How long should job application data be retained under the GDPR?
A recruitment process can quickly result in a pile of personal data: CVs, cover letters, notes, test results and sometimes even copies of qualifications. HR teams often wish to retain this information to support the process or to get in touch again at a later date. The GDPR sets clear limits on this, and in practice these limits are often stricter than many organisations realise.
What do you include in a 90-day development plan for a new employee?
A new employee may well “fit in” perfectly during their first few weeks, yet still not have a solid foundation after three months. In that case, you may have carried out onboarding, but you haven’t provided any guidance on development, expectations and measurable output. A 90-day development plan provides clarity for that initial period: what does someone need to learn, deliver and align in order to independently add value […]
Which interview questions about safety awareness work best?
You often only realise it when things go wrong: an employee who does something “just quickly”, a colleague who fails to intervene, or a near-miss that ends well by the skin of their teeth. In blue-collar roles, safety awareness isn’t just a nice-to-have but a prerequisite for being able to do the job properly in the first place. What do we mean by safety awareness in the workplace? Safety awareness is […]
How can you prevent bias when several interviewers are involved in the decision-making process?
You know that moment after a panel interview: everyone has noticed “something”, but opinions differ. One interviewer is enthusiastic about the candidate’s energy, whilst another fixates on a single less-than-convincing answer. If you then try to persuade others straight away during the debrief, bias is actually more likely to arise: the loudest voice wins, the first […]
How can you measure the quality of your applicant pool?
You can fill a vacancy with applications within a week and yet still be searching weeks later. In that case, there’s something wrong with how you’re measuring things. “Lots of applications” doesn’t mean much if you don’t know how many of them are actually a good fit for your role, your team or your sales team. Measuring the quality of the applicant pool is therefore not about […]
What are the main causes of drop-off in the candidate journey?
You’ve just managed to get a candidate excited: there’s interest, you’re in touch, perhaps even an initial interview has taken place. And then everything goes quiet. No reply on WhatsApp, no confirmation of an appointment, or suddenly a cancellation without a new date. Drop-offs in the candidate journey often feel like “bad luck”, but in practice there’s […]
How can you explain the application process in your job advertisement?
You often only realise it when things go wrong: your job advert attracts applications, your initial interviews go well, and yet the candidate suddenly “disappears”. Not because the role isn’t the right fit, but because the process feels too long or is unclear. If you make speed and structure clear right from the job advertisement, you’ll reduce any doubts […]
How can you carry out a target audience analysis for blue-collar vacancies?
You have a blue-collar vacancy, you post it online, and the responses are either too few or unsuitable. In many teams, the first instinct is then to tinker with the job description, the salary or the recruitment channel. A target audience analysis gives you a better starting point: you clearly identify who you’re looking for, where those people […]
What does data-driven recruitment look like in practice?
You often see it happen: there’s a shortage of candidates, the vacancy is live, applications are coming in, and yet the outcome remains unpredictable. One month you have lots of applicants but few suitable candidates; the next month, hardly any at all. Data-driven recruitment aims to reduce this unpredictability by basing recruitment and selection on measurable indicators rather than on assumptions.
What labour market data can you use without expensive tools?
You don’t need to buy licences costing thousands of euros to recruit more effectively. A great deal of information about supply, demand and competition in the labour market is simply publicly available. The difference lies not in access, but in knowing which data source to use and how to make practical decisions based on it. Why publicly available labour market data is often enough […]