Recruitment process

What it means

A recruitment process is the procedure a company uses to find and choose a new employee. It covers preparing a job description, publishing an advert, screening CVs, interviews, possibly tests or assignments, and finally making an offer to the chosen candidate and agreeing terms.

During recruitment the employer must respect the principle of equal treatment and the ban on discrimination. It may not ask about pregnancy, family circumstances, religion, political views or trade union membership unless directly relevant to the job.

Candidates' details are personal data and their processing is subject to the GDPR. The employer must inform candidates of the purpose and retention period, and after the process delete the data of unsuccessful applicants unless it has their consent to keep it for future vacancies.

How it works in practice

Larger companies use an applicant tracking system that collects applications, makes sorting and communication with candidates easier and helps comply with data protection rules. For hard-to-fill roles, headhunting, approaching suitable candidates directly, is also used.

A structured interview with the same questions for every candidate increases objectivity and makes comparison easier. For professional roles, such as in accounting, practical tasks work well because they show real skills rather than just what candidates say about themselves.

A successful recruitment process ends with an employment contract, which often includes a probation period. It lets both sides test the cooperation in practice and, if necessary, end the employment more easily than after probation.

What to watch out for

An unsuccessful applicant who feels discriminated against can seek protection in court or through the labour inspectorate. The employer should document its selection criteria and the reasons for its decision so it can show that it acted objectively.

Vetting candidates, for example through references from previous employers or social media searches, must be proportionate and GDPR-compliant. Obtaining references without the candidate's knowledge or processing private information may breach data protection rules.