Well, strategy and efficient systems are a must. No order or organisation, and you could find yourself missing out on key talent as you try and make sense of paperwork, appointments and candidates' identities. Understanding the selection criteria of all roles is essential; it's easy to overlook crucial details when there are so many roles to fill. Often, hiring is carried out locally, which can prove a sparse hunting ground for top-level managers or supervisors.
A new warehouse or headquarters, as a result of expansion, can be a lucrative project for any agency. No one is suggesting it's an easy, task however, so how can you make the volume recruitment process more manageable?
Have an effective initial screening process
The amount of applications may run into the hundreds or thousands, so an initial 'sweep' of the candidates can help weed out those less appropriate for the culture of the company. Create a 'perfect' candidate profile, regardless of role, and use this as a measuring stick to compare every application against. Plenty will fall short in one area or another, and can be quickly discarded. The better you plan for and envisage the type of person you're looking for, the easier the process will be.
Detail, detail, detail
Meticulously explain the responsibilities and expectations of the relevant role to the candidates that remain; in some cases, it may not be what that job-seeker imagined. Those less committed will naturally fall by the wayside as a result.
Use tools and tests
It's conceivable that you still have a large number of what appear generally appropriate candidates at this stage. More weeding out is needed; psychometric or competency-based tests will separate those with the most suitable skills and qualities.
Efficiency
Collecting references and certifications as part of the necessary pre-employment checks and administration can be time-consuming when there's a high volume of employees. Again, plan for this, and put as many systems in place as necessary, to make the whole process methodical and timely.
Don't create a cattle market
Though you may be tasked with finding 500 suitable and qualified candidates, for example, it remains a personal, challenging process to the individual job-seeker – something that shouldn't be forgotten. Remain in contact with candidates after the offer letters have been sent, right up until work commences (and afterwards, ideally); there's still room for people to change their minds or to be offered other roles elsewhere.
Make the process a positive one at every stage, and keep all candidates engaged; though they may not be suitable in this instance, you can still foster relationships with the 'unsuccessfuls', who may turn out to be perfect for alternative roles with your other clients. It may also prove a godsend to create a 'close runner up' pool of candidates; there's often a natural loss of employees within the first few months of a new store/warehouse/headquarters, until things settle down.
Seeking input from recruitment professionals throughout the development process has enabled Fast Recruitment Websites to genuinely tailor the product to your needs. Our aim is to provide a reliable, affordable solution to all independent recruitment agencies, however large or small. Call us on 01302 288591 or contact us at info@fastrecruitmentwebsites.com.
