INTRODUCTION:

Despite developments in technology, people remain the single most important source of
competitive advantage. Recruitment and selection are therefore of importance to an
organization’s strategy implementation and is directly linked to the fulfillment of the
organization’s vision, mission, and objectives. Mistakes in the selection of key employees
can spell disaster for an organization. Employee selection happens within the context of
organizational design, structure, and workforce planning.
Recruitment is a process which aims to attract appropriately qualified candidates for a
particular position from which it is possible and practical to select and appoint a
competent person or persons.
Recruitment Sources
One critical issue in recruitment is targeting. While recruitment methods relate to the
means of making candidates aware of a vacancy, sources focus on where to use those
methods to ensure that they are communicating with the targeted candidates. Decisions
therefore have to be made on where the message about the job is placed for purposes of
enlisting a response. Questions that need to be addressed in that regard are: Where will
the prospective applicants be found? No one source is good for all jobs as different jobs
may need different recruitment sources. • How will the applicants be made interested in
the job enough to submit an application? Recruitment sources are either internal or
external to the organization. Each one of the sources presents advantages and
disadvantages and organizations use sources that are consistent with other business
objectives as the recruitment process does not take place in isolation.
Internal Sources
Recruiting from internal sources is common in large organizations that are national,
regional, and even global. The sources come from transfers, promotions, demotions,
hiring of retired employees, referrals from employees; hiring employee dependents,
relatives, and friend.
Recruitment and Selection 57
of hiring from internal sources include increasing morale of employees as they see
the employer offering opportunities for growth and promotion; the employee is a
known entity to the employer therefore the assessments are based on fact; one
promotion leads to more promotions which could be good for employee morale.
Internal sources make it faster to fill a position provided the organizations HR
information systems are kept up to date. Internal sources can also be cost effective
for the organization as it gets to reap the benefits of investing in employee
learning and development. Employees hired from within are also more likely to
hit the ground running as they do not have to deal with socialization issues and
the need to adjust to a new culture. Disadvantages of using internal sources of
labor include the problem of in breeding which could compromise performance
by perpetuating institutional bad practice; dysfunctional competition for
promotion; the need for it to be backed by a comprehensive employee
development program which could turnout expensive. Organizational politics,
favoritism, nepotism, and related practices can be obstacles to successful use of
internal labor sources. In situations where an organization is trying to adjust to a
changed environment and the existing management team has become a stumbling
block, internal recruitment can prevent the organization from achieving its
objectives. 2.6.16. External Sources External sources of recruitment include
campus recruitment, employment agencies, head hunters, executive search
organizations, labor contractors, online through websites, direct targeting of
employees in competing organizations, targeting foreign markets, walk-ins, and
unsolicited applications. General advantages of external sources is that they
present the organization which a larger pool of applicants; introduces new and
different perspectives, dilutes dysfunctional internal conflicts, and presents an
organization with opportunities to change. Disadvantages of external sources
largely relate to the process amounting to gambling with unknown entities and
hoping for the best. Problems include culture fit problems, long socialization
processes, possibility of failed fit resulting in premature termination of an
employment agreement, and it takes longer for the position to be considered filled
as there is usually a probation period as the quality of the hire is untested.
External sources can also introduce pockets of negative sub-cultures within the
organization which could result in dysfunctional politics.
EBSCOhost - printed on 7/7/2020 10:48 AM via COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
 RECRUITMENT: ATTRACTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE
Learning Outcomes: To be able to:
i. Analyse recruitment and selection processes as a system of inputs, outputs and
interrelated sub-systems
ii. Subject organisational recruitment and selection processes to robust scrutiny in pursuit of
business-focused continuous improvement
iii. Undertake job analysis and identify significant labour market characteristics
iv. Evaluate alternative methods of recruitment and make informed choices of method
The recruitment and selection process is a matching activity between applicant and job, which is
dependent on:
i. The organisation clearly defining and specifying a need;
ii. Utilising appropriate recruitment methods and selection techniques effectively; and,
iii. Reviewing, evaluating and modifying the recruitment and selection system in the light of
experience.
 Recruitment and selection are system, yet the process should be flexible. As well as the
candidate fitting the job, the job may need to fit the candidate;
 The recruitment and selection of workers is fundamental to the functioning of an
organisation and there are compelling reasons for getting it right;
 Inappropriate selection decisions reduce organisational effectiveness, invalidate reward
and development strategies;
 Inappropriate recruitment is also expensive;

Why should organisations have good employee recruitment and

selection?

