Recruitment and Selection Process

Analysing the job R E Writing the JD and PS C R U Holding selection events Short-listing the candidates S

E
L C Making a decision & Offer T

Deciding the recruitment method

I T M

I
O N

Deciding the application method

Taking up references

N
T

Marketing the job

Inducting new employee

Difference between Recruitment and Selection

Recruitment is the way in which an organization tries to attract the people from whom it will ultimately make selection. It includes efforts to reach better pool of candidates and to sell the organization as an employer of choice. Whereas Selection is about choosing among the job candidates as who is most likely to perform well on the job, through a fair and accurate assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of applicants.

Recruitment Purpose

A good recruitment programme attracts ample number of job seekers more applicants means recruiters better chances for finding an individual best-suited to the job requirements Simultaneously, the recruitment programme must provide enough information about the job such that the unqualified applicants can self-select themselves out of the job candidacy that is attracting the qualified and not the unqualified.

Meeting this dual objective will minimize the cost of processing unqualified candidates

Recruitment Process
Writing Job Description & Person Specification 2. Deciding the recruitment method 3. Deciding the application mode 4. Marketing the job
1.

Recruitment Method

Company-self Recruitment Internal Sources External Sources

Outside Agency Recruitment

Referrals

Unsolicited Applications

External Search

Press Advertisement

E. Recruitment

University Recruitment

Company-self Recruitment Points For

1. Can customise the recruitment method to the particular job. 2. Internal candidates can be given due consideration.

Points Against
1. Employer organization may lack the required expertise. 2. Is time consuming and involves administrative hassle.

3. It is economical, saves huge fees payable to outside recruitment agencies.

Recruitment through Agencies Points For

1. Can produce applicants very quickly. 2. Little administrative chore for the employer. 3. Recruitment expertise.

Points Against
1. Internal candidates are generally excluded. 2. Mainly unemployed are registered with the head-hunters and not the employed seeking change. So, potential candidates outside the head-hunter's network are excluded. 3. The candidates may remain on the consultants list and be hunted again. 4. Mostly follow the generalised approach ignoring the peculiarities of each job. 5. Costly.

Exploring Internal Sources Points For

1. It builds morale of the existing employees and encourages the ambitious employees. 2. Since information on the employees is already available, it may effect a good selection. 3. It is less costly than going outside to recruit. 4. Those chosen internally already know the organization that saves cost on orientation and acclimatization. 5. Regular growth from within constitutes career promotion credited to the organizations that is an effective tool of employee retention.

Points Against
1. It can be dysfunctional to the organization to utilize inferior internal sources only because they are there while excellent candidates are available outside.

2. Inbreeding

Referrals Points For

1. The recommender often gives the applicant more realistic information about the job than could be conveyed through employment agencies or newspaper advertisements.

Points Against
1. Recommenders may confuse friendship with job performance competence having their friends join them for social and even economic reasons.

2. Referred employees are more likely to accept the job offer, once it is made, and show higher job survival.
3. Above all, employee referrals are an excellent means of locating potential employees for hard-to-fill positions

Unsolicited Applications
Unsolicited applications constitute a sizable part of the supply of the potential recruits in the economies with high unemployment. Unsolicited applications can be kept on file even if there are no particular openings. Unsolicited applications made especially by the qualified professionals is often short-lived. Some good companies are sensitive enough to unsolicited applications to include its prohibition in the company recruitment policy.

Press Advertisement

Press advertising is extensively used today despite the cost involved. Because it is likely to be seen by a wider audience than just the people who may apply to you and, if framed correctly, the advertisement can provide not only good employees but also can provide good image of the organization to the public in general.

Getting the best from the press

Before advertising in the press, make sure you know the following:
the

papers readership profile the papers geographical coverage the best day to advertise for the post on which page your advert will appear the cost involved

Preparing the Advertisement

There are three areas to consider when designing an advert for the press. They are:
Size of the Ad Style of the Ad Contents of the Ad

Size of the Ad
The size of the advert will be affected by the following factors: Your budget versus the cost of space in the publication The seniority and speciality of the post on offer The known scarcity of quality candidates to fill the post The size of other adverts competing for similar posts

Style of the Ad
The style is to do with the way the ad looks on the page. It consists of following elements: Produce easy-to-read copy with plenty of white space. 2. Use the borders to draw the readers into the ad. 3. Avoid using a small type size to fit in more words it will look only cramped. 4. Visuals that are integral part of the organization like logos should be included. It is another marketing vehicle for the company.
1.

Content of the Ad
The content of advert is the main element in attracting suitable applicants. The following details are all relevant:
1.

