THEORITICAL FRAME WORK

The recruitment and selection is the major function of the human

resource department and recruitment process is the first step towards creating the
competitive strength and the strategic advantage for the organizations. Recruitment
process involves a systematic procedure from sourcing the candidates to arranging
and conducting the interviews and requires many resources and time.
Recruitment refers to the process of screening, and selecting qualified people for a job
at an organization or firm, or for a vacancy in a volunteer-based some components of
the recruitment process, mid- and large-size organizations and companies often retain
professional recruiters or outsource some of the process to recruitment agencies.
External recruitment is the process of attracting and selecting employees from outside
the organization.
The recruitment industry has four main types of agencies employment exanges,
recruitment websites and job search engines, "head hunters for executive and
professional recruitment, and in-house recruitment. The stages in recruitment include
sourcing candidates by advertising or other methods, and screening and selecting
potential candidates using tests or interviews.

A few definitions of recruitment are:

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According to Edwin B. Flippo, Recruitment is the process of searching the

candidates for employment and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the
organisation. Recruitment is the activity that links the employers and the job seekers.
A 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 applications from which new employees are
selected.
It is the process to discover sources of manpower to meet the requirement of
staffing schedule and to employ effective measures for attracting that manpower in
adequate numbers to facilitate effective selection of an efficient working force.
Recruitment of candidates is the function preceding the selection, which helps create a
pool of prospective employees for the organization so that the management can select
the right candidate for the right job from this pool. The main objective of the
recruitment process is to expedite the selection process.
Recruitment is a continuous process whereby the firm attempts to develop a pool of
qualified applicants for the future human resources needs even though specific
vacancies do not exist. Usually, the recruitment process starts when a manger initiates
an employee requisition for specific vacancy or an anticipated vacancy.

OBJECTIVES OF RECRUITMENT:The objectives of Recruitment are

To attract people with multi-dimensional skills and experiences that suits the
present and future organizational strategies.

To induct outsiders with a new perspective to lead the company.

To infuse fresh blood at all levels of organization.

To develop an organizational culture that attracts competent people to the

company.

To search the people whose skills fit the companys values

To seek out non-conventional development grounds of talent.

To search for talent globally and not just within the company.

To anticipate and find people for positions those do not exist yet.

Purpose & Importance of Recruitment:

Attract and encourage more and more candidates to apply in the organization.

Create a talent pool of candidates to enable the selection of best candidates for
the organization.

Determine present and future requirements of the organization in conjunction

with its personnel planning and job analysis activities.

Recruitment is the process which links the employers with the employees.

Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost.

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Help increase the success rate of selection process by decreasing number of

visibly under qualified or overqualified job applicants.

Help reduce the probability that job applicants once recruited and selected will
leave the organization only after a short period of time.

Meet the organizations legal and social obligations regarding the composition
of its workforce.

Begin identifying and preparing potential job applicants who will be

appropriate candidates.

Increase organization and individual effectiveness of various recruiting

techniques and sources for all types of job applicants.

Every organization has the option of choosing the candidates for its recruitment
processes from two kinds of sources: internal and external sources. The sources
within the organization itself (like transfer of employees from one department to
other, promotions) to fill a position are known as the internal sources of recruitment.
Recruitment candidates from all the other sources (like outsourcing agencies etc.) are
known as the external sources of recruitment.
Policy for recruitment:
In todays rapidly changing business environment, a well defined recruitment
policy is necessary for organizations to respond to its human resource requirements in
time. Therefore, it is important to have a clear and concise recruitment policy in place,
which can be executed effectively to recruit the best talent pool for the selection of the
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right candidate at the right place quickly. Creating a suitable recruitment policy is the
first step in the efficient hiring process. A clear and concise recruitment policy helps
ensure a sound recruitment process.
It specifies the objectives of recruitment and provides a framework for
implementation of recruitment programme. It may involve organizational system to
be developed for implementing recruitment programmer and procedures by filling up
vacancies with best qualified people.
COMPONENTS OF THE RECRUITMENT POLICY

The general recruitment policies and terms of the organization

Recruitment services of consultants

Recruitment of temporary employees

Unique recruitment situations

The selection process

The job descriptions

The terms and conditions of the employment

A recruitment policy of an organization should be such that:

It should focus on recruiting the best potential people.

