Three simple steps to open recruitment

A step by step guide for businesses who want to recruit openly.

Older man working at a desk in Oxfordshire

How to recruit openly

The following guide is from HM Government's 'See Potential' campaign and will guide you through the steps of becoming an inclusive recruiter.

Make the decision to change

The first step is to focus on the business case for developing more open recruitment practices, and to make a collective decision, as a senior management team, to tap into the widest possible talent pool.

  • Assess your existing recruitment policy.

  • Identify your business objectives.

  • Consider inclusive policies, partnerships and initiatives that will work for your business.

  • Gain internal buy-in from senior managers.

  • Select your target group(s).

  • Agree your success measures.

Adapt your recruitment practices

Once you’ve committed to open recruitment and secured internal buy-in from senior management, it’s time to make real alterations to your recruitment practices.

  • Select and approach partner organisations to advise and guide you.

  • Amend your standard recruitment processes and checks.

  • Set up a mentoring programme for disadvantaged recruits.

  • Consider appointing a project leader to ensure changes are implemented at every level.

Evaluate outcomes and share best practice

Having implemented an open recruitment policy and made strides towards appointing more candidates from disadvantaged groups, you could set a time frame for evaluating how it’s working. And make sure you don’t miss an opportunity to tell people about what you’re doing.

  • Measure business and social benefit using quantitative and qualitative data.

  • Put your diversity initiative at the heart of your communications strategy

  • Share best practice with your industry and other networks.

related actions