Name and brief detail of the employer organization better known the employer in the market the less important the details. However, certain organizations choose to remain anonymous and publish only a blind ad.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Job title and basic information based on the job description. Job tenure, for example length of contract KSAs needed, based on person specification Any essential qualifications Pay scale/salary & other benefits in clear terms How, where and to whom to apply The closing date

9.

10.

Telephone number, fax number, e-mail address to request an application form and further details, if so. Other general tips

What are blind ads?

Ads without name of the organization with P.O. Box or recruiting agency address instead.

Advantages i. It may help the reputed organizations ward off

influx of large number of applications against a job with medium person specification.

ii.

iii.

New and not-so-reputed organizations may have a chance to attract certain quality candidates and somehow or other have and retain them. It may relieve the organization from the outside influences in the matter of recruitment.

Disadvantages i. Many applicants are reluctant to apply against the blind ads, at least for the fear that they might be applying to their present organization. ii. Unemployed or desperately seeking employment make the largest part of the candidates applying against the blind ads. Already employed but seeking change type candidates remain reluctant to apply.

iii.

Organization image is the basic factor in determining response rate of the ads, and remaining anonymous for a reputed organization means losing some excellent candidates who otherwise may be anxious to join it.

General tips for writing ads Do

1. Include any organizational successes, e.g. recent growth
2. Highlight benefits that may attract applicants, specifically if the salary is not overly attractive 3. State that development opportunities are on offer

Dont
1. Do not exaggerate the job or the organizations track record
2. Do not use generalised statements about the responsibilities of the job

3. Do not include criteria that applicants do not need to meet but just to make the job sound more attractive and challenging. 4. Do not use the adjectives like dynamic, vibrant, excellent career etc. These terms have lost their importance.

E-recruitment
It is a significant contemporary development in the field of organizational recruitment principally for management and professional posts. E-recruitment is likely to increase substantially as more people gain success to internet. E-recruitment takes two basic forms:

Centred on the employers own website, jobs being advertised alongside information about the products and services of the organization. Through cyber agencies playing traditional role of the employment agents.

Advantages of E-recruitment

Dis-advantages of E-recruitment

1. Inexpensive. Cost of setting up a good website is roughly equal to a medium level advertisement in a newspaper. 2. It is speedy. People can respond within seconds by emailing their CV to employer 3. Can potentially reach a worldwide audience. 4. It shows the organization technologically aware and upto-date.

1. Employer can be bombarded with thousands of applications with the possibility of more of them unqualified, since it takes little effort to send a pre-prepared CV to the employer. 2. Not all potential recruits may visit the website or have access to the internet at all.

3. Concern for security and confidentiality may deter people from submitting personal details over the web.

Deciding the Application Mode

CV
versus

Application Form

CV
Advantages
1. Provides a better opportunity to demonstrate ones suitability for the job 2. A well prepared CV may widen the options for the employer to consider the applicant for other job than applied for.

Disadvantages
1. CV is rarely developed for the job offered, so the employer may receive information inconsistent to the job on a CV, people tend to tell you what they want you to hear, rather than what you need to know. 2. Each CV may provide very different information so it makes difficult to compare people.

Application Form
Advantages
1. The employer can design the application form specific to the job, hence preventing influx of unnecessary information, saving recruitment cost and time.

Disadvantages
1. Requires specific expertise that the employer may not be wielding adequately. A poorly structured form may prevent valuable information from the candidates. 2. Compulsion of filling the forms may make the employed candidates reluctant to apply.

2. An application form makes the applicants provide similar information hence easier inter-candidate comparison vis--vis person specification, ensuring equal opportunity practice

Details on an Application Form

The following details can be requested on an application form: Job applied for Name, address, telephone numbers Previous employment name and address of employer, job title, dates position held, main TDRs, salary Education, qualification gained with dates Other relevant skills, experience, interests Name and address of two referees

Employer needs to make sure

The form is professionally produced giving a positive image of the organization The form is error-free and jargon-free There is sufficient space for people to write their responses The form clearly states what information is required. All relevant aspects of the job are covered.

There is space to sign and date the form.

Discussion Questions
Define recruitment and discuss its purposes. How it is different from selection? 2. What are the factors that determine a choice of an employer between the company-self recruitment and outside agency based recruitment? 3. Discuss merits and demerits of the following recruitment methods: a. Internal sources b. Referral c. Unsolicited Applications 2. What are the essential ingredients of an advertisements contents? 3. Why certain organizations choose to publish blind advertisements? Discuss its demerits as well. 4. What is E-recruitment? Discuss its merits and demerits. 5. Discuss merits and demerits of CV as an application method. 6. Discuss merits and demerits of Application Form as application method. Also suggest particular features and details of a useful Application Form.
1.