Introduction to Recruitment

Recruitment and selection is the process of identifying the need for a job, defining the
requirements of the position and the job holder, advertising the position and choosing the
most appropriate person for the job. Retention means ensuring that once the best person has
been recruited, they stay with the business and are not “poached” by rival companies.

Undertaking this process is one of the main objectives of management. Indeed, the success of
any business depends to a large extent on the quality of its staff. Recruiting employees with
the correct skills can add value to a business and recruiting workers at a wage or salary that
the business can afford, will reduce costs.
Employees should therefore be carefully selected, managed and retained, just like any other
resource

The Recruitment Sources in the recruitment process are the sources of candidates. Generally,
the HRM Function recognizes two main sources of candidates for the job positions: internal
and external sources of candidates.

The internal recruitment sources are very important, but they cannot be used to fill every
vacancy in the organization. It is very important to realize, that in many organization, the
internal recruitment is divided into two separate processes: internal recruitment and
promotions. The promotion is the move of the employee when the organization initiates the
whole process. The real internal recruitment is than a move of the employee initiated by the
employee him or herself.

The external recruitment sources bring job candidates from the external environment using
different techniques. The oldest, but still pretty efficient is a newspaper job advertisement.
Many HRM Professionals do not believe in the power of the newspaper advertising, but for
many jobs it is still one of the best techniques with the best cost/income ratio.

The modern recruitment source fully managed by the organization is the web job
advertisement. It is very cheap, but it can flood the organization with many useless job
resumes. This can make the final decision almost impossible. The cost/income ratio is always
attractive, but the success rate can be really low.

The other external recruitment sources are the recruitment agencies and executive search
companies. Their services are not cheap, but the organization does not have to handle all that
job resumes and the good agency also makes follow ups of the job candidates in the
recruitment process.

A very special kind of the recruitment source is the referral recruitment, when the employees
are paid to provide the organization with their friends as potential employees. This can look
strange, but it can provide the organization with many interesting candidates, who are not
reachable via any other recruitment source.

Definition of Recruitment:

“Recruitment Is The Process Of Finding And Attracting Capable Applicants For

Employment. The Process Begins When New Recruits Are Sought And Ends When Their
Applications Are Submitted. The Result Is A Pool Of Application From Which New
Employees Are Selected.”

Meaning Of Recruitment:

Recruitment Is Understood As The Process Of Searching For And Obtaining Applicants For
Jobs; From Among Them The Right People Can Be Selected. Though Theoretically
Recruitment Process Is Said To End With The Receipt Of Applications, In Practice The
Activity Extends To The Screening Of Applications So As To Eliminate Those Who Are Not
Qualified For The Job.

Purpose and Importance of Recruitment:

• Determine The Present And Future Requirements In Conjunction With Personnel Planning
And Job Analysis Activities
• Increase The Pool Of Job Candidates At Minimum Cost
• Help Increase Success Rate of Selection Process by Reducing Number of Under-Qualified
Or Over-Qualified Applications.
• Reduce The Probability That Job Applicants Once Selected Would Leave Shortly
• Meet Legal And Social Obligations
• Identify And Prepare Potential Job Applicants
• Evaluate Effectiveness Of Various Recruitment Techniques And Sources For Job
Applicants.

Factors governing recruitment:

A. External Factors:
• Demand and Supply (Specific Skills)
• Unemployment Rate (Area-wise)
• Labor Market Conditions
• Political and Legal Environment (Reservations, Labor laws)
• Image

B. Internal Factors

• Recruitment Policy (Internal Hiring or External Hiring?)

• Human Resource Planning (Planning of resources required)
• Size of the Organization (Bigger the size lesser the recruitment problems)
• Cost
• Growth and Expansion Plans

The Recruitment’s 2 “P”

Policy:
The recruitment and selection decision is of prime importance as the vehicle for obtaining the
best possible person-to-job fit which will, when aggregated, contribute significantly towards
the Company's effectiveness. It is also becoming increasingly important, as the Company
evolves and changes, that new recruits show a willingness to learn, adaptability and ability to
work as part of a team. The Recruitment & Selection procedure should help managers to
ensure that these criteria are addressed.

The Company Recruitment and Selection Policy will:

• be fair and consistent;

• be non-discriminatory on the grounds of sex, race, age, religion or disability;
• Conform to statutory regulations and agreed best practice.
• To ensure that these policy aims are achieved, all appointing managers will receive training
in effective recruitment and selection.