 Good recruitment and selection is important because well-thought-out, agreed and

communicated policies, procedures and practices significantly contribute to effective
organisational performance, to good employee relations and to a positive public image;
 Ineffectiveness in recruitment and selection may lead to poor work performance,
unacceptable conduct, internal conflict, low morale and job satisfaction and dysfunctional
labour turnover.
 Good recruitment is more than just filling vacancies and human resource planning is the
route to forecasting HR requirements and ensuring that the recruitment and selection
activity is directed at getting the right people, in the right place, at the right time with the
right skills to achieve the business objectives.
  Recruitment and selection is therefore an essential part of HR strategy;
 Recruitment and selection processes should be effective, efficient and fair – effective in
generating candidates of appropriate quality and quantity and distinguishing between the
suitable and the unsuitable; efficient in being timely and resource effective; fair by
dealing equitably honestly and courteously with all applicants and providing a positive
framework within which diverse candidates can demonstrate their abilities.

RECRUITMENT, SELECTION AND THE SYSTEMS APPROACH

 Recruitment is a process which aims to attract appropriately qualified candidates for
a particular position from which it is possible and practical to select and appoint a
competent person or persons.

 Selection is a process which involves the application of appropriate techniques and

methods with the aim of selecting, appointing and inducting a competent person or
persons.

A systems approach to recruitment and selection is based on the idea that:

i. a system has inputs, a processing unit and outputs;

ii. The processing unit contains the recruitment and selection sub-systems;
iii. the inputs are the candidates;
iv. the processing unit consists of various methods and techniques; and
v. the outputs are either effective employees or candidates who return to the labour market;
vi. the candidates who return to the labour market are either rejected by the organisation or
choose to exit from the recruitment and selection process;
vii. The system is subject to considerable external influence – the legal framework, the
economic situation, social and demographic change, competitor activity and labour
market characteristics.
Figure: The systems approach to recruitment and selection

External influence
Legal framework
Economic situation
Social and demographic changes
Competitors’ activities

Recruitment & Selection

Candidates Effective employees
Methods and Techniques
Sub-system
 Rejection and
existing

Labour market
characteristics

Validation, review, and organizational

constraints

The recruitment and selection sub-systems

Sub-systems Activities Sub-systems Activities
 Pre-recruitment activity – establishing a prima facie (preliminary
review/check/assess) case for Pre-recruitment activity job
analysis; consideration of the labour market
1 Attraction  Use of recruitment methods
 Responding to enquiries

2 Reduction  Filtering, screening and shortlisting

3 Selection  Use of selection methods and techniques

 Making the appointment – offer and acceptance

4 Transition  Pre-engagement process

 Induction and appraisal
Pre-recruitment activity:
The pre-recruitment process combines the three interdependent elements namely:
i. Establishing a prima facie case for recruitment
ii. Job analysis
iii. Labour market assessment
Establishing a prima facie case for recruitment
 When a vacancy occurs, whether through resignation, dismissal, increased workload or
reorganisation, there is only the opportunity for recruitment and a prima facie case should
be established before proceeding

When a vacancy occurs, organization has to think about the alternatives available to fill it,
organization can address the following questions:

 Is there actually a job to be done or can elements be distributed, eliminated or achieved

through alternative means, for example by utilising technology or contracting it out?
 What constraints are placed on recruitment by the staffing budget?
 Do the workload predictions justify recruitment?
 Does the filling of the vacancy integrate with the human resource plan?
 How does the recruitment proposal fit with diversity objectives?
 Is the impact of the vacancy short, medium or long term?

Job analysis
 Job analysis is the systematic process of collecting information about the tasks,
responsibilities and contexts of a job. The outputs of the job analysis
 Job analysis provides the opportunity for assessing whether the job has changed and for
reviewing the knowledge, skills and competencies required;
 For a newly created position the job analysis is a predictive activity. Process are job
descriptions and person specifications.

