What is a hiring plan (or recruitment plan)?
A hiring plan (or recruitment plan) is a document that sets out the actions an organization intends to take to identify, attract and hire employees. The plan will outline the steps involved in the recruitment process, who will be responsible for each step, and when the activities will occur.
A strategic hiring plan is essential because it provides a roadmap for ensuring that the right people are hired for the correct positions at the right time. Without a plan, organizations scramble to fill vacancies, leading to rushed decisions and sub-optimal outcomes.
A recruitment plan is an essential tool for blue-collar industries. It ensures that the right people are hired for relevant positions and that the company's human resources team is working effectively.
The hiring process can be costly and time-consuming, so it is essential to have a plan in place to ensure that it is conducted efficiently. The plan should consider the company's needs, the available budget, and the timeframe in which the positions need to be filled.
By having a well-thought-out recruitment plan, blue-collar industries can save time and money while ensuring they hire the best employees for their needs.
When developing a hiring plan, there are a few key elements to consider:
- The current and future staffing needs of the organization
- The skills and experience required to fill the positions
- The budget for recruitment
- The time frame for hiring
- The sources of potential candidates
- The methods for attracting and assessing candidates
- The criteria for selection
- The onboarding process
If you’d like to dive deeper into strategies and tactics for hiring top talent, then check out our free Blue-Collar Guide to Hiring Top Talent.
Once the recruitment plan is in place, the next step is implementing it. This includes advertising vacant positions, screening applicants, conducting interviews, and making offers of employment.
It should also be reviewed regularly to remain relevant and up-to-date.
Steps to Creating a Scalable Recruitment Process
Creating a recruitment process may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. By following a few simple steps, you can create a recruitment process that is both scalable and efficient.
1. Gauge recruitment needs and skill gaps.
The first step to creating a scalable recruitment process is gauging your company's hiring needs and skill gaps. This can be done by conducting a needs assessment or looking at your current and future company goals.
Know what your business needs. What skills and experience are required for the positions you're looking to fill? What kind of culture fit do you want? What are your hiring goals? Answering these questions will help you create a more focused recruitment process.
Gauge the skill gaps within your team. Are there specific skills that are lacking? Are there certain positions that are more difficult to fill than others? Identifying these skill gaps will help you target your recruitment efforts.
Once you've identified your business' needs and the skill gaps within your team, you can start to create a plan for how to address them. What kind of hiring strategy and cost-effective hiring practices will you use? What kind of candidates are you looking for? How will you screen candidates?
Answering these questions will help create a more structured and scalable recruitment process.
2. Develop a hiring plan and recruitment calendar.
Creating a hiring plan and recruitment calendar will help you keep track of your company's needs, the positions you're looking to fill, and the timelines for each role.
Your hiring plan should include:
- The number of positions you're looking to fill
- The skills and experience required for each position
- The timeline for each position
- The recruiting and employee referral strategy
Your recruitment calendar should include:
- Key dates and deadlines
- Recruitment activities
- Who is responsible for each activity
3. Determine requirements for each job position.
Before you start recruiting, you need to determine the requirements for each job position. This will ensure that each role is clearly defined and that suitable candidates are targeted. Additionally, this will help to streamline the overall process and make it more efficient.
What skills and experience are required? What kind of personality would be a good fit for the position? What are the minimum qualifications? Answering these questions will help you create a more targeted recruitment process.
Here are the steps to take to determine the requirements for each job position:
- Define the essential functions of the role. What are the core responsibilities of the position? What tasks need to be completed daily?
- Identify the desired skills and experience. What skills and experience will help a candidate be successful in the role?
- Determine the minimum qualifications. What qualifications are required to be considered for the role?
- Create a job description. Once the above information has been gathered, it can be used to create a detailed job description. This will be used as a reference point throughout the recruitment process.
- Communicate the requirements. Once the conditions have been determined, it is important to communicate them to all relevant stakeholders. This includes hiring team members, hiring managers, and candidates. Publish the job posting on social media sites such as LinkedIn and other relevant job boards.
By taking the time to determine the requirements for each new job position, you can create a scalable recruitment process that will save time and resources in the long run.
4. Create a compelling job description.
By taking the time to craft an effective job posting, you will be able to attract top talent and weed out unqualified applicants quickly.
A high-converting job description is clear, concise, and compelling. It should outline the responsibilities, the qualifications required, and the benefits of the position.
Here are some tips to help you create a compelling job description:
- Start with a strong title that accurately reflects the position.
