A process is a series of activities with a beginning and an end. Everything is a process when you get down to it.
Getting ready for work in the morning is a process. Wake up, clean up, get dressed, eat breakfast, pull together your stuff for the day, travel to work, get a cup of coffee and sit down at your computer. Bang! A PROCESS!
Every process can always be shorter, smoother, easier, less expensive or more convenient depending on what you want and need.
Sometimes in HR we view process improvement as something that is done in other departments, maybe manufacturing, quality or Lean Six Sigma. But every HR activity is a process that can be improved, even recruiting!
Recruiting has a beginning – vacancy for Job A, and an end – hire the right talent. Typically we give the vacancy to the junior person in the department who will post the job description on the various places we usually use, review the resumes that come in to the applicant tracking system, select a few to phone screen then interview, then pick the best of that group. Bang! A PROCESS!
We can figure out ways to improve the recruiting process – make it faster, less expensive, and easier for someone – to achieve some improvement goal that makes the organization stronger.
My favorite way to improve the recruiting process is to begin with the end in mind! Start by understanding the outcome needed to achieve business objectives through that vacant position. What are the two or three outcomes that happen because someone fills that job? Don’t assume. Discuss this with the hiring manager.
Understanding the outcomes leads us to adjust the way we describe the vacancy, where we advertise, how we find talent, the questions we ask candidates, even how we assess candidates.
Revise your recruiting process to start with the end in mind to improve the quality of candidate you find!