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Skillsfirst Awards

Tutor Guide

Level 3 Certificate in Principles of

Recruitment Practice (QCF)

RPP3

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Introduction This handbook has been designed to provide some guidance to tutors and trainers delivering and assessing the Skillsfirst Level 3 Certificate in Principles of Recruitment Practice (QCF) (RPP3). It contains a suggested content and coverage for each learning outcome for each unit and identifies possible evidence which could be helpful for learners to achieve the assessment criteria. These are not comprehensive and there might be further content, coverage and evidence available which has not been considered. This handbook provides guidance and is not a prescriptive document. In some cases, there are some recommendations, but these are suggested guidelines that will provide the most effective method of assessment, in Skillsfirst’s opinion. There are also a series of examples, which are not exhaustive and are only there to provide some guidance and structure for the tutor/trainer. When delivering these qualifications, the tutor/trainer and/or assessor should emphasise the link between the knowledge requirements of the standards and their practical application as required within a commercial recruitment environment. It is also strongly recommended that the method of delivery is contextualised to the work-based nature of the qualification and its connection with the Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Recruitment (QCF) (RPD3). This will ensure a balance between the development of a learner’s practical skills and knowledge and their application of these.

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Contents Page

RECP1 Understand sales for recruitment 3

RECP2 Understanding legal and ethical requirements in recruitment 5

RECP3 Understanding relationship management in recruitment 7

RECP4 Understanding recruitment operations 10

RECP5 Understanding the recruitment market 12

RECP6 Understanding the principles of assessing people 14

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RECP1 Understanding sales for recruitment Learning Outcome Suggested Content Suggested Evidence

1. Understand the preparation of sales activities in recruitment

Purpose of sales in the recruitment industry: transactional selling – a simple sale in which the customer already knows what they need, so little to no product/service knowledge is required, consultative selling – more complex, long-term process involving collaboration of both buyer and seller. Sales opportunities: vacancy leads – information relating to an open vacancy within a target company, business leads – contact information for the hiring manager within a target company and market information - key information about the recruitment industry, or a specific company. Factors involved in qualifying recruitment sales opportunities: a stated date or timeline for the recruitment process, a specific budget allocated for purchasing the service, the limits of authority of those who are buying the service, the possibility of selling added value services, first-time buyers or returning clients, etc. Importance of research, planning and goal setting: to identify the target market, to identify the most effective client contacts, to identify objectives to be achieved, to obtain company information, etc. Types of analytical tools: SWOT, cost benefit analysis, analytical computer software, sales evaluation, etc. Characteristics of effective recruitment sales people: being a people’s person, being a good communicator, having tenacity, self-motivated, target-driven, confident in their ability, being a problem solver, etc.

Learners could produce written reports or carry out a guided discussion/oral questioning with their assessor which demonstrates their understanding of the preparation of sales activities in recruitment

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2. Understand the recruitment sales cycle and techniques

The recruitment sales cycle: developing the relationship, creating/identifying the need, preventing/overcoming objections, filling the need/providing benefits, advance/close the sale. “Push” and “pull” sales styles: “push” – supplier-led selling, “pull” – customer led buying. Structure of recruitment sales: identify the vacancy, identify the candidate, contact the client, market the client, overcome objections, agree contract, close the sale. Recruitment sales questioning techniques and sales behaviours: open, closed, probing, demanding, direct, etc. How to overcome objections: empathise and acknowledge the objection, ask effective questions to uncover real needs and wants, explain which aspects of the service that would solve that identified problem, re-close on an objective, etc. Creating commitment and loyalty: make relationships a priority, have an interest in the candidate, be consistent and reliable, keep an open mind, be willing to recommend competitors, have real conversations, be a professional, make the recruitment process “more fun”, etc. Recruitment charging rates: permanent contingency, permanent retained, temporary contingency, contract contingency and recruitment process outsourcing (RPO). Techniques of closing the sale: open ended close, alternative close, assumptive close, compensation close, emotional close, open-minded close, etc.

Learners could produce written reports or carry out a guided discussion/oral questioning with their assessor to demonstrate their understanding of the recruitment sales cycle and techniques

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RECP2 Understanding legal and ethical requirements in recruitment

Learning Outcome Suggested Content Suggested Evidence

1. Understand the provisions of employer and employee statutory rights and related requirements

Employment law and other legislation affecting employment rights and responsibilities: the Equality Act 2010, the Data Protection Act 1998, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1996, the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 and 2002, etc. Duties, rights and responsibilities of employers and employees: to work within the limits of the role, responsibilities and authority in line with any associated legislation and internal procedures. Contractual issues: procedures to protect the client and the candidate, procedures to protect the company from frivolous claims, etc. Sources of information and advice on employment rights and responsibilities: internet research, advice from professional bodies, Regulators’ code of practice. The importance of working within organisational principles and codes of practice: to comply with laws, rules and regulations, to maintain complete and accurate accounting records, to avoid actual and potential conflicts of interest, to prohibit discrimination and harassment, to protect the company’s confidential information, etc.

