25 of March, 2025

If you want to secure the future of your company’s workforce, you need to have a personnel recruitment plan in place. This document will guide the company’s hiring policy. It tells us what type of human capital we need, but also allows us to anticipate hiring needs that may arise. For example, ahead of the Christmas or summer campaign.

Let’s look at how to design a recruitment plan, a decisive factor when it comes to getting the selection process right. It’s easier than it seems, and we can divide it into six phases:

Determine personnel selection needs.
Define the job and the necessary competences.
Choose the form of recruitment.
Receipt and screening of applications.
Candidate evaluation: personnel selection.
Hiring and integration.

1. Determine personnel selection needs

Any personnel selection process starts from the same point: identifying the company’s hiring needs. Thus, the recruitment plan should take into account all these variables: it isn’t the same to start the process to fill a temporary vacancy, such as maternity leave, than a definitive leave – retirement, resignation – or creating a job from scratch.

It must determine the real need, duration, and budget. Only then we would know what we can offer. It’s the first step to anticipate spontaneous needs.

Analysis of the current team

Evaluate the structure of your current team. Identify areas that need reinforcement or positions that require being created due to new market demands. This evaluation should include a review of the competences and skills of current employees to detect possible gaps.

Strategic planning

Consider the medium and long-term objectives of your company. Is an expansion expected? Will there be launches of new products or services? These factors will influence the number and type of staff you will need to incorporate.

2. Definition of the position and necessary competences

Once the needs have been identified, it is crucial to precisely define the positions to be filled and the competences necessary for each one.

Job description

The recruitment plan must answer one question: What will this person do? The human resources team must be able to define the tasks and functions of each job in the company, as well as responsibilities, risks, and the necessary competences to carry them out.

Competences and skills

By answering this question, we can also establish the hard and soft profile sought in the selection process. Hard skills include the knowledge or training we require and prior experience in a similar position. Professional competences are highlighted in the soft profile. The first are directly related to the job, the second to the employee’s personality.

3. Choose the form of recruitment

We have the basic information, now it’s time to shape it and write the job offer. It should be an attractive job offer. Being clear about what we are looking for and what’s being offered is the best way to reach the ideal worker. We will seek as much precision as possible, especially in areas related to aptitudes, training, and experience. This will make candidates without the right profile think twice before sending their application, facilitating the later stages of the process.

The recruitment plan must establish the recruitment sources that the company will use. The available budget will condition us when choosing one over another, but fortunately we have a wide range of options, all of them equally valid and compatible with each other:

Job portal. On the company’s website, you can’t miss the “Work with us” section, where you should publish the different vacancies. You can include a platform for sending applications.
Social networks. The company can publish its vacancies through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It’s essential to include the link to the job portal and/or the way to send resumes.
Job websites. They can be generalist, like InfoJobs, or specific to your sector. It is estimated that three out of four workers prefer to use this channel to send their CV. It allows reaching more candidates.
Temporary Work Agencies. They offer us a pool of candidates that fit the profile, considerably reducing the duration of the selection process. Candidates come preselected.
Internal talent. Do we really need to look outside? Sometimes the best option is at home.
Events and job fairs. Participating in these events allows you to interact directly with potential candidates and strengthen your company’s employer brand.

4. Receipt and screening of applications

The recruitment strategy should include the use of HR software like Sesame HR. This tool will help us to receive and manage applicants’ resumes, saving time and effort.

In this phase, criteria will be established to discard applications that do not match what we’re searching for, and pre-select the best ones. HR must have a reference to know which applications to discard and which ones not to, and that is where the recruitment plan is essential.

5. Candidate evaluation: personnel selection

This document will also provide a reference when assessing applications that have passed the early screenings. It will determine what type of tests or interviews will be conducted.

Interviews

Depending on the job, it may be more interesting to conduct an individual interview or a group dynamic among different candidates. This will allow us to get to know the person behind the resume we have on the table and successfully complete the process.

Initial interview. Conduct a phone or virtual interview to know the candidate better and confirm the basic information in their CV.
In-depth interview. Once the first phase is overcome, organize a face-to-face or videoconference interview to evaluate the candidate’s skills and competences more in detail.

Selection tests

Depending on the position, technical, psychometric or skills tests may be necessary. These tests provide additional information about the candidate’s abilities and cultural fit.

6. Hiring and integration

The personnel selection process ends with hiring and integrating the new worker into the team.

Hiring process

Job offer. Communicate the terms and conditions of the job offer to the selected candidate. Make sure all legal aspects are covered in accordance with the Workers’ Statute and current legislation in Spain.
Labour contract. Draft and sign the labor contract, specifying all working conditions, including salary, working hours, trial period, and benefits.

Integration plan

Here, the recruitment plan meets the onboarding plan. It’s essential to establish the requirements prior to arrival, as well as to design the newcomer’s first days in the company. This process must include:

Welcome and presentation. Organize a welcome meeting and introduce the new employee to his team and the different departments.
Initial training. Provide the necessary training so that the new employee can perform his job effectively from day one.
Follow-up. Continually follow up during the first months to ensure the employee adapts well and resolve any issues that may arise.

Legal aspects

It’s crucial to be aware of the legal obligations related to hiring in Spain. Make sure to register the new employee in Social Security and comply with all regulations on occupational hazard prevention and data protection.

Designing and knowing how to create an effective recruitment plan requires careful planning and precise execution. By following these steps, you’ll be able to attract and select the best candidates for your company, ensuring that your team is prepared to face current and future challenges.

Professional with over 20 years of extensive experience in various areas of Human Resources (Recruitment, Training, Occupational Risk Prevention, and Personnel Management). Experience in the Management Department: Broad understanding of the company and HR.

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cristinamartin

HR Content Specialist

How to design a recruitment plan for a company