Skills for the Job: Young people and recruitment

Why is it good to involve young people in recruitment?
With the right level of training, support and guidance, young people are highly capable of participating in recruitment processes and can contribute greatly to supporting staff and volunteers.

Taking part in recruitment is also one of the best ways to give young people interview skills to boost their own employability. They experience first hand how to, and how not to, write personal statements, fill in applications and prepare for interview questions.

They also pick up vital tips on how to conduct themselves during an interview. By being on the other side of the process, they are able to build their own toolbox of hints and tips and learn about how to get a job.

Young people can be involved in the recruitment for any position within an organisation. Provided that a young person is supported to understand a job role and the expected impact that role will have within the organisation, they can, and should, be approached to engage with the recruitment process at the point the job description is created. This knowledge will enable them to support the process in the best way and give them the confidence to participate in discussions, making informed decisions on the shortlisting and interviewing process.

Are there different levels of involvement?
There are various levels to involving young people in recruitment. The extent to which a young person gets involved should be negotiated and agreed with both the young person and relevant staff at the start of the process. Depending on the nature of the recruitment process, young people can be offered the opportunity to support the development of a job description, shortlist candidates, sit on interview panels, plan and deliver on assessment days, and more.