Recruitment as a partnership process:

an overview

BY

Navya Kulal

HPGD/OC14/2355

Human Resource Management

WELINGKAR INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

DEVELOPMENT & RESEARCH

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 UNDERTAKING BY CANDIDATE

I declare that project work entitled “Recruitment as a

partnership process: an overview”, In my own work conducted

as part of my syllabus. I further declare that project work

presented has been prepared personally by me it is sourced from

any outside agency. I understand that any such malpractice will

have very serious consequence and my admission to the program

will be cancelled without any refund of fee.

NAVYA KULAL

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INDEX

Chapter Particular’s Page No.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

INTRODUCTION

1.1. ABOUT AZTEC 6

1.
1.2. SWOT ANALYSIS OF AZTEC 7

2. DESIGN OF THE STUDY

2.1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 9

2.2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 9

2.3. SCOPE OF THE STUDY 10

2.4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 10

2.5. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 12

3. THEORITICAL OVERVIEW

3.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE VARIOUS SKILLS 14

NEEDED BY HR MANAGER

3.2 GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO SKILLS SUCH

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AS RECRUITMENT & SELECTION
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3.3 RECRUITMENT AT AZTEC

4. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA 36

5. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 56

6. CONCLUTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 58

7. BIBLIOGRAPHY 60

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Aztec Software and Technology Services Limited was founded in 1995, it

specializes in software products development services. The success rate of the recruitment
team at Aztec is 100 per cent. The team’s performance is gauged on parameters like
innovativeness, number of positions closed etc.

While hiring, varied criteria, like, fit with the desired organization
culture/values, willingness to relocate, basic skills needed to excel on the job and many
others are taken into consideration and given equal weight age.

The various recruitment methods that are used range from advertisements in
the local newspaper to word of mouth. The Recruitment Process starts with the resource
request and ends with resource allocation.

The Resource Request Form or the RRF is designed based on skill sets. The
manager in-charge initiates the process of recruitment by filling up this form and sending
it to the Head Recruitment.

Criteria for selecting the recruitment channels are response rate, conversion rate,
return on investment (ROI), quality of CVs sourced/employee performance, time required.

Sourcing can be both internal and/or external. Internal sources are from among
the present organizational personnel. External sources can be consultants, portals, walk-
ins, employee referrals, or direct. Screening is one of the first steps in the talent acquisition
cycle; it is done based on the prescribed criteria.

Scheduling is done immediately following the screening and short-listing. The

short-listed candidates are invited for a test/interview.

HR follows up with the selected candidate continuously until the candidate

comes on board. The recruitment team keeps track of the resumes and the status and ensures
that the database is updated daily

Recruitment software is a mining block in Aztec. Such software will add to the
enhanced Performance, avoid duplicating effects and meet quality standards.

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5
ABOUT AZTEC

INTRODUCTION:

Aztec Software and Technology Services Limited was founded in 1995 by V R

Govindarajan and S Parthasarathy. Aztec’s specialty is software products development
services that accelerate the creation of software products, reduce time to market and help
make schedules predictable in order to better manage resources, predict costs, and reduce
market and technology risks. Aztec has completed more than 60 projects for globally
known software companies. Its clientele includes Fortune 500 Companies.

Aztec’s initial goal was to build software solutions using cutting-edge technology. The
company built a 100% Java-based middleware infrastructure on which a web-based sell side
solution was built for the “list market” segment. This infrastructure and application solution
was one of the earliest Java-based offerings at a time when application servers were relatively
new in the market. The solution was technically robust and scalable, serving a niche market’s
needs. Aztec implemented the solution for a number of customers in the US.

In 1998, Aztec shifted its focus from being a niche “solutions” company to becoming a
technology focused “software services company”. Aztec positioned its services towards
software products and technology companies, offering engineering services around its
core areas of technical expertise, namely, data management, internet middleware and
integration. These high-value services were to be delivered through an offshore delivery
model, thereby offering capacity, scalability, and cost-effectiveness as key benefits. This
crucial transition boosted Aztec’s success.

Aztec offers a wide gamut of services for software product development:

 Application development: Complete product development, including

architecture, design, and engineering.

 Testing and QA: Thoroughly and efficiently testing applications under a variety
of conditions and configurations.

 Maintenance and support: All the services required to support post-launch

software.

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  Migration and porting: Across application servers, databases and platforms.

 Software application implementation services for enterprise IT: This, includes

software development, migration, testing and QA, systems integration, and
maintenance and support services.

Milestones in Aztec’s history

 August 1995 : Company incorporated in Bangalore, India.

 September 1996 : First contract with Microsoft

 November 1997: Releases “Jpact list Server” solution.

 January 1997-December 2000: First set of customers after Microsoft. Includes other
Fortune 500 companies.

SWOT ANALYSIS OF AZTEC

STRENGTH:

a. It is one of the superior product engineering services provider for software

product companies.

b. Aztec is focused on A-Z of technology

c. People Practices.

d. It has consistent track record of growth , performance and profitability

e. Goodwill and brand image.

f. Highly motivated workforce

g. Good work culture, job security and high employment satisfaction level

h. Highly effective sales force, Combined Stray technical work force and to meet
the delivery standards.

OPPURTUNITIES:

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  Aztec has wide spread network across the country and around the world.

 In the year 2004 it acquired Disha India’s largest independent Software testing
solutions

 Aztec has utilized its CMM Certified development approach to define technical
Limited, which in turn provides the flexibility to customize processes and meet
specific client needs.

 Predetermined clients and good contractual relationships.

 It has high scope for additional capital investment and future expansion due to
high profits backing.

THREATS:

 Highly intensified competition in technology

 Fast and rapid changing technology.

WEAKNESS:

 Lacks research and Development Department.

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DESIGN OF THE STUDY:

HRM is concerned with the human dimensions in the organization. Organizations

are not mere bricks, motors, machinery or inventories. It is the people who staff and manage
organization.

The purpose of recruitment is to build a pool of talented applicants. Recruitment

represents the first eye contact with the company and Prospective candidate. Recruitment
did well result in better selection. This present study is aimed at to study the practices of
recruitment and selections systems at Aztec.

