Recruiting is essential when you want to implement a new business solution. This step makes it possible to form a project team efficient with complementary skills. Effective recruitment is a complex art: that's why professionals make it their job! However, you should consider various options when planning to recruit. Here are 14 food for thought to guide you.

Before recruitment

1- The definition of the goals and objectives of each of the recruitment campaigns

Is it a question of acquiring expertise that does not exist in the organization? Are we looking to multiply the size of a project team in order to meet a demand for punctual labor?

These questions are the first step in recruiting. The answers to these questions will allow you to target people interested in your type of job: permanent or contractual.

2 — The definition of the number of people to be recruited

What determines the number of resources to be recruited? An ad hoc need for a temporary replacement? A business strategy in particular? What are the resource plans for all of your organization's projects?

In other words, here, you are targeting your needs. Recruiting should help you meet these needs according to your goals defined in point 1.

3 — The composition of the team to be formed

What will be the nature of the composition of the team to be formed? What types of resources do you need (internal or external, beginner or experienced, specialized or general)? Will it be necessary to transfer knowledge in order to protect the sustainability of the expertise acquired?

At this stage, you therefore define the type of position you will offer to the future members of your project team. You also define the skills required to be part of it.

4 — Temporary resources and permanent employees

Will employees currently working in business units in your company be assigned to the project? Are you going to replace permanent employees (in their current positions) with temporary resources? Will permanent employees return to their current positions when the project they are assigned to is complete?

The exercise here is to assess the members who already make up your internal team: your full-time employees. You know how they work and what their skills are. Some, with the expertise they have, could participate in the smooth running of your project. Why not temporarily migrate permanent employees to your project?

5 — The benefits of participating in the project for permanent employees

What will be the impact on the career progression of permanent employees if they are given a project? What are your human resources policies? Do they allow employees to get promotions when they are assigned to projects? What are the advantages, for your employees, of participating in your project?

When a permanent employee is offered a greater workload with more responsibilities, it goes without saying that he expects a salary increase (or other promotions). Understandable. You must therefore reinvent yourself and offer real benefits to your employees to motivate them to participate in your project.

6 — Preparing for recruitment

Who will be in charge of preparing the job descriptions for each of the positions to be filled?

It is at this stage that you pull out your best pens to write a unique and interesting job offer. Integrate the description of the role, the responsibilities incurred by the position, the skills and expertise required, the level of experience, etc. Take the opportunity to add a more human touch by talking about the work environment, your values and your history.

7 — Remuneration

Are there equity issues in your company's compensation plan between new hires and existing employees? A new recruit doesn't have to be straight out of school. It can be a resource rich in its years of expertise. How are you going to manage his remuneration in relation to your permanent employees?

It is normal that the ways of establishing remuneration between the experts required for a project and your permanent employees are different. This is all the more difficult to compare with your company's current compensation plan.

During recruitment

8 — Receiving applications

What will be the mechanism used to obtain applications? Will ads be posted on recruitment sites? Will social networks like LinkedIn be used? Will the services of a headhunter be retained?

In short, here, you are targeting the right platforms to attract the right candidates. Each field is different. So do a search on yours to find out the best ways to recruit quality candidates.

9 — Preparing for interviews

Who will prepare the interview and application analysis grids? Who will be the best managers to conduct interviews? Will the human resources department be involved in the process?

By establishing an interview grid, you ensure that all candidates answer the same questions and are subject to the same context. Your analysis grid will then be effective in identifying candidates who have stood out. Divide the tasks (creating grids, preparing and analyzing interviews) according to the skills of each person.

10 — Recruitment management

Will recruitment activities be managed centrally or will each of the project teams manage their hires?

In other words, determine if your organization's human resources will lead all recruitment according to established procedures.

After recruitment

11 — The selection of candidates

After the interviews, candidates must be selected and references validated. You will also negotiate certain agreements for permanent, temporary or even contractual positions. Will you use your company's purchasing department to negotiate agreements with resources from consulting firms? Would you use your human resources department instead?

12 — The entry into use of new resources

How do you welcome new resources into your business? Do you have an intake procedure that will make their entry into office more efficient? How do you assess their performance?

You will need to think about performance evaluation grids and development plans for your new resources. This is how you will allow them to improve and you will be able to achieve the goals of your project. It is also by evaluating the quality and performance of selected candidates that you can measure the quality of your recruitment.

13 — Retaining talent in the company

Does your company have incentives to keep its employees, its talents in high demand on the market? What measures are you going to put in place to keep them? What is the level of competitiveness of the organization in terms of retaining specialized resources?

At this stage, it is the advantages of your business policy that should be targeted. Compensation, benefits, work environment, corporate values, etc. Why should your employees continue to work for your company rather than for that of your competitor?

14 — Consulting firms

What are the organization's policies for hiring consulting firms? Have you already used consulting firms?

A consulting firm, like PlanAxion, is very useful for successfully completing a technological project. These firms are used to contracts with a fixed term. In addition, they have a large network of different resources to meet all the needs of your company's project. Consulting firms simplify and speed up recruitment. In fact, we have written a article to help you maximize the potential of your partnership with such firms.

Here you have 14 ideas to think about to guide your recruitment. It is therefore understandable why the selection, recruitment and retention of team members are among the main responsibilities of project managers.