Recruiting with integrity
Last week, our Managing Director, David, teamed up with Kirsty from McLaren Recruitment for a webinar for employers, chatting through some common recruitment issues.
During the webinar, Kirsty said she’d once heard the recruitment process described as being like “inviting 100 people to a party and leaving 99 of them standing out in the rain” and that it’s how you treat all of them, not just the chosen one, that is important.
With that in mind, here are three key pieces of advice David and Kirsty shared during the live event on how to create a recruitment process that is efficient, ethical and ensures your brand’s reputation remains intact.
#1 Communication is key
Every touchpoint you have with a jobseeker is a reflection on your brand.
As Kirsty says, jobseekers can be your biggest advocate, but they can also be your biggest critics, and they might also use your products or services as consumers as well. So, it’s important to ensure that the recruitment process keeps them informed and feeling like they are valued, even if they don’t end up with the job.
If you are managing the recruitment process in-house, Kirsty recommends mapping the process out before you advertise, especially if you have other roles in your day job alongside recruiting. As part of that, note points in the process where interaction with candidates is needed so you don’t miss any important touchpoints.
Ideally, you will:
Acknowledge every application received - this is also a great time to lay out your timeframes and process for next steps, so jobseekers know what to expect.
Let people know if they will not be interviewed, and provide some feedback
Let interviewees know if they have not been selected for the role and provide feedback
Communicate if there are any changes to the expected timeframe
On the subject of feedback, Kirsty and David agree that more general feedback, like referencing the high number of applicants, or noting that other candidates had more relevant experience, is okay in the early stages. But for candidates who have made it to the interview stage, it’s fairer to give more detailed feedback.
If you are doing recruitment alongside your other day jobs, there’s nothing wrong with automating some of the process. For example, you could write a template acknowledgement email that is automatically sent every time an application is received.
#2 Give people an idea of how much you are going to pay them
The salary debate and whether you should put it on your job ad is a hot topic.
For David and Kirsty, there are two sides to the argument. Showing the salary clearly has benefits, and they are well-documented. But in some cases, there can be valid reasons for not showing a salary, or at least not restricting it to a single figure.
Their advice? If you know exactly what you can offer and there’s no wiggle room, then list your salary. If you aren’t sure, or you might be able to adjust the offer for a really good candidate, then consider listing a salary range instead, or making clear that there is room for negotiation.
#3 Use AI wisely
As a busy recruiter, Kirsty says she’s come across a few AI-generated CVs and cover letters from applicants. Similarly, for employers, it can be tempting to use AI to write job ads, screen candidates and more.
There are positives to be taken from using tech to help you be more efficient in your hiring processes, but both David and Kirsty advise caution.
If you rely on AI too much there’s a risk of:
Ending up with a generic job ad that doesn’t really convey how fab your organisation is and what makes you different.
Missing out on those wildcard candidates, like those just starting out, people transitioning careers or with transferable but not directly-related skills.
Bias towards screening out candidates with particular backgrounds.
As David says, when it comes down to it, recruitment is about “people hiring people”. Tech can be helpful, but that human touch is still all-important when it comes to finding the right candidate, especially in purpose-led organisations where values alignment matters as much as hard skills.
Bonus tip - diversify your recruitment strategies to ensure you aren’t missing out on great candidates
It goes without saying that David and Kirsty are going to recommend working with listing on Do Good Jobs or working with McLaren Recruitment! But looking at options outside the traditional big job boards or networks like LinkedIn can reap benefits.
Candidates use niche job boards when they want to get straight to the jobs that really matter to them. They also attract candidates who come from more diverse backgrounds, who can bring new skills and different perspectives to your team. And using a recruitment agency gives you access to candidates you might not even know are available. Consider diversifying your advertising budget next time you recruit, especially if you are looking to diversify your team.
If you’d like to watch Kirsty and David’s chat in full, you can do that here.