Procedure

The following procedure should be used when a post is to be filled. The appointing manager
must:

Define the job. If it is an existing post, is an exact replacement required or is this an

opportunity to revise the requirements. If it is a newly established post be clear on the exact
requirements, draw up a job description and consult the appropriate Director / Human
Resources Department in relation to the appropriate grade and salary.

Complete a Job Vacancy Form which confirms:

• details of the post
• final approval from the appropriate Director;
• In the event of the job being newly established, the approval of the Chief Executive, and
confirmation from the Director of Finance, that funding is available.
Send the Job Vacancy Form to the Human Resources Department / Company Administration
Office. No vacancy can be processed without this authorisation.
Ensure the Job Description and person specification are up-to-date. Contact the Human
Resources Department for advice / any assistance in completing these.

Collate an information package appropriate for the post. This package should include:
• job description and if appropriate, the person specification
• information on the department
• information on the Company
• terms and conditions of employment
It is important that this pack is carefully put together in order to present a professional image
of the Company, therefore out-of date or poorly presented information is not suitable.

Discuss with the Human Resources Department / Admin Office / appropriate Director the
most effective means of obtaining suitable candidates. The following options should be
explored (in this order):
• Internal advert within the Company
• Examination of previous applications, or those held on file within the Human Resources
Department / Company Administration Office
• External advert within the job centre
• External advert in the local press
• External advert in the National press
• External advert in the appropriate technical / professional Journal
• In senior posts the use of a recruitment agency
Design the advertisement. All advertisements must contain as much information as possible
to ensure the correct recruitment group is targeted and reduce unsuitable applications, while
remaining as cost-effective as possible.
External adverts will be submitted to the appropriate Director / senior manager for approval
before being placed.

• Identify vacancy
• Prepare job description and person specification
• Advertising the vacancy
• Managing the response
• Short-listing
• Arrange interviews
• Conducting interview and decision making

The recruitment process is immediately followed by the selection process i.e. the final
interviews and the decision making, conveying the decision and the appointment formalities.

INTERNAL RECRUITMENT
Advantages Disadvantages
• Less Costly
• Candidates already oriented towards organization
• Organizations have better knowledge about internal candidates
• Employee morale and motivation is enhanced • Old concept of doing things
• It abets raiding
• Candidates current work may be affected
• Politics play greater roles
• Morale problem for those not promoted.

Internal sources of Recruitment:

Present Permanent Employees:

Organizations consider the candidates from this source for higher level of jobs due to
availability of most suitable candidates for jobs relatively or equally to external sources, to
meet the trade union demands and due to the policy of the organization to motivate the
present employees.

Present temporary/casual Employees:

Organizations find this source to fill the vacancies relatively at the lower level owing to the
availability of suitable candidates or trade union pressures or in order to motivate them on
present job.

Retrenched or Retired Employees:

Employees retrenched due to lack of work are given employment by the organization due to
obligation, trade union pressure etc. Sometimes they are re-employed by the organization as a
token of their loyalty to the organization or to postpone some interpersonal conflicts for
promotion.

Dependents of Deceased, Disabled, retired and present employees:

Some organizations function with a view to developing the commitment and loyalty of not
only the employee but also his family members.

Employee Referrals:
Present employees are well aware of the qualifications, attitudes, experience and emotions of
their friends and relatives. They are also aware of the job requirements and organizational
culture of their company. As such they can make preliminary judgment regarding the match
between the job and their friends and relatives.
Campus Recruitment:
These candidates are directly recruited by the Company from their college/educational
institution. They are inexperienced as far as work experience is concerned.

Private Employment Agencies/Consultants:

Public employment agencies or consultants like ABC Consultants in India perform
recruitment functions on behalf of a client company by charging fees. Line managers are
relieved from recruitment functions and can concentrate on operational activities.

Public Employment Exchanges:

The Government set up Public Employment Exchanges in the country to provide information
about vacancies to the candidates and to help the organization in finding out suitable
candidates. As per the Employment Exchange act 1959, makes it obligatory for public sector
and private sector enterprises in India to fill certain types of vacancies through public
employment exchanges.

Professional Organizations:
Professional organizations or associations maintain complete bio-data of their members and
provide the same to various organizations on requisition. They act as an exchange between
their members and recruiting firm.