To ensure that every applicant and employee is treated equally with dignity
and respect.

Unbiased policy.
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To aid and encourage employees in realizing their full potential.

Transparent, task oriented and merit based selection.

Weight age during selection given to factors that suit organization needs.

Optimization of manpower at the time of selection process.

Defining the competent authority to approve each selection.

Abides by relevant public policy and legislation on hiring and

employment relationship.

Integrates employee needs with the organizational needs.

FACTORS AFFECTING RECRUITMENT POLICY

Organizational objectives

Personnel policies of the organization and its competitors.

Government policies on reservations.

Preferred sources of recruitment.

Need of the organization.

Recruitment costs and financial implications.

A general recruitment process:

Identifying the vacancies:
The recruitment process begins with the human resource department
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receiving

requisitions for recruitment from any department of the company.

These contain:
Posts to be filled
Number of persons
Duties to be performed
Qualifications required
Preparing the job description and person specification.
Locating and developing the sources of required number and type of employees
(Advertising etc).
Short-listing and

identifying

the

prospective

employee

with

required

characteristics.
Arranging the interviews with the selected candidates.
Conducting the interview and decision making

RECRUITMENT NEEDS ARE OF THREE TYPES

1. Planned: I.e. the needs arising from changes in organization and retirement
policy.
2. Anticipated: Anticipated needs are those movements in personnel, which an
organization can predict by studying trends in internal and external
environment.
3. Unexpected: Resignation, deaths, accidents, illness give rise to unexpected
needs
SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT
Every organization has the option of choosing the candidates for its
recruitment processes from two kinds of sources: internal and external sources. The
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sources within the organization itself (like transfer of employees from one
department to other, promotions) to fill a position are known as the internal sources
of recruitment. Recruitment candidates from all the other sources (like outsourcing
agencies etc.) are known as the external sources of recruitment

INTERNAL SOURCES:Internal sources are the sources within the organizational pursuits.
Internal sources include:

A.

Present Permanent Employees

B.

Present Temporary / Casual Employees

C.

Retrenched or Retired Employees

D.

Dependents Of Deceased, Disabled Retired and Present Employees

A. Present Permanent Employees:

Organizations consider the candidates from this source for higher level jobs
due to:
o Availability

of most suitable candidates for jobs relatively or equally to the

external source.
o To meet

the union demands.

o To the policy

of the organization to motivate the present employees.

B.Present Temporary or Casual Employees:

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

C.Retrenched or Retired Employees:

Generally a particular organization retrenches the employees due to lay-off.
The organizations take the candidates for employment from the retrenched employees
due to obligation, trade union pressure and the like. Sometimes the organization
prefers to re-employee their retired employees as a token of their loyalty to the
organizations or to postpone some inter-personnel conflicts for promotion etc.
D.Dependents of Deceased, Disabled, Retired and Present Employees:
Some organizations with view to developing the commitment and loyalty of
not only the employee but also his family members and to build up image provide
employment to the dependents of deceased, disable and present employees. Such
organizations find this source as an effective source of recruitment.
EXTERNAL SOURCES:
External sources are those sources which are outside the organizational pursuits.
Organization search for the required candidates form these sources.
External Sources Include:

A.

Campus Recruitment

B.

Private Employment Agencies / Consultants

C.

Employment Exchanges

D.

Professional Associations

E.

Data Banks

F.

Casual Applicants

G.

Similar Organizations

H.

Trade Unions

I.

Advertisement in Newspapers

J.

