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- Employee Recruitment and Selection Course (1 day)
Employee Recruitment and Selection Course (1 day)
Hiring managers who run structured, fair interviews and choose candidates on evidence they can defend.
Most poor hires are not caused by a shortage of applicants but by the way they are selected: different managers ask different questions, score candidates by feel and make decisions that are hard to explain later. This one-day employee recruitment course gives hiring managers and HR staff one consistent process from vacancy to offer, with the main emphasis on selecting well.
Delegates start with job analysis and agreed selection criteria, then compare sourcing routes and set clear objectives for the vacancy. The core of the day is the interview: choosing between telephone, traditional, panel and situational formats, asking direct, open, hypothetical and behavioural questions, and scoring answers against the same criteria for every candidate. A dedicated session deals with interviewer bias – first impressions, the expectancy effect, stereotyping and the pull towards people like ourselves – and with questions that are unfair or unlawful under South African employment law.
The afternoon covers reference checks, background checks and testing, making and negotiating the offer, orientation and early retention, and measuring recruitment results such as cost per hire and time to fill. Delegates practise interviewing and scoring in pairs and leave with an interview guide they can use straight away.
Why this course
For your organisation
- Consistent selection decisions across managers and departments
- A written record of why each candidate was chosen, supporting employment equity commitments
- Lower cost of bad hires and early resignations
- Fewer complaints of unfair or discriminatory interviewing
- Recruitment results you can measure and improve
For your delegates
- An interview guide and scoring sheet for your next vacancy
- Interview practice with feedback
- The ability to spot and correct your own bias
- Clarity on which questions you may not ask
What delegates will be able to do
- Analyse a job and agree selection criteria before the vacancy is advertised
- Choose suitable sourcing routes for internal and external candidates
- Select an interview format that suits the role
- Ask behavioural, situational and other question types that predict performance
- Score candidates consistently against the same criteria
- Recognise common forms of interviewer bias and reduce their effect
- Avoid questions that are unfair or discriminatory
- Carry out reference and background checks with the candidate's consent
- Make and negotiate an offer and plan orientation for the new employee
- Measure recruitment results, including cost per hire and time to fill
Who should attend
Line managers and supervisors who interview and appoint staff, HR officers and administrators, and anyone who sits on interview panels. No prior HR training is needed.
Course outline
Day 1 – A structured, fair selection process
Planning the vacancy
- Recruitment as a business decision: the cost of a bad hire
- Job analysis and the role profile
- Agreeing selection criteria and must-haves
- Setting SMART objectives for the vacancy
- Internal versus external sourcing
Choosing the interview format
- Telephone and video screening
- One-on-one and panel interviews
- Situational interviews
- Stress interviews, and why they are rarely appropriate
- Case study
Asking the right questions
- Direct and open questions
- Hypothetical questions
- Behavioural questions and the STAR method
- Follow-up and probing questions
- Pair practice: interviewing and scoring
Avoiding bias and unfair questions
- First impressions and the primacy effect
- The expectancy effect and confirmation bias
- Stereotyping and similarity bias
- Questions you should not ask, as general guidance and not legal advice
- Recording decisions objectively
Checks, testing and the offer
- Reference and background checks with written consent
- Using tests that are valid and relevant to the job
- Comparing candidates and making the decision
- Making the offer and negotiating terms
- Notifying unsuccessful candidates
Orientation, retention and results
- Orientation and the first weeks
- Early follow-up to protect retention
- Measuring cost per hire, time to fill and quality of hire
- Personal action plan and close
How it is delivered
One day, 08:30-16:00. In person at your offices anywhere in South Africa, at a BOTI venue, or live online. One delegate or a group of up to 20; practice can use your own job profiles and interview forms. Workbook, interview guide and scoring sheet included. We deliver it at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and anywhere else in South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online for teams in different places.
What our clients say
★★★★★ 4.8 on Google from 790+ reviews · word-for-word quotes from signed letters of reference, from clients on this and/or related BOTI courses
“The facilitator was engaging, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. She managed the group dynamic with great EQ and was well received by the delegates.”
“What stood out most was the facilitator’s deep subject matter expertise and the highly interactive nature of the sessions. The face-to-face format fostered active participation, encouraged meaningful collaboration, and allowed for immediate feedback”
“We are highly satisfied with the quality of delivery and the professionalism demonstrated by your facilitator. The course content was structured perfectly to meet our needs, keeping our team fully engaged throughout the session.”
Frequently asked questions
Can you run this course at our offices?
Yes. Most groups are trained at the client's premises anywhere in South Africa; we can also host it at a BOTI venue or deliver it live online.
How many people can attend?
From one delegate to groups of 20. The price per delegate drops as the group grows – see the price table, or ask us for a quote.
Is it accredited?
No – it is a non-accredited short course and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Is there a longer version?
Yes. The three-day Recruit and Select Candidates course covers the whole process in depth – recruitment planning, sourcing, shortlisting, assessment methods and a complete mock recruitment – for HR practitioners and recruiters. The one-day course concentrates on interviewing and selection for hiring managers.
How does this differ from the Hiring Strategies Course?
Hiring Strategies concentrates on attracting candidates and building a competitive offer. This course concentrates on choosing the right person fairly once the applications are in.
Can you run this course in Johannesburg, Cape Town or Durban?
Yes. We train on site at your offices in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and across South Africa, at a BOTI venue in Johannesburg, or live online so a team spread over several offices can attend together.
Related courses
Ask a consultant for a written quote
A BOTI consultant emails you a written quote, usually within 15 minutes (Mon–Fri, 08:00–17:00). After hours, we reply on the next working day. To speak to someone now, call 011 882 8853.
Your quote request is for: Employee Recruitment and Selection Course (1 day)