- Give a brief overview of the company and the team the applicant would be joining.
- Clearly state the responsibilities and duties of the role.
- Outline the qualifications and skills required for the role.
- Highlight any perks or benefits associated with the position.
- Use strong and persuasive language throughout the posting.
- Be sure to proofread the posting before publishing it.
- Determine appropriate job boards where you will place the job ad.
Check out our free resource to find blue-collar job description templates for various roles.
5. Establish a clear candidate selection process.
The next step is to establish a straightforward candidate selection process. How will you screen candidates? What criteria will you use to evaluate the right candidates? What steps will you take to ensure you make the best hiring decision?
- Define your ideal candidate profile. To establish a clear candidate selection process, you must first identify the characteristics and skills your ideal candidate would possess. This will help to ensure that you are only considering the best candidates who fit your specific needs and requirements.
- Develop screening criteria. Screening criteria should be based on the qualifications and skills required for the role, key recruitment metrics, and any other factors that may be important to your company (e.g., how they fit the company culture).
- Use technology to your advantage. Several recruitment-specific tools and technologies can help you source and screen candidates more effectively. Utilizing these tools will help to save you time and energy in the candidate selection process.
Team Engine’s recruiting software can help you save time, effort, and resources in your candidate selection process. With assessment tools such as the applicant tracking system (ATS), your hiring team and decision-makers can stay on top of the selection process.
- Conduct initial interviews. Once you have shortlisted a group of candidates, it is time to conduct initial interviews. This is your opportunity to get to know the candidates better and to assess their suitability for the role.
- Make a final decision. After completing all of the above steps, you should know which candidate is the best fit for the role. From there, you can make a final decision and extend an offer of employment.
6. Do background and reference checks.
Once you've selected your candidates, it's essential to do background and reference checks. This will help you confirm that the talent you are considering hiring is qualified and has the necessary skills and candidate experience for the position.
Additionally, background checks can help to identify any red flags that may be present.
There are a few different ways to conduct background and reference checks. One option is to use a third-party provider, who will be able to access criminal records, employment history, and credit reports. Another option is to do the research yourself, which may require more time and effort.
Don’t forget to call the candidate’s previous employers to get their insights and observations on the candidate’s work ethic and attitude.
7. Make a job offer.
If at the end of the interview you decide to bring the candidate on board, you could make the job offer. Don't leave anything to chance—offer them the position on the spot. This means you should be fully prepared to negotiate salary and benefits before walking into the interview.
If you need more time to decide, keep the candidate updated by regularly checking in. After the interview, let the talent know the next steps—what you need from them (if anything), what you’re doing next on your end, and how long before they should expect to hear from you again.
Once you decide to make an offer, inform the candidate as soon as possible, even if you have not finalized certain aspects of the position yet. Don't forget to get the candidate's acceptance in writing, either via email or an online form.
In the offer letter, include information about the position, the company, and the compensation package. Consider their skills, experience, and salary requirements.
8. Develop a clear plan for after the job offer is accepted.
After a job offer is accepted, it's essential to have a plan for what comes next. This plan will help ensure a smooth transition for the new hire and help you avoid any potential hiccups.
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you develop your plan:
- Make sure all the necessary paperwork is in order. This includes the offer letter, job description, and other required documents.
- Communicate with the new hire about what to expect on their first day. Give them a clear overview of what will happen and what they need to do.
- Introduce the new employee to their team and have them shadow someone for their first few days. This will help them acclimate to their new surroundings and feel comfortable in their new role.
- Have a plan for onboarding the new hire. This should include providing training materials, setting up their workstation, and anything else they need to get started.
- Check in with the new hire regularly and offer support when needed. As they settle into their new role, be sure to provide feedback and help them grow in their career.
9. Revisit this process and make changes regularly as needed.
Lastly, you must revisit your recruitment process regularly and make changes as needed. This will help ensure that your recruitment strategy is always up-to-date and that you can attract the best talent for your open positions.
Incorporate Team Engine into your hiring plan
If you want to find and keep the best employees, it's crucial to have an intentional hiring plan in place. The outlined steps will help you implement a scalable recruitment process that works for your business, filling roles quickly and efficiently.
Team Engine can help you find the best candidates for your business by distributing your job ads to multiple channels, so you can reach more qualified applicants. Our applicant tracking system makes it easy to review resumes, and our automated screening process helps you quickly identify the best candidates.
Try Team Engine risk-free and discover how our tools can help automate and streamline your recruitment process.