The information to be collected through job analysis includes:

 data which identifies the job and locates it within the organisational structure
 job objectives and performance measures
 accountabilities, responsibilities and organisational relationships
 job duties and content
  terms of employment and work conditions
 skills, knowledge and competencies required
 other distinctive job characteristics.

Analysing the labour market

 A labour market is the identified pool of potential employees from which it is possible to
attract candidates of the required calibre for a specified job
 Establishing the availability of candidates who meet the person specification and the ease
or difficulty with which they can be attracted;
 Consider the appropriateness of the terms, conditions and rewards being offered, as
incongruence with candidate expectations will have adverse implications for the
recruitment and selection process.

The organisation has access to both internal labour market (ILM) and the external labour market
(ELM). The ILM describes arrangements whereby existing staff can apply and be considered for
organisational vacancies which occur, resulting in the promotion or transfer of current
employees. Advantages of ILM includes staff motivation, continuity and retention, but the
organization.

Reasons for accessing the ILM include:

 the provision of opportunities for training and development to existing employees
 enabling employees to pursue reward through internal promotion
 the retention of the investment in the organisation’s human capital
 lower costs of recruitment
 scarcity in the ELM
 the reinforcement of corporate culture and values

A critical factor in recruitment and selection is the establishment of whether there is likely to be
a shortage or surplus of candidates
A shortage labour market is characterised by demand exceeding labour supply, giving more
power to potential candidates. A surplus labour market is characterised by labour supply
exceeding demand, giving more power and control to the employing organisation.
In summary, the analysis of the labour market needs to take account of:
 the factors associated with internal labour market (ILM) and external labour market
(ELM) recruitment
 the stratification, segmentation and characteristics of ELMs
 the implications of recruiting and selecting within primary, secondary and tertiary labour
markets
 whether the identified labour market reflects a shortage or surplus of labour in relation to
demand
 the job-seeking habits and expectations of potential candidates

RECRUITMENT METHODS – ATTRACTING APPLICATIONS

The objective of a recruitment method is to attract an appropriate number of suitable candidates,

at a reasonable cost. Applications can be attracted by different ways such as:
i. Press advertising including:
 local, regional and national newspapers
 professional and trade journals, and other specialist publications
ii. Internet recruitment
iii. Other advertising:
 Television and radio
 Vacancy boards – internal and external
 Leaflet drops, posters and recruitment caravans
iv. Waiting lists
v. Employment agencies and recruitment consultants
vi. Job centres
vii. Careers service
viii. Direct access to schools and colleges
 ix. Government training schemes
x. University milkround
xi. Open days, recruitment fairs and careers conventions
QN. Describe advantages and disadvantages of using at least seven recruitment methods

Selection: Choosing the Right People

What is selection?
 Selection is the process of picking or choosing the right candidate, who is most suitable
for a vacant job position in an organization;
 The selection of a right applicant for a vacant position will be an asset to the
organization, which will be helping the organization in reaching its objectives;
 A good selection process will ensure that the organization gets the right set of employees
with the right attitude;
Importance of Selection
 Hiring good resources can help increase the overall performance of the organization. In
contrast, if there is bad hire with a bad selection process, then the work will be affected
and the cost incurred for replacing that bad resource will be high.
 The purpose of selection is to choose the most suitable candidate, who can meet the
requirements of the jobs in an organization, who will be a successful applicant. For
meeting the goals of the organization, it is important to evaluate various attributes of each
candidate such as their qualifications, skills, experiences, overall attitude, etc.
Advantages of Selection
 It is cost-effective and reduces a lot of time and effort.
 It helps to avoid any biasing while recruiting the right candidate;
 It helps to eliminate the candidates who are lacking in knowledge, ability, and
proficiency;
 It provides a guideline to evaluate the candidates further through strict verification and
reference-checking;
 It helps in comparing the different candidates in terms of their capabilities, knowledge,
skills, experience, and work attitude.
Selection Process and Steps
i. Employment Interview: Employment interview is a process in which one-on-one session
in conducted with the applicant to know a candidate better. It helps the interviewer to
discover the inner qualities of the applicant and helps in taking a right decision;
ii. Checking References: Reference checking is a process of verifying the applicant’s
qualifications and experiences with the references provided by him. Reference checks
help the interviewer understand the conduct, the attitude, and the behavior of the
candidate as an individual and also as a professional;
iii. Medical Examination: Medical examination is a process, in which the physical and the
mental fitness of the applicants are checked to ensure that the candidates are capable of
performing a job or not. This examination helps the organization in choosing the right
candidates who are physically and mentally fit.
iv. Final Selection: the final process which proves that the applicant has qualified in all the
rounds of the selection process and will be issued an appointment letter.

