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PortugalRecruitment and Selection
Stages of the personnel selection processes
We explain the phases that make up a personnel selection process so that the employee meets their hiring expectations.
Isabel García
HR Consultant
25 of March, 2025
The staff selection processes are a long journey, divided into different stages. From detecting the need to fill a vacancy until the new worker is incorporated into the staff, several weeks may pass.
In managing staff selection processes, it is as important to know the different stages as it is to act correctly in each of them so that the process is successful and the new worker meets the expectations created in their hiring.
Detection of needs in staff selection processes
The first stage of any personnel selection process passes through detecting the company’s personnel needs. It serves to know which positions need to be strengthened. And, above all, what profile is indicated to face these deficiencies that the company has. It is also interesting to look inward and see if the needs can be met through internal promotion. The need for new workers can be permanent, punctual, temporary, or to anticipate the future. At this stage, decision must be made on how long the application period will remain open.
Identification of vacancies
The first step in the personnel selection process is the detection of needs. This involves identifying current or future vacancies in the organization. Vacancies can arise due to company expansion, resignation or retirement of employees, or the creation of new positions to meet specific demands.
Needs analysis
Once the vacancy has been identified, it is crucial to carry out an analysis of the company’s needs. This includes:
- Evaluating the skills and competencies necessary for the position.
- Determining how the new employee will contribute to the goals of the organization.
- Identifying the qualities and personal characteristics that would be ideal for the position and the company culture.
Job description
Once the company’s needs are clear, it’s time to describe the job that is being offered. This description will appear in the job offer, the starting point for screening resumes among the candidates that arrive. Therefore, it is essential to be as concise as possible. The tasks to be performed and necessary skills should appear, as well as the minimum – and desired – education and experience, whether work is done under pressure, etc. Remuneration conditions should also be included.
Developing a detailed job description is essential to attract the right candidates. This description should include:
- Job title: clear and specific.
- Responsibilities and tasks: detailed description of daily functions.
- Requirements: education, experience, technical skills and competencies needed.
- Working conditions: schedule, location, and type of contract (temporary, permanent, etc.).
- Benefits and compensation: salary, bonuses, and other benefits such as health insurance, vacation, etc.
Publishing the job offer
With the portrait robot of the ideal candidate made, move on to publish the vacancies. It is important to do it in the right place to reach the candidates that meet the profile sought. Going to specialized job portals, sector media or even employment agencies helps to gain visibility, but it is also necessary to publish them on the corporate website and social networks. Another very interesting option to reach the niche of candidates you are looking for is word of mouth that your employees can initiate.
The job offer should be published on the appropriate channels to reach the target audience. These channels may include:
- Online job portals: LinkedIn, InfoJobs, Indeed, etc.
- Company website: “Careers” or “Work with us” section.
- Social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
- Employment agencies and headhunters: companies specializing in recruitment.
- Job fairs and events: participation in industry events to attract talent.
Receiving and screening applications: personnel selection tools
As resumes arrive, a first screening can be made between those that apparently meet what is being sought and those that are initially discarded for not meeting the specified requirements in the offer. When managing resumes, it is interesting to have an ats software. But… What is recruitment software for? These tools help manage personnel selection processes efficiently, preventing resumes from being lost, in coordination with the rest of the team.
Preselection is used to reduce the number of applicants to a manageable figure. This is the stage of the personnel selection process where the Human Resources team will demonstrate its value, since from a cold resume it must determine whether or not the applicant meets what is being sought. The personnel selection form can be completed through tools like Sesame. In which you can carry out the process of all the follow-up and add information about each candidate.
Tests and interviews
The best way to check whether a worker meets the necessary requirements or not is to subject them to a real test. Beyond the trial period at the beginning of the employment relationship, the selection process can include tests for candidates to demonstrate their ability in an environment similar to what they will find if they are selected. In a way, it’s like the tests of competitions. They can be tests or technical tests that several candidates do at the same time. Thus, the number of interviews to be conducted is reduced.
Assessment tests are an effective tool for measuring the skills and competencies of candidates. These may include:
- Technical tests: for positions that require specific technical skills.
- Psychometric tests: Personality and aptitude assessments.
- Simulation tests: practical exercises that replicate tasks of the position.
Precisely, the interview is the key stage of the personnel selection process. The recruiter must be attentive to both the answers and the body language of the interviewee. It is the time to question the candidate about their academic and professional trajectory, the work situations they have faced or their employment expectations to check if they fit in with what the company offers. The use of tension questions or unexpected questions allows you to assess your behavior in certain situations.
Interviews are a crucial stage of the selection process and can be conducted in several rounds.
Types of Interviews:
- Phone interview: first contact to confirm the suitability of the candidate.
- Face-to-face or virtual interview: more detailed evaluation of candidate competencies and cultural fit.
- Technical interview: focused on the specific skills needed for the position.
- Group interview: evaluation of interpersonal skills and teamwork.
Assessment of candidates
After completing the round of interviews, it’s time to analyze each candidate’s selection sheet. The Human Resources team will share the conclusions they have reached, and again, personnel selection tools such as Sesame HRH software help simplify the work. Information or notes about each candidate have been incorporated during the process. And from them, their resume, and the interview, the candidate who best adapts to the need detected in the first stage is chosen.
Finally, you just have to hire the selected worker, the final point of the personnel selection processes. Surely among the discarded candidacies there are applicants who may be of interest to the company. So, to not lose track of them you can create a database with the history of candidates to access this talent bank when new needs arise in the future.
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