Recdrutment Methods

1. Written job appIication in response to an advertised position - directIy to the company.
This is the most common method of recruiting. Many people still seem to think that a written
application means a hand written application. Ìf a company does want a handwritten letter they
will say so. Go to Letter writing guide and see an example of an advertised position and how to
set out a letter. See also advanced information on how to apply for an advertised job at
Application Letter - Advertised Job and Job Application Letter - Using Marketing Techniques

2. Written job applications to recruitment / employment agencies
Treat this the same as a letter to an employer, however, refer to the employer as "Your client¨
as they are a second party in this process.
See Application Letter - Advertised Job

3. Registering with a Job Recruitment / EmpIoyment Agencies
Job Recruitment / Employment Agencies are an effective recruitment tool. Agencies advertise
a position on behalf of the employer and conduct the interview to short list stage. This
could be a pool or the best 3-4 applicants.
Recruitment agencies may specialise in in one industry or occupation.

Ìn Australia it is illegal for applicants to pay a recruitment agency to find a job. The employer
pays the fee and there is a trial period. Recruitment Agencies do not get full payment until the
end of the trial period, so they are very selective and good job references are one of the most
important job criteria.
O %is job searc strategy requires less work and allows you to access to job opportunities
you migt not ave Iound on your own.
O #ecruitment or employment agencies specialise only in recruitment.
O %ey generally deal with high demand jobs and often specialise in job areas such as ÌT,
accountancy and administration.
O The recruitment screening standard is high.
Generally Recruitment / EmpIoyment Agencies tend to advertise most positions in the
newspaper and through internet job boards or websites such as Seek and CareerOne
(Australia), and 4nster (USA). However, if you register personally with these agencies and
present well, with clear employment goals, you may be matched to a job through their electronic
job vacancy database. %his is why it is so important to have an eIectronicaIIy friendIy
resume, showing key words that don't get aItered in the scanning process. See Online
Submissions
Once the jobseeker registers with an agency, they can ring the company if they see a job they
are interested in, and advise them that they have been interviewed and that their details are on
file.
#ecruitment processes vary. Before you decide to register with a specific employment or
recruitment agency, phone them first and check their minimum employment requirements. This
may be a car licence, typing speed, computer knowledge or other specific job criteria. Ask if
you can send in your resume. Ìf so, send a cover letter setting out clearly you employment
needs and credentials and ask for an interview. The recruitment screening standard is high and
your application and resume must also be high.

%e disadvantage of tis recruitment metod is tat te agency is working Ior te employer,
and will need to satisIy all teir criteria. Neverteless, #ecruitment Consultants wo ave
developed a good rapport wit a client may ask an employer to look at a "wildcard' - a person
wo may not meet all te criteria, but as potential.
You can test your typing speed through employment agencies.


. #egistering wit a 1ob Searc Firm
%ese are more exclusive employment agencies at te top end oI te market - mainly executive
recruitment. As part oI teir iring strategy #ecruitment Consultants "eadunt" applicants Irom
oter Iirms on bealI oI teir clients. %ey oIten do career transition programmes Ior retrenced
workers on bealI oI companies. Expect some type oI psycological screening test.

5. Labour Hire Companies
Labour ire companies ave companies generally meet sort to medium term labour iring needs
in te blue collar job categories. Workers are contracted out and labour ire companies pay all
insurance etc.