Statement of the problem:

Analysis of the practices of the policy with respect to recruitment and selection on
the employees of Aztec.

Objective of the Study:

 To Study the general concepts and techniques of recruitment and Selection

 To Study the general procedure of recruitment and Selection at Aztec

 To study the present recruitment and Selection policies at Aztec

 To Study the practices of these polices at Aztec

 To study the different external and internal sources of recruitment at Aztec

 To make recommendations on the best recruitment and Selection practices for

Aztec.

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Scope of the Study:

 The Scope of the Study includes the analysis of existing Recruitment and Selection
practices of the company

 It includes organization Structures.

 It includes the effectiveness of written test, GD and different types of interviews

conducted by the company.

Methodology:

Research Design of the study:

Research methodology shows the path in which research should be done. It helps
the researcher to carry out the research on a more systematic and Logical way and makes
more scientific observations possible. it aims at discovering new facts. New scientific tools
and facilitate reliable and valid study of the research work. The type of research adopted is
descriptive research as it is intended to discover new facts in Aztec.

SOURCES OF DATA:

The sources of data are:

Primary sources: the primary sources of data have been collected from the organization
through the structured questionnaire.

Secondary sources: the secondary sources of data have been collected from the, academic
books, and company websites and interacting the HR professors in Aztec.

SAMPLE SIZE:

 The samples were chosen from various Departments at Aztec.

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  The size was determined based on the total number of employees employed in the
organization.

 The total number of employees at the company is 1800

 Of the 1800 employees, 50 different levels of employees were approached and

information was collected.

Target audience:

The audience is restricted to Aztec of different departments.

Type of Sample:

 The sample chosen is based on the Convenience sampling

 The steps adopted for the above-mentioned technique are:

Then through Convenience sampling techniques the subjects were chosen independently

STATISTICAL TOOLS:

a. The percentage analysis:

This is the basic statistical tool, which may be used in any kind of analysis. This is
simple in nature and provides clear picture about a huge population by breaking it in to
parts. These parts are measured in percentile (per 100). In this study it has been used to
classify the employees of the company on the basis of gender, Role, Qualification, Mode
of Recruitment, number of employees taking at particular tests and grouping of employees
on the basis of rating of interviewer.

b. Weighted average method:

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TOOLS USED:

The information has been gathered by using a structured questionnaire to garner as much
information as possible.

 The questionnaire has been prepared to garner information with respect to:

 Personal information’s like age, educational qualification;

 Professional information’s like Role/Designation

 Project related topics like types of written tests, method of interview, GD topics
etc.

 Perception of individuals with respect to level of satisfaction and rating turnover.

 A five point like scale ranging from excellent to poor was used.

 A five point like scale ranging from strongly agrees to strongly disagree was used.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:

As well known, no human being in this world is perfect, so also a study in any field cannot
be perfect i.e., it is bound to have limitations from several angles. The present study is also
subject to several limitations and I would like to share these with the readers.

 This study is limited to employees of Aztec only.

 The uses of statistical tools are limited.

 Time constraint too was another limitation that forced me to limit the sample size
to 50 0f the actual target respondents.

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13
INTRODUCTION TO THE VARIOUS SKILLS NEEDED BY HR MANAGER

If an organization is to achieve its goals, it must not only have the required resources, it
must also use them effectively. The resources available to a manager are human, financial,
physical, and informational. While human resources (HR) have always been critical to the
success of any organization, they have assumed an increasingly greater importance that is
being recognized inside and outside work organizations.
Human resources departments typically include individuals with a wide variety and
range of knowledge, skills, and abilities who are expected to perform job activities in a
manner that contributes to the attainment of organizational goals. How effectively em-
ployees contribute to the organization depends in large part upon the quality of the HR
program (including staffing, training, and compensation) as well as the ability and will-
ingness of management--from the CEO to first-line supervisors--to create an environment
that fosters the effective use of human resources.

Why Study Human Resources Management (HRM)?

Anyone who embarks on a course of specialized study typically wonders about its
relevance to his or her interests and goals. The answer to the question "Why study
HRM?" should become apparent as we explore the importance of HRM and examine the
contributions it can make to an organization. Whether you are working in the HRM
function of your organization or as a staff professional or line manager, you will
definitely need to be aware of the various roles and responsibilities in dealing with
employers in your organization.

The Importance of HRM

For many decades such responsibilities as selection, training, and compensation were
considered basic functions of the area historically referred to as personnel management.
These functions were performed without much regard for how they related to each other.
From this narrow view we have seen the emergence of what is now known as human
resources management.

Human resources management (HRM), as it is currently perceived, represents the

extension rather than the rejection of the traditional requirements for managing personnel
effectively. An understanding of human behavior and skill in applying that understanding
are still required. Also required are knowledge and understanding of the various personnel
functions performed in managing human resources, as well as the ability to perform those
functions in accordance with organizational objectives. An awareness of existing
economic, social, and legal constraints upon the performance of these functions is also
essential.

HRM, as it is practiced today, recognizes the dynamic interaction of personnel

functions with each other and with the objectives of the organization. Most important, it

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recognizes that HR planning must be coordinated closely with the organization’s strategic
and related planning functions. As a result, efforts in HRM are being directed toward
providing more support for the achievement of the organization’s goals, whether it be a
profit, not for profit, or governmental organization.

The HR Role of Managers and Supervisors

Students who are now preparing for careers in organizations will find that the study of
HRM will provide a background of understanding that will be valuable in managerial and
supervisory positions. Although HR managers have the responsibility for coordinating and
enforcing policies relating to the HR functions, all managers and supervisors are
responsible for performing these functions in their relations with subordinates.
It is in such positions of leadership that the majority of students will be employed.
HRM is therefore oriented to help you in managing subordinates more effectively, whether
you become first-line supervisor or chief executive officer.
Discussions concerning the role of the HR department can serve to provide one with a
better understanding of the functions performed by this department. A familiarity with the
role of the HR department should help you to cooperate more closely with the department’s
staff and to utilize more fully the assistance and services available from this resource.
The present status of HRM was achieved only after years of evolutionary development.
You need to understand the forces that have contributed to this process and to become more
aware of forces acting today that will have an effect on HRM in the future.

