7 Steps of A Recruitment Life Cycle You Must Know

A great Employee is like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have. Right?

Want to be lucky? Want to find a great employee?

But how will you find them?

By following these 7 steps, the recruitment life cycle.

The recruitment life cycle refers to the entire hiring process and all the phases that the hiring manager and recruiter undergo. 

Here, you’ll get the insides of identifying needs, attracting the right candidates, onboarding, etc.

So, buckle up! By the end of this blog, you’ll not only get hooked but also have the knowledge to make these recruitment cycle steps work for you. 

Ready to unlock the secret formulae of the Recruitment Process? Let's dive in!

While moving ahead to understand the full recruitment life cycle, let’s first understand what the recruitment process is.

What is Recruitment Process? 

Recruitment is an important part of the HR department, and it influences a company on all levels. 

Understanding all the stages and objectives of the complete recruitment life cycle is crucial because it is one of the core functions of HR.

So, it starts with finding a new employee and ends with hiring. It is the best practice for organisations that seek long-term hires. 

Every organisation takes a different approach to the recruitment process, and it depends on its unique needs. 

However, the human resource department or hiring professionals have to go through various recruitment life cycle stages to hire great employees.

We will explore these stages of recruitment further in the content.

Who Runs the Stages of the Recruitment Process?

If it is a small company, then a department head or manager is usually responsible for the end-to-end recruiting process.

Large organisations are often put in charge of people from the HR department. Thus, some world-renowned corporations have independent HR divisions or recruitment teams that take care of each stage of the recruitment process.

All stages are mainly run by HR, but only the interview and selection stages need hiring managers and specialists.

Full Recruitment Life Cycle in 7 Easy Steps

What is a full recruitment life cycle all about? 

It is about managing and handling stages of hiring. Which is what an end-to-end recruitment is. 

As we know, the whole recruitment process is comprised of different stages. Here are the 7 stages of recruitment that are the primary reason for successful hiring.

1. Pre-recruitment Planning

There is nothing more important than identifying the need before starting the process.

So, the first stage of the recruitment life cycle involves gathering the requirements from your client or hiring manager.

You can also conduct an examination (e.g., gap analysis). Which helps you to determine the best way to meet job position-related expectations and needs.

Getting this step of the recruitment process right is essential because it will determine the rest of your full recruitment life cycle process. 

Be well-prepared and define what the next hire should fulfil and what type of person is the best for that role.

If you want to ensure you are on the right path, consider what kind of experience, qualifications, and education that employee should have. 

Thus, consider whether they should be flexible and open to remote work, how much they will receive as compensation, and what they will get from working in your company.

The Focal Points are:

• Size of the organisation
• Salary range and structure
• Company culture and work environment of the organisation
• Growth percentage of the company
• Number of requirements
• Skills, qualifications, and experience
• The current state of employment

2. Craft Job Description

After identifying these requirements, it's time to create an engaging and accurate job description that will attract the candidate you need.

Preparing for the job description is another stage of the recruitment process; once you discover all the requirements of an ideal employee, such as qualifications, experience, skills, and others, forming a good job description for potential candidates will no longer remain difficult.

The Checklist of the Perfect Job Description:

• Company name and detail
• Type of jobs and job titles
• Number of open positions
• Salary structure
• Location
• Roles and responsibilities
• Specific skills, knowledge, and experience
• Additional skills and certifications
• Benefit offers

Job description from which candidates try to match themselves for the position.

Thus, the job description should be written carefully and include accurate information. 

The other stages of the full recruitment life cycle will be fruitful because this will attract suitable candidates for the position.

3. Talent Sourcing

So, once you created a compelling and all-encompassing job description, it's time to start sharing and advertising the position—another recruitment step of the full recruitment life cycle process. 

There are various ways and places to attract suitable candidates.

1. Searching the Web

You don't have to wait for the candidates to come to you. 

The internet is full of talented people who could fit into your organisation. Seek them and try to identify those that reflect similar values and sets of skills. 

