ADP WINTER, 2014 | Vol. 23 No. 3                 
ADP ADVISOR
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Ten tips for developing a standardized hiring process

It takes a lot of time and resources to recruit, pre-screen, and interview job candidates. For the best return on that effort, be systematic. Here are 10 tips for developing a standardized hiring process:

1. Spell out the steps. All applicants should complete the same steps in the hiring process in order to be considered for an open position. For instance, you might require all applicants to answer the same pre-screening questions and each applicant to have a phone or in-person interview.
2. Develop selection criteria and apply them consistently. Draft detailed job descriptions and define the necessary skills and qualifications. Apply these criteria consistently as you screen each candidate.
3. Be mindful of federal, state, and local nondiscrimination laws when screening, selecting, and hiring. Federal law prohibits you from discriminating against employees and applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, pregnancy, national origin, citizenship, disability, genetic information, or military status. Many states and local jurisdictions have additional protections. Avoid questions that would directly or indirectly reveal a candidate's membership in a protected class.
4. Review resumes carefully. Are the candidate's previous positions consistent with the requirements of your open position? Is the resume thoughtful, well organized, and free of typographical errors? Resumes offer information that the applicant wants to share. Consider using other pre-screening tools, such as application forms with job-related pre-screening questions.
5. Have candidates complete an application form. Request information on the candidate's work history, educational background, and qualifications. A well-crafted application form can also give you job-related information often excluded from resumes, such as reasons for leaving previous jobs and salary history.
6. Develop a set of role-specific pre-screening questions to help assess if an applicant has the minimum qualifications. If you are hiring a customer service representative, for example, ask candidates to describe a time they helped resolve a particularly difficult service issue.
7. Conduct a telephone screen. Once you have narrowed down your list of applicants, consider conducting phone interviews before devoting the time to in-person interviews. Phone interviews are generally short and should focus on clarifying points in the candidate's resume, job application, or other pre-screening information.
8. When geographic limitations make it difficult to schedule an in-person meeting, consider video interviews. This will allow you to pick up on nonverbal cues, such as energy level and overall poise, which might not be evident during a phone interview.
9. Conduct in-person interviews. Meet in person with candidates who have successfully completed the phone and/or video interview stage.
10. Extend conditional job offers. Depending on the position, your offer may be contingent on the results of a reference check, a background check, or drug test. It is a best practice (and legally required in certain states and local jurisdictions) to wait until after you have extended a conditional offer before you conduct these checks and tests. Check your state and local laws to help ensure compliance.

ADP® Hiring, Powered by GetHired.com, is a new feature available to RUN Powered by ADP® clients with HR. This cloud-based service helps you post jobs, ask pre-screening questions, and track and communicate with applicants. It includes calendar and scheduling functionality and an embedded video conferencing system.

Click here for a quick video overview of ADP Hiring. Then speak with your ADP Sales Associate or dial (800) CALL-ADP.

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