Programs for Managing Human Resources

An HR program constitutes the overall plan for managing people and for guiding managers
and supervisors in decisions relating to their subordinates. It establishes the objectives,
policies, procedures, and budget pertaining to the HR functions to be performed.
Although HR managers are responsible for coordinating and enforcing policies
relating to HR functions, responsibility for performing these functions rests with all
managers and supervisors within an organization.

Objectives

HR objectives are determined by the organization's objectives as a whole. More and more,
HR objectives are reflecting the increased social responsibilities of firms, which include
not only traditional responsibilities to customers, employees, and shareholders but also
responsibilities to the community and to the total society.

Policies

Closely related to HR objectives are HR policies that serve to guide the actions required to
achieve these objectives. Policies provide the means for carrying out the management
processes and as such are an aid to decision making. Like objectives, they may be idealistic

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or realistic, general or specific, flexible or inflexible, qualitative or quantitative, broad or
narrow in scope. However, while objectives determine what is to be done, policies explain
how it is to be done.

Human Resources Information Systems

Effective HRM requires an HR information system (HRIS) to provide current and accurate
data for purposes of control and decision making. The system is composed of procedures,
equipment, information, methods to compile and evaluate information, the people who use
the information, and information management.

Computers are not only used for storage and retrieval of information but for broader
applications. These applications include production of basic reports, HR calculations, long-
range forecasting and strategic planning, career and promotion planning, and evaluation of
HR policies and practices.
A well-designed HRIS can serve as the main management tool in the alignment of HR
department goals with the goals of long-term strategic planning. As HR issues have been
increasingly recognized as critical factors in strategic planning decisions, the ability of the
HRIS to quantify, analyze, and model change has enhanced the status of the HRIS in many
organizations.
Global competition is putting increasing pressure on U.S. managers to make better and
faster decisions. HR information technology can improve HRM and contribute to the
competitive advantage.
In addition to the major uses of computer technology, with a PC, the HR professional
can take advantage of a variety of information services. An on-line service designed
especially for HR departments is the Human Resource Information Network, a subsidiary
of BNA. It provides up-to-the-minute information in several categories, including news,
research, software, and services, covering all disciplines of HRM. SHRM has an on-line
database that permits users to quickly search more than 24,000 citations of books and
articles.
In developing an effective HRIS, an organization must address privacy issues in
advance. A data-privacy policy can make the HRIS a positive factor in employee relations
rather than a mistrusted disseminator of sensitive personnel information.

Evaluating the Human Resources Program

Just as financial audits are conducted, audits or evaluations of the HRM program should be
conducted periodically to assure that its objectives are being accomplished. Audits typically
involve analyzing data relative to the program, including employee turnover, grievances,
absences, accidents, and similar indicators. Special attention is usually given to assessing
compliance with laws and regulations governing various specific areas such as equal
employment opportunity and safety and health.

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GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO SKILLS SUCH AS RECRUITMENT & SELECTION :

Recruitment and selection has been regarded as one of the most important function of the
Human Resource Management. Recruitment forms the first stage in the process, which
continues with selection and ceases with placement of the candidate. It is a never ending
process in any framing it organizations- increase in business expansion of existing
business, attrition are the various factors that lead to continuous recruitment.

It plays a crucial role because unless the right type of people is hired, even the best plans,
organization policies and control systems would not do much good. Recruitment and
selection are two crucial steps in HR process and are often used interchangeably. There is
however a fine distinction between the two steps.

While recruitment refers to the process of identifying and encouraging prospective

employees to apply for jobs. Selection is concerned with picking the right candidates from
a pool of applicants. Recruitment is said to be positive in its approach as it seeks to attract
as many candidates as possible. Selection on the other hand is negative in its application in
as much as it seeks to eliminate as many unqualified applicants as possible in order to
identify the right candidates. However for successful organization the quality of the talents
hired matters and hence the corporate view it as very positive.

Definitions of recruitment:

Recruitment represents the first contact that a company makes with the potential
employees. It is though recruitment that many individuals will come to know a company
and eventually decide whether they wish to work for it a well planed and well managed
recruiting effort will result in high quality applicants. The recruitment process should
inform qualified individuals about employment opportunities, create a positive image of
the company, provide enough information about the jobs, so that applicants can make

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comparisons with their qualifications and interests and generates enthusiasm among the
best candidates so that they will apply for the vacant positions.

Recruitment may be defined as “the process to discover the sources of manpower to meet
the requirements of the staffing Schedule and to employ effective measures for attracting
that manpower in adequate numbers to facilitate effective selection of an efficient working
force”. It is a process of finding or discovering and attracting capable for employment. The
process begins when new recruits are sought and ends when applications are submitted.
The result is a pool of applicants from which new employees are selected.

FACTORS GOVERNING RECRUITMENT IN IT INDUSTRY:

External factors:

a. Supply and demand: Job market today in Bangalore for IT professionals is excellent.
The demand for such Software engineers is very high (approx 10 lakhs) and quality
professional available are very less (approx 12 lakhs)

b. High salary

c. Brand name of the organization.

d. Quality of candidates available in the market.

e. Strong training/mentoring in the organization.

Internal factors:

Recruitment Policy: most organizations have a policy on recruiting internally like job
porting to identify and position employer with us or externally through various sources like
media advertisement/internet/Headhunting/employee/referrals etc. generally the policy is

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to prefer internal sourcing. As own employees know the company well and can recommend
candidates who fit the organization culture.

HRP: a major internal factor that can determine the success of recruitment program is
whether or not company engages in HRP.

Size: Quality of weak/Technology focus adds value to the frozen of recruiters.

Cost: cost of recruitment plays a prominent role. Recruitment plans to operate within the
budgets and aimed to minimize overall costs.

Growth: the registering growth of the organization and expansion policy also influences
the recruitment.

Strategy development:

Once it is known how many and what types of talents are required then serious
consideration needs to be given to hires the right talents. Organization must decide whether
to hire less skilled employees and invest on training and education programs or they can
hire labor and professionals. Essentially this is the “make” or “buy” decision.

