How to run a hiring day or open day

A hiring day, also called an open day or recruitment event, lets you meet and assess many candidates in one place and one time. It works best for roles with high volume, shift work or hard-to-fill jobs. To run one well, set clear goals, plan stations with the same scoring for everyone, make the day accessible, protect personal data, and follow up quickly.

When a hiring day makes sense

A hiring day is not right for every role. It suits jobs where many candidates meet the same requirements, such as customer service, retail, hospitality, warehouse, care, seasonal work and entry level roles. It also helps when you want to show your workplace and let candidates see the work. It is less suited to senior or highly specialist roles, where one-to-one conversations are better.

Compare with other options. If you need volume but not a single day, see how to screen at volume and how to hire in volume for seasonal peaks. If you need only a few people, a normal process may be faster and fairer.

Step 1: set goals and roles

• How many people do you need, for which roles and starts?
• How many candidates do you expect to invite, and how many places do you have?
• What decisions will you make on the day: offers, next-stage invitations, or only first screens?
• Who makes the decisions? Name the decision maker and a backup.
• What is the budget for space, food, staff time and materials?

Write these down in a one-page plan. Share it with the hiring managers and HR. Agree the requirements for each role in advance, using checkable job requirements.

Step 2: choose the date, place and format

Choose a date that suits your target group. For shift workers, offer more than one session, such as a weekday afternoon and a weekend morning. Choose a place that is easy to reach by public transport, has step-free access, and has quiet space. A virtual or hybrid option can widen the pool.

Format	Good for	Watch out for
In person	Roles where seeing the workplace matters	Access, travel, cost, crowding
Virtual	Remote roles, wide area	Technology, time zones, access
Hybrid	Mixed needs	Double the planning

Visit the venue in advance. Check step-free routes, lifts, toilets, signs, lighting, noise and a quiet room. The UK government explains duties on adjustments at reasonable adjustments for disabled workers, and in the US the EEOC ADA guidance applies to employers covered by the law.

Step 3: design the stations

Use stations so each candidate does the same activities in the same order or rotation. A station is a short, structured activity tied to a requirement.

Station	What happens	Requirement it checks	Time
Welcome and check-in	Greet, confirm name, explain the day, offer adjustments	Process and fairness	5 minutes
Short interview	Two or three structured questions from a script	Communication, relevant experience	10 to 15 minutes
Role play or task	A realistic task with a simple guide	Skills for the job	10 to 15 minutes
Group activity (optional)	A task done with others	Teamwork, if it is a real requirement	15 minutes
Workplace tour and Q&A	Show the workplace, answer questions	Candidate fit and expectations	10 minutes
Exit and next steps	Explain what happens next and when	Experience	5 minutes

Be careful with group activities. They can favour confident talkers and disadvantage shy or neurodivergent people. Use them only if teamwork in groups is a true part of the job, and score observable behaviours. Read how to reduce interview bias for more.

Step 4: build the scorecards

Create one scorecard per role. Each station has two or three criteria, a clear scale from zero to three, and a note space. Define each score with an example. Train every assessor for 30 minutes before the day, with a practice round. Our interview scorecard guide and structured interview guide have templates you can adapt.

• Assessors score alone, and do not discuss scores until the end of the day.
• Use the same questions for every candidate.
• Keep notes factual: what the candidate said or did.
• Do not note protected traits, appearance or personal circumstances.

Step 5: invite and prepare candidates

Send a clear invitation that includes the date, time, place and how to get there, what the day involves, how long it takes, what to bring, whether food is provided, and who to contact. Add a line about adjustments, and ask for needs in advance. Say how their data will be used. See how to prepare candidates for interviews.

Offer an alternative for people who cannot attend, such as a video interview. This keeps the process open to people with caring duties, health needs or work commitments.

Step 6: staff the day

Role	Tasks	Number
Lead	Runs the day and solves problems	1
Greeter	Check-in, signs, directions	1 to 2
Assessors	Run stations and score	Depends on volume
Runner	Moves candidates and materials	1
Data and records	Collects scores, secures papers	1
First aider or welfare contact	Looks after any health or safety issue	1

Hold a 30 minute briefing at the start. Go through the schedule, the fairness rules, the adjustment process and what to do if a candidate is upset or unwell.

Step 7: run the day with fair rules

• Greet everyone in the same way and explain the day.
• Keep to times. Late candidates get a fair option, such as a later slot.
• Follow the script. Do not add extra questions for some people.
• Offer water, seating, quiet space and breaks.
• Respect privacy: no photos of candidates without consent, and no posting of names.
• Keep a log of any incidents and adjustments made.