Learners could produce written reports or carry out a guided discussion/oral questioning with their assessor which describes an organisation’s provision of employer and employee statutory rights and related requirements.

2. Understand how recruitment-related law and ethical considerations affect the conduct of business in the recruitment industry

Features and scope of the recruitment compliance cycle: the features include every aspect of the recruitment process starting with the on boarding of clients and candidates through to adhering to legal and professional requirements and rules, the scope outlines the route of which compliance operates in and which areas of the employment business or employment agency’s business is included within this area.

Learners could produce written reports or carry out a guided discussion/oral questioning with their assessor which describes how recruitment-related law and ethical considerations affect the conduct of business in the recruitment industry

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Legislative organisations which have an impact on recruitment practices: Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS), UK Boarder Agency (UKBA), Health & Safety Executive (HSE), Information Commissioners Office (ICO), Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs Service (HMRC), Office of Fair Trading, etc. Recruitment-related legislation: the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (Amended 2010) – this Act outlines the requirements of business owners and employees of those business’s which must be met in order to remain compliant, the Employment Agency & Employment Business Conduct Regulations Act 2003 – ensures the conduct of business and individuals within the recruitment industry, the Data Protection Act 1988 – ensures the identity and personal details of individuals are protected, Agency Workers Regulations 2011 – designed to provide protection to individuals working on temporary contracts in terms of pay, facilities, permanent vacancies, rest breaks and benefits, Bribery Act 2010 – designed to ensure that contracts in business are won fairly and that others are not disadvantaged unfairly, etc. Purpose and ethical requirements of professional codes of conduct and practice: to promote social ethics, to implement personal ethics, to promote fair and transparent trading practices, to respect the rights of staff, to provide protection to “whistle-blowers”, etc.

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RECP3 Understanding relationship management in recruitment

Learning Outcome Suggested content Suggested Evidence

1. Understand the use of networking tools in the recruitment industry

Nature, purpose and benefits of recruitment networking: it is a deliberate development of professional relationships, through which to achieve particular business objectives, it is about building and enjoying positive relationships, as well as a really valuable way to expand knowledge, learn from others, and to tell others about the business. Types of recruitment networking activity: social media, workshops, trade events, briefings, etc. Networking activities for recruitment purposes: providing advice, sharing knowledge, sharing addresses, creating mutual benefit business opportunities with others, etc. Personal branding: image perception, issues of contactability, perceived expertise vs actual expertise, etc.

Evidence could be in the form of a research assessment giving learners the opportunity to research the nature networking within the recruitment industry, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners understand the use of networking tools in the recruitment industry.

2.Understand the development and maintenance of consultative relationships with clients in the recruitment industry

Consultative relationships: they provide value to both the client and the candidate, with the primary purpose of developing a relationship to realise that by getting involved, they will more rapidly achieve their goals. Examples of added value: these could include proactively sourcing the best opportunities from the marketplace, providing CV advice, offering interview advice and coaching as well as offering management and solicitation, etc. Different kinds of recruitment client relationships: online (social), offline (personal), operational, developmental and strategic. Opportunities for consultative relationship building: rapport building - listen before talking, identify the candidates' vision of

Evidence could be in the form of a research assessment giving learners the opportunity to research and analyse consultative relationships within a recruitment business, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners understand the development and maintenance of consultative relationships with clients

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the future, provide anecdotes and examples, offer to work with other agents, save the candidate time and effort, use technology, offer an alternative contact, find out how candidates prefer to be contacted, follow up all meetings, etc. Effective communication tools and techniques: questioning – open, closed, probing, demanding, direct, etc., listening – active, passive, etc., verbal – language style, body language, etc., written – electronic, images, presentations, etc. Ways of monitoring client satisfaction: comments on social media, telephone surveys, written surveys, comments on agency web site, direct questioning, etc.

3.Understand how to build relationships with candidates

Process for qualifying candidates: verify their suitability and identify their skills and experience, accurately match them to current live roles, confirm their eligibility, identify key achievements with which to present them more effectively to current and potential clients and gather key market intelligence and candidate referrals. Ways of identifying candidates’ current needs and long term aspirations: through a discussion, during an interview, production of a career development plan, etc. Importance of managing candidates’ expectations: expectations could include current income, monetary expectation for the job role, a limited commitment of time, active or passively seeking employment, etc., non-management of expectations could lead to candidate rejection, loss of business, decrease in clients, etc. Factors to be taken into account in building and managing a productive database of candidates: currency of information, security of information, reviewing of information, sufficiency of information, availability of information filtering software, etc.

