A Complete Life Cycle Approach to Recruiting: 6 Proven Steps

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photo by Creative Art

Recruiting life cycle refers to all phases of the hiring process. From start to finish, full life cycle recruitment encompasses every phase of the recruitment process. Recruitment can be called end-to-end or 360 degrees.

Is someone responsible for managing the full recruitment process from start to finish?

HR managers play a variety of roles depending on the size of their organization. Recruiters who are full-cycle recruiters are responsible for each stage of the hiring process in a smaller company. An HR department in a medium-sized company is usually composed of a few people sharing responsibilities. Recruiting teams in some large companies work on only one phase of the recruitment process.

Recruitment process steps of a full life cycle

  1. Preparation process

There is no doubt that the preparation stage is the most crucial in the recruitment process. Starting here is a key step in the process.

  • Determine the recruitment metrics

These are some of the most fundamental metrics that we consider to be most relevant for measuring success, like applicant per opening, cost, quality and time per hire, offer acceptance rate, etc. To track and evaluate the full recruitment process, you’ll want to decide what recruitment metrics your team will measure before you begin recruiting.

  • Set the kind of candidate your company wants

A candidate persona represents a fictional candidate you would like to hire for a specific position. By identifying the skills, characteristics, and characteristics of the perfect hire, you can create this persona. Take the time to conduct thorough research before hiring, so you can use it to guide every decision you make.

  • Tailor the job descriptions for the prospective candidates
  • Sourcing phase

It will be easier to manage your recruitment pipeline if you invest in some kind of Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or Customer Relationship Management System (CRMS).

  • Establish your sourcing strategy

Decide which direction you want to focus your efforts in with your hiring manager. You can begin your discovery process on a variety of platforms. 

  • Web and social sourcing

Talent in, Careers, Unicorn, or Whoishiring are great IT job portals you can use. There are also portfolio websites such as GitHub or Carbonmade that can be helpful. Social media, like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are perfect for unconventional hiring.

  • Internal and direct sourcing – like recruitment events
  • Look into incentivizing your employees’ recommendations of talent from their networks
  • Screening phase

An applicant’s resume, portfolio, and motivational letter are reviewed as part of the screening process. Using these documents, you can identify candidates whose skills, qualifications, and experience match your hiring needs.

As soon as you’ve chosen the candidates that impressed you most on-screen and in writing, they’ll be moved to a phone interview. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed face-to-face.

  • Selection process

Candidates can be selected using a variety of methods, including skills tests, technical screenings, group or panel interviews, and situational tests. Your face-to-face interactions will determine whether you hire a candidate, regardless of how they look on paper.

By focusing on future planning, not just your immediate needs, you drastically increase your chances of making the right hire. Maintain objectivity, give feedback, and provide a superior candidate experience.

Before giving the green light to the chosen candidate, make sure they have been officially screened.

  • Hiring phase

A job offer and negotiations are the two main components of the process. Before sending the offer by mail, call the successful candidate. Keep in mind that you may need unsuccessful candidates at some point in the future. The appropriate way to inform them about the decision is to contact them.

Sometimes, candidates won’t accept a job offer right away. For a mutually satisfactory employment contract, further negotiations are necessary. Be sure to involve the hiring manager early on if you expect tight negotiations. There is a great deal of sensitivity involved in negotiations, and if you get it all wrong, you may lose your most qualified candidate.

  • Onboarding process

To introduce new employees systematically to their prospective workplace, create an employee checklist. Preparation of required documentation, setup of the workspace, and identifying who will meet and greet the new employee upon arrival are all part of the process.