Employee Referrals

A. Campus Recruitment Techniques:Companies realize that campus recruitment is one of the best sources
for recruiting the cream of the new blood. The techniques of campus recruitment
include:
i.Short listing the institutes based on the quality of students intake, faculty facilities
and past track record.
ii. Selecting the recruiting team carefully.
iii.Offering the smart pay rather than high pay package.
iv.Presenting the smart pay rather than high pay package.
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v.Present the company but do not over sell the company.

vi.Getting in early. Make an early bird offer.
vii.Focusing on career growth opportunities that the company offers to the recruits.
viii.Include

young

line

managers

and

business

school

(B-School)

and

Engineering School (E-School) alumini in the recruiting team.

ix.Build the relationships with the faculty, administrators and students to grab them
before the rivals do.

B. Private Employment Agencies / consultants:Public employment agencies or consultants like ABC. Consultants
in India perform the recruitment functions on behalf of a client company by charging
fee. Line managers are relieved from recruitment functions so that they can
concentrate on their operational activities and recruitment functions is entrusted to a
private agency or consultants. But due to limitations of high cost, ineffectiveness in
performance, confidential nature of this function, managements sometimes do not
depend on this source. However, these agencies function effectively in the recruitment
of executives. Hence, they are also called executive search agencies. Most of the
organizations depend on the source for highly specialised positions and executive
positions.
C.Employment Exchanges:

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Register unemployed people and maintain the records of their names,

qualifications. The employers and their part intimate the exchange about the vacancies
which occur in their factories and types of employees they require for filling these
vacancies, whenever any vacancy is intimated the exchange selects some persons
from among the employment seekers .Already registered without and forwards their
names to the employers for consideration.
D.Professional Organizations:
Professional organizations or associations maintain complete bio-data
of their members and provide the same to various organizations in exchanging
information; clarifying doubts etc. organizations find this source more useful to
recruit the experienced and professional employees like executives, managers, and
engineers.
E.Data Banks:
The management can collect the bio-data of the candidates from different
sources like Employment Exchanges, Educational Training Institutes, candidates etc.,
and feed them in the computer. It will become another source and the company can
get the particulars as and when recruitment need.
F.Casual Applicants:
Depending upon 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 hand over the applications in

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Personnel Department. This would be a suitable sources for temporary and lower
level jobs.
G.Similar Organizations:
Generally, experienced candidates are available in organizations producing
similar products or are engaged in similar business. The management can get most
suitable candidates from this source. This would be the most effective source for
executive positions and for newly established organizations or diversified or expanded
organizations.

H.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 latters intimacy with management. As such the trade
union leaders are aware of the availability of candidates. In view of this fact and in
order to satisfy the trade union leaders, management decides about the sources
depending upon the type of candidates needed, time lapse period etc. It has to select
the recruitment techniques after deciding on other sources.
I. Advertisement in Newspapers:
Senior posts are largely filled by this method. There are some companies
which do not do their own advertising. There are some companies which although do
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their own advertising. There are some companies which diverse their names in their
advertisements.
J.Employee Referrals:
In order to encourage existing employees, some concerns have made a
policy to recruit further staff only from the applicants introduced and recommended
by employees union. Other conditions being equal, preference will be given to
friends and relative of present employees.

RECRUITMENT TECHNIQUES:
Recruitment techniques or methods are the means or media by which an
enterprise establishes contacts with potential candidates, provides them necessary
information and encourages them to apply for jobs. Management of an enterprise uses
different types of techniques to stimulate or encourage internal and external
candidates are:

Promotions

Transfers

Recommendations of the present employees

Scouting
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Advertising

Promotions:
Most of the internal candidates would be encouraged to take up higher
responsibilities and express their willingness to be engaged in the higher level jobs if
management gives them the assurance that they will be promoted to the next higher
level.
Transfers:
Employees will be stimulated to work in the new sections or places if
management wishes to transfer them to the places of their choice.