Data Banks:
The management can collect the bio-data of the candidates from different sources like
Employment Exchange, Educational Training Institutes, candidates etc and feed them in the
computer. It will become another source and the co can get the particulars as and when
required.

Casual Applicants:
Depending on the image of the organization its prompt response participation of the
organization in the local activities, level of unemployment, candidates apply casually for jobs
through mail or handover the application in the Personnel dept. This would be a suitable
source for temporary and lower level jobs.

Similar Organizations:
Generally experienced candidates are available in organizations producing similar products or
are engaged in similar business. The Management can get potential candidates from this
source.

Trade Unions:
Generally unemployed or underemployed persons or employees seeking change in
employment put a word to the trade union leaders with a view to getting suitable employment
due to latter rapport with the management.

Walk In:
The busy organization and rapid changing companies do not find time to perform various
functions of recruitment. Therefore they advise the potential candidates to attend for an
interview directly and without a prior application on a specified date, time and at a specified
place.

Consult In:
The busy and dynamic companies encourage the potential job seekers to approach them
personally and consult them regarding the jobs. The companies select the suitable candidates
and advise the company regarding the filling up of the positions. Headhunters are also called
search consultants.

Body Shopping:
Professional organizations and the hi-tech training develop the pool of human resource for
the possible employment. The prospective employers contact these organizations to recruit
the candidates. Otherwise the organizations themselves approach the prospective employers
to place their human resources. These professional and training institutions are called body
shoppers and these activities are known as body shopping. The body shopping is used mostly
for computer professionals. Body shopping is also known as employee leasing activity.

Mergers and Acquisitions:

Business alliances like acquisitions, mergers and take over help in getting human resources.
In addition the companies do also alliances in sharing their human resource on adhoc basis.

E_recruitment:
The technological revolution in telecommunications helped the organizations to use internet
as a source of recruitment. Organizations advertise the job vacancies through the worldwide
wed (www). The job seekers send their applications through e-mail using the Internet.

Outsourcing:
Some organizations recently started developing human resource pool by employing the
candidates for them. These organizations do not utilize the human resources; instead they
supply HRs to various companies based on their needs on temporary or ad-hoc basis.
EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT
Advantages Disadvantages
• Benefits of new skills and talents
• Benefits of new experiences
• Compliance with reservation policy becomes easy
• Scope for resentment, jealousies, and heartburn are avoided. • Better morale and motivation
associated with internal recruiting is denied
• It is costly method
• Chances of creeping in false positive and false negative errors
• Adjustment of new employees takes longer time.

Techniques of recruitment:

Recruitment techniques are the means or media by which management contacts prospective
employees or provide necessary information or exchanges ideas in order to stimulate them to
apply for jobs. Management uses different types of techniques to stimulate internal and
external candidates.

Techniques of Recruitment are divided into two viz Traditional and Modern:

Traditional Techniques Modern Techniques

Promotions Scouting
Transfers Salary & Perks
Advertising ESOP’s

Traditional Techniques of Recruitment:

1. Written job application in response to an advertised position - directly to the company.

This is the most common method of recruitment. Many people still seem to think that a
written application means a hand written application. If a company does want a handwritten
letter they will say so. Go to Letter writing guide and see an example of an advertised
position and how to set out a letter. See also advanced information on how to apply for an
advertised job at Application Letter - Advertised Job and Job Application Letter - Using
Marketing Techniques

2. Written job applications to recruitment / employment agencies

Treat this same as a letter to an employer; however, refer to the employer as “Your client” as
they are a second party in this process.

3. Registering with a Job Recruitment / Employment Agencies

Job Recruitment / Employment Agencies are an effective recruitment tool. Agencies
advertise a position on behalf of the employer and conduct the interview to short list stage.
This could be a pool or the best 3-4 applicants. The employer pays the fee and there is a trial
period. Recruitment Agencies do not get full payment until the end of the trial period, so they
are very selective and good job references are one of the most important job criteria. This job
search strategy requires less work and allows you to access to job opportunities you might not
have found on your own.

Recruitment or employment agencies specialize only in recruitment. They generally deal with
high demand jobs and often specialize in job areas such as IT, accountancy, Customer
Service, Business process outsourcing and administration. The recruitment screening
standard is high. Generally Recruitment / Employment Agencies tend to advertise most
positions in the newspaper and through internet job boards such as Naukri and Monster.
However, if you register personally with these agencies and present well, with clear
employment goals, you may be matched to a job through their electronic job vacancy
database. This is why it is so important to have an electronically friendly resume, showing
key words that don’t get altered in the scanning process.

