Recruitment – He huarahi whiringa

Recruitment – He huarahi whiringa

Successful recruiting is vital to our growth and success. It involves some of the most important and high-risk decisions managers make, so don’t take it lightly. Put the time and effort into making sure you do an excellent job. We want passionate, forward thinking, resilient, team players, who share our values and commitment to being the best we can be. Use these processes and tools to hire the right people efficiently but don’t compromise on the quality of people you bring into our team. A bad hire can damage team performance and our hard won reputation.

Different categories of employees

The nature of our work means we use a variety of employment categories such as; permanent employees, fixed term employees, full-time, part-time and casual on call employees. It is important that you understand the differences and legal implications when hiring.

Sourcing, selection and internal recruitment

It’s important we get both sourcing and selection right.

Sourcing

Sourcing is about casting a wide net and using the most effective channels to build a talent pipeline and an attractive employment brand in the market. Depending on the type and level of job, we use local print media, TradeMe, Seek, industry specific websites, Local Government Online, Listserv and social media sources such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Selection

We must consider both current and future business needs. Your approach to selection must be rigorous, objective and professional. You play a key role in creating the culture for supporting and nurturing biculturalism and te reo Māori within your team. We value staff who speak te reo Māori and see this as an important asset to the organisation, in particular for staff who engage regularly with the public.  It’s also important, for our reputation and the dignity of our applicants that you deal promptly and respectfully with those who express interest in joining us.

Internal recruitment

Internal recruitment takes into consideration our existing talent pool – you may not need to advertise externally. By recruiting internally, we are able to offer career development opportunities to current employees and fill vacancies with individuals who are familiar both to, and with, our organisation.  We advertise all vacancies internally.

Your specific responsibilities include:
  • Considering alternatives to hiring e.g. reallocation of responsibilities
  • Discussing the intended recruitment with your manager/executive team member while preparing your staff requisition form in PeopleStreme and reviewing job descriptions
  • Gaining the required approval to recruit (see below), including agreement on the sourcing strategy.
  • Approving advertisements
  • Reviewing online applications (in PeopleStreme) and create shortlists.
  • Organising interviews (i.e. venue, interview questions, panel attendance)
  • Leading the interview process.
  • Completing reference checks.
  • Ensuring the right terms and conditions are offered.
  • Making verbal offers.
  • Informing unsuccessful interviewees.
  • Approving letters of offer and employment agreements (Organisational Development & Capability prepare these).
  • Ensuring all candidates are treated with care and respect
  • Ensuring a positive and thorough on-boarding process.

Support from Organisational Development and Capability

Your Organisational Development and Capability team can advise and guide you through the process and assist in each area of your responsibility. Involve them from the start.

Organisational Development and Capability support includes:
  • Suggesting alternatives to recruitment.
  • Advice on job descriptions, terms and conditions, remuneration and sourcing strategy.
  • Creating advertisements and advertising the vacancy.
  • Advising candidates who have not been shortlisted for interview.
  • Participation in interviews.
  • Pre-employment checks e.g. criminal record, credit checks, drug & alcohol etc.
  • Drafting employment agreements and letters of offer.

Who can approve hiring and remuneration levels?

You must have the following approvals to hire:
  1. Budgeted, planned or funded positions: (such as permanent, full-time/part-time, fixed term, casual) your line manager, in consultation with the Organisational Development & Capability manager must approve the hire.
  2. Unbudgeted, unplanned or unfunded positions: (including permanent, part-time, fixed term, casual ) a business case will be required to be approved by your manager and Group Manager.
  3. Hiring of family members: requires the approval of your Group Manager and the Organisational Development & Capability manager.
  4. Rehiring of former team members.  Organisational Development & Capability must review the circumstances of their leaving before any offer is made.

The recruitment process

For a detailed step-by-step explanation of our recruitment process, follow the flowchart opposite. Each step is explained in detail, with links to the documents and tools you need. Alternatively, if you know the process well, the guidelines, tips and documents you need at each step are listed below.

Kia Hapai / PeopleStreme – eRecruitment System

This is our online eRecruitment/candidate management system and is an integrated product suite/portal that streamlines and automates the recruitment process.

Process StepGuidelines and Documents
Step 1: Plan recruitment, gain approval to recruit. TIP: Consider whether you can reorganise and avoid replacement.
Step 2: Advertise. TIP: have you fully considered an internal appointment? Tips for writing great ads
Step 3: Receive applications, shortlist, decline unsuccessful applicants. TIP: be courteous and advise non-shortlisted candidates eRecruitment System - our online Recruitment Service/Candidate Management System. To access this, scroll down StaffNet and select the PeopleStreme tile on the menu.Tips for shortlisting
Step 4: Organise interviews, prepare questions. TIP: be well prepared!Tips for organising and conducting interviews Interview questions Human Rights Act (what can and can’t I ask?)
Step 5: Interview and select preferred candidates. TIPs: 1. We value speakers of te reo Maori ; and 2. hire for attitude - we believe that ‘attitude is 70% of success-skill only 30%’. Tips for making selection
Step 6: Pre-employment checks. TIP: reference checks are vital. Do them yourself Reference check form Tips for reference checkingPolice Vetting and Consent FormDrug and alcohol – pre-employment testingPrivacy Act (how does right to privacy affect recruitment?)
Step 7: Second interview. TIP: second interviews are invaluable opportunities to avoid a mistake and get others within your team involved Tips for second interview
Step 8: Final decision to appoint. TIP: ‘better an empty chair than a bad hire’. Tips for selection
Step 9: Verbal offer, negotiation. TIP: do this yourself it’s an invaluable chance to set expectations and begin a strong relationship Tips for verbal offer and Negotiation
Step 10: Organise employment documentation. TIP: you need to approve letters of offer, employment agreements etc.
Step 11: Advise unsuccessful candidates. TIP: it’s your job to call unsuccessful interviewees, Organisational Development and Capability will follow-up with an acknowledgement letter via email.Tips for talking to unsuccessful candidates
Step 12: Signed acceptance received. TIP: follow-up that documents are returned, signed and complete BEFORE they start
Step 13: Plan induction/onboarding process.Onboarding planning

Impact of legislation

The Local Government Act, Employment Relations Act, Human Rights Act and Privacy Act influence our recruitment. The Human Rights Act limits questions we can ask, the basis on which we can choose between candidates and the Privacy Act limits our rights to obtain keep and use personal information etc. Make sure you are familiar with the impact of legislation on recruitment or ask a member of the Organisational Development and Capability team.