Recruiting Young People : A Best Practice Guide to Alternative Recruitment Methods

RECRUITING YOUNG PEOPLE: A BEST PRACTICE GUIDE FOR ALTERNATIVE RECRUITMENT METHODS SAMPLE DOCUMENTS

For the electronic version please go to www.neweconomymanchester.com/stories/1844-recruitment

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RUNNING A SUSCCESFULOPEN DAY ....... ...........................................2

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GROUP DISCUSSION EXAMPLES ..........................................................3

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SIMPLE APPLICATION LETTER .............................................................6

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INVITATION LETTER .............................................................................11

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LETTER OF REGRET .............................................................................12

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FEEDBACK LETTER ..............................................................................13

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How to Run a Successful Assessment Day As a general rule, attendance will be approximately two thirds of the people invited so if you wish to hold an open day for 10 people, invite fifteen.

Start with an introduction to your company and ask employees in to talk about the role you’re looking to fill.

Split people into groups to do a group exercise (see examples) and/or assisted completion of vacancy application form Break for lunch/coffee Discuss observations with colleagues on the applicants If there are candidates that you know are not suitable at this point, you may at this point want to ask them to leave The afternoon could be used to conduct 1-1 capability based interviews with remaining applicants or more practical exercises e.g. keyboard and computer skills test, in tray exercise, Discuss results with your colleagues and make your selection.

Depending on the numbers you could either ask people to stay for the result or contact them via the phone or in writing the next day.

It’s good practice to give feedback to unsuccessful applicants to help them with any future applications. (see ‘Open Day Feedback Letter) It’s important that you have colleagues at all times, especially over breaks interacting with applicants as it as at their most relaxed that you will see the best of them.

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the capabilities format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

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Group Discussion Some people think television is a bad thing, whereas others think it can be a good thing.

Please discuss this and come up with 4 reasons for television, and 4 reasons against.

You can make any notes on the paper provided.

You have 15 minutes to discuss, 5 minutes to decide on your arguments, and 5 minutes to feed back to us.

You can feedback any way you wish.

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the capabilities format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

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Group Task Your task is to create a ‘Customer Service Alphabet’.

For example: ‘A’ might be for approachable – because a Customer Service Representative should always display an approachable nature.

Please discuss this in your groups and create your own ‘Customer Service Alphabet’.

You can make any notes on the paper provided.

You have 15 minutes to discuss, 5 minutes to decide on the presentation of your alphabet, and 5 minutes to feed back to us.

You can feedback any way you wish.

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the capabilities format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

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Group Task Score Sheet

Candidates Name Position/Job Role Date Capability

Notes

Score

Communication Making Connections Creative Problem Solving Thoughtful Decision Making Proactive

0 Poor 1 Good 2 Excellent

TOTAL

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the alternative route of holding an Open Day and how this format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

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Vacancy Application Form 

Please write clearly.



All information will be treated in confidence and will be used by employers to assess your suitability for the job.



Failure to complete this application form correctly and in full may lead to your application not being processed further.

The Vacancy Name of the company ________________________________________ Job applied for ________________________________________ Job reference number ________________________________________

About Yourself Surname________________________________________(Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms) Forename/s___________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________ ____________________Postcode _________________ Country of Birth ____________________________________________ Home/Mobile telephone number ____________________________________________ Business telephone number (if any) _________________________________________ Email Address _________________________________________ National Insurance number ____________________________________________ Do you hold a current driving licence?

Yes

No

Are you a car owner or do you have use of a car?

Yes

No

If you have a disability which requires reasonable adjustments at the selection interview, or which needs to be taken into account when considering your application please let us know.

Reasonable adjustments would include sign language interpreters, altering the time of the interview or making the interview room accessible for you.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the capabilities format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

Page |7

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Your Qualifications Type of Exam (GCSE, A Level etc.)

Date Taken

Subject

Grade

Verification of qualifications may be sought by the employer.

Other information (For example any relevant experience or training courses you have attended etc.) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the capabilities format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

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Hobbies and Interests (Please give details) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Character References Provide below the name, address and occupation of two responsible persons who know you well in private life and who are willing to answer questions about your character.

