Business recruitment and retention

Prepared by: Ionela Alina Lungoci

For: Mr. Green, Manager

I am Shift Manager in probation period of 6 months, at Amazon FC

(Fulfilment Centre) Milton Keynes. My probation period is coming to end, and
my manager have asked me to write an essay to show the amount of
recruitment knowledge I have retained over the probation period. I need to
prove that I am familiar with the different methods of attracting and recruiting
staff and how to motivate and keep them.
Information from essay is coming from referencing.

Internal and External Recruitment: At Amazon we use internal and

external recruitment. We use internal just for few key roles available, like
transfers to another FC’s, step-up, and leading position. How we do this? By
using intranet job finder, by advertise true posters on boards inside, by briefing

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at the start of shift. External recruitment we use when we need a large amount
of people during pick time (Christmas time). How we do this? By using a
recruitment agency and internet. (Amazon's global career site, 2020)
 Advantages for internal recruitment:
Staff have already good knowledge about all department, because we
are trin in all department to help and support when is needed.
Internal references straightforward, we contact straightaway the
candidate Manager for a referencing.
No induction training, we need to do just a refresher or a small
training.
 Disadvantages for internal recruitment:
Problems trying to get staff from other departments, is extremely
hard to move a person from another department, which is good in what is
doing, because someone else cannot be good as much as he/she was.
Number of candidates limited, when we take a person from another
department, we must replay that person with another one.
Favouritism, when people start to complain, their Manager has not
been fair by chousing a specific person for a promotion.
 Advantages for external recruitment:
Have unlimited candidates, recruitment agency can recruit a large
amount of people in short time.
Less internal politics, people inside are happy coming a new person,
than their Manager promote someone internal.

Wider range of experience and qualifications, new people coming in

can have more experience and qualification then we expected.
 Disadvantages for external recruitment:
Will be a slow process, because we must follow all steps for new
people recruited: interview, induction, 40 hours training, slower than having
someone already trained.

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 More expensive, because we must pay agency taxes, trainers.
Extra training, the new people coming in might not understand the
process in just 40 hours given for training.

Advantages and disadvantages of recruitment agency: Adecco

Recruitment Agency.
 Advantages of recruitment agency:
Recruitment Agency Adecco is good because they have a large
amount of data, application form, CV.
They are innovative, motivating people financial and nonfinancial,
offering transport for the people which do not have how to come to work, this
is good and cheap for the new associates, give them bonuses for attendance,
good because motivate people to stay and refer another to join. (Jobs, 2020)
They have agents inside of warehouses which can do small
assignments saving time and money for company. Assignments like, give
feedbacks, communicate, induction.
 Disadvantages of recruitment agency:
It is not good because company must pay fee between 20%-25%.
It takes longer the process, because some of the new people can say
in last moment that they found another job, and agency must replay that
person fast.
Paying more money per person because we must pay the wages plus
the fee for agency.

Analyse the processes involved for recruiting: At Amazon Milton

Keynes I am Shift Manager in TOM (Transportation Operations Management)
Team and my Team Leader from shift Wednesday - Saturday is transferring on
other FC (Fulfilment Centre) in January.
I need a Team Leader in yard with at least 2 years' experience in
company, which understand safety and policy rules and know the processes
from every department inside.
 Description:

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 Amazon is an American multinational technology company based in
Seattle. Amazon is web services provider. (Amazon's global career site, 2020)
As a Team Leader you will provide critical support in helping us deliver to local
communities and our loyal customers. (Amazon's global career site, 2020)
You will be trained in a range of processes in an exciting, busy atmosphere
whilst working to specific deadlines. (Amazon's global career site, 2020)
This is a varied, challenging role and every day is different!
For more details of description (see Appendix 1)
A CV is a written overview of your skills, education, and work
experience. (What is a CV? | reed.co.uk, 2020)
A cover letter is a document you send with your CV. Cover letter is
specifically written with the job you are applying for allowing you to highlight
certain areas you think would make you right for the role. (What is a cover
letter? | reed.co.uk, 2020)
Candidates must complete an internal application form followed by
CV and cover letter. (see in Appendix 2)
A person specification is a profile of the ideal candidate you need to
fill the job. It should include the exact skills and knowledge needed to perform
the job correctly. (Rose, 2017)
Candidates must outline clearly how their qualifications and
experience meet both the essential and desirable requirements on person
specification. (see Appendix 3)
After I advertise the description on internal website, posters on the
board inside, and briefed at start of shift by leaders from all departments, I
must choose the best candidate by comparing them through applications form,
CV’s, cover letters and personal specification, we do that by doing shortlisting
process.
In any case, the assessment of any application should start with the
identification of the job’s success criteria. If but one of these criteria is missing,
the candidate should not be kept for the next step of the recruitment /
selection process, even if he/she displays outstanding professional skills or
experience. (How to Assess a Job Candidate's CV and Cover Letter - Sample
Evaluation Form - HR4Free, 2020)
The aim of an assessment of the job candidate's application
documents is to perform a first selection to spot the candidates who will be