The Technological sophistication: second decision in strategy development relates to the

methods used in recruitment and selection. This decision is mainly influenced by the
available technology. Where to look: in order to reduce costs, organizations look in to labor
markets most likely to offer the required job seekers. Generally Companies look in to the
national job market for managerial and professional employees, regional/locals for
technical employees and local markets for clerical or blue-collar employees with advanced

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of technology (video conference/internet) hiring suitable candidates from any part of the
country/overseas is made easier.

How to look: refers to methods or sources of recruitment. There are several methods but
most popular are: Internal sources, External sources.

Recruitment at Aztec:

Aztec’s total personnel strength is 1800-plus. The number of job openings in 2004-05 was
765. All the positions were filled, showing 100 per cent success rate of the recruitment
team. In recruitment, Aztec believes in recruiting the right talent that is the right fit rather
than the best fit. But Aztec still faces a talent shortage in technical skills, due to the demand
and supply of wants of technology markets.

Aztec has an employee referral policy in place, with the referral fee depending upon
the position being hired. The referral fee has nothing to do with how long the recruit stays
with Aztec. In 2004-05, 20% of the total recruitment was three employee referral

Incentives are provided to the recruitment team. Performance is gauged on some of

the following parameters:

 Innovativeness

 Process followed

 SLAs (Service Level Agreements) met

 Number of positions closed

 Critical positions closed

 Cost per hire

 Source of hiring

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  Contribution towards the team, department and organization

In hiring, the following criteria are given equal weight age:

 Fit with the desired organization culture/values

 Basic skills needed to excel on the job/technical skills

 Education/Professional certification

 Personality

 Results of psychological tests

 Behavioral skills/competencies

 Prior experience in industry

 Global experience

 Learning/growth capacity

 Willingness to relocate

Aztec has a bench strength or talent pool of about 10%. This needs to be maintained as the
company might require people new business growth or to manage any contingency.

Average cost of recruitment per employee is less than Rs.10, 000. This cost includes
consultant fees, travel cost, lodging and boarding cost, telephone costs –(both landline and
mobile), etc. Infrastructure cost is around 12-15% of the cost.

According to a senior official in the Aztec recruitment team, the average recruitment cost
of the industry ranges from Rs. 13000 to Rs. 26,000, to about 1000 USD; i.e. an average of
Rs. 19,500 per recruit.

The tools that the recruitment team uses to measure its performance are: turnover
during probation, turnover after first year, turnover after second year, performance,
recruitment metrics, cost per hire, source of hire, expenses against budget, SLAs met, etc.

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Innovations in recruitment effort in 2005-06 are: the Expectation Matrix and the Interview
calendar.

Expectation matrix:

The Expectation Matrix was introduced to maximize objectivity in the interview

process. The matrix clearly defines the skills required for a particular position. Based on
the Expectation Matrix, different Interview Observation Sheets (IOSs) are designed for the
various levels of interviews.

Interview Calendar

An Interview Calendar has been designed for the entire year. The Panel Owner is assigned
the responsibility of conducting interviews in a particular week along with his panel
members across locations. The week for any panel is from Monday to Saturday.

Chart 1
Percentage of recruitment hires through various sources in 2004-05

2%
Consultants 31%
7%

4%
Advertisements 36%

Employee Referrals 20%

31%
Freshers 4%
20%

Portal 7%

36% Contract 2%

The Chart 1 presents the percentage break-up of candidates recruited through different
sources.

The various recruitment methods that Aztec uses are:

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  Local newspaper advertisements (Times of India)

 Electronic methods, like job portals, company website, etc.

 Specialist journals/trade press (Data Quest)

 Commercial employment agencies

 Word of mouth

 Speculative applications

 National newspaper advertisements used mostly in case of junior position

openings

 Corporate website

 Links with educational institutions

 Placement Agency

 Employee reference

3. Recruitment Process

The present chapter delineates the recruitment process at Aztec, my role in it, and
the results in brief. Aztec believes in the policy of “HIRE ON ATTITUDE AND TRAIN
ON SKILLS”.

The selection is intended to assess the candidate on:

 Technical competencies - the candidates are assessed on basic technical concepts

 Behavioral competencies - the candidates are assessed on behavioral aspects based

on selection instruments like HR interview and Group discussion.

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The Recruitment Process from resource request to resource allocation is as follows:

1. Resource Request Form (RRF)

2. Sourcing

3. Screening

4. Scheduling

5. Test/Interview

6. Rejects/Offer

7. Follow up-

8.plan for back up

9. Position Closure Report (Closing the RRF)

a. Resource Request Form

The Resource Request Form (RRF) is available on the Aztec intranet. The manager
in-charge initiates the process of recruitment by filling up this form and sending it to the
Head Recruitment. The RRF is a defined job description by itself.

The Manager of the Unit/department concerned is responsible for preparing the

Manpower Requisition & Job Description and for obtaining all the required approvals.
Submission of the completed requisition serves as a notification that an approved opening
exists for which the selection process is to be initiated.

b. Sourcing

(a) Criteria for selecting the recruitment channels

Response Rate: The time taken by the channel to source the CVs.

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 Conversion Rate: The success rate of CVs sourced to offers made, i.e. how

Many CVs get converted into offers.

Return on investment (ROI): The cost incurred vis-à-vis the yield.

Quality of CVs sourced/Employee performance: Measured in terms of how

good a candidate is in terms of performance on the job, is s/he adding value to the
organization. In totality, how much is s/he contributing in terms of return on
investment?

Time required: The cumulative time required in following up, scheduling,

screening, etc. The lesser the time taken the better.

(b) Internal Sources

Internal sources are from among the present organizational personnel who
may be promoted or transferred. Personnel who were once on the payroll of the
company (but no longer so) may also be considered.

(c) External Sources

External sources can be Consultants, Portals, Walk-ins (newspaper

advertisements), Employee Referrals, or Direct (when candidates call up on their
own).