%is was once a smaller section oI te recruitment market. Wit te cange in Industrial laws
and recruitment patterns, business rationalisation and cost cutting, plus te range oI work tese
companies receive, tey are becoming a more attractive and popular recruitment method and
contracts can be ongoing. Some tips Ior using tese agencies:-
O ourly rate will vary as te company take a proportion -so ceck around.
O ou need to Iill out an application Iorm and supply good reIerees. Make sure you take
your resume wit you to copy Irom. %e agency may also keep your resume on Iile.
O %ey generally want people wit current driver's licences.
O %ey will want your tax number beIore tey can register you.
O ou must ave a valid working visa
O job seekers sould ensure tat te agency covers insurance, and only use reputable
companies. Since Industrial law canges some labour ire companies ave come under
Iire regarding workplace legislative requirements. %is may cange in te Iuture under
proposed new government industrial relations initiatives.
. %emporary Staff Recruitment / EmpIoyment Agencies
This should be a popular recruitment meth4d yet many job seekers feel it is too
insecure. These agencies can make arrangements to transfer an employee to the
company full time if required (at a fee to employer). Often companies use agencies to
'trial employees' as they do not have to deal with Ìndustrial relations issues. Points to
consider:-
O Many people have been placed in good permanent jobs after proving
themselves.
O Often the company will make the approach to the agency to employ the
temporary staff member full time. Ìt is all about "fitting in" with the company's
organisational culture. Usually this arrangement is considered a 'perfect match'
for both the employer and employee.
O Temporary agencies are very selective in their recruitment. job seekers will have
to do a range of work related tests.
O job seekers may need to establish themselves and build credibility with an
agency to be selected for some of the better positions.
O A wise jobseeker would take any assignment and use these placements to build
a good employment profile.
O Some unemployed people are afraid of the security of accepting temporary
assignments. Ìf they have good skills they should not be deterred by going down
this path.
. Group recruitment requiring teIephone interviews
This recruitment meth4d is used by employment agencies on behalf of a client and some
Government Departments to short list candidates from a large pool. For example , through
public service tests, or the opening of a new company and in Government the introduction of a
new policy initiative or increase in budget for new substantive positions). Potential employees
will be given a time when someone will ring them and they will have to answer a series of
questions. The company will generally send an information package showing them what to
expect. Some facts:-
O Telephone Ìnterviewing for group recruitment can often screen out good
candidates. Applicants must prepare carefully for these interviews.
O The interviewer will have a script so that everyone is asked the same questions.
O The interviewer will use a ratings matrix and will give the applicant a value, or a
mark. This will determine if they have passed the screening process to go on to
an interview.
O The interviewer needs to be very experienced to be able to evaluate answers at
the same time as asking questions and may miss a potential match
This is a pretty hard job so the applicant needs to make it easy for the interviewer, or
they may be unfairly rated. Answers need to be constructed almost the same as in
selection criteria writing using processes used to make a decision. Pro-Active Human
Resource Management can offer a tutorial in this area.Contact us

. Group recruitment - information sessions
Ìf a company is doing group recruitment they may ask you to attend an information session if
you pass the telephone interview. They may do recruitment testing or simply get you to play silly
games meant as a recruitment assessment technique. Ì can only say "good luck". An arsenal of
psychology tests are available for use, the main one is to find out if candidates are team
players. Ìf a jobseeker is attending these interview days Ì recommend reading up on
assessment tests such as team building. Many recruitment agencies are staffed by people with
psychology degrees, and use these tests as they look impressive and costly and they need to
justify their qualifications.

Other recruitment practitioners from the Human Resource Management stream, including
academics, do not believe they have much validity Ìt is a much debated topic. You can
manipulate these tests as most are visual. Google " psychological testing", "psycometric
testing" or recruitment or team building assessment tests, for example.

A very good career assessment tooI is Future Proof Your Career %ake the test to see
your strengths. Find out where you are coming from in a more positive
environment.
A warning about unscheduIed screening caIIs in response to written appIications
or phone appIications.

9. %eIephone or screening interviews
A screening interview may be conducted IegitimateIy by a government agency or
a new company who are buIk recruiting as aIready discussed and you wiII be
advised in advance when this is to take pIace. (see above)

There is another type of screening interview that the jobseeker may not realise is
happening. An empIoyer, (and aIso an empIoyment agency/recruitment firm), may ring
the jobseeker to taIk or "chat" about their appIication. This is really telephone
interviewing. Consider this as an important screening interview. From this contact you
wiII either be put on a shortIist for a face-to-face interview, or your appIication wiII be
discarded. So if a company/agency phones you to taIk about your appIication make sure
you know what job they are referring to. Don't be afraid to question them and to ensure
you know the job and the requirements.
O f you are not ready to focus on a screening interview ask if you can caII them in
10-15 minutes.
O Ensure they know you want to speak to them but you need to refresh your
memory. You can say that you have severaI jobs you have appIied for and you
want to be abIe to refresh your memory about their requirements.
O ook at the job and your appIication again and ring them back.

