Training lays the foundations for effective recruitment
Line managers' greater involvement in recruitment is highlighting the importance of training them in the relevant skills; we talk to several employers about the training they have developed and examine some of the other benefits.
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Learning Points Effective training in recruitment and selection can greatly enhance an organisation's ability to match the best candidate to the post. Some areas of selection activity, such as interviewing and psychometric testing, require specialist skills and knowledge. The most effective training covers all the main stages of the recruitment and selection process, as well as employment and equal opportunities legislation. |
Establishing a robust recruitment and selection process is key to ensuring that an organisation recruits the highest calibre of staff. There is no point in investing time and resources in developing such a process if the line managers who have responsibility for recruitment are not confident in discharging that responsibility, or are not equipped with the knowledge and skills to do so.
Sue Barrington, head of personnel at the charity St John's Ambulance, believes that it is essential to put in place effective training for recruitment and selection.
"Ensuring the quality and consistency of our people management procedures and processes is a key focus for us," she says. "With the new employment equality legislation having just come into force and more due in 2006, it assumes even greater importance."
The charity has already delivered training in equal opportunities to all managers and will soon provide interview skills training to those involved in the recruitment and selection process. "Ensuring that recruiters are aware of the legislation and what not to ask candidates is vital," she explains. "Training in this area is also crucial to ensure that there is consistency in our approach."
A compelling case
The reasons why effective training for recruiters is so important are the same as the argument for having good recruitment and selection processes and procedures in the first place.
The most compelling motive is the fear of a legal complaint and it is for this reason that most training covers the main employment and discrimination law.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in its recruitment guidance note1 says "all personnel involved in the selection process must be trained to an acceptable standard for the tools they are using." It adds that "recruiters also need to be fully aware of equal opportunities legislation, and understand how discrimination can occur both directly and indirectly in the recruitment process."
There are, however, other persuasive reasons for training recruiters. The consequence of making a wrong selection decision - or simply not making the best one - can be costly, and not only in financial terms. It should always be remembered that recruitment and selection is a two-way process and just one unhappy employee can have a significant effect on the morale and performance of those around them.
Recruitment and selection in today's more complex and competitive business environment also calls for a more sophisticated approach. For example, with the huge advances in technology and the advent of e-recruitment, assessing the most suitable route to attract job applicants is a skilled exercise in itself. If there are changes in the way recruitment and selection activities are carried out, recruiters need to be trained in the new approach.
Making it fit
The content and structure of an organisation's recruitment and selection training programme should be tailored to that organisation. There are, however, some common elements that feature in most programmes, as our four case studies here show. Covering the employment law framework and the main recruitment and selection stages - from the point at which a post becomes vacant to the new recruit's induction and probation - are common to most training events.
As with any training intervention, it is essential that the desired learning outcomes are planned beforehand. Coventry Building Society, for example, links its training goals firmly to its business aims and has a clear set of learning objectives for its training programme.
The Training Point UK is a consultancy offering bespoke training in a number of areas, including recruitment and selection. "A main focus for the training we deliver to organisations is in the skills needed to recruit staff in activities such as shortlisting and interviewing," explains director Ruth Boulton. "However, we always go back a step and start with the processes that employers have in place, such as the proper paperwork and how to establish clear selection criteria."
After many years of experience, the consultancy believes that to optimise their effectiveness, training sessions should be kept fairly small, ideally about eight delegates in one group. The training should also be interactive.
As Ruth Boulton comments: "For equal opportunities awareness training, for example, we have a practical exercise where delegates are given cards with labels such as 'married' or 'suffers from depression'. Participants are asked to categorise these into 'lawful' or 'unlawful' and some of the results are quite surprising."
She explains that the aim of the training is "not to turn recruiting managers into legal experts" - although HR people should have a sound knowledge of the employment law framework - but more to make managers aware of when they need to seek expert advice when recruiting.
Handle with care
Although recruiters should be aware of the whole recruitment and selection process, there are some activities that are either particularly sensitive to error or require specialist knowledge and skills. Interviewing falls into both these categories and it is for this reason that, even if they do not train recruiting managers in any other recruitment and selection activity, many employers offer training in this area.
There is no shortage of interview skills training courses offered by external providers. A survey carried out by the Work Foundation2 in 2002 found that four-fifths (79%) of respondents provide training for those who interview, and a further 8% planned to do so in the next six months.
There is a great deal of scope for making mistakes in an interview, but it is also possible to enhance its reliability as a selection tool. This means ensuring the provision of effective training in conducting structured interviewing and ways of avoiding interviewer bias.
Although behavioural interviewing - a technique that focuses on past events in a candidate's experience - is not the most commonly used technique, it can yield the most reliable results. The approach requires considerable skill and, therefore, comprehensive training. Staffordshire Police, for example, requires its interviewers to undergo a four-day comprehensive training programme before they are entrusted with interviewing candidates3.
