An awesome problem nagging the HR department at the time of recruitment is handling the flood of applications that pour in from all quarters. How do you sift the grain from the chaff? Here are some pointers to effective recruiting.

Planning

• Plan recruitment in advance. Try to get a list of requirements at least 2-3 months in advance. Recruiting for immediate project requirements is chaotic but unavoidable.
• Avoid the temptation to relax selection criteria and procedures. Instead prepare a contingency procedure to be followed in all such cases

Advertising

• The image of your company conveyed by appointment advertisements should be very carefully managed.
• Draw up the budget for using an advertising agency.
• Define an objective for each advertisement released in terms of number of responses, expected shortlists and expected selections. Give a specific reference code to each advertisement to monitor results. Monitor actual response by tracking against reference code for the advertisement.
• In newspaper advertising, ensure immediate action by announcing interview dates in the immediate future. Avoid walk-ins; ask people to make an appointment instead.
• Plan on the minimum period given below, to complete the advertisement process from preparing the ad to selection: 3 weeks for newspapers, 6 weeks for weekly magazines and 2 months for monthly magazines.

Using Search Consultants

• Develop a panel of consultants addressing specific categories of jobs based on the consultant's expertise.
• Give a detailed brief for each position assigned to the search consultant. Make sure each consultant understands the overall organisation before talking to any potential candidate.
• Maintain a relationship with the consultant such that they give higher priority to your assignments over other companies and ensure that they always convey a positive image of your company. Avoid one-off arrangements.

Screening

• Prepare a basic shortlist by using pre-defined guidelines for reviewing the candidates' resume such as age, education, experience etc.
• Have all shortlisted candidates fill in a standardised form.
• Conduct a preliminary interview to review shortlisted candidates.
• Screen out those shortlisted by mistake.
• Conduct a suitable test for all shortlisted applicants before moving them to the next stage.

Interviews

• Involve the project managers the candidate is likely to work with, in the interview. It is also useful to involve peer level professionals during interviews, wherever possible.
• Structure the interview into distinct stages - introductory, technical, personal and negotiation.
• Move to each stage only after you are satisfied with the previous one. Avoid things such as beginning with technical interviews without any introduction, negotiating without being technically satisfied etc.
• Train all interviewers on interviewing skills.

Check List:

• A plan for requirements in the next quarter which you have discussed in detail with the requisitioning department.
• Selection criteria and procedures are not side-stepped for urgent requirements.
• There is a written job description for every position you advertise.
• Your advertisements are attractive, but do they accurately convey your company's image?
• There is a defined set of criteria to screen resumes received and it has been communicated to the search consultants.
• A structured resume format is used for reviewing shortlisted candidates.
• Employees are encouraged to refer candidates; you advertise opportunities internally.
• Do your search consultants send their best candidates to you, respond immediately and talk good things about the company to candidates?
• You use technical and aptitude tests for entry level candidates.
• All candidates go through a structured psychological test.
• All interviewers have been formally trained in interviewing techniques.
• Project managers always meet potential candidates before selection.
• Nobody has second thoughts after making an offer to the candidate.
• Potential candidates are aware of kind of projects they are being considered for.
• Nearly 80% of shortlisted resumes make it through the preliminary interview.
• Nearly 80% of people who score adequately on tests and preliminary interviews are able to make it through the technical interview.
• Nearly 80% of those who clear the technical interview and psychological tests are offered the job.
• Nearly 80% of those offered the job take it up and join.
• At least 80% of those who join are able to perform well on the jobs they are assigned to.
• Almost all candidates feel that the selection procedure is fair, specially all those who passed the preliminary interviews and tests.