So you can see the need to answer the teIephone professionaIIy at aII times and
keep good records of your job search activities.

10. Applying for jobs requiring selection criteria
f an advertisement states that you shouId send for the seIection criteria you can be
confident that it is a Government or Statutory Authority position or an agency funded by
the Government. f you have any doubts about your suitabIy you shouId ring the contact
person to check it out. %he package they send out wiII teII you how to set out and write
the appIication. %his is very difficuIt if you haven't done it before. t must be done
correctIy or they wiII not, and cannot, Iook at your appIication under State and FederaI
LegisIation. AIthough Pro-Active Human Resource Management does not generaIIy
advertise this service, we do, however, offer a service to poIish up your appIication.
For comprehensive information on how seIection criteria is used see SeIection
Criteria before you even Iook at this method. Note: Graduate recruitment comes
under this category, and the standard of job appIications is getter higher, but
couId improve.
11. Phone appIication in response to an advertised position
GeneraIIy this recruitment method used by smaIIer companies. f you are asked to phone
(as opposed to submitting a written appIication) you must do so immediateIy. You wiII
probabIy be screened by the receptionist who may take job and personaI detaiIs. %hey
wiII teII you that the empIoyer wiII ring you back. %his is a hit and miss method of
recruitment and used by many smaIIer companies and very frustrating for job seekers.
(See screening interviews)

12. AppIications by e-maiI to recruitment websites or job boards
%he two most weII known exampIes of a job bank are Seek and CareerOne (AustraIia) and
Monster but other job boards are increasing at a rapid rate such as Job-is -Job
(AustraIia), an American company that is expanding rapidIy. When you use these job
boards ensure you use the method if the empIoyer requests. n today's worId everyone
is afraid of viruses and wiII deIete any messages they cannot recognise. Make sure that
the subject Iine states that it is an advertised position and give the position titIe. FoIIow
the empIoyer's directions.

13. Accepting applications from job seekers cold calling
n the past most smaIIer empIoyers were impressed by the appIicant who coId
caIIed, by visiting the company and Ieaving their resume. (from my personaI
experience as a ConsuItant). Research confirms a view that has been heId for a
Iong time, that job seekers who coId caII are considered to be highIy motivated
with a Iot of initiative and confidence and reaIIy wanted to work. %he extensive
use of the internet for Iooking for work may have changed this view somewhat,
and this is because it is not being done correctIy.

%he attitude to coId caIIing may change and can be spam if you do not do it
correctIy. AII coId caIIing Ietters that come to this office can be cIassified as
spam, aIbeit they are not fiItered by the SP unIess they are using an internet
provider with a bad reputation. %hey are thoughtIess, meaningIess Ietters that
show how Iazy and uninformed the appIicant is. %hey deserve to be ignored and
deIeted. f you reaIIy want to coId caII do it properIy. ---> How to cold call

1. Industry/Corporate Websites
A good exampIe is mining companies and Iarger organisations. Most have
vacancies advertised on their site. So do your Market Research

15. 1ob Network (Australia)
If you are receiving unempIoyment benefits in AustraIia you wiII know aII about
job network. Private companies and community based organisations (and some
private companies) are paid by the FederaI Government to heIp pIace
unempIoyed customers/cIients.

However, many agencies wiII take private recruitment contracts for higher level
positions and you do not need to be registered and receiving benefits to use this
service. Job Network generaIIy operates at the mid -Iower skiII IeveI, aIthough
there are some surprisingIy good jobs that come, depending on where you Iive.
Refer to Job network and check out your IocaI agency. n the current economic
cIimate the use of these agencies may increase, as they are free to the empIoyer.

16. Employee referral
%is metod of recruitment occurs more often tan you may tink and can be a traditional
metod of employment for many companies. %e advantage is tat an employee would not
recommend someone tey know tat is not up to te job as it reflects back on tem. Used
more in USA tan Australia. It was first tried as a traditional recruitment method by
American Express over 30 years ago.

17. Networking
%his is a very good job finding technique and is covered separateIy---->
Networking

%ry a combination