Your Hiring Process Checklist
Navigating the recruitment and hiring process can be tricky and sometimes quite daunting for any business. Without a structured approach, recruiting the right talent can become time-consuming. This guide provides you with some vital information on the hiring process in Australia, timelines, steps and a hiring process checklist, to set you up to hire the right people to suit your business.
Understanding the hiring process
What’s the big deal?
Think of the hiring process as your roadmap to discovering the right people for your team. It's about finding talented individuals who will drive your business forward, fit in with your company culture, and achieve great results. Without a well-defined process, you’re essentially navigating without a map, which could lead you to miss out on incredible talents hiding in plain sight.
So, what’s the hiring process in Australia?
When it comes to hiring in Australia, knowing your legal stuff matters. The Fair Work Act 2009 ensures fair employment practices, setting standards for minimum wages, conditions of employment, and resolving disputes. Additionally, it's essential to comply with anti-discrimination laws to prevent bias based on age, race and gender, and to adhere to the Privacy Act, which governs how personal information should be handled. Once all of the legal requirements are handled, the process is similar to other parts of the world.
Here's your quick guide through the process for hiring new employees
Job Description: Start with clarity. Clearly define the role, responsibilities, and qualifications needed for the role.
Advertising: Spread the word on multiple platforms, including popular job boards like Sidekicker, industry-specific sites, and social media channels.
Screening: Sift through applications to shortlist candidates.
Interviewing: Have a chat and gauge who best fits your team. Consider using structured interviews and plan out your questions before the interview.
Background Checks: Dot the i's and cross the t's. Conduct thorough background checks, including reference checks, employment history verification, and, if applicable, criminal record checks.
Job Offer: Make an offer they can’t refuse. Include clear details about the salary, benefits, and any other perks associated with the role.
Onboarding: Get them started on the right foot. A structured onboarding process helps new hires enter your company smoothly, understand their role thoroughly, and start on a positive note.
Our hiring process flowchart
The Hiring Process After the Interview
Once the interview wraps up, it’s decision time. Here’s what comes next:
Decision-Making: Gather feedback from everyone who joined the interview to help make your decision.
Reference Checks: Touch base with references to confirm details and get additional insights.
Job Offer: If all looks good, extend the job offer and negotiate if necessary.
Feedback to Other Candidates: It’s good practice to let other candidates know where they stand—nobody likes to be left hanging.
Hiring process timeline
Wondering how long this all takes? Here's a typical hiring process timeline.
Job Posting: Start immediately once you've identified the vacancy.
Applications Close: Typically, allow about three weeks for candidates to discover and apply for the position.
Interviews: Plan to conduct interviews over the fourth and fifth weeks. This time frame allows for careful consideration of each candidate and helps you assess their fit both professionally and culturally.
Job Offer: Ideally, extend job offers by the sixth week. Quick decision-making is important to secure top talent before they take another offer.
Onboarding: Begin the onboarding process in the seventh week. Effective onboarding is vital to integrate new hires into your team smoothly and to foster their long-term success at your company.
This timeline isn't just about efficiency; it's about giving each phase the attention it deserves to find the right candidate for your business.
How can Sidekicker help?
Finding the right talent at the right time can be tricky, especially when you need to fill roles quickly. Sidekicker offers a solution to these common hiring challenges. Here’s how Sidekicker can transform your hiring process:
Flexible Staffing: Quickly fill roster gaps with Sidekicker’s on-demand access to vetted workers or even agency staff, ensuring you're never short-handed.
Talent Pools: Benefit from pools of already inducted staff who meet your high standards.
Seamless Integration: Sidekicker is designed to complement your existing workforce management processes, making it easier to scale up or down based on your current staffing needs.
See our FREE hiring checklist that walks you through navigating the hiring maze to hire the right person for the job.
Hiring process checklists
Hiring employees checklist
When it comes to bringing new talent into your business, staying organised is key. Our checklist for hiring new employees will help you keep track of every step, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. From defining the role to onboarding, each item on this list is crucial for a successful hire. Here's what you need to keep in mind:
- Define the role clearly
- Create engaging job ads
- Screen efficiently
- Interview effectively
- Conduct thorough checks
- Offer competitively
- Onboard smoothly
Hiring a contractor checklist
Hiring contractors offers flexibility and specialised expertise for your projects. Here’s a straightforward checklist to make sure you cover all bases when bringing a contractor on board, with a special mention of how Sidekicker can streamline this process:
- Define the role clearly
- Utilise Sidekicker to find qualified contractors
- View and shortlist Sidekick profiles
- Conduct interviews
- Check references and reviews
- Negotiate terms
- Approve timesheets through Sidekicker platform
- Save 30% on recruitment agency fees