Once the jobseeker registers with an agency, they can ring the company if they see a job they
are interested in, and advise them that they have been interviewed and that their details are on
file.

However, recruitment processes vary. Before you decide to register with a specific
employment or recruitment agency, phone them first and check their minimum employment
requirements. This may be a car license, typing speed, computer knowledge or other specific
job criteria. Ask if you can send in your resume. If so, send a cover letter setting out clearly
you employment needs and credentials and ask for an interview. The recruitment screening
standard is high and your application and resume must also be high.

The disadvantage of this recruitment method is that the agency is working for the employer,
and will need to satisfy all their criteria. Nevertheless, Recruitment Consultants who have
developed a good rapport with a client may ask an employer to look at a "wildcard' - a person
who may not meet all the criteria, but has potential.

4. Registering with a Job Search Firm

These are more exclusive employment agencies at the top end of the market - mainly
executive recruitment. As part of their hiring strategy Recruitment Consultants "headhunt"
applicants from other firms on behalf of their clients. They often do career transition
programmes for retrenched workers on behalf of companies.

5. Labour Hire Companies

Labour hire companies have companies generally meet short to medium term labour hiring
needs in the blue collar job categories. Workers are contracted out and labour hire companies
pay all insurance etc.

This was once a smaller section of the recruitment market. With the change in Industrial laws
and recruitment patterns, business rationalization and cost cutting, plus the range of work
these companies receive, they are becoming a more attractive and popular recruitment
method and contracts can be ongoing. Some tips for using these agencies:-

Hourly rate will vary as the company takes a proportion -so check around.

You need to fill out an application form and supply good referees. Make sure you take your
resume with you to copy from. The agency may also keep your resume on file.

They generally want people with current driver's licences.

They will want your tax number before they can register you.

You must have a valid working visa

job seekers should ensure that the agency covers insurance, and only use reputable
companies. Since Industrial law changes some labour hire companies have come under fire
regarding workplace legislative requirements. This may change in the future under proposed
new government industrial relations initiatives.

6. Temporary Staff Recruitment / Employment Agencies

This should be a popular recruitment method yet many job seekers feel it is too insecure.
These agencies can make arrangements to transfer an employee to the company full time if
required (at a fee to employer). Often companies use agencies to 'trial employees' as they do
not have to deal with Industrial relations issues. Points to consider:-

Many people have been placed in good permanent jobs after proving themselves.

Often the company will make the approach to the agency to employ the temporary staff
member full time. It is all about "fitting in" with the company's organisational culture.
Usually this arrangement is considered a 'perfect match' for both the employer and employee.

Temporary agencies are very selective in their recruitment. job seekers will have to do a
range of work related tests.

job seekers may need to establish themselves and build credibility with an agency to be
selected for some of the better positions.

A wise jobseeker would take any assignment and use these placements to build a good
employment profile.

Some unemployed people are afraid of the security of accepting temporary assignments. If
they have good skills they should not be deterred by going down this path.

7. Group recruitment requiring telephone interviews

This recruitment method is used by employment agencies on behalf of a client and some
Government Departments to short list candidates from a large pool. For example , through
public service tests, or the opening of a new company and in Government the introduction of
a new policy initiative or increase in budget for new substantive positions). Potential
employees will be given a time when someone will ring them and they will have to answer a
series of questions. The company will generally send an information package showing them
what to expect.

Some facts:-

Telephone interviewing for group recruitment can often screen out good candidates.
Applicants must prepare carefully for these interviews.
The interviewer will have a script so that everyone is asked the same questions. The
interviewer will use a ratings matrix and will give the applicant a value, or a mark. This will
determine if they have passed the screening process to go on to an interview. The interviewer
needs to be very experienced to be able to evaluate answers at the same time as asking
questions and may miss a potential match. This is a pretty hard job so the applicant needs to
make it easy for the interviewer, or they may be unfairly rated. Answers need to be
constructed almost the same as in selection criteria writing using processes used to make a
decision.

8. Group recruitment - information sessions

If a company is doing group recruitment they may ask you to attend an information session if
you pass the telephone interview. They may do recruitment testing or simply get you to play
silly games meant as a recruitment assessment technique.