(i) Newspapers/Walk-ins

Walk-ins may be the best recruitment source especially when a large number
of junior positions need to be filled. Walk-ins result from advertisements placed in
newspapers, which can draw a large number of recruits. However, the life span of a
newspaper advertisement is just one day; hence a cost benefit analysis needs to be done.

In 2004-05 newspaper advertisements contributed to 36 per cent of the recruitment.

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The process followed, the Recruitment Team sees the need for multiple openings at the
junior level. It intimates the Marketing Department about the need for a newspaper

Advertisement. The Marketing Team then comes up with 3-4 designs for approval to the
Recruitment Department. The Recruitment Team selects the advertisement that reaches out
to the maximum number of people. The entire expense is taken care of from the
Recruitment Team’s finances. Arrangements for the walk-ins, like organizing the seating
area, drinking water requirements, help-desks, posters, etc., are the Recruitment Team’s
job.

(ii) Campus Recruitment

The process followed

1. Pre-Placement Talk (PPT): The PPT was a CD-based presentation lasting around 30
minutes. This was done with a view to bring uniformity in communication at all campuses.
A question-and-answer session with the students followed the presentation, lasting a few
minutes.

1. Application Blank: All eligible candidates filled up the application blank, formally
known as the Consolidated Information Sheet.

3. Written Test and Group Discussion: Candidates who fulfilled the eligibility criteria for
selection were short-listed to go through a written test, intended to test their aptitude and
technical skills.

The short-listed candidates also went through Group Discussions. Team size was 7
candidates per group. The objective was to check the

(a) Communication

(b) Initiative

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 (c) Adaptability

(d) Creativity

(e) Team Spirit

There was an observation sheet for each group wherein candidate’s performance during
group discussion was assessed and marked.

4. Interviews: Candidates short-listed after the test and group discussion rounds went
through the final round, interviews.

The selection panel comprised: One representative from HR (Manager & above)
One representative from Delivery Unit (Sr. TL and above).

5. Selection List: A list of selected candidates was given to the placement officer and the
HR Representative made a formal announcement of the same on the same day.

(iii) Consultants

Aztec has contractual agreements with about twelve consultants. The contract
period varies from six months to one year, depending on the past performance of the
consultants.

Consultants are used as an alternative to newspaper advertisements for walk-in

interviews, which take place almost every weekend. The consultants called to line up
candidates with the pre-defined requirements.

Aztec is consciously trying to minimize the use of consultants, so that the cost per
employee is brought down further. For the year 2004-05 consultants contributed to 31 per
cent of the recruitment.

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(iv) Employee reference

Employee Reference is where an employee of Aztec refers someone they know for
an opening in the company. Cash rewards are given for each reference that gets converted
into an offer. Cash rewards of higher value are offered when the recruitment is for a
particular duration. The scheme is not open to employees in the HR team.

The entire process takes place on the intranet, which also gives details. In brief, the details
required in an employee reference are:

1) Position Code

2) Name of the Candidate

3) Years of Experience

4) Main skills in the Subject Line

(v) Job portals

Job portals comprise a large database of CVs for various positions, skill-sets, etc.
There are a few lakhs of resumes on each portal. Aztec evaluated and has signed up with
two job portals.

(vi) Direct/fresher

Fresher recruitments are at entry-level. Fresh engineering graduates are invited for
a test and group discussion, clearing which they attend technical and HR interviews. If
short-listed in these rounds they are given offer letters.

c. Screening

The first step in talent acquisition cycle is sorting the incoming resumes (sourced
CVs) based on the prescribed criteria and their initial screening for the next state of the

28
recruitment process (Test/Interview). This is a time consuming process, given the high
volume of incoming resumes.

Job-related duties and requisite qualification for the position as listed on the
prescribed form provide the basis for initial screening. The applications are short-listed by
the Human Resource Department and then sent to Technical Manager/Technical Heads
who further short-list them The final short-listed resumes are then forwarded to the TAT
team for further processing.

d. Scheduling for Test and Interview

Immediately following the screening and short-listing, the candidates are invited for a
test/interview. The methodology of the selection varies for the different positions. Ratio of
selection is generally 1 out of 100 or 1 out of 200.

e. Issue of Offer Letters/Rejection

Head-Talent Acquisition signs by the Head-HR or in his absence the offer letters,
for all Tech Heads and above. Head-Talent Acquisition signs the offer letters for all Team
members.

A fortnightly-consolidated statement of offers issued is sent to C&B and Head-

Talent-Acquisition.

e. Follow up with the candidate

HR follows up with the selected candidate continuously until the candidate comes
on board Aztec. HR also keeps the Delivery Head and the employee in charge of Resource
Allocation informed of any change in the date of joining and/or of any dropouts. The same
will also be reflected in the recruitment database.

29
f. Tracking and Report

The recruitment team keeps track of the resumes and the interview status and
ensures that the database is updated daily. The database has information about candidates
appearing for the test/interview and the status of these test/interviews.

Offers are released to the selected candidates the same day and the resume of the
candidate is added to the online resume database. The costs of recruitment activities are
measured and tracked.

4. E-Recruitment

The Internet is being used extensively to achieve recruitment targets, increasing

productivity and saving time and money. The internet has made it possible for organizations
to post jobs online in the recruiter tool box of job portals. This costs less than half a
newspaper posting and much less than a job consultant’s fee.

Advertising job openings, sourcing of applications and online enquiry forms are the
most frequently used methods for attracting candidates. There is a wide variety in the extent
to which online CVs are structured, and also in the way they are screened.

E-enabled recruiting processes, while they increase the opportunities increase also the risks
associated with the e-sourcing process.

30
SELECTION

Next to the recruitment the logical step in the HR process is selection of qualified
and competent people. The role of selection in an organization is crucial for at least two
reasons.

First work performance depends on individuals. The best way to enhance

performance is to hire people who have competence and willingness to work .Second cost
incurred in recruiting and hiring personnel speaks about the role of selection.

Definition:

“Selection is the process of choosing from among the candidates from within the
organization or from the outside, the most suitable for the current position or for the future
position”. -Koontz

Selection process:

Selection is a process of decision making. A process is a number of interrelated

activities. These activities are interrelated as they are sequenced and establish sort of
hierarchical relationships. This standard pattern begins with initial screening interview and
concludes with the final employment decision.

