Why a process, even without HR
A company of a few dozen people often hires three, five or ten times a year. Each hire is then treated as a one-off: a manager writes an ad in a hurry, forwards CVs to a colleague and waits for someone to decide. The time spent is not necessarily longer than elsewhere, but it is scattered and hard to plan.
A minimal process answers three questions before publishing: who owns the hire, which criteria decide it and at what pace it moves. The aim is not to copy a large group’s organisation but to make each hire repeatable, so the next one takes less effort and candidates get a consistent experience.
This framework also protects the company. Written criteria and comparable interview notes let you explain a choice, take over a file during an absence and check that the decision rests on job-related evidence.
Assign roles before publishing
Even in a small team, there are three roles. One person can hold two of them, but each must be named. The owner matters most: without one, every participant assumes someone else replied to the candidate.
Keep contributors few. Two people assessing with the same scorecard add more than an informal round with five colleagues who have not read the brief.
| Role | Responsibilities | Often held by |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Publishes the ad, screens, replies to candidates, keeps the timeline | The hiring manager or an executive assistant |
| Decision-maker | Approves the brief and budget, makes the final decision | The founder or department head |
| Contributors | Run an interview or work sample, score against the scorecard | A future colleague, a technical lead |
Write a one-page role brief
The brief is what the decision-maker approves before anything is published. It then feeds the ad, the interview scorecard and the message to unsuccessful candidates. One page is enough if it is precise.
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The mission
What the person will actually do in their first three months, as five or six real tasks.
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Three to five criteria
The essential skills and qualifications, each phrased so it can be observed in an interview.
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The conditions
Contract type, pay range, location, any remote work and the target start date.
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Budget and deadline
Planned spending (job boards, any agency) and the date by which a decision is due.
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The stages
The number of interviews, who runs them and any work sample, stated in the ad.
Keep pace with fixed time slots
Time is the main obstacle for a manager who recruits. Instead of handling applications as they arrive, block recurring slots in your calendar for the whole hire, as you would for a client meeting. A regular weekly screening beats long, irregular sessions.
Set reply times and keep them: a quick acknowledgement, an answer after screening and feedback after each interview. Message templates prepared in advance make these replies fast, rejections included. The example below is indicative; adapt it to your application volume.
| When | Action | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, 45 min | Screen new applications against the brief’s criteria | Owner |
| Tuesday | Reply to every screened candidate: next step or reasoned rejection | Owner |
| Thursday, half day | Interviews grouped in one slot | Owner and contributor |
| Friday, 15 min | Review pending files and decide | Decision-maker |
Assess against the same criteria
Turn the brief’s criteria into a short interview scorecard: for each criterion, one or two identical questions for every candidate and a simple rating scale. Each interviewer completes their scorecard right after the interview, before talking to the others, so the first opinion voiced does not sway the rest.
Then decide by comparing scorecards, not memories. If a criterion could not be assessed, record that rather than filling the gap with a general impression. For candidates set aside, a one-sentence job-related reason keeps a clear record and lets you answer if they ask for feedback.
The legal minimum and data protection
Without a lawyer or HR, a few French Labour Code rules cover the essentials. Information requested from candidates may only serve to assess their ability to do the job or their professional aptitudes, and must have a direct and necessary link with the role. Candidates must be told in advance about the recruitment methods and techniques used, which must remain relevant, and no information about them may be collected by a means they were not told about.
The CNIL reminds small businesses to tell candidates how their data is used and how long it is kept, to limit access to the people actually involved in the hire and not to keep an unsuccessful file longer than necessary. For a talent pool, the CNIL in principle points to two years after the last contact, provided the candidate was informed.
In practice, avoid emailing CVs to the whole team and keep files in one place, accessible only to the owner, decision-maker and contributors. These pointers do not replace legal advice for your situation.
- Légifrance · Code du travail, article L1221-6 (opens a new tab)
- Code du travail numérique · Article L1221-8 (méthodes d’aide au recrutement) (opens a new tab)
- Code du travail numérique · Article L1221-9 (collecte d’informations sur le candidat) (opens a new tab)
- CNIL · Recrutement et données personnelles dans les TPE/PME (opens a new tab)
A spreadsheet or recruitment software?
For a single hire, a shared spreadsheet and a dedicated inbox can be enough. Once several roles are open at once or several people are involved, it becomes hard to know who is waiting for a reply, who assessed whom and where the latest CV is.
aiKip brings job ads, the career page, applications, interviews and candidate messages into one workspace. Administrator, recruiter and viewer roles limit access; interviews involve selected teammates with structured evaluations, and email templates speed up replies. AI analysis stays indicative: a person always makes the decision.
Frequently asked questions
Who should own a hire in an SME without HR?
Usually the hiring manager, who knows the need best. What matters is that one person is named to publish the ad, reply to candidates and keep the timeline, even if the founder makes the final decision.
How much time should a hire take?
It depends on the role and the market. Plan regular weekly slots rather than a global budget of hours, and add the chosen candidate’s notice period to the start date.
Which interview questions should be avoided?
Any question without a direct and necessary link with the role or the assessment of professional aptitudes, such as family situation or plans to have children. The CNIL gives these examples in its guidance for small businesses.
How long can unsuccessful CVs be kept?
As long as the hire requires. To keep them in a talent pool, the CNIL in principle points to two years after the last contact, with the candidate informed.