An arsenal of psychology tests are available for use, the main one is to find out if candidates
are team players. If a jobseeker is attending these interview days I recommend reading up on
assessment tests such as team building. Many recruitment agencies are staffed by people with
psychology degrees, and use these tests as they look impressive and costly and they need to
justify their qualifications.

Other recruitment practitioners from the Human Resource Management stream, including
academics, do not believe they have much validity It is a much debated topic. You can
manipulate these tests as most are visual. Google " psychological testing", "psychometric
testing" or recruitment or team building assessment tests, for example.

A very good career assessment tool is Future Proof Your Career Take the test to see your
strengths. Find out where you are coming from in a more positive environment. A warning
about unscheduled screening calls in response to written applications or phone applications.

9. Telephone or screening interviews

A screening interview may be conducted legitimately by a government agency or a new

company who are bulk recruiting as already discussed and you will be advised in advance
when this is to take place.
There is another type of screening interview that the jobseeker may not realise is happening.
An employer, (and also an employment agency/recruitment firm), may ring the jobseeker to
talk or "chat" about their application. This is really telephone interviewing. Consider this as
an important screening interview. From this contact you will either be put on a shortlist for a
face-to-face interview, or your application will be discarded. So if a company/agency phones
you to talk about your application make sure you know what job they are referring to. Don’t
be afraid to question them and to ensure you know the job and the requirements. If you are
not ready to focus on a screening interview ask if you can call them in 10-15 minutes.

Ensure they know you want to speak to them but you need to refresh your memory. You can
say that you have several jobs you have applied for and you want to be able to refresh your
memory about their requirements. Look at the job and your application again and ring them
back.

10. Applying for jobs requiring selection criteria

If an advertisement states that you should send for the selection criteria you can be confident
that it is a Government or Statutory Authority position or an agency funded by the
Government. If you have any doubts about your suitably you should ring the contact person
to check it out. The package they send out will tell you how to set out and write the
application. This is very difficult if you haven’t done it before. It must be done correctly or
they will not, and cannot, look at your application not generally advertise this service, we do,
however, offer a service to polish up your application.

For comprehensive information on how selection criteria is used see Selection Criteria before
you even look at this method. Note: Graduate recruitment comes under this category, and the
standard of job applications is getter higher, but could improve.

11. Phone application in response to an advertised position

Generally this recruitment method used by smaller companies. If you are asked to phone (as
opposed to submitting a written application) you must do so immediately. You will probably
be screened by the receptionist who may take job and personal details. They will tell you that
the employer will ring you back. This is a hit and miss method of recruitment and used by
many smaller companies and very frustrating for job seekers.

12. Applications by e-mail to recruitment websites or job boards

The two most well known examples of a job bank are Naukri and Monster.

Use the method if the employer requests. In today’s world everyone is afraid of viruses and
will delete any messages they cannot recognise. Make sure that the subject line states that it is
an advertised position and give the position title. Follow the employer’s directions.

13. Accepting applications from job seekers cold calling

In the past smaller employers were impressed by the applicant who cold called, by visiting
the company and leaving their resume. Research confirms a view that has been held for a
long time, that job seekers who cold call are considered to be highly motivated with a lot of
initiative and confidence and really wanted to work. The extensive use of the internet for
looking for work may have changed this view somewhat, and this is because it is not being
done correctly.

The attitude to cold calling may change and can be spam if you do not do it correctly. All
cold calling letters that come to this office can be classified as spam, albeit they are not
filtered by the ISP unless they are using an internet provider with a bad reputation. They are
thoughtless, meaningless letters that show how lazy and uninformed the applicant is. They
deserve to be ignored and deleted. If you really want to cold call do it properly.

14. Industry/Corporate Websites

A good example is mining companies and larger organizations. Most have vacancies
advertised on their site. So do your Market Research

15. Job Network

Many agencies will take private recruitment contracts for higher level positions and you do
not need to be registered and receiving benefits to use this service. Job Network generally
operates at the mid -lower skill level, although there are some surprisingly good jobs that
come, depending on where you live. Refer to Job network and check out your local agency.
In the current economic climate the use of these agencies may increase, as they are free to the
employer.

16. Employee referral

This method of recruitment occurs more often than you may think and can be a traditional
method of employment for many companies. The advantage is that an employee would not
recommend someone they know that is not up to the job as it reflects back on them.

17. Networking

This is a very good job finding technique and is usually carried out by most HR
professionals. Relevant and sustained relationships over a period of time can help the HR
professionals in networking with their colleagues to acquire resources from different fields.