31
Preliminary interview:

This interview is usually conducted by a Panel of technical interview . This is

essentially a sorting process in which perspective applicants are given the necessary
information about the nature of the jobs in the organization.

Selection test:

Candidates who pass the preliminary interview are called for test. Deferent types of
the tests are administered depending on the job and the company.

Generally tests are used determine the applicants ability, aptitude and personality.

Some of the tests are:

Ability: assists in determining persons potential to learn in a given area.

Personality test: given to measure a prospective employee’s motivation to function in a

particular working environment.

Interest test: are to measure individual activity preferences.

Graphology tests: is designed to analyze the hand writing of an individual

Employment interview:

Interview is formal in depth conversation conducted to evaluate the applicant’s

acceptability. It summarizes and integrates all information concerned with the candidate. It
enables the organization to get a wholesome view of the candidate including his
intelligence, personality, interest and attitude to life.

It popularly stems from its flexibility .It allow a two –way exchange of information.
The employment interview can be

32
  One to one

 Sequential

 Panel

Types of interviews:

Structured: in structured interview the interviewer uses a preset standardized questions,

which are put to all the interviews.

Unstructured: the interview is largely unplanned and the interviewee does most of the
talking.

Mixed: a combination of structured and unstructured questions, which resembles what, is

usually done in practice.

Behavioral: questions limited to hypothetical situations. Evaluation is based on the

solution and approach of the applicants.

Stress: a series of harsh, rapid-fire questions intended to upset the applicant.

Reference and background checks:

Many employers request names, addresses and telephone numbers or references for
the purpose of verifying information and perhaps gaining additional background
information on applicants. Although listed on the application form references are not
usually checked until an applicant has successfully reached the fourth stage of a sequential
process.

33
Selection decision:

After obtaining information through the preceding steps, selection decisions the
most critical of all the steps must be made. The final decision has to be made from the pool
of individuals who pass the tests, interviews and reference checks. The views of the line
manager will be generally considered in the final decision because it is he/she who is
responsible for the performance of the new employee. The HR manager plays a crucial role
in final selection.

Physical examination:

After the selection decision and before the job after is made, the candidate is
required to undergo a physical fitness test. A job offer is often contingent up on the
candidate being declared fit after the physical examination.

Job offer: Job offer is made through a letter of appointment. Such a letter is generally
contains a date by which the appointee must report on duty .The appointee must be given
reasonable time for reporting.

Contracts of employment:

After the job offer has been made and the candidates accept the offer, certain
documents need to be executed by the employer and the candidates accept the offer, certain
documents need to be executed by the employer and the candidates accept the offer, certain
documents need to be executed by the employer and the candidates accept the offer, certain
documents need to be executed by the employer and the candidates. The basic information
that should be included in a written contract of employment will vary according to the level
of job. But the formal checklist will be given in the annexure

34
Evaluation of selection program:

The board test of the effectiveness of the selection process is the quality of the
personnel hired. An organization must have competent and committed personnel. A
periodic test should be done in organization to evaluate the selection system. The general
outline that highlights the areas and questions to be covered in the annexure.

35
ANALYSIS OF THE DATA:

This is core research chapter. As is always known, data is collected to confirm/ascertain

certain facts and then to draw conclusions on the basis of them. In order that a study is
complete the data collected has to be evaluated. Here an attempt is made to tabulate data
collected, analyze them and infer facts from them. It may be noted that this Chapter has
given inputs for the next chapter, namely, major findings and Recommendations

Evaluation of the data collected is done below:

Gender of the Respondents:

Sl. No Gender No. of Respondents No. of Respondents

in Percentage

1 Male 40 80%

2 Female 10 20%

Total 50 100 %

36
 100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Female
50%
40% Male
30%
20%
10%
0%
No.of Respondents No.of Respondents in
Percentage

INFERENCE:

The above table shows that sample consists of 50, of which 80% are males from various
departments and only 20% of female employees working in the organization.

Age Group of Respondents:

Sl. No Age Group No. of Respondents No. of Respondents in Percentage

1 20-30 12 24%

2 30-40 30 60%

3 Above 40 8 16%

Total 50 100 %

37
 No. of Respondents

Above 40
16% 20-30
24%

30-40
60%

INFERENCE:

The total no. of employees selected for survey are 50,of which majority i.e, 60% belong to
the age group of 20-30, 24% of the respondents belong to the age group of 30-40 and only
16% of respondents belong to the age of above 40.

Educational Qualification:

Sr.No Educational No. of Respondents No. of Respondents in

Qualification Percentage

1 Graduates 5 10%

2 Post Graduates 20 40%

3 Professional 25 50%

Total 50 100 %

38
 No of Respondents

Graduates
10%

Professional
50% Post
graduates
40%

INFERENCE:

The above table infers that 50% of employees in an organization are professional, rest 40%
of employees are post graduate diploma/degree holders and there are only 10% employees
having qualifications as graduation are working in this organization.

Role in Aztec:

Sr.No Role No. of Respondents No. of Respondents in Percentage

1 Developer 18 36%

2 Sr.Developer 8 16%

3 Tec Lead 12 24%

4 Sr.Teclead 4 8%

5 Others 8 16%

39
 Total 50 100 %

40
35
30
25 No of reaspondents

20
Percentage of
15
respondents
10
5
0
r r s
pe pe ad ad er
el o
el o Le Le th
ch h O
ev ev ec
D .r D Te . T
S Sr

INFERENCE:

From the above table, we can infer that majority of respondents i.e, 36% of sample are
playing a role of developer, 16% of the sample occupies the position of Sr.Developer, 24%
of it are Technical lead; only 8% of it are working as Sr.Technical lead; other roles includes
16% of the sample.

