The web is constantly bashed with many discussions among HR groups to define “Recruitment” or more recently, “”. Is there truly anything such as a perfect definition? We are now in a world where recruiting has been made easier with web search technology and online professional networks that figuring out the right recruitment strategy and getting it right the first time is key to being a flawless recruiter.

How does one answer to get it right the first time?

Job Analysis One of many poor habits among recruiters across the nation is the use of one universal strategy that is not tailored to suit different roles and in the case of private consultants, different companies.

• Spend at least a minimum of 15 mins to “think” about the job at hand
• Critically evaluate and allot existing resources for the job
• Analyze team strengths and set targets
• Pile a list of key people to contact to help get the job done. Eg:- If Mr. A from another team is good at using LinkedIn effectively, schedule appointments/dates ahead to get their help. Know who’s good at what within your company helps in accomplishing tasks faster with accurate results.

Mr. Right Guy Before you dash to your keyboard to conjure job sites, define Mr. Right Guy and figure if your idea of the right person would marry well with the organization you’re working for.

• Some questions that might help – What does your organization want of every employee? (in relation with organization goals, values, culture etc), What is the job all about, Would temp staffing work for the job and so on.
• Does this job require knowing a local or foreign language? If you’re not fluent in the local or foreign language, find someone in your company who would be willing to help you talk to candidates.

Job Description It is not something you rush to complete for getting a good head start  on candidate search. A well-written job description will help you narrow down the list of candidates and cut down on time spent searching the web.

• Title, Nature, Travel and Hours/ Shift of the job
• If available, whom would the candidate report to?
• Responsibilities and specific tasks
• What is expected of the candidate? Ensuring this part of the Job Description is specific will help you arrive at whom you want to interview for the job faster
• Growth that can be expected with the job

Recruitment ProcessEnsuring a checklist of the stages involved in the recruitment process can help complete the job faster and problem-free.

• Stages in the Selection process – shortlists, tests, referrals, background checks
• Number of interviewers required in the selection process

Search The big word in recruitment. A hard look at the recruiting industry in India would tell you many top consulting firms (the more skilled recruiters) are not comfortable using professional and social networks to identify suitable candidates. A more interesting fact is just how little of the internet many recruiters use today including those that are trained by MNCs to help keep their recruiters up-to-date on global recruiting standards.

• If you haven’t heard of “Boolean Search”, learn this recruiting technique from recruiters who work on IT positions. For the sheer volume of hires involved, IT recruiters largely use Boolean Searches to collect a vast number of profiles in seconds. Sure, an advanced search on a job site can give you access to thousands of profiles. A Boolean Search is performed using search engines such as Google to control variables used in sourcing candidate profiles and maximize the speed of return. Crafting Boolean strings is an art by itself and takes years to master. Boolean searches can help you find anywhere from 40-80 perfect candidates in an hour which normally takes days to achieve using job sites alone.

• Get out of those comfortable shoes you’re wearing and be ready to cold call. Cold Calling is not about having the guts to approach a stranger you have otherwise no intention to talk to. It is a technique used by recruiters to pick up candidates who work in companies with similar work cultures and roles or people who are a near-perfect fit for the job. It is a rather slow technique that yields pretty good results.

• Forget generalized searches. Be specific. This may seem unyielding but do not lose patience over the hidden pool of well-matched candidates you are mere clicks away from surfacing.

• Do not delete or trash those resumes searched on previous jobs. Maintain a categorized database of candidates who might find their way as one of your many hires. In other words, store those really good ones for your rainy days.

• The old rule “Hire those that don’t apply for jobs” is not entirely true. So is not paying attention to those that are not active on job sites or networks. You never know when you might find a hidden gem among those unread mails or profiles on job sites.

Finally, every recruiter must possess their own database of well-established contacts (Not random people you add on LinkedIn or other networks). No matter where you work, your database is a sign of the experience you possess in the field.