On a recent road trip to a small, idyllic town, our car’s navigation system directed us to turn right at the stop light, take a right at the first stop sign, go right at the next intersection, and finally, take a right at the light. We arrived back to exactly where we started!

We like our navigational assistant but know many crucial tasks still require careful human thought and planning. One of those is creating a recruitment plan. Never used a formal recruitment plan or have one that needs updating? Below, we provide helpful, turn-by-turn directions for creating a recruitment plan.

Define job and hiring criteria.

Public sector agencies typically have well-defined job specifications, including typical duties, the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required to do the work, work hours, working environment, and compensation package. An essential preliminary step is asking the hiring manager to review existing specifications to ensure the information is correct (or to assist in creating new specifications for a new position).

Ask managers if the KSAs required to do the work have changed because of new technologies, an expanded scope, or an increased volume of work. How many staff are required to do the work? Will the salary offered be competitive for the type of job and the job market in your area? If not, revise the job specs and submit them for review, which bargaining units and governing bodies may require.

Creating a recruitment plan

Step 1: Determine pre-hire milestones.

The first step in creating a recruitment plan is to determine pre-hire milestones. You may draft the first set of milestones along with dates for each step based on average process times for your agency. At this step, it is crucial to ask the hiring manager to review the plan and provide input. Collaborating with the hiring manager on the pre-hire milestones calendar creates a shared understanding of dates and deadlines, which avoids misunderstandings later. It also helps the manager know what is happening at each step of the process and ensures that all parties stay on track.

Typical milestones include the following –

1. Open and advertise the recruitment.Set a date to open the recruitment. Determine how long the agency will advertise the recruitment (two weeks, four weeks, open until filled, etc.). Determine your recruitment advertising budget and where you will advertise.
2. Close recruitment. The closing date and time for the recruitment should be set before the position is opened and expressly stated in all advertising materials.
3. Review applications. Determine how many applications you will review (25, 50, 100>). If you have many applications, enlist help from colleagues or use your applicant tracking system’s features to winnow out those who do not meet the minimum qualifications.
4. Set a date for initial interviews. Select a date, time, and place for initial interviews. Determine whether interviews will be in-person or virtually (via Zoom, Google Meet, etc.). Provide time between interviews for candidates to arrive and wait separately. Also, allow time for the employment panel to review application materials and take breaks.
5. Select the top candidate(s). Ask the employment panelists to confer and reach a consensus on the top candidate(s). Set aside time at the end of interviews for the employment panel to discuss and rank candidates. Be sure to brief the panel on passing scores, the number of open positions, and the number of candidates they must select.
6. Final round interview(s) and reference check. Schedule final round interviews with hiring manager(s). If the manager’s first pick is not available or declines the offer, let the manager know that you will move on to the second candidate, and so on. Check references of the top candidate(s) before extending an offer.
7. Extend the offer and set the date of hire. Determine who will extend the offer and ensure the selected candidate receives a phone call and written communication. Ask the candidate about the notice they will provide their current employer and set a date of hire that works for the candidate and hiring manager. Notify the candidate of pre-hire requirements such as fingerprinting or receiving a pre-employment physical.

Step 2: Determine post-hire milestones.

The next step in creating a recruitment plan is to determine post-hire milestones. As with pre-hire, you will want to make the list of post-hire milestones before recruitment for the job begins. You should also consult the hiring manager on the post-hire milestones to ensure seamless onboarding for new staff.

1. Candidate completes pre-employment fingerprinting, physical, etc.Write down the list of providers who will be fingerprinting, providing physicals, or testing. You can give the candidate this information along with the written offer.
2. Employee reports to work. Determine who will welcome the new employee to work on their first day.
3. Employee completes orientation. Create a checklist of orientation topics such as the location of parking, break rooms, offices, reception, copy room, etc., and materials needed such as keys or key cards, a computer, laptop, cell phone, uniform, etc.
4. Employee completes training. Working with the hiring manager, list the training the employee will need to start work. This could be individualized training on specific software or equipment, desktop training using sources on the web, or formalized in-classroom training.

Step 3: Save, tweak, and use again.

By the time a new employee completes training, we have used our recruitment plan of pre- and post-hire milestones and made mental notes on where the plan may have experienced delays, caused confusion, or left out necessary steps. Write this information down. It is also essential to survey your internal client—the hiring manager—and seek their feedback on the process. Was anything puzzling or awkward? What worked and didn’t work? What took longer than expected? Act on this feedback. Tweak your recruitment plan accordingly and use the updated version for subsequent recruitments.

Recruitment plan goals are the same goals we have when using our cars’ navigation system – getting from point A to point B. If we do our preliminary work, map our route well by listing pre- and post-hire milestones, and revise where needed, we will reach our destination and enjoy the trip!

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Need a hand? Want more information or a consultation? We’re happy to help with staff recruitment processes and recruitment advertising needs. Please email us at info@mynpsj.com