Psychological testing is another key area in which adequate training is of crucial importance. The main test suppliers usually offer training and best-practice advice to organisations that purchase their evaluation tools, many even insisting that all test users are qualified to carry out the tests as a condition of their sale. Administrating tests and interpreting the results are highly technical areas where no shortcuts should be taken.
Aside from helping to ensure the veracity of the data, trained users should have the knowledge and experience to avoid discrimination and unfairness creeping into the process.
All test users should therefore be properly qualified. The British Psychological Society offers both a Level A and Level B qualification that are well respected standards within the testing industry. A Level B qualification is required to interpret test results competently.
Methods of delivery
Whether an employer decides to provide training in recruitment and selection in-house or seek a consultancy to help develop and deliver a bespoke course - such as the type provided by The Training Point UK - depends entirely on the organisation's needs and capabilities. If an organisation has the requisite skills and knowledge to deliver the training itself, then that is undoubtedly the most cost-effective option.
There are a number of qualifications and training courses aimed at specialist HR personnel, the recruitment industry and line managers involved in recruiting staff. The CIPD offers a Certificate in Recruitment and Selection, and the resourcing elective that forms part of its Professional Qualification Scheme. Both are geared towards HR people, or those involved in recruitment on a professional level.
The CIPD also offers a wide range of one- and two-day courses on specific aspects of the recruitment and selection process, as well as in-company training (see www.cipd.co.uk ).
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) is the industry body for recruitment agencies in the UK and offers two nationally recognised qualifications.
"Recruitment is a profession, with 87,000 people working in that field nationally," explains deputy chief executive Marcia Roberts. "It is therefore crucial that there is a standard body of knowledge and qualifications that are respected and endorsed by the industry."
Although both qualifications are primarily aimed at those working within the recruitment industry and, therefore, include some content specific to that sector, the skills base for the training is the same as for internal recruitment. As a result, some HR professionals also attend these courses.
The Confederation's Foundation Award in Recruitment Practice is aimed at those entering the profession. "The course provides new recruitment consultants with the basics to do the job professionally, and we reinforce the training with ongoing support as an REC member," explains Marcia Roberts. "Around 5,000 have completed this foundation level since 1999."
The second qualification is the REC/AQA Certificate in Recruitment Practice, designed to help recruitment professionals move up the career ladder.
The benefits
According to Ruth Boulton of The Training Point, the benefits of developing effective training in recruitment and selection can be far-reaching. "Although many employers approach us from more of a negative perspective, because they want to ward off a legal challenge, they usually go away having added value to their recruitment and selection processes," she says. "The incentive to train recruiters should be to recruit a better person for the job, as well as avoid a discrimination complaint." In her view, organisations have a responsibility to the candidate, as well as the company if the wrong person is recruited, and training recruiters can go a long way to avoiding such a costly mistake.
Case study 1: EAT trains to recruit
Since joining the café retail chain EAT in July 2003 as head of people, Esther O'Halloran has put in place a number of new HR processes, including training for recruiters.
"It is vital that our shop managers and general managers are trained in recruitment and selection to ensure that there is consistency throughout the business," she says. "We have so far run four one-day training events that have been very successful but the courses are ongoing, so all managers who are involved in recruitment will attend a session."
The one-day training intervention uses a number of different learning styles - such as role-play, question and answer sessions and presentations - to make the day as interesting and varied as possible. The morning covers EAT's recruitment and selection process through the various stages of establishing and advertising a vacancy, screening applications, effective interviewing and making the right selection decision. The company recruits on the basis of attitude and behaviour, and uses a competency-based interview technique.
As well as covering areas such as "good" and "bad" questions to ask during an interview, Esther O'Halloran uses a simple "WASP" model (welcome - ask - supply - part) to structure the interviewer's approach.
The training event is designed to be interactive, and participants are invited to simulate the recruitment and selection process by completing a fictitious application form for a team member position. All application forms are screened and some job applicants shortlisted for interview. Esther O'Halloran then role-plays how not to carry out an interview before delegates interview each other. Each interview is analysed for good practice by both the interviewer and interviewee, after which structured feedback is provided.
After an amusing icebreaker "to energise everyone", the afternoon session focuses on employment law and covers all anti-discrimination legislation. "This part of the day is organised as more of a debate or brainstorming session," she says. "We discuss recent case law and encourage as many real-life examples of equal opportunities recruitment as possible. Asylum and immigration law is a big area for our industry, so we also cover that in some detail." Delegates part with a number of handouts and guidance notes to help support them in their ongoing recruitment activities.
In the head of people's view, the training event has so far proved very effective. "As well as lots of practical tips on how to recruit within the law, and to fit the business, the training means that there is uniformity in our recruitment and selection approach across all our retail outlets," she says.
Case study 2: Management induction at Coventry Building Society
Coventry Building Society employs more than 1,000 staff in its network of branches and head office. The organisation runs a management induction programme for all new managers, of which training in recruitment and selection forms a core part.
