which an ad is promoted, often characterise the quality of the CV that will be sent. If this is a highly specialised position, many HR departments work with specialist recruiters who have the appropriate knowledge and experience to find ideal candidates. In any case, searching for candidates through digital media, mainly through LinkedIn, makes the process easier.

4. Review of candidacies

Since the recruitment process costs time and money in each company, the first clear-out is important in order to exclude candidates who will not be able to meet the requirements of the role. This will create a short list of candidates who, realistically, are most likely to be hired. 

HR

5. Interviews

That is the key to the whole process. This is the first contact made with the candidate and is indicative of whether and to what extent the person will fit into the style and culture of the company. The interviews cover questions related to the candidate's technical qualifications, but nowadays deal with a range of soft skills that provide much more information about a person's personality and skills.

6. Selection / Position offer / Financial agreement

Once the ideal candidate has been selected, the financial agreement process begins. At this point HR managers need to pay attention, as it is important that the agreement is detailed, clear and understandable, not only concerning the amount of salary, but also for everything contained in the recruitment package (insurance, private care, bonuses, etc.). If communication at this point is not clear, there is always the risk of the employee leaving shortly, something that will cost the company a new search for finding a new candidate. 

7. Preboarding & Onboarding strategy

The final critical stage is the smooth assimilation of the new employee in the company and their systematic integration into existing structures and working groups. If the start of the collaboration is not immediate, basic pre boarding techniques include the regular communication and information of the employee, their participation in social events of the company and the possibility of early acquaintance with the associates. With the start of the new employee in their position, the onboarding plan should include the well-designed integration into the team, otherwise there is always the risk of creating bad relationships, therefore, leading to reduced efficiency.

Soft skills: The qualifications of the modern era

Regardless of the company's sector of work, there are key characteristics that every HR manager looks for in candidates and eagerly desires to have. The technical knowledge and objective cognitive skills that must meet the requirements of the position are the first level. But an excellent employee must have other, important, human ideals and characteristics.

Soft skills that a company is looking for in the ideal candidates:

- Clear communication
- Creativity
- Discipline
- Patience
- Honesty
- Dedication
- Goal focus
- Team Spirit
-Ability to cooperate
- Curiosity
- Empathy
- Mood for experimentation
- Tendency for innovation
- Ambition
- Critical Thinking
- Active listening
- Passion
- Ethical integrity
- Common sense
- Leadership mentality
- Compromise
- Humility

Regardless of being a good organisational individual, if an employee doesn’t have the ability to work smoothly and creatively with the team, he can’t join a company smoothly and certainly won’t be an efficient and useful employee.

Similarly, people who are not patient and are not defined by empathy and humility won’t be able to successfully take leadership positions, as they will never earn the respect and loyalty of their team.

Candidates may have a list of formal degrees, but if they don’t have a passion for their field, they won’t be able to experiment and think of innovative solutions that will lead to their success, as well as the company’s development.  

It is therefore essential that recruiters and HR specialists have imagination, plan, strategy and vision when approaching the recruitment process; imagination to identify the ideal employees from the existing staff, plan for the correct description and promotion of the vacancy, strategy to reduce the time and cost of the whole process and vision for the selection of ideal candidates who excel in technical requirements but also in interpersonal skills and soft skills that will make them an integral part of a dynamic and productive team.