Evidence could be in the form of a written reflective report of building relationships with candidates supported by documents used, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners understand how to build relationships with candidates.

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Factors to be taken into account in marketing candidates: type of candidate – achievement-based, committed to the process, exclusivity, etc., objectives of marketing – to obtain a placement, to identify other vacancies, to obtain key company information and recruitment ‘intelligence’, to create referrals, etc. Features of an effective communications plan: identify the purpose of the communication, identify the audience, plan and design the message, consider available resources, create an action plan and decide how to evaluate the plan and adjust it, based on the results of carrying it out. Techniques to brief and provide constructive feedback to candidates: check whether the candidate wants feedback, arrange in advance a convenient time for the feedback discussion, give feedback in a face-to-face setting, where possible, maintain a positive and encouraging approach with all candidates, invite the candidate to share their experiences of the selection process and to ask questions, give feedback that is objective and based on the evidence collected during the selection process, provide feedback that is consistent with the majority decision if a panel decision is made, feedback on the candidate’s performance in relation to the selection criteria for the job, include both positives and negatives when giving feedback, illustrate the feedback points with specific examples of what the candidate did and said during the selection process, provide feedback that is constructive and will enable candidates to identify development actions for the future, try to end the conversation on a high and record that feedback was given.

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RECP4 Understanding recruitment operations

Learning Outcome Suggested content Suggested Evidence

1. Understand the nature of the recruitment industry

Role of a recruitment consultant: to identify a network of candidates and clients, to match the needs of the client and the candidate, to manage the recruitment process, to provide consultancy services such as CV and interview advice, to identify opportunities to up-sell to clients and candidates, etc. Career pathways: resource/administrator, recruitment consultant/researcher, senior recruitment consultant/senior researcher, team leader, manager, senior manager and director. Sources of information: national careers service, awarding organisations, recruitment agencies, internet websites, etc. Representative bodies: industry bodies, such as the Institute of Recruiters (IOR) who providing guidance, training, education and networking opportunities to those working in Recruitment and HR, trade associations who offer their members immediate access to expert advice, training, support and commercial benefits. Issues of public concern: ethical recruitment, cultural recruitment, positive discrimination, etc.

Evidence could be in the form of a research assessment giving learners the opportunity to research the nature of the recruitment industry, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners are aware of the recruitment industry, its career pathways and sources of information.

2.Understand recruitment business operations

How a recruitment business works: it acts as an intermediary between an organisation that is looking to employ someone and an individual who is looking for a job. A recruitment consultant’s main function is to source the most suitable person for a job vacancy that they have been asked to fill.

Evidence could be in the form of a research assessment giving learners the opportunity to research and analyse a recruitment business, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners are aware of how a recruitment business operates.

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Measurement of business efficiency: meeting of targets – short-term and long-term, revenue and operational; Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), service level agreements (SLAs), etc. Identification of business issues: SWOT analysis, marketing analysis, competition analysis. Effective recruiters: a people’s person, a good communicator, having tenacity, being motivated, thriving on targets, being confident and a good problem solver.

3.Understand finance in the recruitment industry

Financial implications of renumeration options: offering competitive rates, offering shares, offering a package such as company car, healthcare, etc., offering long/short term contracts, offering advancement/development, etc. Calculation of business profitability: an organisation’s revenue (income) less an organisation's expenses (payments) equals business profitability Calculation of recruitment charging rates: permanent worker - a percentage of their annual salary which is based on the number of candidates placed within a company: temporary worker - their basic salary plus a percentage placed on top; temporary to permanent - a fee which is designed to cover the loss of that worker's value.

Evidence could be in the form of a written reflective report of managing finance in the workplace supported by documents used, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners understand the use of finance within a recruitment organisation..

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RECP5 Understanding the recruitment market

Learning Outcome Suggested content Suggested Evidence

1. Understand the recruitment market

History and evolution: Labour Bureau (London) Act 1902, UK and international marketplace, sector worth has increased by more than 3% over the period of 2007 and 2012, etc. Size and importance: in 2012 the market is in excess of £23bn per year, 1992 market was approx. £2bn, increase in consultation services, sector has grown during the recession, etc. Different sectors: high street recruitment, technical/specialist and executive search. Models of recruitment: temporary – between 1-2 weeks, short process, few interviews, quick sourcing stage; permanent – between 4-6 weeks, shortlisting, many interviews, long sourcing stage. Criticisms of recruitment: costly, candidate’s paper skills do not reflect their actual practice, some good candidates interview poorly, etc.

