RECRUITMENT & SELECTION

RECRUITMENT
Definition Of Recruitment: Finding and Attracting Applications
“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 RECRUI TMENT:
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: -
1. Determine the present and future requirements in conjunction with personnel planning and job
analysis activities
2. Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost
3. Help increase success rate of selection process by reducing number of under-qualified or over-
qualified applications.
4. Reduce the probability that job applicants once selected would leave shortly
5. Meet legal and social obligations
6. Identify and prepare potential job applicants
7. Evaluate effectiveness of various recruitment techniques and sources for job applicants.
FACTORS GOVERNING RECRUITMENT
External Factors:
• Demand and Supply (Specific Skills)
• Unemployment Rate (Area-wise)
• Labor Market Conditions
• Political and Legal Environment (Reservations, Labor laws)
• Image
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
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION

Basis Recruitment Selection

Meaning It is an activity of establishing contact between employers It is a process of picking up more competent and
and applicants. suitable employees.

Objective It encourages large number of Candidates for a job. It attempts at rejecting unsuitable candidates.

Process It is a simple process. It is a complicated process.

Hurdles The candidates have not to cross over many hurdles. Many hurdles have to be crossed.

Approach It is a positive approach. It is a negative approach.

Sequence It precedes selection. It follows recruitment.

Economy It is an economical method. It is an expensive method.

Time Less time is required. More time is required.

Consuming

SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT
Internal Recruitment (Source 1)
• Present employees
• Employee referrals
• Former Employees
 • Previous Applicants
Present employees
Promotions and transfer from among the present employees can be good sources of recruitment.
Promotion to higher positions has several advantages. They are (i) it is good public relations. (ii) it builds
morale. (iii) it encourages competent individuals. (iv) improves probability of good selection. (v) it is
cheaper. (vi) it act as training device.
Employee referrals
Many firms have found that their employees can assist in the recruitment process. Employees may
actively solicit applications from their friends and associates.
Before going outside to recruit employees, many organizations ask present employees to encourage
friends or relatives to apply for the job openings. Contacts and referrals from the present employees are
valuable sources of recruits. Employee referrals are relatively inexpensive and usually produce quick
responses.
However some organizations are concerned about problems that result from hiring friends of employees
for example, the practice of hiring friends and relatives favoritisms.
Former employee
Former employees are also an internal source of applicants. Some retired employees may be willing to
come back to work on a part time basis or may recommend someone who would be interested in working
for the company. Sometimes people who have left the company for some reason or the other are willing
to come back and work.
Previous applicants
Those who previously applied for job can be contacted by mail, a quick and inexpensive way to fill an
unexpected opening.
External Recruitment (Source 2)
• Professionals or Trade Associations
• Advertisements
• Employment Exchanges
• Campus Recruitment
• Walk-ins Interviews
• Consultants
• Contractors
• Displaced Persons
• Radio & Television
 • Acquisitions & Mergers
• Competitors
• E-recruiting

Advertisement
A way of communicating the employment needs within the firm to the public through media such as
radio, newspaper, television, industry publications, and the Internet.
Sometimes organizations can perform the recruitment function through blind advertisements in blind
advertisements no identification about the company is provided to applicants. Companies can use blind
advertisements for many reasons e.g.
• Company wants to keep the recruitment in low profile so that lesser number of applicants should
apply in order to discourage the irrelevant people.
• Due to bad reputation or image of the organization
• Advertisement is made just for the purpose of test marketing for example just to have knowledge
about the supply of applicants in labor market etc.

Employment exchange
An organization that helps firms recruits employees and, at the same time, aids individuals in their
attempt to locate jobs. There are two types of the employment agencies i.e.
• Public Employment Agencies.
• Private Employment Agencies
Both of these sources provide coordination between the organizations and applicants who are searching
for jobs, for this service they use to charge a fee .Employment agencies are able to tailor their services to
the specific needs of the clients For example some agencies Specialize in a particular employment areas,
such as engineering, human resource or Computer programming, etc.

Campus recruitment
College, universities, research laboratories and institutes are grounds for recruiters. Campus recruitment is
an expensive process, even if the recruiting process eventually produces jobs offers and acceptances.
Majority of those would leave the firms within the first five years of their employment.

Walk-ins and write-ins

The most common and least expensive approach for candidates is direct applications, in which job
seekers submit unsolicited application letters. Direct applications can also provide a pool of potential
employees to meet future needs. Direct applications are particularly effective in filling entry level and
unskilled candidates.
Write-ins are those who send written enquiries.
Talk-ins – job seekers are required to meet the recruiter for detailed talks.

Consultants
ABC consultants, Ferguson associates, Head hunters, Batliboi and Co among the numerous recruiting
associates. Consultants have nationwide contacts and lend professionalism to the hiring process. Cost is
high. Most consultants charge fees ranging from 20 to 50 percent of the first year salaries of individuals
placed.

Displaced persons
Implementing of a project in an area would result in displacement of several inhabitants. Rehabilitating
the displaced people is a social responsibility of business. Such peoples are source of recruitment, not
only for the project which caused the displacement, but also for other companies located elsewhere.

Radio and Television

Radio and Television can be used to reach certain types of job applicants such as skilled workers. It
depends upon how it’s delivered.

Acquisition and mergers

Another method of staffing firms is a result of the merger or acquisition process. When organizations
combine into one, they have to handle a large pool of employees, some of whom may no longer be
necessary in the new organization.

Competitors
Rival firms can be a source of recruitment. Popularly called raiding, this method identifies the right
people in rival companies, offering them better terms.

E-recruiting
Companies post vacancies in their websites. Employers can electronically screen candidates, conduct
online test, background check, and interview candidates via videoconference. Employers can manage
entire process through web based software.
INTERNAL RECRUITM ENT
 Advantages Disadvantages
1. Less Costly 1. Old concept of doing things
2. Candidates already oriented towards 2. It abets raiding
organization 3. Candidates current work may be affected
3. Organizations have better knowledge about 4. Politics play greater roles
internal candidates 5. Morale problem for those not promoted.
4. Employee morale and motivation is
enhanced

EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT
Advantages Disadvantages
1. Benefits of new skills and talents 1. Better morale and motivation associated
2. Benefits of new experiences with internal recruiting is denied
3. Compliance with reservation policy 2. It is costly method
becomes easy 3. Chances of creeping in false positive and
4. Scope for resentment, jealousies, and false negative errors
heartburn are avoided. 4. Adjustment of new employees takes longer
time.