Name _______________________________________

Name _______________________________________

Address _______________________________________

Address _______________________________________

______________________________________

______________________________________

Postcode _______________________________________

Postcode _______________________________________

Occupation _______________________________________

Occupation _______________________________________

Tel. No______________________________________

Tel. No______________________________________

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the capabilities format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

Page |9

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Employment History Provide below details of your full employment history, starting with your present of most recent job.

Name and Address of employer

Date Started

Date Ended

Position Held (Give brief description of duties)

Reason for Leaving

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

*use additional paper if required

Periods of Unemployment Record all periods of Unemployment below.

Start Date

Do you have any objections to contact being made with your present or past employer?

End Date

Yes

No

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the capabilities format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

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Convictions: Unprejudiced consideration will be given to candidates who declare criminal conviction(s). Only offences which are manifestly incompatible with the post in question will result in candidates being excluded from consideration.

Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence (other than those that would be considered spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Order (NI) 1978)?

Yes

No

Please give details ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please note: Spent convictions will have to be declared for some positions (e.g. work involving substantial access to children or vulnerable adults). If you are applying for such work you will be asked to complete an additional vetting form.

Declaration I declare that the information that I have given is correct

Signed ___________________________________Date _______________________

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the capabilities format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

P a g e | 11

Your Tel Your Address [Date] Dear [Name] Re: Vacancy for [position title] Thank you for your application for the above position.

I would be grateful if you could attend an open day: At [Address].

On [Date].

At [Time].

The open day is scheduled to last approximately [insert number of hours] ending at approximately [insert end time] and will take the form of [e.g. A presentation, some group tasks and some individual exercises. You do not need to prepare anything for the open day.

It is very informal and relaxed. You should dress smartly. Will refreshments/lunch be provided?]

Please can you bring along the following documentation to the open day: [state what documents you want the candidate to bring e.g. proof of ID, certificates etc] Please contact [name of contact] on [telephone number] to confirm your attendance. If you have a disability and require any special arrangements to assist you at the interview, please let [me/name of contact] know.

A map showing the location of the venue is included.

[I/We] look forward to meeting you.

Yours sincerely

[Name] [Position / Job Title]

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the alternative route of holding an Open Day and how this format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

P a g e | 12

Your Tel Your Address [Date] Dear [Name] Re: Vacancy for [Position title] Thank you for attending the recent open day on [date of interview] for the position of [position title].

I very much enjoyed meeting you and I thank you for your time and your contribution to the day.

I have now had the opportunity to consider all of the candidates against the criteria we have specified for the job. The decision has been a difficult one, as the overall standard of candidates was high. After careful consideration I regret to inform you that on this occasion we have decided not to progress your application any further.

If you would like feedback from the open day, please don’t hesitate to contact me on the number above.

Thank you for your interest in [company name]. I wish you every success in your future career.

Yours sincerely

[Name] [Position / Job Title]

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the alternative route of holding an Open Day and how this format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157

P a g e | 13

Your Tel Your Address [Date] Dear [Name] Re: Vacancy for [Position title] I am writing in response to your request for feedback after you attended the recent open day on [date of interview] for the position of [position title].

Firstly I would like to thank you for your interest in our organisation and for the time that you took to attend the open day. I would also like to reiterate that the decision has been a difficult one, as the overall standard of candidates was high.

[Start positively - Examples: Delete as appropriate]   

During the course of the day it was obvious that you had prepared thoroughly. I would like to commend you on your [knowledge of the company/obvious interest in this area of work/contribution to the group tasks] I was particularly impressed with your [confidence, ability to interact well with others/ ability to express your views and opinions/thoughtfulness in allowing others to speak] In the group task, you scored very highly in the area of [Capability] and I particularly liked that you displayed a high level of[confidence, self awareness, listening skills, cooperation, planning]

[Lower scoring questions - Examples: Delete as appropriate]   

The capability that you scored lowest on was [capability] I would have liked to hear seen more evidence of [confidence/perseverance/listening skills/planning/decision making/] and a more [proactive/resilient/ flexible/empathetic] approach High scoring candidates [showed their ability to/were more/were able to]

Thank you again for your interest in [company name]. I wish you every success in your future career.

Yours sincerely

[Name] [Position / Job Title]

New Economy Best Practice Guide for Interviewing Young People This Document highlights how the alternative route of holding an Open Day and how this format can bring forth the best attributes of your candidate. For More info please Call 0161 237 4157