National Staff Hiring Process Overview

Our beneficiaries deserve the highest quality response possible. That means having the most highly qualified people we can find in each position.

Below we list the steps of the standard hiring process. There are 17.  We’ve tried to list everything so you’ll have the complete set of information – because whenever remotely possible you should follow the complete process.

However, in an emergency response, you’ll want to shorten or skip some steps.  So for each step we have written the principle at the top of the page.  Where you can’t follow every step of the procedure, make sure to honor the principle.

This process is designed to do two things:

    1. To help you discover the best possible candidate for each job.
    2. To enable us to conduct and document a transparent hiring process.

This second purpose is important because we are often hiring in areas where a) jobs are scarce and b) there is conflict between different groups within the community. If we are challenged by our own staff or others about our hiring practices, we should be able to show that we have been as scientific as possible about our decisions. Good documentation can help us protect our reputation.

Each of the list items below is linked to a page that discusses the step in more detail (giving examples and templates when appropriate).

Hiring Process Steps

    1. Develop the Job Description.
    2. Obtain Approval of Personnel Requisition (can be done simultaneous with 3 & 4 below).
    3. Create Recruitment File for the position
    4. Establish group of approximately 3 people who will be involved in interviews and hiring decision.
    5. Establish and rank criteria for selection of candidate (with committee from step 4 above).
    6. Design the Job Announcement
    7. Announce the Position
    8. Receive CVs
    9. Short List CVs
    10. Test Candidates
    11. Interview Candidates who scored above a certain level on the test
    12. Make a Decision
    13. Check References of top two or three candidates
    14. Do a Security Check
    15. Work with HR to Determine Offer Details
    16. Get Approval on offer and candidate
    17. Make the Offer, Negotiate, & Sign the Contract