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invited for a recruitment interview. (How to Assess a Job Candidate's CV and
Cover Letter - Sample Evaluation Form - HR4Free, 2020)
The selection of the candidates who will be invited for an interview is
based on the following application documents:

 Curriculum Vitae (CV).

 Cover letter / Statement of interests.
 Diploma and other training-related certificates.
 Employment certificate(s).
 References (if available).
 Job candidate evaluation form – this selection tool allows for an
assessment of the job candidates’ skills in relation to the job requirements.
(How to Assess a Job Candidate's CV and Cover Letter - Sample Evaluation
Form - HR4Free, 2020)

A first reading of the job candidate’s CV allows for a first pre-

selection of the candidates. It avoids conducting useless interviews when the
qualifications of a candidate clearly do not meet the basic job requirements.
(How to Assess a Job Candidate's CV and Cover Letter - Sample Evaluation
Form - HR4Free, 2020)
The candidate’s “longevity” in the various positions he/she has
occupied also supplies some useful information. Very frequent changes of
activity can indeed give the impression of a certain professional instability.
(How to Assess a Job Candidate's CV and Cover Letter - Sample Evaluation
Form - HR4Free, 2020)
The reading of the Cover Letter allows gaining an idea – going beyond
mere technical skills – of the interests and motivations of the candidate in
relation to the position and/or the organization. The visual aspect of the
statements, its writing (syntax, orthography, etc.) and structure will also give a
sign on some of the candidate’s skills. (How to Assess a Job Candidate's CV and
Cover Letter - Sample Evaluation Form - HR4Free, 2020)
The employment certificate offers the particularity of resorting to
a tacit set of rules and a specific language that can vary from one country to
the other. (How to Assess a Job Candidate's CV and Cover Letter - Sample
Evaluation Form - HR4Free, 2020)
Attention! It should be emphasized that certificates can be ill-written
due to the incompetence of the author, regardless of the candidate’s actual

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skills and performance. (How to Assess a Job Candidate's CV and Cover Letter -
Sample Evaluation Form - HR4Free, 2020)
The references mentioned in a CV may be used at the end of the
selection process to decide between two candidates who offer equivalent
profiles. They can thus prove useful for the recruiter in many respects:

 Checking the information provided by the candidate.

 Collecting complementary information on the candidate’s
proven skills and behaviour.
 Obtaining information compared to the person’s social
interactions and everyday life in his/her earlier job. (How to Assess a Job
Candidate's CV and Cover Letter - Sample Evaluation Form - HR4Free, 2020)

Such success criteria may be regrouped into a job candidate

evaluation form (case study), an assessment tool that supplies synthetic
information on the quality of the candidate's application documents. At the
end of the recruitment process, it allows setting up a relevant candidate
ranking, thus easing the final selection. (How to Assess a Job Candidate's CV
and Cover Letter - Sample Evaluation Form - HR4Free, 2020)
The Federal Act on Data Protection (DPA) stipulates that the recruiter
cannot use a job candidate’s references without the latter’s explicit
agreement. Please also note that it is possible for the candidate to allow the
recruiter to contact some of his/her references and not others. (How to Assess
a Job Candidate's CV and Cover Letter - Sample Evaluation Form - HR4Free,
2020)
Shortlisting must be done, taken in consideration job description,
application form and personal specification. (see Appendix 2, 3).
We prefer all from above because shortlisting will be more efficient.
(see Appendix 4)

Interview: Interview will be face to face, will content a case study,

play role and questions from Leadership principals, from inside Amazon.
Candidates have 30 minutes to prepare case study, and 30 minutes
interview, where will be asked few questions about case study, few questions
about Leadership principals and play role. In play role, candidate must play a
role given with the interviewer.

