Staff involved in recruitment and selection processes

Managers and supervisors who are involved in recruiting and selecting staff need ongoing training to ensure the cost of recruitment is managed effectively.

Cost of recruitment

Recruiting new employees is an expensive and non-profit process both in terms of money and time. The cost of recruitment must be considered and budgeted for in the selection of new employees.

It is estimated that before a new staff member begins their first day most organisations will have spent at least $10 000, depending on the level of the position. This cost comprises:

• advertising costs
• paid time taken by staff in sorting applications, answering queries, interviewing applicants, checking references and contacting successful and unsuccessful applicants
• training
• costs associated with testing.

Staff members involved in the selection process are removed from their normal work duties. This adds further to the cost of employment.

Once a new staff member has been employed, productive time can only commence after the orientation and induction process takes place.

Other employees also spend time and effort adapting to a new team member and either formally or informally training that person.

In addition, there is the cost associated with lost opportunities. Revenue lost from incomplete or poor performance can be considerable. This has not been accounted for in the above cost.

Even experienced managers and supervisors need training to update their knowledge regarding the organisation’s policies and procedures, and to ensure they comply with current legal requirements.

Staff involved in the recruitment process benefit from ongoing training in:

• job analysis
• writing job descriptions
• preparing advertisements.

Training in these areas helps to minimise costs by ensuring that only those applicants who meet the key selection criteria are targeted.

Training for those involved in the selection and recruitment process usually involves classroom training and off-the-job training.

Classroom training

By conducting regular sessions or short seminars on recruitment and selection processes a number of staff can undergo consistent and simultaneous training.

Some organisations use training videos to reinforce this training.

Off-the-job training

Off-site training may include specific courses, day-based seminars and tertiary studies, involving in-depth knowledge and conceptual training.

Role-play, case studies, discussion, practice and simulation techniques are widely used.

Listing recruitment and selection procedures on the organisation's intranet after initial training will mean that all information will be easily accessible.