6 Stages of Recruitment Life Cycle : A Detailed Guide

Khyati Sagar

Senior Writer

6 Stages of Recruitment Life Cycle : A Detailed Guide

Having the right people in your team can make or break your organization. That’s why finding and hiring top talent is crucial. However, with the continually evolving hiring landscapes, recruiting the right set of people without using tools and technologies is challenging. That’s where recruiting software comes into the picture.

In this detailed guide, we will discuss everything about full cycle recruiting – covering its definition, stages of recruitment life cycle, benefits, and more.

We are certain that this information will help you make informed decisions and choose the best recruiting software. So let’s get started.

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Pro-tip

When selecting recruiting software, prioritize platforms that offer customizable workflows, seamless integration with existing systems, and robust analytics capabilities. Additionally, opt for solutions that prioritize user experience and provide excellent customer support to ensure a smooth transition and optimal utilization of the software's features.

What is the Recruitment Life Cycle?

A full-cycle recruiting also referred to as an end-to-end recruitment life cycle or recruitment life cycle is a term used to describe the recruitment process whereby a single recruiter or agency manages the and diversifies entire hiring process from start to finish. 

A recruitment life cycle consists of several stages from posting job descriptions to preselection and eventually onboarding a new employee in the office.

Recruitment software market By SoftwareSuggest

Again, being a full-cycle recruiter requires a diverse range of skills. Instead of focusing on a single aspect of the recruitment process, they need to handle all the tasks in the recruitment funnel. Some of these skills and traits include: 

  • Being organized and multi-tasker
  • Having efficient communication skills
  • Being tech-savvy to be able to use various recruitment tools such as talent management software or HR software, etc.

Pros and Cons of Full Cycle Recruiting Process

Let us look at how implementing a full-cycle recruitment process can help an organization. 

Pros of Full Cycle Recruiting Process

It’s safe to say that having the same person in charge of the entire recruiting process limits the chances of unnecessary delays and creates a great candidate experience. 

1. Decreased Time-to-hire

Time-to-hire measures the number of days that passed since a candidate entered your pipeline until the day you hire a new employee. When a single recruiter is involved, it can drastically reduce the time-to-hire as the entire process is streamlined. 

A time-to-hire of two weeks is considered an optimal time range. Top candidates stay available for only 10 days before they disappear and go to another company. It vastly affects candidate experience and shows how efficient your recruitment process is. 

2. Accountability

When many people are involved in the hiring process, it can be challenging to hold someone accountable for any specific tasks performed. Even though recruitment metrics and other expectations are clearly defined, it can be difficult to keep track of every activity.

98%

of fortune 500 companies use a recruitment software.

But in the case of the full cycle recruiting process, it becomes easy. Since only one person is involved, they can easily set up key performance indicators and keep track of the same. 

3. Candidate Experience

It’s crucial to have a single touchpoint throughout the entire hr recruitment cycle for enhancing the candidate experience. Instead of speaking to various employers simultaneously, they can just reach out to a single person for all their concerns. 

They will know who will be guiding them through each stage of the recruitment process. 

Besides, it gives a great opportunity for the recruiter to build a good relationship with the candidate.

Cons of Full Cycle Recruiting Process

There are a few downsides to the hr recruitment cycle process as well. Let us have a look. 

1. Requires a Diverse Set of Skills

You would see large organizations often hire different people for different stages of the recruitment process. In other words, they have a full recruitment team responsible for various tasks, such as hiring manager, talent acquisition specialist, and a recruitment assistant, amongst others. 

Every stage of recruitment requires a specific set of skills and knowledge. For instance, sourcing a candidate is completely different from providing an excellent onboarding experience to the new candidate. 

Finding a recruiter who has mastered the skills of every stage can be another challenge for the company. 

2. Not Suitable for Every Organization

When only one person is involved in the full cycle recruitment process, it’s evident that they can handle only a certain number of candidates. 