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 We do case study to see if candidate can calculate the risk and resolve
problem following STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Resolve).
We will choose few Leadership principals from 12 and ask question to
see if candidate understand and manage Leadership principals.
Play role is to see Leadership skills of candidate.
At the end candidates may ask interviewer question.
By seeing all CV’s, cover letters, and application forms, and comparing
them with personal specification, just 3 candidates are going into the next
stage, interview.
All 3 are suitable for job with just slight differences, that’s why I have
chosen Mike, because his qualification, experience, knowledge and skills make
him the best candidate.
The other 2 candidates are good, but have some differences in
experience, knowledge and skills, but they will be suitable in a future job.
I have chosen Mike, because he is most suitable for this position, after
following all the steps above. (see Appendix 3)
In Amazon we also have face time interview, by phone and Panel.
Phone interview and Panel interview are applicable just for recruiting
Management staff and transfers of Management in other FC’s.

Methods of interview
A. Face to face interview: Face to face interview (in-person interview),
is the most popular form of survey data collection. (Lavrakas, 2008)
 Advantages:
In face-to-face interview is the presence of the interviewer, which
makes it easier for the respondent to either clarify answers or ask for
clarification for some of the items on the questionnaire. (Lavrakas, 2008)
Face to face interview is also good because you can see everything of
the person, the way he acts, body language, the words he uses. (Lavrakas,
2008)
Also, you have time to prepare for interview.
 Disadvantages:

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 This could be expensive because they need a staff of people to
conduct the interviews which means they will be personnel costs especially if
they must conduct the interviews after working hours. (Lavrakas, 2008)
Candidates are nervous and stressed before interview.
B. Telephone interview: A telephone interview is a pre-scheduled job
interview, typically lasting half an hour. (Mason, 2019)
 Advantages:
They save time and help to keep interview costs down; telephone
interviews also cut travel costs for the interviewee. (Mason, 2019)
 Disadvantages:
In most cases you will be answering questions under a strict time limit
and this can increase nerves. (Mason, 2019)
Not being able to see the interviewer also presents its own difficulties,
as you are unable to gauge their response. (Mason, 2019)
C. Panel interview: A panel interview is a job interview in which an
applicant answers questions from a group of people who then make the hiring
decision. (Roberts, 2019)
 Advantages:
Panel interviews reduce the risk of making a bad hire. (Roberts, 2019)
Since each panel member brings a diverse set of experiences,
thoughts, beliefs, and biases to the interview process, the members' strengths
tend to compensate for each other's weaknesses. (Roberts, 2019)
 Disadvantages:
Meeting a group of people, candidate can be nervous and stressed.
(Roberts, 2019)
Unnecessary disruption for the people who work closely with the new
person on the staff. (Roberts, 2019)
Equality of chances. (Roberts, 2019)
D. Informational interview: An informational interview is an informal
conversation you can have
with someone working in an area of interest to you. (Informational
Interviewing | Career Center, 2020)

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 It is not a job interview, and the goal is not to find job openings.
(Informational Interviewing | Career Center, 2020)
 Advantages:
Get first-hand, relevant information about the realities of working
within a particular field, industry, or position. (Informational Interviewing |
Career Center, 2020)
Find out about career paths you did not know existed. (Informational
Interviewing | Career Center, 2020)
Learn what it is like to work at a specific organization. (Informational
Interviewing | Career Center, 2020)
 Disadvantages:
May feel awkward reaching out to people you do not know.
(Informational Interviewing | Career Center, 2020)
This kind of information is not always available online. (Informational
Interviewing | Career Center, 2020)
It is not a job interview. (Informational Interviewing | Career Center,
2020)
E. Personal interview: A personal interview survey, also called as a
face-to-face survey, is a survey method that is used when a specific target
population is involved. The purpose of conducting a personal interview survey
is to explore the responses of the people to gather more and deeper
information. (Sincero, 2020)
 Advantages:
People are more likely to readily answer live questions about the
subject (for instance, a product) simply because they can see, touch, feel or
even taste the product. (Sincero, 2020)

