Recruitment Guide

WisdmLabs believes that hiring qualified individuals to fill positions is integral to the overall success of the company. Each employee is hired to make significant contributions to WisdmLabs. To hire the most qualified candidates for positions, the process documented here should be followed.

The basic objective of this Recruitment Guide is to make sure that the right candidate is hired, following the right process for hiring and selection. There must be a sync between the hired candidate and organizational values, philosophy, and goals of the company. This guide will make the recruiting policy transparent and understandable. Having a clear and consistent recruiting process is an important part of recruiting the right candidates. 

We believe that each and every employee of WisdmLabs should be familiar with our company’s recruiting policies and procedures. The purpose of this Recruitment Guide is to define and describe the way WisdmLabs recruits new employees and fills open positions. This Recruitment Guide should be referred to by all the employees who are involved in recruiting, selecting, and hiring processes.

Our Recruitment Process

This is the standard process our recruitment team follows, while looking for a new resource.

1. Requesting a new hire
2. Creating Job Descriptions
3. Deciding the selection stages
4. Intake meetings
5. Decide whether the job to be filled internally or externally
6. Advertising the Vacancy
7. How to source 
8. Screening and reviewing resumes 
9. Interviews and Selection
10. Run background checks 
11. Making an official offer
12. Onboarding

1. Requesting a new hire

• If an established post becomes vacant or a new position of any nature is proposed, the line manager will have to put in a personnel requisition for a new resource.
• A requisition to be put 2 months in advance before the expected joining date of the new hire.
• Personnel requisitions must be completed to fill the open positions. Requisitions must be initiated by the department manager, approved by the management and then forwarded to the human resource (HR) department.

Personnel requisitions should indicate the following:

1. Position title.
2. No. of positions.
3. Reason for the opening.
4. Essential job functions and qualifications (or a current job description may be attached).
5. Any special recruitment advertising instructions.

2. Creating Job Descriptions

• A job description is a key document in the recruitment process and we finalize it prior to taking any further steps in the process. In instances of a new role or material changes to an existing role, HR supports the manager in drafting this document.
• The job description provides the basis for identifying the minimum requirements for potential candidates and establishing consistent, and fair criteria for evaluating the suitability of candidates.
• Job descriptions we create are clear and accurately represent the open position. 

Our Job Descriptions include:

1. A brief description of our company and mission
2. A short summary of the role’s purpose
3. A list of duties & responsibilities
4. Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge
5. Skills and expertise required to perform the job
6. Employee testimonial
7. Interview process
8. How to apply

• Job description should be consistent with our company’s unique voice. It is addressed to candidates in a polite and engaging tone. Jargon, complicated phrases and gender-specific language should be avoided.

3. Deciding the selection stages

• The recruiter along with the line manager will set the selections stages. 
• This step helps us define the stages in the hiring process. 
• In each stage we evaluate the candidates on certain qualities.

The stages will include:

1. Resume screening
2. Phone screening
3. Assignment
4. Interview
5. Final Round

4. Establishing timelines and applications deadlines

• We understand the importance of filling any new position as it becomes a need for the situation. It becomes more important to fill an established post which gets vacant after any existing employee resigns.
• The HR department gives the line manager a timeline to close any open requisitions.
• The timelines will have a proper plan of recruiting the new hire in 2 months time.
• In this plan the recruiter will develop a strategy to be followed in these 2 months and share it with the line manager and the management.
• The same strategy will be followed to close the open position.

5. Intake Meetings

• When all of the above is taken care of, a recruitment briefing should be scheduled by the recruiter responsible for sourcing the candidates.
• As per the brief the recruiter will create an Ideal Candidate Profile (ICP) and get it approved by the requestor.

• Each hiring manager will take up an open position in a round robin manner.
• The recruitment strategy will be set during this meeting and expectations will be established with all the key stakeholders.

