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The importance of recruitment
What is recruitment?
Recruitment is the procedure of searching for, finding, and hiring new employees.
Before discussing the recruitment process, you must first understand what has brought about the need for recruitment. In the case of a new business, employees would need to be recruited to perform operational tasks.
If a company wants to expand its operations, it will look to recruit employees. The expansion may be planned in terms of increasing production or manufacturing different products for new markets. The need for recruitment also arises when existing employees are leaving or have left the company. The company will then naturally want to replace these staff with new employees.
Types of recruitment
Recruitment may be done internally by the company’s Human Resources (HR) department, or it can be delegated to other recruitment companies with the expertise to effectively complete the process of recruitment. There are two primary types of recruitment:
Internal recruitment – In this type of recruitment, a company recruits employees from the existing employees. It is usually done by promoting the existing employees to more senior positions or by transferring them to different departments. A vacancy notice is posted on the company’s internal communication platforms, and in some cases senior managers recommend an employee for a new job role.
There are many benefits to internal recruitment. For example, the company does not have to advertise externally, thereby reducing costs. Existing employees are already familiar with the company and its working environment; therefore, they would not take too long to adjust to new roles.
External recruitment – In this type of recruitment, a company wants to hire people from outside the company. External recruitment is necessary when a company is either new or wants to expand its operations by producing new products for new markets.
The job is typically advertised on the internet, in newspapers, magazines, etc. This recruitment can be done either by the company’s HR department or the external recruiters. It is a good method to add fresh talent to the existing pool of employees but it is more costly than internal recruitment.
The method of recruitment
Figure 1 below outlines the recruitment process:
Recruitment needs identification – The process starts with identifying the need for recruitment. A new business opening, expansion, or job role in the company are all examples of recruitment needs.
Job analysis – Job analysis should be conducted in the next step. This analysis helps in interpreting the role of the job. Important details such as job description and applicant specifications are identified through job analysis. These analyses help in determining the duties associated with the job and the key attributes a potential applicant must have to be considered for the job.
Job advertisement – In this step, the jobs are advertised. Appropriate advertising channels are used for specific recruitments. Internal and external advertisements are employed depending on the type of recruitment a business is looking for.
Creation of a pool of applicants – People apply for the jobs after reading about them via advertisement. This process continues till the application deadline. Finally, a pool is created of all the applicants.
Recruitment and Selection: The importance of selection
Selection is an integral part of the overall recruitment process, happening after the creation of a pool of applicants. Once the HR department or the external recruiter has a list of applicants, they start the process of selection.
Selection is about choosing the employees who are the most suited for the advertised job from the pool of applicants.
The whole process depends on the effectiveness of selection. Applicants are shortlisted at this stage, and they are put through different tests to check their competence. A wrong selection could put the entire recruitment process at risk, meaning a loss of financial resources, time, and effort.
Recruitment and Selection: Method of selection
The following methods are the most used by employers in the selection process.
Interview – This is the most common method used in selection. A panel comprised of two or more people interviews applicants. Different questions related to the applicant and the job are asked during the interview. This helps give a general impression of the applicant.
Psychometric test – In this kind of test, multiple-choice questions are asked from the applicant. This test helps in determining the personality of the applicant. It is an effective method to use in the selection because it shows whether the applicant is a right fit for the role and the company culture or not.
Assessment centre – In this method, applicants are required to complete a set of tasks. These tasks are usually like the actual tasks on the job. It could give a comprehensive analysis of the applicant’s expertise and personality for the role.
Why an effective recruitment and selection process is important
An effective recruitment and selection process ensures the appointment of the right employees for the job. It means employees who are skilled and experienced in the field join the workforce. It could be a costly process, but its benefits outweigh its costs.
Increase in productivity – Having skilled and experienced employees would increase productivity in any business. Employees can produce more in less time. This means the cost of production could decrease as the production becomes efficient.
Quality products – Employees with expertise and knowledge produce quality products. It often happens that quality is compromised during production due to a lack of knowledge and skill. Having competent employees certainly reduces the likelihood of a lapse in the production process.
Better customer service – Customer service is an important factor in the success of a business. Employees, who are best at their jobs, are better equipped to give value to customers. They know the product and can assist the customers in a better way. This will result in customer satisfaction and better customer service overall.
Higher employee retention – Effective recruitment and selection process ensures appointing employees who are more suited and motivated for the job. Employees with motivation who enjoy their work are less likely to leave their jobs. For businesses, this means a higher employee retention rate. This is significant because the whole process of recruitment can cost a lot. Having long-term employees mean that employers do not have to spend on recruitment repeatedly.
Recruitment and Selection: Employment contracts
An employment contract is a legal agreement between an employer and an employee. Important details about the job are included, such as salary, duties, holidays, and the duration of the contract. Businesses hire candidates as either full-time or part-time. A full-time employee is usually expected to work five days a week and eight hours a day, whereas part-time employees' weekly working hours are less than 40 hours a week.
There is also another kind of employment contract called a job-share. This is a contract in which two or more people share a part-time job. From duties to salary, everything is divided according to the level of work they are doing.
Finally, there is a zero-hour contract in which the employer is not obligated to give any minimum number of working hours to the employee. Such employees are called into work when there is more work available than usual.
The process of recruitment and selection is crucial for any business. It ensures that the business has the right employees to perform the operational tasks. Financial costs can be saved by using this process effectively. There are many benefits associated with it that have a significant impact on the success of the business.
Recruitment and selection - Key takeaways
- Employees are responsible for putting in the work to keep the company on the path to achieving its vision and objectives.
- The procedure of searching, finding, and hiring new employees is called recruitment.
- Recruitment is needed when a business is new or expanding.
- Recruitment is done either internally or externally.
- Recruitment needs identification, job analysis, job advertisement, and the creation of a pool of applicants are all parts of the recruitment process.
- Selection is about choosing the employees from the pool of applicants who are most suited for the advertised job.
- Interviews, psychometric tests, and assessment centres are the methods of selection.
- An increase in productivity, quality products, better quality service, and higher employee retention are the benefits of an effective recruitment and selection process.
- Full-time and part-time are the two types of employee contracts.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Recruitment And Selection
What is recruitment and selection?
Recruitment is the procedure of searching for, finding, and hiring new employees.
Selection is about choosing the employees who are the most suited for the advertised job from the pool of applicants.
What are the methods of recruitment and selection?
Identifying needs, job analysis, job advertisement, and pool creation are the methods of recruitment.
Interviews, psychometric tests, and assessment centers are the methods of selection.
What are some challenges in recruitment and selection?
Hiring the right candidate, effective process, and delayed hiring are some of the challenges in recruitment and selection.
Why is recruitment and selection important?
The process of recruitment and selection is important because it ensures that the business has the right employees to perform the operational tasks. Financial costs can be saved by using this process effectively
What is the difference between internal and external recruitment?
Internal recruitment is done within the company and the existing employees are the applicants.
External recruitment is done to hire candidates from outside.
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