Recruitment has never been simple. In Vietnam, many businesses still rely on "personal experience" or "intuition" from recruiters to select candidates. While this approach may work in the early stages when the company is small, once the business starts to scale, the lack of standardization will lead to significant problems: wasting time, increasing costs, and most importantly, the risk of hiring the wrong person.
This is where the recruitment framework methodology becomes the "backbone" that many organizations need. By having a structured process with clear evaluation criteria, a framework helps manage recruitment from HR to department heads, creating a standardized approach. All people involved in the hiring process, from HR to business leaders, will follow a unified "roadmap".
What is a Recruitment Framework and Why is it Necessary?
In short, a recruitment framework is the essential foundation required for a comprehensive recruitment process. A recruitment framework helps companies standardize recruitment procedures, ensure fairness, reduce prejudice, and increase the quality of hired candidates. It's not just about the procedures and policies, but also about the overall approach from screening resumes to interviews and final decisions.
Why Use a Framework?
- Provides HR teams with a clear roadmap, reducing reliance on gut feelings.
- Enhances objectivity and transparency in candidate evaluation.
- Shortens hiring time and lowers recruitment costs.
- Improves the candidate experience, boosting the employer brand.
According to an InsightGlobal survey, companies reported that unstandardized recruitment processes extended the time to find the right candidate by 3–5 weeks. This highlights the need for a systematic approach rather than relying on intuition or personal experience.
Challenges of Lacking a Standardized Framework
Conversely, companies without a structured framework often face high turnover rates, struggle to retain top talent, and incur hidden costs to fix recruitment mistakes.
Without a framework, the recruitment process faces many challenges: HR lacks clear standards for evaluating candidates, wasting time on unnecessary steps, and increasing hiring costs. A report from SHRM (Human Resource Management Society, 2023) indicates that businesses without a structured recruitment framework take up to 2 weeks longer to fill positions compared to those with a standardized process.
Popular Recruitment Frameworks
Not every framework fits every company. However, three models are commonly used and have proven effective both internationally and in Vietnam.
1. Competency-based recruitment framework
The competency-based recruitment framework focuses on core capabilities. Instead of asking, “What has the candidate done before?” companies ask, “Does the candidate have the skills needed to succeed in this role?”
A typical competency framework includes:
- Technical skills (e.g., coding, data analysis)
- Soft skills (communication, time management)
- Behaviors (proactiveness, collaboration)
The strength of this approach lies in its transparency: candidates who meet the competency standards have opportunities, regardless of their starting point.
2. STAR Method in Interviews
The STAR method is an interview technique used by many recruiters. It helps interviewers structure questions to understand how candidates handle specific situations and what results they achieved. In Vietnam, this method is still relatively new and uncommon in many companies. To apply the STAR method effectively, interviewers should focus on four key areas:
- Situation: The candidate's context or challenge.
- Task: Their responsibilities.
- Action: The steps they took.
- Result: The outcomes achieved.
The STAR framework helps break down a candidate's story into specific parts, giving recruiters a better understanding of their approach and achievements in different situations.
3. Assessment Center Approach
An Assessment center approach is an in-depth evaluation process involving role-playing exercises, case studies, group discussions, and skills testing. This method requires candidates to complete various tasks and assessments to demonstrate their capabilities.
Advantages: Provides a comprehensive evaluation and reduces the risk of “hiring the wrong person.”
Disadvantages: Resource-intensive and costly, but highly effective for selecting leadership or strategic talent. According to Cafebiz, companies using assessment centers reduce mis-hires, save up to 50% of evaluation time, and cut 30% of assessment costs.
Learn more:
- AI-Powered ATS Optimization: Transforming Recruitment in Vietnam
- Evaluating ATS Systems in Recruitment Process
- Recruitment Process in Technology Companies
- AI Application in Recruitment & Still Optimizing Candidate Experience
How to Choose the Right Framework for Your Business
Choosing the right framework depends on several factors:
- Company size: Larger companies may need more comprehensive frameworks.
- Industry: Different sectors require different competencies and evaluation methods.
- Recruitment Objective: Hiring a large number of general positions differs from recruiting a few key strategic employees.
- HR team expertise: If your HR department lacks experience, select a simpler and easier-to-implement framework.
This is where Hire Central becomes a powerful ally. When combined with the frameworks above, this ATS (Applicant Tracking System) platform helps businesses standardize processes, minimize manual work, and maintain consistency throughout every stage of recruitment.
Implementing and Evaluating Framework Effectiveness
Many companies stop at simply “knowing the framework” without actually turning it into an operational tool.
To implement successfully, companies need to:
- Standardize and train: Turn the framework into a practical guide and train both HR and line managers.
- Integrate technology: Use ATS systems, assessment tools, and online interview platforms to streamline the process.
- Measure continuously: Track time-to-hire, candidate quality, and retention rates after 6 months to improve the framework.
The key point is that the framework is never “static.” Companies must adjust it continuously to reflect market changes, internal culture, and candidate expectations.
Specifically, Hire Central provides 25 ready-to-use email templates. This makes candidate communication smooth, timely, and professional, saving HR hours of manual work while significantly improving the candidate experience.
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Once implemented, companies should evaluate effectiveness using key metrics such as:
- Time to hire: Average time taken to fill a position.
- Cost per hire: Average cost incurred for each hire.
- Candidate experience score: Level of candidate satisfaction.
According to a report on "Responsible AI in Recruitment" by the UK Government (2023), companies using technology and standardized methods can reduce recruitment time by about 60% and increase efficiency.
Learn more:
• Recruitment Process Flowchart, Detailed Guide and Template
• Identify Human Resources Needs & Comprehensive Strategic Guide
• Recruitment Report: Instructions and Free Templates
Conclusion
Implementing an effective recruitment framework is not just about following procedures, but about building a systematic, fair, and efficient recruitment process. When businesses invest time and resources into developing and maintaining a strong recruitment framework, they not only save time and money but also attract and retain better quality talent—crucial for sustainable business growth in today's competitive market.
By combining with Hire Central – a modern ATS platform powered by AI and equipped with 25 ready-to-use email templates – businesses can optimize costs, save time, and strengthen their employer brand. Book your free Hire Central demo today.