Evidence could be in the form of a research assessment giving learners the opportunity to research the recruitment industry, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners are aware of history, size and sectors of the recruitment industry and the different models of recruitment.

2. Understand influences on the recruitment market

Factors affecting candidates: the size and image of organisations, the image of different jobs, opportunities for career development, training, up-skilling, etc. Factors affecting clients: demographics, the labour market, unemployment situations, the social and political environment, legal considerations, etc. Opportunities within the recruitment market: greater use of social media in the recruitment process, identifying trends in unemployment, identifying the next “big market”

Evidence could be in the form of a research assessment giving learners the opportunity to research and analyse market factors affecting the recruitment industry, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners are aware of history, size and sectors of the recruitment industry and the different models of recruitment.

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3. Understand the brand in recruitment

Concepts and characteristics: A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of these that identifies the maker or seller of a product or service. Factors that affect and support: website, leaflets, mailshot, advertising, press and trade press, social media, word of mouth, etc. Promoting a brand: advantages - service identification, service differentiation, more visibility and awareness for the brand, higher sales due to top of the mind brand recall and higher aspiration towards the brand; disadvantages - high costs, impersonal route to market, it creates a fixed image and long timescales for creation. Marketing collateral: company fact sheet, the date the company was founded, location of headquarters and any affiliate offices, product or service fact sheets, the product or service’s function or value, distinctive features that set the product or service apart from the competition, comparison to similar products or services on the market, etc.

Evidence could be in the form of a written reflective report of branding experience in the workplace supported by documents used, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners are aware of branding.

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RECP6 Understanding the process of assessing people

Learning Outcome Suggested content Suggested Evidence

1. Understand the planning of candidate assessments

Assessment methods: initial application, first interview, psychometric testing, etc. Importance of setting objectives for the assessment process: to ensure that candidates meet the requirements of experience, networking and presentation. Confirming the validity and reliability of the assessment process: reliability – test/re-test, alternative form, internal consistency, etc., validity – empirical (construct validity and criterion-related validity), rational, etc.

Evidence could be in the form of a research assessment giving learners the opportunity to research the planning of candidate assessments, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners understand all aspects of the planning of candidate assessments.

2. Understand the principles and techniques of candidate assessment

Characteristics of good biographical interviewing techniques: having the interpersonal skills required to put the candidate at ease and provide them with an environment where they have the best opportunity to perform well, having the organisational skills required to coordinate all elements involved in an interview and the ability to prepare, ask and probe using good questions. Structure of competence assessment interviewing: provide candidates with a realistic preview of the job, highlight the advantages of working for the client, respond to questions the candidate may ask about the job by answering them as completely as possible, use funnelling and probing questioning techniques which are relevant to the job to make a fair assessment of the candidate’s capabilities to do the job and behave professionally and treat all candidates with respect.

Evidence could be in the form of a research assessment giving learners the opportunity to research and analyse the principles and techniques of candidate assessment, or a short-answer question paper could be completed to provide evidence that learners fully understand what is involved in the principles and techniques of candidate assessment.

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Features of effective questioning and interviewing skills: an ability to evaluate the candidates in an accurate and fair manner in order to identify who will add most value to the job, an ability to treat candidates in a professional and courteous manner so that they will want to work for the organisation and an ability to help candidates understand the nature of the job so that the candidates can decide if they would like to do the job Definition of “halo and horns” effect: when assessors give similar ratings to separate aspects of a candidate’s performance even when those dimensions are clearly distinct. Techniques to gain rapport with candidates: showing active attention to the candidate, listening carefully to the respondent, using a supportive and encouraging style, communicating clearly the feedback messages by concentrating on two or three key points that are closely related to the assessment criteria, being sensitive, constructive and honest, help them to think of difficulties as challenges that can be tackled rather than insurmountable problems, etc. Role of candidate feedback in the assessment process: to help candidates to identify development actions by asking them how they think they performed during each exercise, what they think their strength and development areas are and what they would do differently at the next interview. When to carry out references and checks on candidates: during the on-boarding procedure, during initial assessment, etc.

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Reasonable adjustments in candidate assessment: reading instructions that might usually be written, providing larger print instructions, ensuring that the assessments are carried out in a room that has wheelchair access/is at ground level, test timing alterations, etc. Considerations to be made following the candidate assessment: suitability for the job, financial implications, provision of feedback, etc.

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