Definition, process and the most important recruitment channels
The human factor for success: Motivated employees are one of a company’s greatest competitive advantages. Accordingly, recruiting should be a high priority for management and HR. This process of recruiting personnel is also called “recruitment.”
But what exactly does recruitment entail, what does a typical recruiting process look like, and which measures and recruiting channels should you be familiar with? We’ll explain all this and more in this article.
Recruitment Definition: What constitutes personnel recruitment
The term recruitment – often referred to as recruiting or, in German, personnel procurement/acquisition – encompasses all measures companies use to meet their personnel needs. The goal of recruitment is to fill open positions within the company with qualified employees. These employees can either already be employed within the company (internal recruitment) or be found outside the company on the job market (external recruitment).
Every company approaches recruiting new employees slightly differently, but the basic principles are the same everywhere. The recruiting process is usually divided into different phases – from needs analysis to contract signing. But what does a typical process look like?
Typical recruitment process
Generally speaking, recruiting isn’t a sprint, but a marathon. A marathon on call, too, because new positions always need to be filled. To consistently reach the finish line, companies must continually optimize their recruiting process. To achieve this, it’s helpful to divide it into different phases:
- Conduct a needs analysis.
First, companies must analyze which positions need to be filled and what candidate profiles they require. Sometimes the need is obvious – for example, when someone leaves the company and a replacement needs to be found. In other cases, such as when the company grows or opens new departments, new roles must first be defined. - Creating a job advertisement
The good old job advertisement is far from obsolete. It captures the results of a needs analysis and precisely identifies what the applicant is seeking. It contains not only the professional requirements for potential applicants but also a description of the responsibilities and tasks. - Defining a Recruiting Strategy
Now you need to determine how you will advertise your open position and which channels you want to use to reach potential candidates. If employees within your company are suitable for the position, you can first share an internal job posting, for example, via the intranet or email. External recruitment can be achieved through job portals, direct contact (active sourcing), or professional recruitment agencies. - Pre-select.
The next step is to review the incoming applications, eliminate unsuitable applicants, and pre-select potential candidates. Only truly qualified employees should advance to the next round and receive an invitation to an interview. - Go through the selection process.
You can now get to know top candidates better, whether in assessment centers, traditional interviews, or trial work days. Above all, you should ensure that this phase moves quickly – because long waiting times can deter talent. - Hiring & Onboarding
Once you’ve found the right person, all that’s left to do is sign the contract. Then the onboarding phase begins, where you integrate new employees into the company.
The most important recruiting channels
A job posting is your company’s calling card—but it rarely falls into the hands of potential applicants on its own. Therefore, you need to leverage recruitment channels to make suitable candidates aware of your open positions. The most important ones include:
- Career Website
Your career website is your company’s flagship and contributes significantly to your image as an employer. Here, you should present yourself honestly and personably, give your employees a voice, and provide detailed information on aspects such as the application process and your benefits. - Job boards
From Indeed and Xing to regional or professionally tailored platforms, there are countless job boards where you can share your job postings. Which one you should use depends on the target audience you want to reach. - Social media
Social media is becoming increasingly popular as a recruitment tool because it enables effective targeting of target groups and offers access to a passive talent pool – i.e., potential candidates who are not actually looking for a new job. - Your employees
Employee referrals are particularly effective because your employees will only recommend people they would like to work with. The likelihood of a cultural fit is therefore particularly high.
Internal vs. External Recruitment
As already mentioned, a distinction is made between internal and external recruitment. Depending on which approach you choose, different measures are available to you in both areas.
- Internal recruiting measures:
First, share job advertisements internally, for example, via the intranet or email, to find potential candidates for the vacant position within your own ranks. Alternatively, you can also specifically position certain employees for new positions, for example, through continuing education and personnel development. - External recruiting measures
External recruiting measures can be further divided into two categories:- Active recruitment:
With active recruitment, you actively try to reach specific target groups and motivate them to apply for a specific position. This can be done, for example, through job advertisements on job portals or social media recruiting. - Passive Recruitment:
You don’t always have to actively advertise your company or drum up interest. You may also find suitable candidates in unsolicited applications that aren’t linked to specific job postings. Or you can look into your broader talent pool, where you can, for example, note former interns or potential applicants for whom you haven’t yet found a suitable position. - Active + Passive: Employer Branding
Employer branding lies between active and passive recruitment. Employer branding encompasses all communication measures you use to position yourself as an attractive employer. You can actively influence your employer brand, for example, through a high-quality online presence and employee testimonials. A positive employer brand can sustainably facilitate passive recruitment.
- Active recruitment:
Effective recruitment is the foundation for your company’s success. To attract and retain qualified employees long-term, you must continually optimize your recruiting process, utilize all recruiting channels, and strengthen your employer brand through employer branding. Do you need help with this? Whether direct placement, social media recruiting, or employer branding: Riverstate provides comprehensive support for active and passive recruitment. Contact us now and tell us about your requirements – without obligation.