"Our business objective is to ensure that all managers comply with all relevant legislation, are fair in their recruitment and selection activities and help recruit the right person for the organisation," explains Fiona McGowan, senior training and development officer. At the end of the one-day event, delegates are expected to:
be able to observe employment law and Disability Discrimination Act requirements;
shortlist applicants in a non-discriminatory way;
make comprehensive interview notes;
justify their selection decision; and
complete all paperwork correctly.
The course is entitled "How to employ the right person", and covers the recruitment process from its earliest point - when a post becomes vacant - to the employment of the successful candidate and their induction. As well as examining the recruitment and selection process in detail, the training intervention also looks at the paperwork and costs involved, provides examples of good practice and highlights the main pitfalls.
The structure, and the content, of the training course is comprehensive and starts with a pre-course session that is delivered via the intranet on Coventry Building Society's learning management system. This preamble has three main elements: employment law information, recruitment guidelines and an employment law quiz.
The training day is facilitated by the senior training and development officer, who has extensive experience and training in recruitment, and an HR officer who provides input on employment law and the process itself. Candidates undertake a post-course test and are observed carrying out a recruitment interview before they can be formally signed off.
The society keeps the training programme under constant review to ensure that it continues to meet both legislative requirements and the company's recruitment needs. "So far, I have reviewed the course twice in three years and updated all the factual information we provide, such as examples of recruitment advertising costs," says Fiona McGowan. "We may, in the future, seek external accreditation for the course from the Institute of Leadership and Management."
Case study 3: Swale Borough Council prepares for e-recruitment
Swale Borough Council in Kent employs around 350 employees. The aim of its one-day recruitment and selection skills course is "to equip participants with the skills and knowledge to recruit and select candidates in accord with the council's recruitment policy and procedure".
Internally developed but facilitated by an external consultant, the course is designed to encourage managers and staff to carry out their own recruitment. "We have tested the water and some managers are keen to recruit on their own, but the training intervention is aimed at all levels," explains Steve Walker, senior HR officer.
The course itself is intensive and focuses on theory in the morning, while covering the more practical elements of recruitment and selection in the afternoon. The process of employing new staff is examined in depth, from the point at which a post becomes vacant up to a new employee's probationary period. This includes the legal framework, and the various recruitment and selection stages, including:
recruitment advertising;
application packs;
shortlisting;
selection methods other than interviewing, such as occupational testing;
interview skills, including preparation, setting the questions and the interview record form;
references; and
action planning - how to put the course content into action.
The training does not end on the day. Course handouts and guidance notes accompany the course, and HR has developed a refresher programme for recruiters who can gain access to the Powerpoint presentation via the council's intranet. HR officers are also available to provide one-to-one sessions with individual managers who need clarification on any aspect of the recruitment process.
Swale Borough Council is also planning a round of training in its new online recruitment process. "We are moving to a management self-service system that will enable almost every step of the recruitment process to be carried out online," explains Steve Walker. "The system is centred on the employee management system and will even produce the shortlist matrix and the eventual contract of employment."
Parts of the new process are already in place but, when rolled out in its entirety, it will provide a "joined-up" approach to employing and managing staff, as well as following the national e-government strategy.
Training for the e-recruitment process will start with senior managers, the aim being to get those who are most interested up to speed first, which will create a ripple effect and encourage interest from other managers. "Our approach to training is very structured and forms a key part of the performance management system," Steve Walker adds.C
Case study 4: Selby College supports recruiters every step of the way
Selby College in Yorkshire employs around 220 permanent staff and 105 temporary workers. The college has a rigorous approach to recruitment and selection, and trains all staff and governors who are involved in the process "where practically possible".
As Cath Ramsay, personnel and training manager, explains: "We want to employ the right person for the right job, and the whole process is a very costly one if the appointment was not satisfactory. We need a robust process and managers to apply the procedures properly in order to appoint the highest-calibre candidates who make the biggest contribution."
Responsibility for taking on new staff is shared between personnel and line managers, with some activities devolved down the line. Personnel oversee each stage of the recruitment and selection process, although the final selection decision rests with the recruiting manager. Training in recruitment and selection and equal opportunities awareness is delivered by personnel staff, who are themselves experienced recruiters. The college's recruitment process promotes good practice and is based on the Acas code, covering aspects such as:
UK and European employment legislation;
the recruitment and selection process;
shortlisting;
fairness and consistency in recruitment; and
interview questions and the need for objectivity.
Although not present at every selection interview, personnel staff have a close involvement in the process and often advise the panel beforehand on the appropriateness of questions. "We have in place a quality check to ensure that all questions put to the candidate are free from bias and negative stereotyping," explains Cath Ramsay. "The personnel department has now built up a 'library' of suitable interview questions that can be selected for various posts to aid the interview panel." As well as the training sessions and ongoing support provided to recruiting managers, the personnel department has also developed written guidelines for the recruitment and selection of staff that incorporate equal opportunities advice.
1. "Recruitment", Quick Facts series, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2003, www.cipd.co.uk .
2. "Recruitment and selection", Managing Best Practice, November 2002.
