31 of March, 2025

Executing an ideal personnel recruitment process is quite a challenge for human resources departments. After all, human talent constitutes an essential component of any successful company, with employees being one of the most valuable assets a company can have. However, finding, hiring, and retaining skilled and high-quality employees is a challenging task.

Although there is no magic formula for attracting human talent, you can definitely design a tailor-made personnel recruitment process to cater to the needs of your company using techniques discussed in this guide, or you can even use recruitment software to aid the process.

The recruitment process is related to each of the stages and steps needed to attract and select potential candidates who can become the new employees to fill new or replacement positions within the company’s organization. In other words, this process requires finding the candidate with the best skills, competences, professional experiences that best fit the job.

How to execute a step-by-step personnel recruitment process

What is the right timeline for executing a recruitment process? How much time does it take to choose the perfect candidate? Is there a real need to fill that position from the hiring manager’s point of view? If you wish to design the personnel recruitment process from scratch for your company, keep on reading. We will show you step by step how to do this and not fail in the attempt.

1. Identify the needs

The first step in any recruitment process is to clearly identify the needs of the organization. This involves analyzing the specific requirements of the position to be filled and understanding how this role fits into the company’s structure and goals.

Needs assessment: conduct a detailed analysis of the team and company’s current and future needs. Identify the skills and competencies essential for the position.
Consultation with departments: talk to the relevant managers and teams to gain a comprehensive view of what is needed in terms of skills, experience, and personality.

2. Define the hiring model

Once the needs have been identified, it is crucial to specify the hiring model to be used. This can include deciding between hiring full-time, part-time, on a temporary basis, or by service contract.

Type of contract: decide whether the position will be full-time, part-time, temporary, project-based, etc.
Working conditions: establish the terms of employment, including salary, benefits, and work expectations.

3. Create a recruitment plan

A well-structured recruitment plan is essential to guide the process and help manage all stages efficiently.

Schedule: define a schedule with key dates for each stage of the recruitment process.
Budget: set a budget to cover the costs associated with recruiting, such as job advertisements, recruitment platforms, and the time dedicated to the process.

4. Describe the job position and the channels to reach candidates

A clear and detailed job description is critical for attracting the right candidates.

Job title: make sure the title is clear and attractive.
Description of responsibilities: detail the tasks and responsibilities of the position.
Requirements: include the skills, experience, and competencies required for the position.
Offers: describe what the company offers, including salary, benefits, and development opportunities.

5. Start the search

Use different channels to reach a broad range of potential candidates.

Job portals: post the offer on the main job portals and on the company’s website.
Social networks: use LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks to reach more candidates.
Recruitment agencies: consider working with recruitment agencies if you are looking for candidates with very specific skills.
Internal referrals: encourage your employees to refer qualified candidates.

6. Summon and recruit quality candidates

Once you have attracted the candidates, it’s time to select those who best correspond to the profile you are looking for.

Resume screening: review the resumes received and select those that meet the requirements for the position.
Phone interviews: conduct initial phone interviews to filter candidates and assess their suitability.

7. Create the perfect interview

The interview is a crucial part of the recruitment process. It should be well-structured to gather the largest amount of relevant information about the candidates.

Preparation: prepare a list of questions to help you assess the candidate’s skills, experience, and personality.
Appropriate environment: ensure that the interview setting is professional and comfortable.
Situational and behavioral questions: include questions that allow the candidate to show how they have handled situations in the past and how they might act in the future.
Technical evaluation: if the position requires it, include a technical test to assess the candidate’s specific skills.

8. Make the decision based on the information at hand

The decision-making process should be based on an objective evaluation of all the information gathered during the process.

Candidate evaluation: use a scoring system to evaluate candidates based on their responses, skills, and experiences.
Team feedback: consult with other team members who participated in the interviews to get a complete view.

9. Offer the job

Once you have selected the right candidate, it’s time to make a formal offer.