Presents a greater opportunity to see the attitude and behaviour of

the respondents / consumers toward a product. (Sincero, 2020)
Open-ended questions are more tolerated through interviews
because the respondents would be more convenient at expressing their long
answers orally than in writing. (Sincero, 2020)
 Disadvantages:

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 Face-to-face interview surveys are more expensive than paper-and-
pencil questionnaire surveys. (Sincero, 2020)
Gathering of data from the respondents can take a longer time.
(Sincero, 2020)

Methods for motivating and retaining staff: We can stop associates

from leaving by giving them financial motivation.
By giving every year's shares to associates, every 5 years a bonus for
fidelity, discounts for associates, every year we negotiate and increase the
wages.
We can stop associates from leaving by giving them nonfinancial
motivation.
By having every year Christmas party, giving them positive feedback
for their fantastic job, football competition between FC’s, tennis table in
canteen.

Conclusion: In essay above I have explained every step, with

advantages and disadvantages, of recruitment and retention, followed by
Appendix and References. Hope I have met all the expectation and pass the
probation period.

Appendix

1.Description: We will supply all trainings needed for this job.

TOM Team Leader £13.35 per hour
Shift Wednesday – Saturday
The hours of work are:
40 hours per week

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 4 days per week
Set shift patterns Wednesday – Saturday
 Key Responsibilities:
Daily reports (start shift – end shift).
Follow existing cases and replay if is necessary.
Rase a case for any safety incident.
Check if safety equipment is in distributed place.
Communicate all the time with other Leaders from outbound and
inbound.
Communicate and advise your member team.
Communicate with careers and transportation team if there are any
issues.
Think in advance how you can resolve a problem fast and efficient.
Able to stay out of hours program if is necessary.
Doing everyday audits (safety, housekeeping)
 Physical Demands:
Standing and/or walking for prolonged periods of time, between 8 and
12 hours per shift.
Dealing with weather condition between, 8 and 12 hours per shift.
Basic qualification:
Must be good team player, excellent communication skills, ability to
work to tight deadlines, can manage daily stress, flexible and determinate,
GCSE, good with Office, especial Ward and Excel.
 Preferred qualification:
If you are engaging, innovative, supportive, a problem solver, we want
to hear from you!
All employees working directly for or on behalf of Amazon must apply through
jobfinder/amazon.jobs using their internal email address. (Amazon's global
career site, 2020)

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 It will be best if it is internal recruitment, because: advantages
(experience, opportunities, knowing all processes), but I am open for an
external recruitment, advantages (innovative ideas, competition, fresh minds).
Candidate must complete all relevant section of the form – failure to
do this will result application being delayed or discounted from selection
process. Candidate must write clearly.
To be eligible for application, to be considered, candidate must follow
criteria:
Currently a permanent or fixed team member of amazon.
Have completed probation period and been signet off.
Have no live disciplinary or performance warnings, or disciplinary
action pending.
Have satisfied the posting criteria.

2. Application form: This is a form which every candidate must fill for
the next selection.

Team Lead – Internal Application Form

a. Current Details
Full name: Current Department:
Current Area Manager: Current Shift:
b. Qualification
Level Grade
Subject

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 c. Details of Application
I enclose a copy of my CV detailing how I have proved the skills,
experience qualification shown on the advert.
I enclose a covering letter saying why I wish to apply.
Please give an example of a time you have illustrated Leadership
and/or Coaching skills:

Please give an example of a time you have used analysis to find the
cause of a problem, or predict an issue:

d. Declaration
I confirm that the information I have given is correct and that I have
read and understood application criteria.
Employee Signature: Date:

3.Personal Specification: This profile it well going to help to choose

the best candidate which is going to be in the next step of recruiting, interview.
Cand
Essential Desirable Training idate
Available Assessment
Good G Tea CV,
Qual English, CSE m Leader Application
ification writing/speaking Training form
Team In Inter
Skills player, excellent novative, view

