How to develop an effective recruitment plan?

élaborer plan de recrutement

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In a context of “war for talent” characterized by increasingly scarce skills, recruitment is a real strategic lever for companies… but also a challenge! How can you develop an efficient recruitment plan in order to recruit quickly and sustainably? Discover our recommendations in this article!

Recruitment plan, definition


In principle, every recruitment process starts with a recruitment plan – without which it is impossible to manage multiple recruitments while remaining organized and efficient. In concrete terms, creating a recruitment plan means building a roadmap detailing the different steps and actions to be taken during the hiring process. This approach, which streamlines the recruitment process, therefore lists the different strategies chosen by the recruiter to identify and contact the right candidates, select and meet them, etc.

💡 A clear and organized recruitment plan also allows managers and other employees involved in recruitment to have visibility on the recruitment process and its progress.

How to develop a recruitment plan?


As you can see, developing a recruitment plan involves defining upstream the steps and methods that will be used throughout the recruitment process to identify, qualify and select the coveted talent(s). Building a recruitment campaign plan therefore means fine-tuning certain steps that are essential to any recruitment, such as

  • Defining the company’s needs.
  • Sourcing candidates.
  • Sorting and selecting candidates.
  • Conducting interviews.
  • The formulation of the hiring proposal
  • Hiring and integration.

Let’s take a closer look at the essential steps to define when developing a recruitment plan.

Define the company’s needs


We’re not teaching you anything: every company has its own context and specific needs. There is no secret to finding the rare pearl that will enhance the skills of a team and lead it to growth. A recruiter must first and foremost identify the recruitment objectives, the purpose of the position, the company’s resources… But also its requirements, the needs of the managers and their expectations. After all, the ultimate goal of a recruitment is to fill the skills gaps in a team. The recruiter’s goal: to go out and conquer those very specific skills!

💡 Take advantage of the first point made with the manager to identify in depth the work environment of the team that is recruiting. Ask about the missions that will be entrusted to the future recruit, the colleagues who will take part in the recruitment process. Don’t forget to mention a few essential technical aspects, such as the salary envisaged for the position, the desired starting date, etc.

Here are some examples of questions to ask the manager in order to properly define his or her needs:

  • Is it a job creation or takeover?
  • If it is a job transfer, which employee do we want to replace and why?
  • If it is a new position, what need does this position fill? What is the added value of the position?
  • What are the essential qualities needed to succeed in this position?
  • Do we have the skills required for this position internally, or do we need to recruit new talent?
  • Will the position require specific training?
  • What is the desired onboarding date?


Determine the budget allocated to recruitment


Another essential reflex to adopt: clearly define the budget that will be dedicated to the recruitment in question. This budget must of course include the remuneration envisaged for the position, but also the cost of the recruitment itself! Depending on the budget a recruiter has, the levers he/she mobilizes will not be the same!

💡 Try to be as exhaustive as possible when defining your budget! For example, include every possible expense. Cost of using certain job boards, time spent recruiting, possible external resources mobilized, cost of attending a trade show, sponsored ads on social media… The more exhaustive and far-sighted you are, the less likely you are to have unpleasant surprises!

Define the recruitment levers to activate


Posting ads on job boards or social media, internal recruitment, cooptation, trade shows,
recruitment campaigns… Today, there are many recruitment levers… But depending on the profile you are looking for, some sourcing channels will be more relevant than others.

For example, an ETI that needs to regularly recruit young talent (work-study students, interns or young graduates) will need to gain visibility with certain schools. To achieve this, it can participate in events organized by these schools, establish partnerships with educational managers, invest in social networks to get closer to their young target…

On the other hand, for more strategic recruitments, a company in need of an experienced manager can use the network of its employees, by opting for co-optation for example or word of mouth… In any case, it is absolutely essential for a recruiter to identify the right sourcing channels to use to find the right candidates.

Here are some points to study in order to define your sourcing methods:

  • Which job boards are the most suitable for the profile I am looking for? Depending on the target profile, some specialized job boards will be more relevant than others.
  • Is it necessary to promote the job offer on social networks? If so, which ones? Here again, keep in mind that each social network, whether professional or not, has a specific audience.
  • Is it relevant to use co-optation for this position?


💡 Remember to take care of your job postings. Only an effective and attractive description will make talents want to apply to you! The key words of a good job offer? Clarity, precision and transparency. Present as clearly as possible the requirements of the position, the missions to be accomplished, but also the working conditions, the advantages of the position, the values of the company, its challenges… The more time you devote to the elaboration of a complete job offer, the more you will obtain relevant and qualified applications.

Define the strategy for screening candidates


It’s no secret that each position is unique and has its own requirements. To avoid spreading yourself too thin, define your candidate screening strategy in advance of the recruitment process. How many CVs do you want to retain in the first instance? How many candidates do you want to meet, and how many times? Do you want to evaluate the technical and/or behavioral skills of the candidates by giving them a test? If so, which one? Will you consider individual or group recruitment? What recruitment tools will you use (ATS, personality tests, etc.)?

Answering these questions will give you a clear idea of what you need to do to complete your recruitment process!

💡 Once you’ve found the rare pearl, think about planning in advance the details related to his or her taking up the position (how soon to start? What integration path to set up? etc)

Follow up


To be able to continuously learn and grow as you recruit, get into the habit of tracking your results closely, by establishing a few key performance indicators.

💡 During your first contacts with candidates, consider asking them how they heard about your company, for example. This way, you will have a small idea of the sourcing channel that helped you find the candidate.

Sample recruitment plan


To make sure you don’t forget anything when developing a recruitment plan, here is a summary of the key elements to consider:

  • Company context (identity and culture, current challenges, difficulties, major changes, competition…)
  • The context of the recruitment (purpose of the position, organization of the team, missing skills to date)
  • All the needs of the hiring manager (missions to be accomplished by the new recruit, essential skills (soft/hard skills), values, desired integration date, etc.)
  • The budget reserved for recruitment (including the recruit’s salary, but also the sourcing itself and the recruitment levers used).
  • The recruitment levers to be activated (advertising on job boards, presence at trade fairs, cooptation, internal recruitment…)
  • Define the strategy of pre-selection and selection of candidates: by refining the different methods used to choose the rare pearl.
  • Follow up and take care of your onboarding


Don’t hesitate to examine your past hiring processes by pointing out their strengths and weaknesses. Question the various parties involved in your recruitments, and suggest possible areas for improvement…

Finally, don’t forget: onboarding new employees is an integral part of the recruitment process. An effective and complete recruitment plan must include the integration process of the future recruit.

Developing an effective recruitment plan, in conclusion


In summary, a well-prepared recruitment plan will help you find the ideal candidates in the shortest possible time. For even more optimization, you can enlist the help of an ATS such as Jobaffinity. Recruiting software allows you to build up a solid pool of candidates over time. Designed to optimize your recruitments, our software allows you to source and track all your applications in a few clicks.

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