In human resource management, “recruitment” is the process of finding and hiring the

best and most qualified candidate for a job opening, in a timely and cost-effective
manner. It can also be defined as the “process of searching for prospective employees
and stimulating and encouraging them to apply for jobs in an organization”.

It is one whole process, with a full life cycle, that begins with identification of the needs
of the company with respect to the job, and ends with the introduction of the employee
to the organization.

When we speak of the recruitment process, we immediately think of activities such as

the analysis of the requirements of a specific job, attracting candidates to apply for that
job, screening the applicants and selecting among them, hiring the chosen candidates
to become new employees of the organization, and integrating them into the structure.

Obviously, the main reason why the recruitment process is implemented is to find the
persons who are best qualified for the positions within the company, and who will help
them towards attaining organizational goals. But there are other reasons why a
recruitment process is important.

To ensure proper alignment of skill sets to

organizational goals.
Through recruitment, organizations make sure that the skill sets of the staff or
manpower of the company remains aligned to its initiatives and goals.

In the event that they notice some positions do not really contribute to the advancement
of the organization towards its goals, then it can take the proper action to correct this,
probably through job redesign, restructuring of the workforce, or conduct of job
enrichment programs.

To ensure effective and efficient recruiting.

Effective recruiting means that the person employed for the job is the best possible
candidate for it, with all the required skills, talents and qualifications of the job. Efficient
recruiting, on the other hand, means that the process has been carried out without
incurring a lot of costs on the part of the organization. By following the process, there is
a greater chance that the human resources department can get the best possible
person for the job.

Organizations may carry out their hiring processes their own way, but without a system
or set guidelines in place for its conduct and implementation, there is a risk that the
company may incur more expenses than necessary.

The company will also end up wasting its resources if the wrong or unqualified person
was actually hired. Not only will this create problems for the company in the long run,
particularly in the attainment of its goals, but it would mean that the organization would
also have wasted its resources in training an employee that is not right for the job after
all.