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 communication supportive
skills
Pers Managi Pr Inter
onal ng stress, oblem view,
Attributes committed, and solver References
devoted
Good At Yard CV,
Experience productivity, least 2 Marshall Application
quality, and years' Training form,
attendance in experienc References
other e with as
departments
Must K Austi CV,
Knowledge be good in nowing all n Program application
Office, especially processes Training form
in Ward and inside
Excel

4. Checklist from shortlisted candidates

These candidates have been chosen to go in the next step, interview.
C Qu E K S T
andidates alification xperience nowledge kill/ otal
A
ttributes
1 2 3 3 3 1
.Mike 1
2 2 2 3 3 1
.Kate 0
3 2 2 2 3 9
.Joe

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 References
amazon.jobs. 2020. Amazon's Global Career Site. [online] Available at:
<https://www.amazon.jobs/en-gb/search?
offset=0&result_limit=10&sort=relevant&job_type=Full-
Time&business_category[]=fulfillment-
operations&distanceType=Mi&radius=24km&latitude=&longitude=&loc_group
_id=&loc_query=UK&base_query=&city=&country=GBR&region=&county=&qu
> [Accessed 10 November 2020].
Career.berkeley.edu. 2020. Informational Interviewing | Career
Center. [online] Available at:
<https://career.berkeley.edu/Info/InfoInterview#:~:text=An%20informational
%20interview%20is%20an,not%20to%20find%20job%20openings.> [Accessed
10 November 2020].
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 Google.com. 2020. Jobs. [online] Available at:
<https://www.google.com/search?
client=opera&q=adecco+amazon&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-
8&ibp=htl;jobs&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi188atj-
vsAhVtQkEAHXznBEkQkd0GMAV6BAgNEAE#fpstate=tldetail&htivrt=jobs&htiq
=adecco+amazon&htidocid=bAEQZxcchwuEeombAAAAAA%3D%3D> [Accessed
10 November 2020].
HR4Free. 2020. How To Assess A Job Candidate's CV And Cover Letter -
Sample Evaluation Form - Hr4free. [online] Available at:
<https://hr4free.com/en/Employee-Recruitment-Process/How-to-Assess-a-
Job-Candidate-Curriculum-Vitae-and-Cover-Letter> [Accessed 8 December
2020].
Lavrakas, P., 2008. Face-To-Face Interviewing - SAGE Research
Methods. [online] Methods.sagepub.com. Available at:
<https://methods.sagepub.com/reference/encyclopedia-of-survey-research-
methods/n174.xml#:~:text=The%20face-to-face%20interview,form%20of
%20survey%20data%20collection.&text=The%20opportunity%20for
%20probing%20exists,information%20about%20a%20particular%20response.>
[Accessed 10 November 2020].
Mason, D., 2019. Telephone Interviews | Prospects.Ac.Uk. [online]
Prospects.ac.uk. Available at:
<https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/telephone-
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reed.co.uk. 2020. What Is A Cover Letter? | Reed.Co.Uk. [online]

Available at: <https://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/what-is-a-cover-letter/>
[Accessed 12 November 2020].
reed.co.uk. 2020. What Is A CV? | Reed.Co.Uk. [online] Available at:
<https://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/what-is-a-cv/> [Accessed 12
November 2020].
Roberts, M., 2019. What Job Applicants Should Know About How
Panel Interviews Work. [online] The Balance Careers. Available at:
<https://www.thebalancecareers.com/panel-interview-1669475#:~:text=A

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%20panel%20interview%20is%20a,occasionally%20those%20outside%20the
%20organization.> [Accessed 10 November 2020].
Rose, L., 2017. What Is A Person Specification | Personnel Placements.
[online] Personnel-placements.co.uk. Available at: <https://www.personnel-
placements.co.uk/724-2/> [Accessed 12 November 2020].
Sincero, S., 2020. Personal Interview Survey - The Face-To-Face
Method. [online] Explorable.com. Available at:
<https://explorable.com/personal-interview-survey#:~:text=A%20personal
%20interview%20survey%2C%20also,gather%20more%20and%20deeper
%20information.> [Accessed 10 November 2020].

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