Every company has to espouse effective hiring practices in order to attract the most talented and skillful employees. Yet, in order to do it, it is essential that the business designs a proper needs assessment, as well as a sound candidate record management process. The current paper provides a plan for a digital marketing agency which features all vital elements of a proper employment strategy.
Company Description
The company in question is a digital marketing agency which offers a comprehensive set of services for other businesses that wish to improve their presence online and reach their clientele on the Internet. The agency features three basic services, namely, web design, search engine optimization (SEO) management, and pay-per-click (PPC) marketing. Thus, the company is in need of a team of competent professionals who are willing to deliver excellent quality of their work and have experience in managing digital products.
A Needs Assessment
In order to hire specialists in their respective spheres, the company has to create a four-step needs assessment to define the required positions. The first step will involve analyzing the responsibilities of the current employees through interviews with the workers themselves and the HR managers. At times, employees often end up performing tasks which were not included in their original job description. Therefore, interviewing the employees will allow the company to gain an insight into the actual needs of the business.
The next step will involve analyzing job descriptions of similar companies to get an understanding of what requirements other enterprises offer to their candidates. Such an activity will help the company to find possible gaps in terms of the business tasks which have to be addressed. The third step will be based on analyzing the collected information and comparing the existing job descriptions with the words of the employees and the job requirements for similar positions of other businesses. Finally, during the fourth step, the results of the analysis must translate into a new job description which corresponds to the actual business needs.
Job Descriptions
Based on the application of the aforementioned needs assessment, three job descriptions have been created for positions of senior SEO specialist, Web designer, and PPC specialist:
- The senior SEO specialist needs to possess prior experience of working for a digital marketing agency as a content maker and SEO manager. Additionally, the candidate must have leadership skills and an ability to both work in a team and oversee its activities. The responsibilities of the specialist include conducting reviews of clients’ websites, determining the appropriate SEO strategy, and preparing reports on the results of the intervention.
- The Web designer must have appropriate skills in web design and excellent knowledge of the software and programming languages utilized for creating Web pages. The candidate has to understand the limits of web development and possess three years of working in the sphere of web design. The candidate’s responsibilities will include designing Web templates, conducting testing of websites, working with SEO and PPC specialists to implement digital marketing strategies of clients.
- PPC specialist has to be skilled in search engine marketing and have at least one year of prior experience. A PPC specialist also must know how to use HTMP, CSS and understand digital marketing campaigns. The responsibilities of the PPC specialist include creating and executing PPC campaigns, collecting data on the latest PPC trends, and writing engaging texts.
Questions
Candidates for all of the three positions will be asked a series of questions which will help the company to analyze their expertise. These questions will include:
- How long have you been working in the sphere of digital marketing?
- What is your biggest accomplishment in the realm of digital marketing so far?
- What are your main points of expertise in relation to the position you are applying for?
- Why do you want to work for our digital marketing agency?
- What digital platforms and software solutions do you use for performing professional tasks?
- How skilled are you in terms of web development tools and programming languages?
- Please share your most successful digital marketing case or campaign.
- What is the key challenge faced by digital marketing agencies today?
- Why should our company hire you?
Candidate Record Management Process
While the potential candidate needs to demonstrate their expertise during an interview, the company has to guarantee confidentiality to them and protect the individual’s personal data. The company has to keep the information about every applicant even after the interview, as mandated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“Applicant recordkeeping,” 2018).
Thus, it must design a reliable process of creation, retrieval, storage, and distribution of data. During the first stage, the record is created, which will be done through an email sent by the candidate. Since every candidate will send their CV and cover letter in an email, the company must ensure that access to the account is limited to authorized staff. The second stage constitutes retrieving the confidential information of the client, which will involve downloading the files sent by the candidate. The retrieved data will be stored using a local server to maximize confidentiality (Hassan & Hijazi, 2017). Finally, the records will be distributed only among those employees who are authorized to conduct interviews with candidates.
Methods to Maintain Candidate Confidentiality
The first method used to maintain candidate confidentiality is the creation of an email specifically for the purpose of receiving candidates’ applications. The email should have a reliable password known only to the head of the company, and the HR managers tasked with managing the records. Such an arrangement will help the company not to expose candidates’ data to unauthorized employees.
The next method is downloading and storing candidates’ data using local servers. Currently, there are many cloud-based software solutions for managing candidates’ information, but they cannot guarantee complete confidentiality since there is always a risk of the breach involved. Thus, by storing candidates’ files locally, the company can ensure better confidentiality. Finally, when distributing candidates’ files, the company needs to utilize secure networks to avoid data breaches. The company must introduce a password for the network, a firewall, and a virtual private network to guarantee complete privacy.
The Use of Records Management Tools
The primary tool for managing data is Microsoft Excel, a universal and flexible solution for maintaining records of each candidate. The software allows the company to feature basic information about each client and track them, making notes on their interview performance. Another tool used for the management of records is Microsoft’s Distributed File System which is utilized for the distribution of candidates’ documents. The tool is easy to use, and it lets the company send candidates’ files in a secure manner only to the employees who are authorized to view them.
Conclusion
The recruitment process can be difficult since companies have to address every aspect of it, including conducting a needs assessment and ensuring the confidentiality of candidates’ records. The digital marketing in question requires three candidates for the positions of senior SEO specialist, Web designer, and PPC specialist. All candidates will undergo an interview process where they will be asked nine basic questions. The company’s responsibility is to ensure confidentiality of the candidates’ records by storing them locally and letting them be viewed only by authorized personnel such as HR managers.
References
Applicant recordkeeping for employers. (2018). Horton Management Law. Web.
Hassan, N., & Hijazi, R. (2017). Digital privacy and security using Windows: A practical guide. Apress.