A staffing plan can be defined as a template that aids the processes involved in recruitment, screening and hiring new people into the organization. A staffing plan involves using consistent and objective criteria that can be followed by everyone that is involved in the hiring process and at all levels in the organization.

Building an effective staffing plan comprises the following steps :

1. Listing the qualities in the person the company would consider successful
The first step of the staffing plan consists of describing the activities the incumbent of a certain position is supposed to do. This description of the job profile creates a picture of the ideal candidate. This is critical of the rest of the processes. Each job profile should be constructed using criteria that are objective and measurable. The job profile needs to be constantly updated along with time and the growth of the organization. The profile should be compared with internal and external benchmarks. 

2. Creating a pool of suitable candidates
This involves finding qualified suitable candidates for the job. This is usually considered to be the most difficult in the hiring process. The company should seek potential candidates throughout the given area. Part of the process involves showcasing your company as a great place to work. A positive image about your company goes a long way in finding would be candidates.

An employee referral plan which rewards employees for referring someone they know to the company through cash bonuses or other rewards is also useful. Advertising for vacant positions can also be done. The advertisements should place emphasis on the job profile and describe the position in a vivid and engaging manner. Putting undue restrictions before the candidate is not useful. Emphasis should be towards the future and not about the past of the candidate. Short term contracts can be considered at the senior level. 

3.  Developing a process to screen the candidates
Screening the candidates is a vital process. An effective screening mechanism ensures that the candidates that are called for the interview are really suitable for the job. Besides, It helps us avoid spending money and other resources on interviewing candidates who are not suitable. Learning to effectively read a resume is a great skill. Look for achievements that correlate with the job in hand. Using a phone-screen would be ideal. Ask questions that are related to each criterion related to the job during the phone screen. 

4.  Interviewing the candidates and verifying their references

The interviewing process is considered to be the most important part of the process after the job profile. Spend time before each interview. Preparations for the interview include studying the resume, the job application and the notes you have made during the phone interactions. Try to make a list of questions to be asked. Try to get more information about the candidate’s past performance. Check and verify all references that the employee has provided. 

5. Making the decision to hire them

The decision to hire becomes easy if there is a consistent staffing plan. Evaluate every candidate with the job profile. Do not compare them with one another. It would be helpful if you used a scorecard for each candidate.

Some of the advantages of a good staffing plan are:- 

- Makes recruitment of the right people more likely 

- Establishes a consistent process in hiring decisions within the organization 

- It complements management development 

- It aids standardization and benchmarking 

- Enables reduction in the cost of the recruitment process