Recommendations of the present employees:

Management can contact, and persuade the outsiders to apply for job in the
organization through the recommendations to the candidates by the present employees,
trade union leaders etc.
Scouting:
Scouting means sending the representatives of the organization to various
sources of recruitment with a view to persuading or stimulating the candidates to apply
for jobs. The representatives provide information about the organization and exchange

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information and ideas, and clarify the doubts of the candidates. They also conduct
campus interviews and short-list candidates for further screening.
Advertising:
Advertising is a widely accepted technique of recruitment. It provides the
candidates in different sources, the information about the job and enterprise and
stimulates them to apply for jobs. It includes advertising through different media like
newspapers, magazine of all kinds, radio and television etc. The techniques of
advertising should aim at:
a. Attracting the attention of the prospective candidates.
b. Creating and maintaining interest, and
c. Stimulating action by the candidates. .

Recent Trends in Recruitment

The following trends are being seen in recruitment:
I.

Outsourcing:
In India, the HR processes are being outsourced from more than a decade

now. A company may draw required personnel from outsourcing firms. The outsourcing
firms help the organization by the initial screening of the candidates according to the
needs of the organization and creating a suitable pool of talent for the final selection by
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the organization. Outsourcing firms develop their human resource pool by employing
people for them and make available personnel to various companies as per their needs.
In turn, the outsourcing firms or the intermediaries charge the organizations for their
services.
Advantages of outsourcing are:

Company need not plan for human resources much in advance.

Value creation, operational flexibility and competitive advantage
Turning the management's focus to strategic level processes of HRM
Company is free from salary negotiations, weeding the unsuitable

resumes/candidates.
Company can save a lot of its resources and time
II. Poaching/Raiding:

Buying talent (rather than developing it) is the latest mantra being
followed by the organizations today. Poaching means employing a competent and
experienced person already working with another reputed company in the same or
different industry; the organisation might be a competitor in the industry. A company can
attract talent from another firm by offering attractive pay packages and other terms and
conditions, better than the current employer of the candidate. But it is seen as an
unethical practice and not openly talked about. Indian software and the retail sector are
the sectors facing the most severe brunt of poaching today. It has become a challenge for
human resource managers to face and tackle poaching, as it weakens the competitive
strength of the firm.
III.Walk-in:

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The busy organizations and the rapid changing companies do not find time to
perform the various functions of recruitment. Therefore, they advise the potential
candidates to attend for an interview directly and without a prior application on a
specified place. The suitable candidates from among the interviewees will be selected
for appointment after screening the candidates through tests and interviews.
IV.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 from among such candidates through the selection process
V.Head hunting:
Head-hunters are also called search consultants. The companys request the
professional organizations to search for the best candidates particularly for the senior
executive positions. The professional organizations search for the most suitable
candidates and advise the company regarding the filling up of the positions.
VI.Body shopping:
Professional organizations and the hi-tech training institutes develop the pool
of human resources for the possible employment. The prospective employers contact
these organizations to recruit the candidates. Otherwise, the organizations themselves
approach the prospective employers to replace their human resources. These
professional and training institutes are call body shoppers, and their activities are
known as body shopping. The body shopping is mostly used for professionals.
VII.Business Alliances:
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Business alliances like acquisitions, mergers and take-overs help in getting

human resources. In addition, the companies do also have alliances in sharing their
human resources on ad-hoc basis.
VIII.Tele-recruitment:
The technological revolution in telecommunication helped the organizations to
use internet as a source of recruitment. Organizations advertise the job vacancies
through the World Wide Web internet. The job-seekers send their application through
e-mail or internet.
IX.E-Recruitment:
Many big organizations use Internet as a source of recruitment. ERecruitment is the use of technology to assist the recruitment process. They advertise
job vacancies through worldwide web. The job seekers send their applications or
curriculum vitae i.e. CV through e mail using the Internet. Alternatively job seekers
place their CVs in worldwide web, which can be drawn by prospective employees
depending upon their requirements.
Advantages of recruitment are:

Low cost.

