A small business hiring process for a team without a recruiter

Name an owner and a review window

Choose who sends invitations, who reviews responses and who tells candidates what happened. One person can hold several responsibilities, but each needs a name.

Reserve review time before publishing the vacancy. A realistic weekly slot is more useful than an intention to look at applications whenever things calm down. Tell applicants when to expect an update.

Write the first-month work before writing the advert

List the work the new hire should be able to do and what support they will receive. Separate what must be present on day one from what can be learned.

Use that list to choose interview criteria. If the role mainly involves written customer support, include a short reply exercise. If it involves explaining a product on calls, ask for a relevant spoken explanation. Avoid adding camera questions just because the tool permits them.

Keep the first screen small

Pick the few questions that determine whether a live conversation would be useful. Give every candidate enough context to answer them. Try the exercise yourself, including reading, preparation and uploads, before publishing a time estimate.

Offer a reply route for questions and access needs. A candidate who needs another format still needs a fair way to demonstrate the same relevant skills.

Use the same review sheet for everyone in the round

• Record the evidence from the answer.
• Rate it against a description agreed before reviewing applicants.
• Note anything the next interview needs to explore.
• Assign the next action and the person responsible for it.

When another colleague joins the decision, ask them to review before reading everyone else’s conclusions. Discuss differences by returning to the response and the role criteria.

Use the live interview to fill gaps and answer questions

Prepare from the screening answers. Ask about a decision the applicant mentioned or a gap in a work sample. Explain the working arrangement and leave room for their questions.

A hiring decision needs more than a number from a screening tool. Keep an accountable person in charge of the decision and use further checks appropriate to the role.

Improve the next round from a few concrete observations

Record time spent reviewing, where candidates left the process and which questions helped your decision. Include time spent coordinating reviewers and helping applicants.

Hirevly can hold the questions, candidate responses, ratings and notes for an asynchronous screen. Start with one real vacancy and review the results before using it for every role.