Overview
If you're hiring across many outlets, there are multiple ways for setting up and configuring jobs in Mercu.
Centralised Model: All candidates apply to one main job, and screening, interview scheduling, offer, and rejection, are managed under that job.
Location-Specific Model: One job per location. Candidates apply to a specific location, and each location manager handles screening, interview scheduling, and other recruitment tasks for their respective job.
Hybrid Model: All candidates apply to one main job and are then moved to internal, location-specific sub-jobs for further processing.
Details
Centralised Model
All candidates apply to one main job, and screening, interview scheduling, offer, and rejection, are managed under that job.
Typically used if hiring is run centralised AND all interviewing is either virtual or only happens at one or two locations (e.g. Head Office).
Numbers of jobs to set-up
One job per role, regardless of the number of locations, published on the careers page for candidates to apply.
Pros
✅ Easy to set-up, as it only requires one job per role.
✅ Straightforward reporting, as everything is managed within one job.
✅ No risk of losing sight of candidates.
✅ Candidates apply to one job and get considered for all locations.
Cons
🔴 Makes the centralized hiring team a potential bottleneck.
🔴 Doesn't scale if interviews take place at multiple locations or involve numerous interviewers.
🔴 Potentially reduces buy-in from location managers, as they have no involvement. This, however, can be mitigated by inviting them to participate in regular group interviews.
Location-Specific Model
One job per location. Candidates apply to a specific location, and each location manager handles screening, interview scheduling, and other recruitment tasks for their respective job.
Typically used when hiring is fully decentralised, and all screening and interviewing are handled by location managers without any support or oversight from a centralised hiring team.
Numbers of jobs to set-up
One job per role AND per location, published on the careers page for candidates to apply.
Pros
✅ Gives location managers full control over hiring.
✅ Allows location managers to open a role when they need staff and close it again once they hired the required staff.
Cons
🔴 Requires setting up and publishing jobs for every hiring location (can be facilitated by Mercu's job templates feature).
🔴 Potential risk of candidates going "stale" if location managers don't take action.
This can be mitigated with workflows that either auto-reject unattended candidates after a set number of days or move them into a general pool for consideration by other locations.
🔴 Candidates are only considered for the locations they apply to.
We're developing a workflow automation that automatically moves unattended candidates from their initial application location to a general pool after X days, allowing other locations to consider them.
Hybrid Model
All candidates apply to one main job and are then moved to internal, location-specific sub-jobs for further processing. Moving candidates is either done by the centralised hiring team or by the location managers themselves.
Typically used when hiring is largely decentralised but there is support around initial screening from a centralised hiring team.
Numbers of jobs to set-up
One job per role as a "main job," regardless of the number of locations, published on the careers page. This is where candidates apply to.
One job per role and location as a "sub-job," not published on the careers page and used only for internal processing. This is where candidates get moved from the main job for in-depth screening, interview scheduling, etc.
Pros
✅ Candidates apply to one job and get considered for all locations.
✅ Centralised hiring team has oversight of incoming candidates and can prioritise moving them to locations with the most urgent need.
Cons
🔴 Requires setting up and publishing jobs for every hiring location (can be facilitated by Mercu's job templates feature).
🔴 Potential risk of candidates going "stale" if location managers don't take action after moving candidates from the "main job" to their "sub job".
🔴 Reporting becomes harder, especially if candidates get moved around sub-jobs a fair bit.
This can be mitigated with workflows that either auto-reject unattended candidates after a set number of days or move them into a general pool for consideration by other locations.
Variant of the Hybrid Model
Another variant of the hybrid model is to use multiple "main jobs" instead of a single one that candidates apply to. These main jobs are typically divided by geographic area (e.g., one main job for your business's East area, one for West, one for downtown, etc.).
This allows candidates to browse and apply to the main job most relevant to their preferred work area on your careers page. From there, candidate applications can be moved into the appropriate location-specific sub-jobs, either by the location managers for that area or by an area manager.