If they are to handle more candidates than they could, it will affect the time-to-hire and candidate experience. That being said, a full-cycle recruitment process can only be effective for small organizations or for companies that have highly specialized roles.

6 Stages of Recruitment Life Cycle

Here are the 6 stages of recruitment involved in a full life cycle recruiting.

Stage 1 – Preparation

The foremost step for the recruiter is to understand the hiring manager’s expectations for the opening role. 

The recruiter needs to conduct a meeting with the hiring manager and note the desired skills, personality traits, educational background, and experience for the open role. After the session, the recruiter needs to create an ideal candidate persona. 

One tip would be to gather as much information from the hiring manager. You can then use an efficient job description tool to write the ideal job description with the right keyword and detailed information. It will help attract a large pool of applicants for the position. 

Stage 2 – Sourcing

Once you have the job description ready, the next step is to source candidates. 

The recruitment strategy should include finding both active and passive candidates suitable for the role. You can source active candidates by posting jobs on various job boards, career websites, social media recruiting channels, and more. 

You can use applications like applicant tracking systems (ATS) or talent management systems to run a keyword search and find suitable candidates in previously created talent pools. 

Even during the sourcing phase, the recruiter stays in constant touch with the hiring manager to update them about the ongoing situation.

Stage 3 – Screening

At this stage, the recruiter reviews all the applicants for the role and shortlists the most suitable one. 

With an ATS solution, you can quickly scan all the received resumes using keywords and filter out the less qualified candidates. The shortlisted candidate is moved to the next procedure of a face-to-face interview. It helps to align expectations between the candidate and the employer.

Stage 4 – Selecting

During the candidate selection process of full-cycle recruiting, the recruiter further conducts various skills assessment tests. Some of these include writing assignments, psychometric tests, and more. It involves making a decision about which candidate is right for the open position. 

Once a candidate is chosen, the next thing to do is run a background check. After which, an offer is extended to the selected candidate. 

Stage 5 – Hiring

The recruiter reaches out to the candidate and offers a letter of employment. This offer letter clearly defines the roles, benefits, and other important terms and conditions of employment. 

Recruiters work with the hiring manager to effectively negotiate the terms of the offer. Once the candidate agrees and signs the offer letter, the next thing to work on is their onboarding preparation.

86%

of recruiting professionals say that using a recruitment software has helped them hire faster.

Stage 6 – Onboarding

Even after the candidate signs the contract, the recruiter still has got work to do. The recruiter is responsible for onboarding the new candidate and making it a great experience for the new employee. 

The onboarding process generally involves:

  • Completing all necessary paperwork;
  • Equipping the candidate with the tools and information;
  • Familiarizing them with the company’s various policies. 

Recruiters can use employee onboarding software to send documents to sign and collect all documents and forms online. A great onboarding process marks the successful completion of the full-cycle recruitment process. 

Conclusion

Choosing the right recruiting software can significantly enhance your hiring processes and streamline recruitment efforts. However, with the variety of options available, it’s essential to assess your specific needs and consider factors like scalability, user-friendliness, and integration capabilities. Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, investing in the right recruiting software can significantly impact your recruitment success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Full life cycle recruiting is utilized by organizations aiming to handle the entire hiring process internally, from sourcing candidates to onboarding.

The duration of a recruiting cycle varies based on factors like industry, job level, and company size, typically ranging from a few weeks to several months.

Improving the full recruitment cycle strategy involves optimizing each stage. For example, it includes attracting candidates through effective job postings to enhancing candidate experience during interviews.

Khyati Sagar
About the author

Khyati Sagar is a seasoned HR and payroll expert with over a decade of experience in the field. She has worked with businesses of all sizes, from small startups to large corporations, helping them optimize their HR and payroll processes. As a passionate advocate for technology-driven solutions, she is always on the lookout for the latest advancements in HR and payroll software. When she’s not working, you can find her hiking or playing basketball with her friends and family.

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