Recruitment and Selection Process

• Recruitment is the process of identifying, attracting and shortlisting potential candidates to fill job vacancies within an organisation.

• Selection involves choosing the most suitable candidates from those applying for a job role, using tools like interviews, assessments and reference checks.

Purpose of Recruitment and Selection

• A key objective is to ensure the best possible match between the job and the individual.

• A successful recruitment and selection process can minimise turnover, increase productivity and positively impact the organisation's overall performance.

• It ensures that the necessary human resources are available to deliver organisational goals in an efficient and effective manner.

Stages of Recruitment and Selection

• Identifying the vacancy: This happens when a current employee leaves, a new position is created, or there is a need to tackle an increased workload.

• Preparation of Job Description and Person Specification: The job description outlines the tasks, responsibilities, and conditions of the job, while the person specification details the required skills, qualifications, and characteristics of the ideal candidate.

• Advertising the Vacancy: This can be done internally (to current employees) or externally (to the public) through various channels like job boards, social media, job centres and recruitment agencies.

• Managing Applications and Shortlisting: Applicants' CVs or application forms are screened and the most suited are shortlisted for further evaluation.

• Selection Process: This may involve interviews, tests, presentations, group exercises or assessment centres to assess the suitability of the shortlisted candidates. The most suitable candidate(s) are then chosen.

• Making the Offer: The selected candidate is made a formal job offer which includes details of the job offer, salary, and starting date.

• Induction: The successful candidate is introduced to the organisation, shown around, and given essential information about the job.

Types of Recruitment

• Internal Recruitment: Filling the job vacancy from within the current workforce. This could be through promotion or reassignment.

• External Recruitment: Filling the job vacancy from outside the current workforce. This could be done through job centres, online job sites, recruitment agencies, or direct applications.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Internal and External Recruitment

• Internal Recruitment:

  • *Benefits: lowers costs related to training and acquisition, boosts employee morale, faster adaptation to the role.
  • *Drawbacks: limited pool of candidates, risk of in-house politics, lack of new ideas and perspectives.

• External Recruitment:

  • *Benefits: wider range of applicants, infusion of new ideas and skills, possibility of discovering untapped talent.
  • *Drawbacks: more expensive and time-consuming, higher risks due to less known about the candidates.

Remember, both types of recruitment have their place and often, a balance of both is used depending on the circumstances and needs of the organisation.