HANDOUT RECRUITMENT & SELECTION

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RECRUITMENT & SELECTION

RECRUITMENT SELECTION

1. Recruitment is the process of searching 1. Selection is the process of weeding out

for prospective employees and stimulating unsuitable candidates and finally
and encouraging them to apply for jobs in choosing the most suitable persons out of
an organization. all the applicants.

2. Recruitment is positive as it aims at 2. Selection is negative as it rejects a large

increasing the number of applicants for number of applicants to identify the few
wider choice or for increasing the who are suitable for the job.
selection ratio.

3. Recruitment involves prospecting or 3. Selection involves comparison and choice

searching of candidates. of candidates.

STEPS IN RECRUITMENT PROCESS

The recruitment process consists of the following steps:
 Recruitment process generally begins when the personnel department receives requisitions
for recruitment from any department of the company. The personnel requisitions contain
details about the position to be filled.
 Locating and developing the sources of required number and type of employees.
 Identifying the prospective employees with required characteristics.
 Communicating the information about the organization, the job and the terms and conditions
of service.
 Encouraging the identified candidates to apply for jobs in the organization.
 Evaluating the effectiveness of recruitment process.
SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT
The different sources of recruitment are classified into two categories, viz.,
 Internal: sources of recruitment are from within the organization.
 External: sources of recruitment are from outside the organization.
Sources of Recruitment

Internal Source External Source

A. Internal Sources of Recruitment
Internal sources refer to recruiting employees from within the organization. In deciding
requirement of employees, initial consideration should be given to a company's current
employees, which is concerned with internal recruitment. They include those who are already
available on the pay roll of the company. This is important source of recruitment as it provides
opportunities for better development and utilization of existing human resources in the
organization.
There are two aspects of recruitment under internal sources. They are as follows:
1. Promotions
It refers to promoting or upgrading an employee who is already existed in the pay roll and
contributed for organizational performance. It is done by shifting an employee to a higher position
with high responsibilities, facilities, status and pay. Usually, many companies fill higher job
vacancies by promoting employees who are considered fit for such positions. This is due to fact
that it has a great psychological impact over other employees for their motivation towards better
performance.
2. Transfers
It is an alternative technique to promotion. Under it, employees are internally recruited through
transfer from one work place to another. It means, transfer refers to the process of interchanging
the job duties and responsibilities of employees from one place to another or from one
department to another. It involves shifting of people from one job to another without any
promotion in their position or grade. It is a good source of generating qualified employees from
over-staffed departments.
Methods of Internal Recruitment
There are two methods of recruiting qualified candidates under internal recruitment. They are as
follows:
1. Job Posting: Job posting is an open invitation to all employees in an organization to apply
for the vacant position. It provides an equal opportunity to all employees currently working in
the organization. Today it has become a very common practice in many organizations across
the world. Under this, vacancy announcement is made through bulletin boards or in lists
available to all employees. Interested employees, then apply for the post being advertised. In
this way, it has become one of the cost saving techniques of recruitment.
A model job posting program was implemented at National Semiconductor. Posting are
computerized and easily accessible to employees. Computer software allows the employees
to match an available job with their skills and experience. It then highlights where gaps exist
so the employees know what is necessary if they wish to be competitive for a given job.
Amoco’s career management system includes a similar type of job posting program.
Openings in this organization are posted on a worldwide electronic system. If an employee
applies for a transfer to a posted position and is turned down, then the person who posted the
job is required to send the “applicant” specific feedback about why he or she was not
selected.
2. Employee Referrals: Employee referral is recruiting new people based on the reference of
current employee. Under this method, a candidate is appointed on the recommendation of
some currently working employees. Usually this is nomination by supervisors. It is effective
generally particularly to find critically skilled candidate for an organization. It has been a major
source of new hires at many levels including professionals. It can be a good method of
internal recruitment when employees recommend a successful candidate. However, it may
be influenced by the tendency of developing good prospects for their families and friends in
the organization.
For example, difficulty in finding certain IT professionals, computer programmers, engineers,
or nurses with specific skills has prompted some organizations to turn to their employees for
assistance. Many of these organizations include a reward if an employee referral candidate is
hired for these specifically identified hard-to-fill positions. Referral bonuses of $10,000 or
more are not unusual in these fields. In doing so, both the organization and the employee
benefit, the employee receives a monetary reward and the organization receives a qualified
candidate without the major expense of an extensive recruiting search.
B. External Sources of Recruitment
When an organization has exhausted its internal supply of applicants, it must turn to external
sources to supplement its workforce. The following sources are used for external recruiting:

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1. Media Advertisements: Organizations advertise to acquire recruits. Various media are used,
the most common being help-wanted ads in daily newspapers. Organizations also advertise
for people in trade and professional journals. Other media used are billboards, radio, and
television.