Step 8: decide and follow up

Hold a short calibration meeting at the end. Compare scores, discuss big gaps, and agree decisions based on the requirements. Where you can, make decisions the same day and tell candidates what happens next. If you plan to make offers, check references and right to work, as in how to check the right to work. Send a message to every candidate within two working days, using the guidance in rejection emails that respect candidates and feedback to rejected candidates.

Privacy and data protection

• Tell candidates what data you collect, why, who sees it and how long you keep it.
• Store paper scorecards in a locked place, and shred or delete them after the retention period.
• Use a secure system for digital notes.
• Limit access to people who need it.
• Delete data on candidates who did not progress, following local rules.

See GDPR for job applicants, the applicant privacy notice template and how long to keep rejected applicant data.

Checklist for the week before

• Venue visited and access checked.
• Stations, scripts and scorecards printed and tested.
• Assessors briefed and trained.
• Candidates confirmed with details and adjustment contacts.
• Signs, name badges, water and seating ready.
• Data protection notice ready and visible.
• Plan for no-shows and late arrivals agreed.
• Follow-up messages drafted.

Measuring success

Measure	Question it answers
Show-up rate	Did the invitation and reminders work?
Share who reached offer	Were stations aligned with the real needs?
Time from event to decision	Did you keep momentum?
Candidate feedback	Was the day clear, fair and welcoming?
Hire quality after 90 days	Did the day select people who do well?

Review the results with managers, update the stations and keep the notes for the next event.

Worked example (fictional)

A care provider needs twenty care assistants before the summer. The recruiter plans two sessions: a weekday afternoon and a Saturday morning. Each session has a welcome desk, a five minute introduction to the work, a ten minute structured interview, a short scenario task about a safe response to a resident request, and a tour. Five assessors are trained in advance. A quiet room is ready, and the invitation asks about adjustments. Candidates who cannot attend are offered video interviews. At the end of each session, the team scores, agrees decisions, and sends a message to every candidate within two days. Fourteen offers go out in the first week, and the recruiter notes what to change next time.

Making the day welcoming

A hiring day can feel like a test. Small choices make it welcoming. Greet people by name, offer a drink, explain the plan on a board, and give a clear end time. Provide a quiet space for those who need a break. Use plain language on signs. Ask assessors to smile, introduce themselves, and explain each step before it starts.

Tell candidates what you are looking for. Share the requirements and how the day links to them. When people know what is expected, they can show their best, and your scores reflect the job, not the stress.

Adjustments and accessibility in practice

• Ask in the invitation: “Tell us if you need any adjustments, such as extra time, a quiet room, a different format or a way to attend by video.”
• Prepare common options in advance: seating, larger print, instructions in writing, extra time, a support person welcome, a break room.
• Have one named person who handles requests, with a phone number and email.
• Do not ask for medical proof for ordinary adjustments. Ask what would help.
• Record the adjustment made, not the diagnosis.

The pages on accessible interviews and accessible job applications give more detail. If a candidate cannot attend in person, offer an equal alternative, with the same questions and scoring.

Safety and welfare

Think through simple safety points. Know the fire exits and the assembly point. Have a first aider on site. Check that the space is not over capacity. Have a plan for a candidate who feels unwell or upset. If the event is outdoors or off site, check weather and transport. Keep a list of attendees, so you know who is present in an emergency, and delete it after the retention period.

Using social media and promotion

Promote the event through the channels your target group uses: your own site, job boards, local community groups, colleges, job centres and employee referrals. Use plain language, include the date, time, place, roles and how to book. Say that you welcome candidates of all backgrounds and that adjustments are available. Avoid wording that suggests an age, sex or other preference. If you advertise pay, follow the rules in salary in job ads.

What to do if too many or too few people come

Situation	Response
Too many	Open an extra session, move some to video, or schedule short slots in a waiting list. Never turn people away without a clear alternative.
Too few	Follow up with those who booked, offer video slots, and widen promotion. Review timing and channels for next time.
A large group arrives at once	Stagger starts, use a queue system and keep people informed.

Frequently asked questions

How many candidates can I invite to a hiring day?

It depends on your space, staff and stations. Plan for no-shows, and avoid crowding that makes the day stressful.

Are group exercises fair?

They can be, if teamwork in a group is a true requirement and assessors score observable behaviour. Otherwise use individual tasks.

Can I make offers on the day?

Often yes, if your scoring and approval process allows it. Keep checks such as references and right to work as conditions.

What if a candidate needs an adjustment?

Ask in the invitation, plan for it, and keep the process fair. Offer an alternative format when needed.

Related guides

• Recruiters hub
• Screening at volume
• Employer guides

This is general information, not legal advice.