Administering key online processes for aviation recruitment

Administering key online processes for aviation recruitment effectively can reduce your recruitment timescales, save you money and help you land the best candidates.

Here, we’ll introduce you to the various online processes that underpin aviation recruitment. Then, we’ll give you a series of actionable tips to help you try them out for yourself.

Digital recruitment processes offer real benefits

These are just some of the benefits that administering aviation recruitment online can bring to your hiring strategy:

• Reduce recruitment time frames by automating processes and making information easier to access
• Limit costly recruitment mistakes by ensuring all documentation is aggregated and approved
• Gain a holistic picture of candidate credentials without allocating too many human resources
• Enhance candidate communications to ensure applicants receive relevant information at the right times and feel nurtured throughout the process

How to administer key online processes for aviation recruitment

This is our advice for administering key online processes for aviation recruitment:

1) Screening CVs/cover letters/application forms

Start by determining the key criteria for the job you’re hiring for, including desired skills, experience and qualifications.

Use this information to create a list of keywords that you’d expect candidates to mention. Compile all the CVs you’ve received using tailored recruitment software (or, even MS Word). Then, scan these for keywords, focusing on those that contain the relevant information.

Next, develop an automated screening chart with which you can measure applicant suitability in relation to all desirable factors. For example, if you’re looking for specific qualifications for a ground-based role, you could structure this element of the chart as follows:

• 0 = no qualification
• 1 = professional qualification (e.g. NVQ)
• 2 = degree-level qualification (3rd class)
• 3 = degree-level qualification (2:2)
• 4 = degree-level qualification (2:1)
• 5 = degree-level qualification (1st class)

Lastly, if you’re using a bespoke application form, take care to structure this to identify any gaps in employment or job-hopping tendencies.

2) Video interviews

Interviewing candidates is costly in terms of time. In the aviation industry, this process might well involve asking people to travel across countries too.

You can use remote video interviews as an intermediary step to avoid dedicating too much time to interviewing candidates who are unlikely to make your final shortlist. This can speed up the entire process, giving you a better chance of securing higher-calibre candidates. Then, simply call in the top performers for a face-to-face session.

You have two options for conducting video interviews:

• Host live video call sessions (using channels such as Skype) with individual candidates in a manner similar to face-to-face interviews
• Pre-record a set of questions, post in a gated online space, then task candidates with watching the video and recording their own answers

3) Candidate communications

Communicating with candidates is important for keeping them happy, and providing them with the information needed to make it through your recruitment process.

Aggregating all your recruitment information in a single location (e.g. an employer site) is a good place to start. Taking a proactive approach towards engaging with candidates on social media is also important.

You can even set up an automated chatbot to answer candidate queries automatically. You can do this yourself (providing you have some tech credentials) or call on a third-party partner to help.

Want to know more about key online processes for aviation recruitment? Read our recent blog on preparing for the new GDPR legislation, which comes into force from May 2018.

Optimise your hiring practices and secure top-level candidates by calling on the expert AeroProfessional team.