Constructing an effective ad:

Wording related to job interest factors should evoke the applicant’s attention, interest,
desire, and action (AIDA) and create a positive impression of the firm.

2. Employment Agencies: Employment agencies or headhunting firms specialize in recruiting

executive personnel for companies in various industries, e.g. Monowar Associates.
3. Educational Institutions: Educational institutions at all levels offer opportunities for
recruiting recent graduates. Most educational institutions operate placement services where
prospective employers can review credentials and interview graduates. Most also allow
employers to see a prospective employee’s performance through cooperative arrangements
and internships.
4. Professional Organizations: Many professional organizations operate placement services
for the benefit of their members. Professional organizations serving such varied occupations
as engineering, accounting, legal, and academics publish rosters of job vacancies and
distribute these lists to members. It is also common practice to provide placement facilities at
regional and national meetings where individuals looking for employment and companies
looking for employees can find each other-building a network of employment opportunities.
5. Unsolicited Applicants: Unsolicited applications, whether they reach the employer by letter,
e-mail, telephone, or in person, constitute a source of prospective applicants. Although the
number of unsolicited applicants depends on economic conditions, the organization’s image,
and the job seeker’s perception of the types of jobs that might be available, this source does
provide an excellent supply of stockpiled applicants. Even if the company has no current
openings, the application can be kept on file for later needs.
6. Job Fair: A job fair, which is also referred to as a career fair, is an event held to introduce
potential employees to employers and vice versa. Most job fairs consist of several different
booths set up in one large area. Each booth represents a different company. Prospective
employees of these companies can make the rounds of all booths, introduce themselves to
potential employers, and pass out their resumes. The employers who are working inside each
booth have the opportunity to not only size up potential employees for their companies, but
also to pass out their business cards to many different people, which might help boost
business.
One of the most common venues for the average job fair is a school campus. Many school
offer job fairs to help their students get entry-level positions with various companies after they
finish school.
7. E-recruiting: Perhaps no method has ever had as revolutionary an effect on organizational
recruitment practices as the Internet. More firms and applicants are utilizing the Internet in the
job search process.

Advantages of Internet recruiting:

 Cost-effective way to publicize job openings
 More applicants attracted over a longer period
 Immediate applicant responses
 Online prescreening of applicants
 Links to other job search sites
 Automation of applicant tracking and evaluation

