1. Many organizations adopt a targeted recruitment strategy.

For example, some organizations have targeted workers 50 and older in their recruitment efforts, which include advertising specifically in media outlets frequented by older individuals. Other organizations target recruitment messages at women, minorities, or those with desired skills. Do you think targeted recruitment systems are fair? Why or why not? At first glance the concept of targeted recruiting may sound exclusionary in a discriminatory way; however upon further review there is factual evidence that supports the use of targeted recruitment in some cases. The negative connotations that may be held by some when discussing targeted recruitment may be eliminated once a clear understanding of the purpose and goal of targeted recruitment is understood. The purpose of targeted recruitment is not to discriminate. Rather, the targeted recruitment approach is one in which an organization seeks to identify various segments in the labor market where qualified job candidates exist. (Heneman & Judge, 2009) Finding job candidates with the necessary qualifications and KSAOs for the position can be a difficult task facing the organization, targeted recruitment helps to expedite finding the right person/job match. If used as intended, I believe that targeted recruitment systems are both fair and effective. There are many reasons for a company to use targeted recruiting which include: needing special KSAOs, filling workforce diversity gaps, attracting passive employees, re-establishing a relationship with former employees, and more. (Heneman & Judge, 2009) All of these areas are legitimate for the use of targeted recruitment. Understand that targeted recruitment does not break any law or guideline as established at the state or federal levels. In fact, targeted recruitment in some cases as listed above is done to help establish more diversity within the organization. Organizations can utilize targeted recruitment to tailor messages to minorities or women to fill

needed diversity gaps. For the most part targeted recruitment can accomplish the same level of inclusion as open recruitment; it just uses a different method to get its results. (Heneman & Judge, 2009) There are some key advantages to utilizing the targeted recruitment approach: it narrows the pool of potential job applicants and facilitates a more personal approach to each applicant. The smaller pool of applicants can work to streamline to selection process, as it will allow the company to maximize its efforts on the most qualified candidates for the position. (Heneman & Judge, 2009) Targeted recruitment is used most frequently when organization have a specific set of KSAOs that they are targeting in the open position. Targeted recruitment methods are being applied every day as an effective recruitment strategy. In the article Keys to Reducing Driver Turnover the author discussed the difficult tasks that organizations are faced with pertaining to employee recruitment and retention. One particular company, Schneider National has targeted the retiree labor market to fill many of its vacancies. The carrier company has partnered with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and has uncovered a new valuable source of job candidates. 15% of the drivers that they hired in the 2005 fiscal year were over the age of 50. (LP Gas, 2006) Another example of targeted recruitment is found in the federal government. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) conducted a study to obtain methods that might prove useful in obtaining a better caliber of employee, more suited to meeting or exceeding job requirements. There study identified a number of issues and hurdles with the recruitment and hiring practices used in the federal government. Some of these included: passive recruitment strategies, unclear job announcements, and processes that are paper work driven. (Government Accounting Office, 2008) As a result OPM has developed job fairs and system process adjustments, in addition to having individual agencies employ target recruitment techniques to help build a talented workforce. (Government Accounting Office, 2008) There is no

doubt that targeting recruitment of women or minority groups can be construed by some as positive discrimination. Complaints of positive discrimination were brought against the Avon Fire and Rescue Service in Great Britain after they launched a recruitment strategy aimed at encouraging women and minorities to apply for the position. (Fire Safety Engineering, 2008) The key factor in targeted recruitment is that discrimination cant be an element of the final job decision. Avon was able to point to evidence that affirmed that its recruitment strategy only encouraged minority participation, it did not discourage other races or ethnicities from applying, and once applications were received all job applicants were given equal opportunity for employment. Targeted recruitment is fair and can be a powerful strategy as long as it is applied properly.

References Heneman, H.G. & Judge, T.A. (2009). Staffing Organizations (6th ed.). Burr Ridge: IL: McGraw/Irwin. Human Capital: Transforming Federal Recruiting and Hiring Efforts. Government Accounting Office-08-762T. GAO Reports, 5/8/2008, p1, 17p. Press have to go at targeted recruitment. Fire Safety Engineering, March 2008, Vol. 15 (2), p11-11. White, Joe (2006). Keys to reducing driver turnover. LP/Gas, Vol. 66 (5) 44-35.