Let’s say you are just getting started as a human resource professional, and you’ve been put in charge of screening potential candidates for a new position at your company. Before you start searching for qualified candidates, it’s important to set yourself up for success and create a hiring process that checks every box, from reading cover letters to writing an offer letter and every step in between.
Learn How the Hiring Process Works
Every hiring manager should have a thorough hiring process that details every step to take when hiring new employees, from the recruitment process and interview stage to background checks and more. Finding the right job applicant requires maintaining HR compliance and following employment laws.
Let’s talk about five essential HR rules you need to know to avoid hiring mistakes and master your hiring process.
1. What You Can’t Ask During an Interview
When a person interviews for a position at your company, there are certain types of questions that you are not legally allowed to ask as part of the Alberta Human Rights Act. You cannot ask potential candidates any question that pertains to:
- Where they’re from, their ancestry, and citizenship status
- Anything to do with their religious beliefs
- Age, gender, or sexual preferences
- Race or ethnic background
- Marital status and whether they have kids or not
- Anything to do with their physical health, mental health, or disabilities
- Physical appearance, height, and weight
Your questions should be specific to the role you’re hiring for, including questions that speak to the candidate’s strengths, weaknesses, career history, and interest in your company.
2. How Long Your Hiring Process Should Take
Depending on the position you’re hiring for, your hiring process should take anywhere from 14-30 days to allow time for pre-screening, initial interviews, call-back interviews, reference checks, and offer negotiations. It is crucial not to rush your recruitment efforts so you can be thoughtful, confident and assured that you make the right hiring choice for your business.
3. How to Complete Reference Checks
Once you have your shortlist of top candidates, contacting their references can be a critical deciding factor for the right fit. Here are some essential questions to ask an applicant’s references:
- What was their relationship with the applicant?
- How long did they work together?
- What was their general impression of the applicant?
- What was the applicant responsible for, and what were their daily tasks like?
- Did the applicant work well on a team?
- What was the applicant’s reason for leaving that company?
- Would they rehire the applicant if given a chance?
These are just a few of the many questions to consider. Remember to respect the reference’s time and willingness to chat with you as their insight, no matter how much or how little, is very valuable for your decision-making process.
4. Understand How Onboarding Works for a New Hire
Once you have found the right candidate for the job, there are a few things you’ll need to get in order before your new hire’s start date. The onboarding process for new employees starts after they’ve signed your offer letter.
A good rule of thumb is to allow 2-3 weeks before their start date so you can put together a welcome kit with helpful tools and company swag to make your new hire feel supported on their first day! This is a good time for you to send over any documentation that is relevant to the role, including a welcome email, initial itinerary, company contact information, and any credentials your new employee will need to access company tools and software.
5. What Is Necessary to Retain and Provide for a New Hire
Once your top candidate has accepted your job offer, you should shift gears to focus on retention. From the pre-start date onboarding process to their first days on the job, it is your responsibility to ensure your new employee feels welcome, supported, and valuable from day one.
If your new hire doesn’t feel they are set up well, you could lose them before they can dive into the role. Consider booking daily check-ins, weekly debriefs, and regular team-building opportunities to set up your new hire for long-term success with your company.
Shelley Tobin’s Online HR Essentials Course
The Hiring Essentials course through Hire Knowledge Academy gives you access to helpful HR tools like an applicant tracking system, HR compliance resources, applicant assessment tools, job description templates, job offer worksheets, and more. Enroll in Hiring Essentials online for access to the tools you need to hire the right help for your business without sacrificing your own work/life balance.
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