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ADVANTAGES & LIMITATIONS OF INTERNAL/EXTERNAL SOURCES
ADVANTAGES
Internal  It is time saving, economical,
Sources simple and reliable.
 There is no need of induction
training because the candidate
already knows everything about
the organization, the work, the
employee, the rules and
regulations, etc.
 It motivates the employees of work
hard in order to get higher jobs in
the same organization.
 It increases the morale of the
employees and it improves the
relations in the organization.
 It reduce executive turnover.
 It develops loyalty and a sense of
responsibility.
External  It encourages young blood with
Sources new ideas to enter the
organization.
 It offers wide scope for selection.
This is because a large number of
suitable candidates will come for
the selection process.
 There are less chances of bias or
partiality.
 Here there is no need to maintain
confidential records.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
Selection activities follow a standard pattern, beginning with an initial screening interview and
concluding with the final employment decision.
The selection process typically consists of eight steps:
1. Initial screening interview
2. Completion of the application form
3. Employment tests
4. Comprehensive interview
5. Background investigation
6. Conditional job offer
7. Medical/physical exam
8. Permanent job offer
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LIMITATIONS
 It prevents new blood from entering
the organization. New blood brings
innovative ideas, fresh thinking and
dynamism into the organization.
 It has limited scope because it is not
possible to fill up all types of
vacancies from within the
organization.
 The position of the person who is
promoted or transferred will be
vacant.
 There may be bias or partiality in
promoting or transferring persons
from within the organization.
 Those who are not promoted will be
unhappy.
 The right person may be promoted or
transferred only if proper confidential
reports of all employees are
maintained. This involves a lot of time,
money and energy.
 It is very costly. This is because
advertisements, test, medical
examination etc., has to be
conducted.
 It is very time consuming. This is
because the selection process is very
lengthy.
 It may not develop loyalty among the
existing managers.
 The existing managers may leave the
organization if outsiders are given
higher post.
1. Initial Screening Interview: A screening interview is a type of job interview that is conducted
to determine if the applicant has the qualifications needed to do the job for which the
company is hiring. A screening interview is typically the first interview in the hiring process.
The screening interview is also an excellent opportunity for HRM to describe the job in
enough detail so the candidates can consider if they are really serious about applying.
Sharing job description information frequently encourages the unqualified or marginally
qualified to voluntarily withdraw from candidacy with a minimum of cost to the applicant or the
organization. Conference call interviews or videoconferencing can help minimize costs during
screening interviews.
2. Completing the Application Form: Once the initial screening is completed, applicants are
asked to complete the organization’s application form. In general terms, the application form
gives a job-performance-related synopsis of what applicants have been doing, their skills and
accomplishments.
Applications obtain information the company wants. Completing the application also serves
as another hurdle; that is, if the job requires following directions and the individual fails to do
so on the application that is a job-related reason for rejection. Lastly, applications require a
signature attesting to the truthfulness of the information given and giving permission to check
references. If, at a later point, the company finds out the information is false, it can justify
immediate dismissal.
3. Employment Tests: Organizations historically relied to a considerable extent on aptitude,
achievement, personality and interest tests to provide major input to the selection process.
Even handwriting analysis (graphology) and honesty tests have been used in attempts to
learn more about the candidate-information that supposedly leads to more effective selection.
 Aptitude Tests: These tests measure the ability or potential of a candidate to learn a
new job or skill. Peculiarities or defects in a person’s sensory or intellectual capacity can
be detected through these tests. It indicates how a person would be able to perform
after training and not what he has done or will necessarily do. It is thus used to predict
the future achievement and not the past achievement.
 Achievement Tests: These tests measure what a person can do. These determine the
skill or knowledge already acquired through training and on the job experience. These
tests are of two kinds: Knowledge Test or trade test, and work sample test or proficiency
test.
4. Comprehensive Interviews: Interviews involve a face-to-face meeting with the candidate to
probe areas not addressed by the application form or tests. They are a universal selection
tool. Applicants who pass the initial screening, application form, and required tests typically
receive a comprehensive interview.
5. Background Investigation: The next step in the process is to undertake investigation of
applicants who appear to offer potential as employees. Background investigations, or
reference checks, are intended to verify that information on the application form is correct and
accurate information. This can include contacting former employers to confirm the
candidate’s work record and to obtain their appraisal of his or her performance, contacting
other job related and personal references, verifying educational accomplishments, and
checking criminal records.
6. Conditional Job Offers: If a job applicant has passed each step of the selection process so
far, a conditional job offer is usually made. In essence, the conditional job offer implies that if
everything checks out – such as passing a certain medical/physical examination – the
conditional nature of the job offer will be removed and the offer will be permanent.
7. Medical/Physical Examination: The next-to-last step in the selection process may consist of
having the applicant take a medical/physical examination. Physical exams can only be used
as a selection device to screen out individuals who are unable to physically comply with the
requirements of a job.

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8. Job Offers: Individuals who perform successfully in the preceding steps are now considered
eligible to receive the employment offer. Who makes the final employment depends on
several factors. For administrative purpose, the offer typically is made by an HRM
representative. But that individual’s role should be only administrative. The actual hiring
decision should be made by the manager in the department where the vacancy exists.
Candidates not hired deserve the courtesy of prompt notification.
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE SELECTION OF EMPLOYEES
The main objective of selection is to hire people having competence and commitment. This
objective is often defeated because of certain barriers. The impediments or barriers to effective
selection of people at work can be explained as under:
 Ineffective Recruitment: Sometimes selection process gets affected due to ineffective
recruitment initiatives. If the recruiter fails to attract qualified candidates (in recruitment
process) then it is obvious that right candidate will not be selected (in selection process).
Therefore, ineffective recruitment will definitely influence selection.
 Perception: Our inability to understand others accurately is probably the most fundamental
barrier to select right candidate. Selection demands an individual or a group to assess a
candidate comparing competencies of others, in order to find out the right persons for the
jobs. But our views are highly personalized. We all perceive the world differently. Our limited
perceptual ability is obviously a stumbling block to the objective and rational selection of
people.
 Stereotyping: This is one of the most common barriers to selection. In stereotyping, we
generally categorize the candidates such as all females are basically sincere and honest,
candidates with science background are intelligent etc. This leads to biased selection of
candidates.
 Age/Race Issue: In many selections, age and race of the candidates are considered rather
than their skills, abilities or experiences. This leads to bias selection.
 Halo Effect: Another barrier to selection is halo effect, which can be negative or positive. In
hallo effect the personal characteristics influence or overwhelm the interviewers and this lead
to wrong selection.
 Quota System: Quota system also influences effective selection.
 Fairness: Selection requires that no individual should be discriminated based on religion,
region, race or gender.
 Validity: Validity refers to tests that help to predict job performance of an incumbent. A test
that has been validated can differentiate between the employees who can perform well and
those who will not. However, a validated test does not predict job success accurately. It can
only increase possibility of success.
 Reliability: A reliable method is one, which will produce consistent results every time it is
conducted. Like a validated test, a reliable test may fail to predict job performance with
precision.
 Pressure: This occurs when politicians, bureaucrats, relatives, friends, and peers try to
influence on the selectors to pick particular candidate. In public sector, this barrier mostly
influenced a good selection.
 Nepotism/Favourism: This is one of major/common barrier to effective selection in both
public and private sectors.
 Cost and time: Sometimes due to insufficient time and budget, right person cannot be
selected.
INDUCTION
Induction, also called orientation is designed to provide a new employee with the information he
or she needs to function comfortably and effectively in the organization. It is a planned
introduction of new hires to their jobs, their peers and the company.