Most people would be happy to receive an unexpected job offer. Hence, if you find someone promising, reach out and ask them to apply.

2. Social Media Recruiting

For social media recruiting, these are the best platforms to target millennials and Gen Z. 

Share the job Ads and additional material on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

3. Job Boards

One of the safest and most traditional routes is to share vacancies on job boards and career websites.

4. Referrals

Another trusted method is to encourage employee referrals because they are the ones who know best what your company needs and which profiles to target.

5. In-house Recruiting

Re-evaluate all your current job positions and employees. 

The right talent might already be in front of you but working in a different job position or department. Consider whether training and transfer could be your answer.

4. Applicant Screening

One of the most time-consuming and demanding stages, screening, involves reviewing and evaluating all job applications. While challenging, this step is also critical to identifying the best talent. 

You need to analyse each resume and cover letter carefully, paying attention to detail. However, you can also consider using resume management software to speed up recruitment.

You can use a brief phone interview as a tool to screen potential candidates further. This can help you gain a better understanding of the individuals beyond their resumes, allowing you to assess their suitability for the job more accurately.

5. Interview And Selection 

Once the target crowd has been identified through screening. Now, it is time for Interview and selection. 

It’s another critical stage of the recruitment process.

For an interview, you have to create a set of relevant questions to assess the candidate’s technical skills and cultural fit. 

Also, checking how candidates handle real-world situations is crucial. You can check that by conducting behavioural interviews.

Now, it is candidate selection time. By now, you should be sure of what you are looking for to fill the position and what kind of candidate will feel the most comfortable in your company.

Ensure that you are ready for this stage of the full recruitment life cycle.

So, when you select a candidate, always look for candidates who demonstrate enthusiasm, adaptability, and a willingness to learn.

6. Hiring an Ideal Employee

Now, you have found your ideal candidate.

Now, it’s time to hire them.

The final decision is made after reviewing all the insights and data again. It is recommended that you discuss the decision with other team members and departments.

Once you decide, it's time to invite the candidate and make an official job offer. 

Include all the terms of hiring, including the salary, schedule, working hours, and potential deal-breakers. 

Be aware that you might have to negotiate these terms beforehand, so you must determine what is non-negotiable.

7. Smooth Onboarding

Make sure you have a good onboarding strategy because this is a crucial stage that might affect whether the employee wants to continue working in the company. 

Create an engaging and detailed onboarding with a welcome pack and team introduction. For that, you will need an effective change management process to integrate a more structured onboarding process.

The outcome of your full recruitment life cycle process should be an employee who feels ready to start working because they have all the necessary information about their job position and the company.

After onboarding, creating a 30-60-90 day plan helps managers strategise the employee work performance. There are several benefits and uses of 30 60 90 day plan for managers.

So, this is the 7-step recruitment cycle to make your hiring better.

Measuring Recruitment Success: Metrics and Analytics

Now, you are done with your recruitment life cycle. It’s time to measure their success. 

How can you measure it, and what recruitment metrics and analytics should you consider to check your recruitment success?

Here, you’ll get the answer, which will help you identify areas for improvement, optimise your recruitment strategies, and make data-driven decisions. 

Here are some key metrics and analytics to measure the success of a recruitment process: 

Final Thought on Recruitment Life Cycle 

In this blog, we have learned that the recruitment life cycle is a dynamic process, and that’s why it requires careful attention to detail, strategic planning, and continuous evaluation. 

By following the seven steps outlined in this blog. From strategising and candidate experience enhancement to data analysis and celebrating success, organisations can streamline recruitment efforts and attract top talent effectively.

As we embark on future recruitment life cycles, let's remember the importance of tech adaptability and innovation. 

Embracing emerging technologies like iSmartRecruit can revolutionise our approach to talent acquisition, enhancing efficiency and candidate experience alike. 

Don't miss out on the opportunity to elevate your recruitment game with iSmartRecruit. Get a demo now and take the first step towards building a stronger, more competitive workforce.