Recruitment is a simple-looking process whereby a company fills vacant positions with employees. The company advertises the jobs it is looking to fill and candidates submit their applications. The principle is simple, but the implementation is not always smooth. In this blog post, we summarise what recruitment is, what the steps are, and what tools can be used. We also look at the difficulties that companies face when recruiting, and one possible solution: hiring an interim manager!

Few companies do not encounter recruitment challenges. The reason for this is that people come and go, and new positions and responsibilities are created. This constant change makes it necessary to dive into recruitment methods from time to time.

How often recruitment campaigns should be run depends on the size of the company, the circumstances, growth, turnover, and many other factors. In a multinational with thousands of employees, advertising is almost constant, as there is always a good chance of a vacancy or opening, whereas, in a company with 10-20 employees, recruitment is less frequent.

What is a recruitment service?

As described in the introduction, recruitment is a process that aims to find people for open positions who can contribute to the company's business success with their skills and fit into the team with their personality and spirit.

Recruitment should therefore follow a well-thought-out plan, a process in which the company knows exactly what skills and personality types it is looking for. Let's look at the steps involved in recruitment!

The recruitment process

The first step, step zero, precedes the first step and is the formulation of the need for a new workforce. In other words, you need to recognise when there is a need for new people somewhere. In some cases, this is obvious, for example when starting up a completely new factory, but there are situations where it is not so obvious. Typical situations are when staff are overworked, tasks are piling up and mistakes are multiplying. It takes some time before it becomes clear that bringing in a new member of staff can be an effective way of reducing overload.

The first step: identifying the needs

Once it is clear that additional staff is needed, the next step is for HR professionals and managers to determine what the new employee's expectations are. What tasks will he or she perform and what skills and knowledge will be required? It is also important to be aware of what the company expects from the new employee, not only professionally but also as a person. This requires knowing the company's organisational culture, where the position is located in the organisation, what the core values are, and how they are reflected in the person.

Hiring an interim manager has several advantages, from which the client can benefit greatly. It gives the company more flexibility, whether it is to carry out a project or to cover the absence of a permanent manager. Not to mention the fact that it can provide an immediate solution, given its many years of experience in the industry or functional area in question.

The second step: advertising

Based on the above, you need to formulate an invitation and an advertisement. An advertisement is good if it is as specific as possible, and in a way that gets people's attention. This will eliminate unnecessary communication circles.

It should be clear what the offer is, i.e. what the company expects and what it offers in exchange for the job. It makes a good impression if the job description is quite detailed, for example, it should include what company software the employee will be working with. It is also essential that the job advertisement is not about the company but about the candidate. The emphasis is on letting the prospective employee know what the company can offer and why they should apply. A good starting point can be to present a "development story", i.e. "you, the job seeker, are here and the company can help you get here".

Once you have the ad, you need to reach the relevant audience, the candidate base, through the channels and means you have defined. We'll talk more about the tools below, but first of all, this is the most difficult and creative stage of recruitment.

The third step: managing the interested parties

Screen applicants for advertising and arrange face-to-face or online meetings with potential candidates. Depending on the position and the company, the selection phase may consist of different steps, for example, some may involve several rounds of interviews and tests, and others may ask for a trial period.

The fourth step: the decision

Leaders select the person or people they want to work with. The person or people you want to appoint is the person who will be responsible for the job.

Step five: the onboarding

The process does not end here, as the new employee has to be integrated into the workplace and the team. The methods of doing this also vary from company to company, for example, some companies organise training and/or provide mentors/buddies as part of the onboarding process.

Recruitment methods

The recruitment toolbox is very varied, which is because it is not always the same job you are looking for. It is important to remember that we are not looking for the best people but for the best people for the job. And if we find people who are not now, but who could be potential candidates elsewhere or in the future, it is worth keeping them in-house.

Recruitment tools include both online and offline solutions. Let's find out about the most popular ones!

Offline recruitment tools

A classic offline recruitment method is the flyer, an advertisement in the local newspaper, or even a job fair.

More creative than these, a company can use talent programmes to attract recruits. This could be a series of lectures, a training course, or an apprenticeship programme. Talent programme meetings are an opportunity to introduce the company, show why it's a good place to work, and get people to commit to the company.

Open days also serve the same purpose, giving potential candidates an insight into the company's day-to-day operations and work processes.

Knowledge-based events are also a good way of generating interest. For example, professional presentations can be used to target motivated and interested people in a particular field, but so can professional competitions.

A very popular offline recruitment method is the referral system. The idea behind this is that employees can judge who they would like to work with, and if the person comes from their circle of acquaintances, that is an extra point in favour of engagement. From the candidate's point of view, it is a great security to have first-hand information about the company from a person they know.

Online recruitment methods

Job advertising sites are the mainstay of online recruitment solutions. Anyone looking for a job is bound to come across these websites sooner or later. However, it is important to know that these sites are typically very competitive and that for some positions a simple advertisement is not enough to attract attention. It is a necessary but not sufficient step.

Social media can be a good platform for recruitment. LinkedIn, for example, was created precisely to provide (in addition to building business relationships) a professional social network where talent can be sampled. But the use of Facebook ads should not be ruled out either. Social media communication is essential to building an employer brand. So let's also use it to share ads for open positions on these platforms!

It is also a positive image of the employer if it has a well-organised, transparent careers page where people can find all the relevant information.

The difficulties of recruitment

Structural unemployment

Recruitment is sometimes a challenging task, especially in certain areas. Structural unemployment means that the supply and demand sides do not meet, making it impossible to fill certain vacancies. Consequently, the bargaining power of workers is much better, so if an employer cannot make a competitive offer, he cannot even kick the ball down the road.

Job hoppers

A further difficulty is job-hoppers, who move on again and again, regardless of age, occupation, or position, because they think they will be much better off in the next company. This can significantly increase turnover, which is a direct route to the need to recruit

Global competition

Recruitment is also made more difficult by emigration, with more and more workers working abroad or at home but for a foreign company. Hungarian companies therefore have to compete not only with domestic competitors but also internationally. Of course, this also means that there is not only a choice of domestic workers but also a choice from the global labour market. So in this sense, it can be not only a difficulty but also an advantage.

How does an interim manager help?

Involving an interim manager in the recruitment process can be a huge help in several ways. Let's take a look at them.

The interim manager can fill temporary resource gaps

The role of the interim manager is to take on the responsibilities of the manager or professional for a defined period, provide expert advice, and take the necessary steps to achieve the objective. The more senior the position, the more difficult it is to find the right person, and the more time may be needed for recruitment and headhunting. By bringing in an interim manager, you don't have to make a rash decision, you can give yourself time to find the right person. Speed is an important factor: it can take as little as a few days to find the right interim manager and get him or her in place.

It is also important to bear in mind that people in senior positions and managers typically have a notice period of 2-6 months. During this transition period, it is also advisable to seek the help of an interim manager to help you through the months without a permanent manager.

Recruitment with an interim expert

Interim managers are contracted by the company as external experts for a specific project. They are present in the day-to-day running of the company, but they are not employees, they are not looking to move up the ranks within the company, and they are only focused on their tasks and results. These professionals can be involved in a wide range of projects, depending on their knowledge and experience, even in the HR field, to address the situation at hand (e.g. increased recruitment needs, opaque recruitment processes). Importantly, this is not outsourcing, but a temporary replacement of managers and specialists, which is vital when the right skills are not available in-house, so it is essential to draw on external management experience.

With over two decades of experience behind it, Interim Ltd. helps companies through difficult times, individual projects, and tasks. Quality, accuracy, and reliability define our work. Curious to know how we work? Click on the website!