6. Decide whether the job to be filled internally or externally

• In the intake meetings we decide whether the open position can be filled internally or externally. Current employees with a satisfactory employment status may apply for internal job openings.
• This is an important step towards the employee career development and job enrichment for existing employees to apply for the vacant position within the company. 
• The consents of the employee’s manager and the HR department may be necessary for employees with less than one year of service with WisdmLabs.
• All applicants for a posted vacancy will be considered based on their qualifications and ability to perform the job successfully. 
• Deadline for internal applications will be 15 days after the job has been posted internally.
• Internal applicants will have to go through the same interview process.
• Internal candidates who are not selected will be notified by the HR department.

7. Advertising the Vacancy

• All advertisement for the job vacancy in the company must be posted both internally as well as externally.
• Internally the jobs are advertised through WisdmLabs career page, Basecamp, Insider, internal emails and employee referrals.
• Externally the jobs are advertised through multiple job boards, social media platforms, campus placements and consultants.
• The jobs are advertised within 2 days after the intake meeting.
• The advertising is done in a cost-effective manner, the budget and the amount to be spent on advertising is pre-decided and approved by HR. 
• The ambition for a robust recruitment process should be such that it does not turn out to be a very costly affair. 

8. Screening and reviewing resumes 

• Resume screening is a very important step toward hiring the right candidate.
• Resumes are screened by keeping various aspects in mind.
• In order to serve the purpose of recruitment the recruiter must screen the resumes based on the eligibility criterion of the open position.
• Apart from the eligibility criterion we also look for aspects like the CV format, it’s flow, achievements in the previous organization, initiatives taken, Linkedin profile, etc.
• We try to avoid CVs with improper flow of information, switching jobs frequently, with no achievements, etc.

9. Interviews and Selection

• All the interviews are conducted as per the steps created in the selection stages.
• All candidates who have been shortlisted as per person specification and job description criterion are being called for an interview.
• The screening round interview is carried out by the recruiter and technical round is conducted by hiring manager and final round by the Founder or the CTO.
• Different selection methods are used before hiring a candidate. These selection methods must be able to assess the candidate rightly in terms of skills sets, behavioural aspect as mentioned in the person specification. This will remove any biases in an interview process.
• The notes with important points of the interview must be taken by the interview panel, these notes can be referred back while making a decision regarding the most suitable candidate. All the notes prepared during the interview process must be shared with the HR department.
• For a senior level position, the interview panel should fill in the form given by the HR team.
• Candidate feedback is shared with the recruitment consultants when candidates are lined up by them. However,the direct and internally hired candidate, the feedback is given by the recruiting manager. These all steps are followed under recruitment and selection procedure.
• The candidate who could not make it to the selection phase must be informed through telephone or written email about the result of the selection process.
• Interview feedback is recorded from each and every candidate who gives the interview.

10. Run background checks 

• The references should be made available by the candidate while filling the application form at the time of interview.
• The questions asked during the reference check are based on the qualities mentioned in the job description and person specification.
• The details should be taken about the current employment. However, the previous company references are also being asked so that the skills and other details can be checked from the previous employer also. 
• In general,references are taken at the time of interview and there must be 4 references which are provided by the candidate out of which 2 references must be from the current employer only.
• All the references must be called or contacted with the candidate’s consent and their details must be kept confidential.

11. Making an official offer

• Generally after the selection of the final candidate a verbal is made to the candidate by the HR department. Initially, in the verbal offer salary, date of joining and other related aspects are discussed with the candidate.
• The offer made to the candidate has the proposed salary under the fixed slab of salary for that grade.
• After the settlement of a verbal offer, the written offer is prepared by the HR department considering the service standard. Before making the written offer it is mandatory to carry out the complete reference check of the employee.
• In case of very senior management position, the offer is made by HR head and Director of the company

12. Onboarding

• The last stage of the recruitment process is the onboarding programme.
• After the initial written offer is made to the new candidate and is accepted by the candidate after signing the offer letter copy, the joining date for the candidate is confirmed. 
• After confirmation of the joining date, HR prepares the onboarding programme for the new candidate.
• Onboarding programme details to be followed in the next presentation.