START: This process covers all situations where we identify a vacancy. Even if we know a shortlist of people we want to approach, or people approach us, we still need the key process steps i.e. get approval to hire, interview, pre-employment checks, verbal offers and creating offer documents. You are responsible for successful recruitment but HR can help you recruit well and you should involve them at the start of the process.

1. Good hiring begins with clarity about the position, the person we need, how we will recruit and terms of our offer. As hiring manager you need to be aware of your responsibilities and get the necessary approvals before you start. As a first step complete the approval to recruit form and create an accurate position description for the role. These capture all the information needed for successful recruitment including the type of person you want, how we will find them, remuneration, benefits, hours of work, pre-employment checks etc. This information will facilitate gaining the necessary approvals and ensure a fast, successful recruitment and orientation process.

2. Sourcing. Once approved, you will typically meet with HR to review the position description and plan the advertising approach, and timeframes etc. See our tips for writing great ads. You will give the final approval for advertisement wording. HR will place the advertising and load it into Talent Propeller (our online recruitment system). We use a wide range of advertising mediums including; TradeMe, Seek and various social and print media.

3. You then access Talent Propeller to review candidate’s applications and then select your shortlist. Use our tips for short listing and short listing template to screen out all but the best candidates. Where there are a large volume of similar candidates you may want to think about using a telephone screening interview to shortlist candidates. The position description will help you stay focused on your requirements. Based on your screening of candidates in Talent Propeller, HR will send an application declined email to candidates who did not make your shortlist. This courtesy is an important part of our recruitment process.

4. With your short list complete it’s time to organise and prepare for interviews. Use the tips for organising and conducting interviews for some pointers to help you run the interview efficiently and get the information you need to make a selection decision, we’ve prepared a variety of example interview questions which explore a candidate’s suitability for the role and fit with our values. HR can work with you to finalise interview questions and any candidate testing (e.g. computer skills etc).

5. Use the customised interview questions prepared earlier to interview your short list of candidates. Always have at least one interview partner to help you interview and assess the candidates. Two sets of eyes/ears will make much more accurate selection decisions. Afterwards discuss with your interview partners how various candidates measure against your interview questions, ‘must have’ and ‘desirable’ requirements and rank them accordingly. As well as their technical ability, are they passionate, resilient, comfortable with change, digitally savvy, forward thinking, team players with a track record of relevant success? If it’s close, think about the old recruiting wisdom... ‘Attitude is 70% of success-skill only 30%’. Always prefer the right attitude and behaviour over superior skill….we can teach skill but attitude is harder to change’. Use the tips for making selections to help you, and if necessary select one or two candidates for a second interview. Make sure your interview notes are full, honest and accurate and scan then send your interview notes to HR.

6. Hiring mistakes are expensive and hard to put right so we use a series of role specific checks, including reference checks, to ensure people are qualified to work, have the skills, ability, and experience they claim to have. Our schedule of pre-employment check requirements spells out what is required. You should conduct the reference checks using our reference check form (and our tips for reference checking). Don’t forget the critical question “Would you re-employ this candidate”. If your checks raise any concerns, talk with HR. Consider seeking additional information including holding a second interview if there are gaps or feedback that concern you. Do not proceed or make an offer before you are satisfied with the results of these checks.

7. We recommend second interviews (at least for mid and senior level positions) as valuable insurance you are making the right decision. They also give you the chance to get other colleagues involved bringing their different perspectives on the candidate. Don’t forget the candidate also has to make a decision and the second interview is their chance to ask final questions before they commit. Use our tips for second interview to help you.

8. If your interviews and checks are satisfactory it’s time to make your hire/no hire decision. Use the tips for making selections to help make good decisions. Remember ‘better an empty chair than a bad hire’. Key questions are; do they meet your ‘must have’ criteria? Do they share our values? How do they stack up against the next best option? How will they fit in your team? What does your ‘gut’ instinct tell you? Take time to decide and talk it over with a colleague/manager/HR. Talk to your manager before making a verbal offer, keeping in mind that if the offer is outside your approved levels you will need to get approval for that change before the verbal offer is made.

9. As the hiring manager you should make the verbal offer. This allows you to ‘sell’ the opportunity and explain the offer with any context you want to provide. The candidate can ask any questions and attempt to negotiate if they wish. The main terms you should cover include: -Title and reporting -Location, hours etc -Term of appointment (if applicable) - The employment agreement we will offer (Collective or Individual Employment Agreement) -Salary/wage rate, main benefits and main (or unusual) terms of employment including: annual and sick leave entitlements, 90 day trial period, study bond etc. -Any reference, medical or other pre-employment checks still to be completed. -Your answer on any special requests they had (e.g. an extra weeks holiday). -Start date -Any other key terms or unusual features (e.g. variations from responsibilities originally discussed, pre-approved requests for leave, working from home etc) -When you want their decision. If they want to negotiate on key terms take a break. Think about it, talk to HR and get your manager’s approval before calling back with any revised offer. Consider the tips for negotiation.

10. If agreement is reached, advise HR using our salary authorisation form so an Onboarding Pack, including an offer letter and employment agreement, can be prepared. HR will send these once approved by you. We are legally obliged to give people a ‘reasonable’ opportunity to review and take advice on our offer (we consider three working days to be a reasonable time).

11. Once we have verbal acceptance you should ring the other short listed candidates and advise they were unsuccessful. Treat the candidates with dignity and respect. Should they request feedback, simply advise that the successful appointee was the best match to the position and person specification. Be sure to thank them for their interest and time and, where appropriate, invite candidates to keep an eye on our Careers Page for future opportunities. Use the tips for talking to unsuccessful candidates guide to help you.

12. You need to check that when the offer documentation is returned it is signed and complete. Give a copy to HR.

13. Once a signed acceptance is received you should begin to plan onboarding.