What should employers consider during their recruitment process?

Below is a list of potential considerations during a company’s hiring process.

  • Determine the need for a new or replacement position.
  • Develop and prioritize the key requirements of the position and the special qualifications, traits, characteristics, and experience you require.
  • Develop the job description for the position.
  • Determine the salary range and benefits for the position.
  • Consider internal and external posting requirements and third party recruitment (employee contacts and relationships; classified ads; online recruiting; newspaper-related websites; company websites; professional association websites; university career centers; temporary help agencies; multinational recruiters; industry specific or specialized recruiters).
  • Select interview teams and individuals.
  • Draft interview topics, questions and criteria including education, skills, experience, presentation and articulation of abilities, references and other factors relevant to the position.
  • Review the relevant Human Rights Commission Website to confirm policies in relation to questions and criteria. For example, no questions, comments or considerations related directly or indirectly to ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, age or family status, including future plans.
  • Review the potential candidates’ applications.
  • Send written confirmation to each applicant to acknowledge receipt of the application or resume. If the candidate appears to be a good match for the position, confirm that you will contact him or her to schedule an interview.
  • Schedule and conduct interviews.
  • Interviewers fill out candidate evaluation forms.
  • Meet to determine which (if any) candidates to invite back for a second interview.
  • Determine the appropriate people to participate in the second round of interviews. This may include potential coworkers, customers, the hiring supervisor, the hiring supervisor’s manager and human resources representative. Only include people who will impact the hiring decision.
  • Schedule the additional interviews.
  • Candidates participate in any aptitude or skills testing.
  • Candidates provide written consent to background checks, including references, criminal records, education and credit where appropriate for position.
  • Prepare a short list of candidates in order, if any, and select preferred candidate.
  • Perform background checks, including references, criminal records, education and credit where appropriate for position.
  • If checks are acceptable, contact candidate by phone and confirm interest in formally offering a position.
  • Prepare a written job offer that includes the transition timeline, job description, salary, benefits and other relevant terms and condition (see Employee Contract Checklist). Where necessary, the offer of employment may be conditional upon further background checks.
  • Reasonable negotiation may be expected. Changes to the essential terms of the written offer of employment should be reviewed by legal advisors.
  • The candidate signs the offer documentation to accept the job or refuses the position.
  • If accepted, confirm the employee's start date and arrange for employee orientation and introduction to company.
  • If not, start again to review your candidate pool for an appropriate candidate.