Number of Years of Service:

Sr.No Years of Experience No. of Respondents No. of Respondents

in Percentage

1 Less than 6 months 18 36%

2 Between 6 months to 1 year 6 12%

3 Between 1 to2 year 20 40%

4 More than 2 years 6 12%

40
 Total 50 100 %

45
40
35
30 No of reaspondents
25
20 Percentage of
15 respondents

10
5
0
Less than 6 Between 6 Between 1 to More than 2
months months to 1 2 years years
year

INFERENCE: The above table interprets that 40% of the respondents holds the experience
of 1-2year; 36% of the respondents are having the experience of less than 6 months;12%
of the sample have an experience of 6months-1year and rest 12% of respondents have more
than 2years of experience.

Opening in the Aztec:

Sr.No Opening in Aztec No. of Respondents No. of Respondents in

Percentage

1 Job fair 2 4%

2 Employees 8 16%

3 Friends/Colleagues 14 28%

4 Company Website 2 4%

41
 5 Job Portals 2 4%

6 Consultants 22 44%

Total 50 100 %

Consultant

Job portal

Company web site

Percentage of respondents
Friends or colleagues No of reaspondents

Employee Referral

Job Fair

0 10 20 30 40 50

INFERENCE:

The above table interprets that 44%of employees came to know about opening in the Aztec
through consultants, 4% of respondents came to know about it through job fair, company
website and job portals;16% of the sample came to know by employee referrals and 28%
of it were by friends/colleagues.

The method by which the company Recruited:

Sl.No Methods of recruitment No. of Respondents No. of Respondents in

Percentage

1 Employee referrals 10 20%

2 Campus Recruitment 8 16%

3 Placement Consultants 18 36%

4 Advertisement 6 12%

42
5 Internal Job Posting 2 4%

6 Walk-in 6 12%

Total 50 100 %

INFERENCE:

The above table infers that majority i.e, 36% of the respondents are recruited through
placement consultants; 20% of the sample are recruited through employee referrals; 16%
of the sample are recruited through campus recruitment and 12% of the respondents are
recruited through Advertisement and walk in.

Type of interview :

Type of Interview No. Of Respondents Percentage of

Respondents

Stress Interview 0 0

Structured Interview 32 64 %

43
Unstructured Interview 8 16 %

Behavioral Interview 6 12 %

Depth Interview 4 8%

Total 50 100 %

No Of Respondents

8% 0% Stress Interview

12%
Structured Interview

Unstructured
Interview
16%
64% Behavioral Interview

Depth Interview

44
INFERENCE :

The above table infers that the major part of the sample i.e. 64% of the sample went
through structured interview, 8 % of the sample had undergone unstructured interview
,6 % of the sample had Behavirol type of interview and the last but not least , 4 % had
depth interview.

45
Mode of Interview Faced in Aztec:

Sl.No Response No. of Respondents No. of Respondents

in Percentage

1 Group Discussion 6 12%

2 Presentation 2 4%

3 Telecon 4 8%

4 Written Test 8 16%

6 Technical Interview 30 60%

Total 50 100 %

70
60
50 No of Respondents
40
30 percentage of
20 Respondents
10
0
t
sion ation ec o
n
T es rv iew
us nt l e
i s c es e Te itten l Int
r
up D Pr w
nic a
o c h
Gr Te

INFERENCE:

The above table infers that majority of the respondents i.e, 60% of employees had faced
technical interview; 16% of the sample faced written test 12% had Group discussion
round;8% of the respondents had telecom and 4% of the respondents had presentation
round.

46
Rating of Tests Conducted During the Interview:

Sl.No Type of interview Weighted Average

1 Personality Test 4.04

2 Verbal Analysis 4.24

3 English Comprehension 4.32

4 General Intelligence 4.2

5 Scientific knowledge 3.64

6 Technical Knowledge 4.2

Weighted Average

4.4
4.2
4
3.8 Weighted Average
3.6
3.4
3.2
verbal analysis

Intelligence

Knowledge

Knowledge
Comprehension
Personality test

Scientific

technical
general
English

INFERENCE:

The above table infers the average weighted of the type of interview taken. Test Sections
are weighed on the variables such as “personality test” as 4.04 , verbal analysis as 4.24,
English Comprehension as 4.32, General as 4.2,Scientific Knowledge as 3.64 and
Technical Knowledge as 4.2.

47
The interviews faced Before Joining Aztec:

Sl.No Response No. of Respondents No. of Respondents in Percentage

1 Yes 32 64%

2 No 18 36%

Total 50 100 %

50
45
40
35 No of reaspondents
30 Percentage of respondents
25
20
15
10
5
0
Golden Fringe High Salary Freedom to Innovative
handshake Benefits Work Task
Plan

INFERENCE:

The above table infers that the majority of the sample, i.e, and 64% of the respondents had
faced interviews before joining Aztec. These respondents are experienced the different type
of interviews and 36% of the sample are not experienced.

48
Rating the Excellency of Interviewer:

Sr.No Scales No. of Respondents No. of

Respondents in %

1 Excellent 17 34%

2 Good 29 58%

3 Average 4 8%

4 Satisfactory 0 0

5 Poor 0 0

Total 50 100 %

No. of respondents

8% 0%
34% Exellent
good
Average
Satisfactory
58% Poor

INFERENCE:

The above table infers that 34% of the respondents has rated the excellency of the
interviewer as Excellent, 58 % as Good, 8% as Average and none of the respondent has
rated it as poor and satisfactory.

49
The Flexibility to Plan and organize work:

S No. Scales No. of Respondents No. of Respondents

in Percentage

1 Agree 26 52%

2 Strongly Agree 8 16%

3 Partially Agree 12 24%

4 Disagree 4 8%

6 Strongly Disagree 0 0

Total 50 100 %

No. of Respondents

8% 0%

Agree
24% Strongly Agreee

52% Partially Agree

disagree
strongly disagree

16%

INFERENCE:

The above table infers No. of Respondents flexibility to plan and organize work. Scale on
which No. of Respondents fall is as under.

Agree as 52%, Strongly Agree as 16%, Partially Agree as 24% and Disagree as 8%.