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THE OBJECTIVES OF INDUCTION PROGRAM
 To support the new employee to become familiar with the job and the job environment within
a short time.
 To build up the new employee's confidence in the organization and in himself/herself so that
s/he may become an efficient employee.
 To develop among the newcomers a feeling of loyalty towards the organization.
 To foster a close and cordial relationship among the employees.
 To ensure that the new employees do not form a false impression and negative attitude
towards the organization or the job.
 To give the employees the necessary information like facilities, rules etc. about the
organization.
 To cover job requirements and anticipated outcomes clearly and comprehensively.
 To help the new employee to feel supported and encouraged to ask questions. The upshot of
this is that employee retention is likely to increase.
 To provide macro and micro levels of information about the organization and its culture.
 To support the new employee to feel comfortable and equipped to carry out their new role.

INDUCTION CHECKLIST
 Organizational history and background overview
 Vision and Mission statement(s)
 Organizational structure
 Who's who (names, roles, responsibilities)
 Layout of the buildings (factory / offices)
 Physical facilities – cafeteria, washroom, parking
 HR Policies and procedures
 Conditions of employment
 Disciplinary procedure
 Welfare and employee benefits or facilities
 Rights and legal issues
 Access to personal data
 Leave and holidays
 Grievance procedure
 Education and training facilities
 Medical and first aid facilities
 Telephone calls and correspondence
 Awards and incentives
 The job /dept. for which the employee is hired- nature of work, working hours, wages, work
place, tools, equipment
 Career paths
 Introduction to the supervisor of the new employee
 Introduction to fellow workers
 Departmental rules & regulations – safety measures
 Co-ordination with other depts. & Work
 Safety and emergency procedure

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 ANNEXURE RECRUITMENT & SELECTION

PURPOSES & IMPORTANCE

• A commonly mentioned goal is to attract a large pool of applicants, but applicant pools can be
too large and thus very costly to process.
• Recruiting must also attract a high proportion of well-qualified candidates who are seriously
interested in accepting a job offer.
• Post hiring goals must also be considered-the recruiting process must yield workers who are
good performers and who will stay with the organization for a reasonable length of time.
• Recruitment follows HR planning and goes hand in hand with the selection process by which
organizations evaluate the suitability of candidates for various jobs. Without accurate
planning, organizations may recruit the wrong number or type of employees.

FACTORS GOVERNING RECRUITMENT

Factors influencing recruitment include external and internal factors:
A. External Factors:
 The supply and demand of specific skills in the labour market.
 When the unemployment rate in a given area is high, the company's recruitment process
may be simpler.
 Labour-market conditions in a local area are of primary importance in recruiting for most
non-managerial, supervisory and middle-management positions. However, so far as
recruitment for executive and professional positions is concerned, conditions of local as well
as national market are important.
 Legal consideration: There are Acts which deal with labor. They cover conditions of
employment, compensation, retirement benefits, and safety and health of employees in
industrial establishments.
 The company's image is also important in attracting large number of job seekers.
B. Internal Factors:
There are certain internal forces, which need to be considered while recruitment:
 Recruiting policy: One such internal factor is the recruiting policy of the organization
whether internal or external.
 Temporary and part-time employees: Another related policy is to have temporary and part-
time employees. An organization hiring temporary and part-time employees may not be able
to attract sufficient applications.
 Local citizens: In multinational corporations (MNCs), there is the policy relating to the
recruitment of local citizens.
 Human Resource Planning: A company must follow the programme of Human Resource
Planning for the purpose of quick and easy recruitment. Effective HRP greatly facilitates the
recruiting efforts.
 Size: Size is another internal factor having its influence on the recruitment process. A large
organization will find recruiting less difficult.
 Cost: Cost of recruiting is yet another internal factor that has to be considered. Careful HRP
and forethought by recruiters can minimize recruitment costs. One cost-saving measure, for
instance, is recruiting for multiple job openings simultaneously. Evaluating the quality,
quantity and costs of recruitment helps ensure that it is efficient and cost-effective

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