Pre-recruitment Checklist

Recruiting the right talent is crucial for the success of any organisation. As anyone with experience in recruitment can attest, both the best and worst hires can have a significant financial impact on a business. Mapping out a plan for hiring is the key to ensuring successful outcomes, without incurring unnecessary costs and delays. Having a recruitment guide at hand allows you to be methodical and uncover potential issues before major decisions are made.

Before you even approach a recruiter or consider advertising a role, there are several important factors to consider. Here’s a comprehensive checklist to ensure you are fully prepared.

1.    Define the Purpose and Requirements of the Role

Before you begin the recruitment process, it is important to have a clear understanding of what the position will contribute to the business and what is required for success in the role.

Assess the Need – Why do you need to fill this position? Is it a replacement, or is it a newly created role to support business growth? Will it meet an ongoing or a temporary need? Your aim is to confirm the new role aligns with the broader business strategy and goals.

Responsibilities – Review and update the job description. Are there responsibilities that should be added or removed based on current business needs? Is the description clear about the role’s scope and KPIs?

Role Evolution – Consider if the role has evolved since it was last filled. Are there new skills or qualifications required?

2.  Establish Co-ordination Between HR and Hiring Managers

We always suggest that HR and hiring managers set aside time for a thorough meeting to discuss the role’s requirements and expectations. Coordination between HR and the hiring manager helps to avoid misunderstandings and ensures recruitment is done in partnership, and in line with any company policies and procedures.

This meeting should cover key aspects of the job, such as specific responsibilities, required skills, qualifications, and the ideal candidate profile. By confirming both parties are on the same page, you can create a clear and detailed job description that accurately reflects what the company is looking for.

This is also an opportunity for HR to confirm whether the hiring manager is open to meeting with external recruiters, particularly when external expertise is needed for a confidential, senior or highly specialised position.

3.  Gain Approval from Stakeholders

Now that you have a complete picture of the role, the next step is a crucial one – securing the necessary approvals for making the hire.

This is an aspect of the recruitment process that can create difficulties further down the track if not handled carefully before advertising a role. If correct sign-offs aren’t in place, it can often have embarrassing consequences for the business.

Most roles require the following steps to achieve role sign-off and the get the recruitment process underway:

Stakeholder Approval – Obtain formal approval from all your relevant internal stakeholders, such as department heads, finance directors, and senior management. This step ensures your decision to hire is supported at all levels of the organisation. It also provides stakeholders with opportunities to clarify aspects of the job description.

Documentation – Ensure that the approval is documented and communicated clearly. Depending on your company policies, this may involve submitting a formal request or business case outlining the need for the role.

4.  Confirm the Hiring Budget

Gaining approval for a role goes hand in hand with confirming financial resources are available for the new hire. Here are the steps to follow:

Salary Benchmarking – Conduct salary benchmarking to determine the competitive salary range or pay rate for the role. This involves researching industry standards for pay in the UK and at regional level, and considering the qualifications and experience the role requires.

Engaging a trusted recruitment agency will give you access to the most current and accurate market data on salaries. Here at CMA Recruitment Group, we publish annual salary reports based on comprehensive surveys of UK accounting and finance professionals, firms, executives and HR specialists – you can access them here.

During the benchmarking process, remember to account for the total compensation for the role, including:

• The base (fixed) annual salary for the position.
• Employer contributions to the employee’s pension plan.
• Any performance-related bonuses or incentives.
• National Insurance
• Additional benefits such as relocation expenses, company car or travel allowances, memberships, and training allowances.

Allocate a Budget for Recruitment-Related Expenses – Allocating a budget for recruitment-related expenses is another crucial step in the hiring process, ensuring all potential costs are accounted for and managed effectively. Depending on the type of role, you might itemise expenses such as job advertising and background checks. If you’re engaging an external recruiter, you will need to account for agency fees, which will usually have the costs of job ads and screening candidates already included.

Approval of Financials – With a hiring budget worked out, the next essential step is to confirm your leadership and finance teams have approved the budget for the role. This includes verifying that funds are available and that the total compensation package fits within the company’s overall budget.

