• Understand what to include in an effective job posting
• Understand how to find qualified candidates
• Recognize laws that prevent bias and discrimination during the hiring process
• Recognize ways to screen applicants
• Understand the value of having candidates complete tasks as part of the hiring process

The Importance of Recruiting

Finding and choosing new employees is crucial for the success of a company. Hiring is a big financial investment because employees are a major expense for businesses. A company’s personnel costs may be a business’ largest expense. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, salaries alone can account for 18 to 52 percent of a business’ operating budget^[1]. 

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the average cost of a bad hiring decision is thirty percent of the employee’s first-year projected earnings.^[2] However, that number represents only a fraction of the organizational impact. Chief financial officers surveyed by global staffing firm Robert Half ranked morale (39 percent) and productivity (34 percent) effects of a bad hire greater than the monetary (25 percent) cost.

Writing a Job Advertisement

Managers know more than anyone else about what a particular position involves and what kinds of skills an employee needs to do the job effectively. They may be the ones to request the creation of a new position in the first place. They are very likely to be asked to help define an existing job or a new job. With the help of human resource professionals, hiring managers will describe the tasks and responsibilities of the position as well as the qualifications required.

Company Brand

Creating an effective job advertisement is similar to writing a compelling marketing pitch. The first step in the process is attraction. It’s no surprise then that one of the best practices for recruiting is for an organization to cultivate a strong employment brand that is attractive to applicants.

Job seekers look for a new job in the same way they make major purchase decisions: they use digital tools to conduct extensive brand research before making a final choice.^[3] In order to attract the best candidates, organizations need to clearly define their employment brand. Here are a few specific recommendations to help you do so:

• Define your corporate culture clearly
• Understand your market position
• Set clear performance expectations
• Help candidates determine whether they would be a good fit before they even apply

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