Offer letter: prepare a detailed job offer letter that includes all the terms and conditions of employment.
Negotiation: be prepared to negotiate aspects such as salary and benefits if necessary.
Confirmation: make sure to receive written confirmation of the candidate’s acceptance of the offer.

10. Employee onboarding

The recruitment process doesn’t end with the acceptance of the offer. Onboarding the new employee is crucial to ensure their success in the company.

Welcome plan: create a welcome plan that includes introducing to the team, initial training, and providing necessary resources for the job.
Mentoring: assign a mentor or a colleague who can help the new employee integrate and get accustomed to the company.
Initial feedback: schedule follow-up meetings during the first few months to assess how the new employee is adapting and to provide the necessary support.

Tips to create a successful personnel recruitment process

Identify the needs

The first stage of the recruitment process is identifying the real needs. Before creating the job offer, it’s important to assess whether the position is a replacement or a brand-new role.

In the first case, you’re looking for someone to replace an employee who has left. In this situation, identifying the need to hire is not so difficult, as the position previously existed.

On the other hand, if it’s a new position or you want to change the responsibilities of an existing role, it’s important to complete a hiring needs checklist.

Define the hiring model

There are multiple reasons to bring someone new onto a team—whether due to a long-term professional need or because a project requires a different kind of professional that you don’t currently have on your team. You might also want to bring in new talent. These questions need to be answered before you dive into defining what your ideal candidate looks like.

Create a recruitment plan

In this stage, it’s essential to define a clear plan and assign who will be responsible for each part of the process.

Identify who will receive resumes, who will review them, who will contact candidates, who will conduct interviews, and who will make the final hiring decision.

Describe the job role and candidate outreach channels

As a recruiter, take time to define the job role and craft a compelling job offer. This is the foundation for a successful recruitment process.

You can use our job description template to help you get started.

Once you’ve clarified this, evaluate which channels will help you find the right candidate profile.

Will you use your company’s career page? Should you post the job on LinkedIn, the top professional social network? Or do you want to reach a broader audience by using more general job platforms?

Start the search

For example, with an ATS (Applicant Tracking System), you can filter candidates using keywords that match the profile you’re looking for.

These tools also let you schedule messages to automatically notify candidates who don’t meet the qualifications.

Reach out and recruit quality candidates

After reviewing the resumes, reach out to candidates via personalized emails or phone calls and make each one feel valued. Keep the best candidates informed at every step of the process.

This helps build a positive candidate experience. With Sesame Hiring, you can streamline and improve your hiring process.

Conduct the perfect interview

The process shouldn’t drag on too long. If the decision takes time, keep candidates in the loop to maintain their interest. Limit interviews to one or two rounds for the top candidates, using questions and tests relevant to the job.

This step is crucial to get to know the person behind the resume and dig deeper into their experience and background as it relates to the role you’re offering.

Make a decision based on data

If you use assessments, evaluate each candidate’s performance and choose the most qualified one. Once selected, check references and confirm the candidate’s real potential.

To do this effectively, don’t hesitate to download our 360 evaluation template.

Make the offer

You’re almost at the end of the recruitment process. Review the offer and tailor it to match the candidate’s experience and skills.

Contact the selected candidate and present a job offer they can’t refuse. If they need time to think, be prepared to negotiate salary, benefits, and contract terms especially if you’re eager to bring them on board.

Onboard the new hire

Now that you know the candidate is joining your team, it’s time to start the onboarding process. Provide training and ensure a smooth transition to help the employee feel welcomed and motivated to build a long-term career at your company.

Now that you’ve reviewed the guide for building a high-quality recruitment process, remember: coordination among HR team members is key. Invest time in defining your ideal candidate and be clear and transparent when communicating with applicants.

👉 Want to take your recruitment process to the next level? We’ve got you covered—with tips on how to apply Artificial Intelligence to HR.

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

Manual for designing a quality recruitment process