This is an example of a typical process that should be followed once you have established that you a vacancy to be filled.

1. Vacancy. New or replacement.
2. Job description. Create full job description, including objective, role, responsibilities, reporting line, salary & full benefits package.
3. Define the criteria for candidates to be benchmarked against for the role. Establish what good candidates will look like.
4. Creative Advert. Using the job description, write compelling and creative advert copy. Make sure it is compliant with all current employment legislation. DO NOT USE JOB DESCRIPTION AS ADVERT!
5. Set a deadline for applicants response.
6. Schedule diary time with line management for candidate selection, interview days (first and second) - this enables control from the outset.
7. Post Advert on your career site / corporate website.
8. Use your referral scheme to distribute the vacancy - either online, hard copy (even posters in the canteen).
9. Select suitable online job board for your role. Take some advice on this to make sure you get it right.
10. Place advert, making sure they job board helps you with maximising the keywords, locations etc on the add itself.
11. Make sure that the traffic is directed to your career site (if you are using one) or to an experienced person’s email address if not. Encourage email contact first to maximise response measurement.
12. Set up an auto response mechanism informing candidates of expected timelines and process.
13. Collate all the applications from all sources (if outside career site).
14. Using your criteria established in stage 3, produce a shortlist of candidates for the role (usually between 4-8 candidates).
15. Send rejection email/letter to all 100% wrong candidates. REMEMBER THIS LETTER REPRESENTS YOUR EMPLOYMENT BRAND, even though it is a rejection letter.
16. Send a rejection letter to the rest of the unsuccessful candidates. Ask them if they want to remain interested for any future job opportunities. This is the start of your talent pool. Remove any candidates that object.
17. Inform the successful candidates both by phone and email / letter of the interview date, the type of interview and who will be conducting it.
18. Agree format of the interview with line management, with a series of set questions you will be asking all the candidates based on the original criteria in stage 3.
19. REMEMBER, you need to be selling both the opportunity and your company to the candidates - BE PREPARED.
20. When the candidates arrive for the interview, meet them personally. DON’T get one of your staff to do it. That first impression of the candidate is very important.

From this point further the interview process kicks in. So as you can see, what would appear as simple process - advertising a job - can be quite complex if carried out correctly.