50
Selection is done on the basis of Skills and talent :

Sl.No Scales No. of Respondents No. of Respondents

in Percentage

1 Agree 32 64%

2 Strongly Agree 12 24%

3 Partially Agree 4 8%

4 Disagree 2 4%

6 Strongly Disagree 0 0

Total 50 100 %

No. of Respondents

8% 4% 0%
Agree

24% Strongly Agreee

Partially Agree
disagree
64%
strongly disagree

INFERENCE:

The above table infers the responses of the of the respondents. Their responses are
being categorized on the basis of scales such as Agree :64%, strongly Agree :
24%,Partially Agree : 8% ,Disagree : 4 % and none of the respondent has rated strongly
disagree variable.

51
Interview helps to measure the strength and weakness:

Sl.No Scales No. of Respondents Percentage of

Respondents

1 Agree 30 60%

2 Strongly Agree 18 36%

3 Partially Agree 2 4%

4 Disagree 0 0

6 Strongly Disagree 0 0

Total 50 100 %

No. of Respondents

0%

4% 0%

Agree
Strongly Agreee
36%
Partially Agree
60% disagree
strongly disagree

INFERENCE:

The above table infers the responses of the respondent on the basis of scaling where 60%
of the respondent agrees on the point that Interview helps to measure strength and
weakness, 36% of the sample strongly agrees to it. 45 are partially agreed. Disagree and
strongly disagree are rated as nil

52
Attraction to join Aztec:

Sr.No Response No. of Respondents No. of Respondents

in Percentage

1 Golden handshake 4 8%

2 Fringe benefits 2 4%

3 High Salary 6 12%

4 Freedom to work 24 48%

6 Innovative task 14 28%

Total 50 100 %

50
45
40
35 No of reaspondents
30 Percentage of respondents
25
20
15
10
5
0
Golden Fringe High Salary Freedom to Innovative
handshake Benefits Work Task
Plan

INFERENCE:

The above table interprets that 48% of the respondents joined the Aztec because it offers
them freedom to work; 28% of the respondents joined because of innovative tasks provided
to them; 12% says that high salary attracted them; 8% of the sample joined because it opts
for golden handshake plan and 4% of the respondents joined because it offers them various
fringe benefits

53
Reference of employees to Aztec:

Sl.No Response No.of Respondents No.of Respondents in Percentage

1 Yes 30 60%

2 No 20 40%

Total 50 100%

60

50

40
Yes
30
No
20

10

0
No of reaspondents Percentage of respondents

INFERENCE:

The above table infers that 60% of the employees have referred employees to Aztec and
40% the respondents have not referred any employee to Aztec

54
Employee Reference Fee:

Sr.No Response No. of Respondents No. of Respondents

in Percentage

1 Yes 26 52%

2 No 24 48%

Total 50 100 %

100

80

60
No
40 Yes

20

0
No of reaspondents Percentage of
respondents

INFERENCE:

The above table inferred that 52% of the respondents have received the employee referral
fee for referring employees in Aztec and rest 48% of it have not received employee referral
fee.

55
 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

A .The company hires through Employee referrals, advertisements, Job boards, Campus,
internet and Consultants. The company employs most of professionals then compare to
graduate. Job requirements play a key role in identifying the right kind of tests that can be
conducted on prospective Candidates. Job description plays a vital role in recruitment
process.

a. For the effective functioning of the organization, Quality stressed. Aztec lines highly
qualified software engineers for achieving the organization objectives.

b.90% of the organization Comprises of software professionals who are engineering

graduates and other 10% constitute towards support/top management.

c. The company uses media advertisements as per the requirements to call for applications.

d. The company conducts a combination of structured and panel interview on the

candidates.

e. The presentation rounds will be administered only on senior level jobs.

f. English Comprehension and vocabulary tests have a high positive Co-relation, Then each
test can be supplemented with each other.

g. The selection Policy followed by Aztec is really good and in the process it not only
checks the technical skills but also communication, aptitude, behavioral etc. So Aztec gets
the best human resources.

56
h. Aztec has a quality recruitment policy.

i. The Aim of the organization is to retain good people on the basis of their relevant
experiences merits and abilities.

j. Interviewer in Aztec is technically very sound and expert.

k. Recruitment process is quicker when compared to other companies.

l. The steps followed by Aztec are well organized and co-ordinate

m. The group discussion round which helps us to think more quicker and to be sharpened
the knowledge which differs from others

57
CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

a. Satisfaction levels of employees vary on the opinion of written tests. Employees were
not able to express their abilities effectively and hence there is a requirement of tests, which
would extract the most out of them.

b. In the preliminary interviews the HR manager must use a tool called “Ice Breaker” which
helps a newly entering candidate to feel and express his ideas, knowledge and to feel
Comfortable.

c. Candidate with the right attitude and aptitude should be hired. Such candidates will have
high learning abilities this principle what Microsoft bill gates follow.

d. Job requirements play a key role in identifying the right kind of tests that can be
conducted on the candidates applying for jobs in the company.

e. For senior level position, it is generally stress and indepth interview followed by
presentations.

f. The company may also recruit employees through the Assessment centers. These Centers
try to identify the most critical requirements that candidates has to posses, keeping in mind
the future challenges.

g. The company may also follow panel discussions (Technical and HR)

h. Preference should be given to employee reference.

58
i. Online test should be practiced to ease the process of selection from a large talent pool.

j. . To be ensured that the questions asked during the interview should be related to the Skill
set

l. So, the best Recruitment process that suggested is employee reference because, it is less
expensive and time saving

m. All open positions are available on the intranet for the employees to know and refer.

n. An HRIS is a system that allows an organization to keep track of all its potential and
existing employees and relevant information about them. This is usually done in a database
or more often, in a series of inter-related databases.

o. A consolidated single database for all resumes, to be stored and accessed by the
recruitment team.

p. Access should be limited to the recruitment team and its head to retain confidentiality.

q. A search engine would make-work simpler.

r. Such a database would be useful in the case of identifying candidates who have been
rejected and retaining the history of each resume.

59
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reference Books

 C.B. Mammoria, PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (twelfth edition), Himalaya

Publishing House, New Delhi, 1995

 Subbha Rao, HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

 K. ASHWATHAPPA, HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Website

 www.google.com

 http://aztecintranet

 www.aztec.soft.net

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