Salary Negotiations
Salary negotiation is done ahead of issuing an offer letter. This is the heart of recruitment and
selection process, wherein the actual worth of a right candidate will be evaluated. The
remuneration offered should be balanced, acceptable and agreed by both the parties – the
employer and the employee.

The negotiations should be a win-win situation, where both the candidate and the employer
should benefit.

If the candidate expects and demands for a higher salary than the offered salary, then the
employer can raise the package (if the budget permits) in the following cases:

 The candidate is highly talented with a potential to deliver great results.

 The candidate has exceptional skills which are rare in the market.

Making a Job Offer

Making a job offer is the final stage of recruitment and selection. Once a candidate is selected,
he/she will be issued an offer letter, which describes the designation, job location, role,
responsibilities, remuneration, benefits, and a few terms related to the company policies.
The outcome of job offer can be one of the following:
 The candidate may accept and start working with the organization, or
 The candidate may accept a better job offer from another organization, if he gets one.

NOTE:

 Do not Delay: Issue an offer letter as soon as a candidate is selected, especially if the
resources are limited.
 Put the job offer on the table : do not wait for the right time. Contact the selected candidate
over phone and give him a verbal confirmation that he/she is selected to fill the position
vacant.
 Set a deadline to accept the offer : Once the offer is issued to the candidate, set a reasonable
deadline to accept the offer. Take a confirmation from the candidate that he/she should
join as per the date of joining mentioned in the offer letter.
 Stay connected: Even after the offer is accepted by the candidate, it is the responsibility of
the hiring manager to be in touch with the selected candidate, till he/she joins the
organization

A formal job offer should include the following:

i. Name of the employee

ii. Title or designation of the job
iii. The remuneration or salary offered
iv. Employment commencement date
v. Roles and responsibilities of the job
vi. Terms and conditions (contract/temporary/permanent) of the job
vii. Compensations and benefits
viii. Conditions during the probationary period
ix. Additional condition, which includes legal, background verification etc.

Maintain contact with the candidate

Employees usually have to serve a notice period before switching jobs. So, there is a time-gap of
one month or so after a candidate accepts the Offer Letter till the time he joins the organization.
During this time-gap, the role of a recruiter is important because the candidate may or may not
join, even after accepting the offer letter! Hence, the recruiter should be in touch with the
candidate through mails/messages/calls till he/she joins the company.

The following steps are important after a candidate accepts the Job Offer:

 Documentation process: This process includes collecting documents such as educational

certificates, ID proof, address proof, previous company offer letter, relieving letters, etc.
If a candidate responds positively, then it is an indicator that he/she is actually interested
in joining the organization.
 Employment verification process: Collecting an employment verification document, which
consists of the details of the previous employers and their references. It provides
information regarding the behavior and attitude of the candidate.
 Contacting the candidates: Be in contact with the candidate through calls or mails or
messages, which helps in building a relationship between the recruiter and a potential
employee. It also helps in knowing the status of the candidate joining the organization.
 Resignation from current employment : As soon as an offer letter is issued to the candidate,
make sure that the candidate resigns his current job and shares a copy of the resignation
document/mail. Later on, do follow up with regards to the resignation acceptance
document/mail from the current employer.
 Following up for the joining date: Finally, keep following up with the candidate about the
joining date, because it will help in knowing the status of the candidate joining the
organization as per the joining date mentioned in the offer letter.