No intermediaries

Reduction in time for recruitment.

Recruitment of right type of people.

Efficiency of recruitment process.

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E-Recruitment
The buzzword and the latest trends in recruitment is the E-Recruitment. Also
known as Online recruitment, it is the use of technology or the web based tools to
assist the recruitment process. The tool can be either a job website like naukri.com, the
organizations corporate web site or its own intranet. Many big and small organizations
are using Internet as a source of recruitment. They advertise job vacancies through
worldwide web. The job seekers send their applications or curriculum vitae (CV)
through an e-mail using the Internet. Alternatively job seekers place their CVs in
worldwide web, which can be drawn by prospective employees depending upon their
requirements.
The internet penetration in India is increasing and has tremendous potential. According
to a study by NASSCOM Jobs is among the top reasons why new users will come on
to the internet, besides e-mail. There are more than 18 million rsums floating online
across the world.
The two kinds of e- recruitment that an organization can use is
1. Job portals i.e. posting the position with the job description and the job specification
on the job portal and also searching for the suitable resumes posted on the site
corresponding to the opening in the organization.
2. Creating a complete online recruitment/application section in the companys own
website. Companies have added an application system to its website, where the passive
job seekers can submit their resumes into the database of the organization for
consideration in future, as and when the roles become available.

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Resume Scanners: Resume scanner is one major benefit provided by the job portals to
the organisations. It enables the employees to screen and filter the resumes through predefined criterias and requirements (skills, qualifications, experience, payroll etc.) of the
job.
Job sites provide a 24*7 access to the database of the resumes to the employees
facilitating the just-in-time hiring by the organizations. Also, the jobs can be posted on
the site almost immediately and is also cheaper than advertising in the employment
newspapers. Sometimes companies can get valuable references through the passers-by
applicants. Online recruitment helps the organizations to automate the recruitment
process, save their time and costs on recruitments.

Online recruitment techniques

Giving a detailed job description and job specifications in the job

postings to attract candidates with the right skill sets and qualifications
at the first stage.

E-recruitment should be incorporated into the overall recruitment strategy

of the organization.

A well defined and structured applicant tracking system should be

integrated and the system should have a back-end support.

Along with the back-office support a comprehensive website to receive

and process job applications (through direct or online advertising)
should be developed.
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Therefore, to conclude, it can be said that e-recruitment is the Evolving face of the
recruitment.
Advantage & Disadvantage of E-Recruitment
There are many benefits both to the employers and the job seekers but the erecruitment is not free from a few shortcomings. Some of the advantages and the
disadvantages of e- recruitment are as follows:
Advantages of E-Recruitment are:
Lower costs to the organization. Also, posting jobs online is cheaper than

advertising in the newspapers.

No intermediaries.
Reduction in the time for recruitment (over 65 percent of the hiring time).
Facilitates the recruitment of right type of people with the required skills.
Improved efficiency of recruitment process.
Gives a 24*7 access to an online collection of resumes.
Online recruitment helps the organizations to weed out the unqualified

candidates in an automated way.

Recruitment websites also provide valuable data and information regarding the
compensation offered by the competitors etc. which helps the HR managers to
take various HR decisions like promotions, salary trends in industry etc
Disadvantages of E-Recruitment:
Apart from the various benefits, e-recruitment has its own share of
shortcomings and disadvantages. Some of them are:
Screening and checking the skill mapping and authenticity of millions of
resumes is a problem and time consuming exercise for organizations.

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 There is low Internet penetration and no access and lack of awareness of

internet in many locations across India.
Organizations cannot be dependant solely and totally on the online recruitment
methods.
In India, the employers and the employees still prefer a face-to-face interaction
rather than sending e-mails.

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