5.  Consider Temporary or Interim Staffing Solutions

Finding the right permanent hire can take time and business needs cannot always wait. At this stage, you may consider whether hiring a temporary employee might be necessary for your business requirements. As the recruitment process gets underway, a temp can maintain business continuity and prevent overburdening current staff while you search for a permanent head.

Hiring time typically increases for larger businesses (250-999 employees), and taking up to 5 weeks for larger businesses.

In other cases, you might determine that hiring a contractor might be cheaper than a permanent employee after outlining the costings of a new hire.

CMA Recruitment Group offers comprehensive temporary and interim staffing solutions to help your organisation minimise disruptions to productivity. Our extensive pool of qualified accounting, finance and HR professionals ensures we can quickly provide you with skilled individuals to fill gaps and keep your operations running smoothly.

Additionally, we can assist in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of hiring a contractor versus a permanent employee, helping you determine the most financially viable option for your business needs.

6.  Review Internal Candidates

Before looking outside the organisation, it’s good practice to conduct an internal talent search to assess if there are any current employees who could be promoted or transferred to fulfil the role.

This approach offers several advantages. Firstly, you will save time and resources associated with external recruitment, including the length of time it may take to fill a role.

Another significant benefit is that internal candidates are already familiar with your company culture, processes, and systems – leading to a smoother transition and shorter onboarding period. Promoting current employees also demonstrates the hard work and potential of your team members are recognised – a vital factor in building a positive workplace culture.

7.   Decide On a Recruitment Strategy

The type of role, its seniority level and the availability of the skill sets required are all factors that will determine how you search for a candidate.

Internal or External? –  First, decide whether the recruitment will be managed internally or if external recruiters will be involved. Managing recruitment in-house is viable if your HR or Talent Acquisition team has the capacity and expertise to handle the process efficiently. However, external recruiters bring specialised knowledge and a broader network of candidates, and can save time by managing the more time-consuming aspects of recruitment, such as initial screenings and interviews.

Headhunting/Executive Search – When it comes to senior or highly specialised roles, executive search methods such as headhunting are often more effective than traditional job advertising. Headhunting involves actively searching for and approaching specific individuals who are currently employed and not visible through common recruitment channels.

Confidentiality – If the role is sensitive or confidential, you’ll need to plan how to manage the recruitment process discreetly. The more senior the role, the more likely you will need to follow confidentiality protocols. Confidential roles might also include positions related to restructuring, replacing a senior position, or strategic initiatives that should not be publicly disclosed until the right time.

In such cases, working with a trusted executive search partner who can handle the process with discretion and professionalism is crucial. CMA Executive supports hundreds of UK organisations by placing key people into critical positions and senior appointments. We work meticulously to identify talent for leadership roles, whilst maintaining confidentiality throughout the process, protecting both your company’s interests and the integrity of the search.

8.  Align Hiring with Diversity and Inclusion Principles

When executing a recruitment plan, inclusive hiring practices ensure the company is fielding candidates in line with its diversity and inclusion policies and goals.

In job descriptions and adverts, it’s important to use gender-neutral language and neutral job titles, whilst avoiding gender-specific phrasing. Emphasise core competencies required for the role rather than a long list of “nice-to-have” qualifications, which can deter diverse candidates. And, clearly state your organisation’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the job description.

When screening CVs, it’s best practice to remove names, ages, genders, and other personal details from applications to reduce unconscious bias. Only evaluate candidates based on their skills, qualifications and experience relevant to the role.

Standardise the interview process with structured interviews – use the same set of questions for all candidates to ensure comparison is made fairly. Using a consistent scoring system to assess candidates on each response can also support objectivity.

At CMA Recruitment Group, we take diversity and inclusion principles seriously for both our clients and our own teams. We frequently assist employers with structuring hiring processes and candidate screening to align with diversity and inclusion best practices – find out more by getting in touch with us.

Access Genuine Accounting, Finance and HR Recruitment Expertise

By carefully actioning each of these steps, you can streamline your recruitment process and increase the likelihood of finding the right candidate. A well-prepared approach not only saves time and resources but also positions your firm as an attractive place to work for top talent.

Recruitment is about people, and so are we. Whether you need to find accountants, finance experts, or HR professionals, we are here to help you find the right person for your team by navigating the recruitment journey together. For more information on how CMA Recruitment Group can provide advice, support and guidance, contact us today.