unit iii revised

8/7/2019 Unit III Revised

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RECRUITMENT & SELECTION

RECRUITMENT

Definition Of Recruitment: Finding and Attracting Applications

Recruitment is the 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 application from which new employees are selected.

MEANING OF RECRUITMENT:

Recruitment is understood as the process of searching for and obtaining applicants for jobs, from among

them the right people can be selected. Though theoretically recruitment process is said to end with the

receipt of applications, in practice the activity extends to the screening of applications so as to eliminate

those who are not qualified for the job.

PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF RECRUITMENT: -

1. Determine the present and future requirements in conjunction with personnel planning and job

analysis activities

2. Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost

3. Help increase success rate of selection process by reducing number of under-qualified or over-

qualified applications.

4. Reduce the probability that job applicants once selected would leave shortly

5. Meet legal and social obligations

6. Identify and prepare potential job applicants

7. Evaluate effectiveness of various recruitment techniques and sources for job applicants.

FACTORS GOVERNING RECRUITMENT

External Factors:

Demand and Supply (Specific Skills)

Unemployment Rate (Area-wise)

Labor Market Conditions

Political and Legal Environment (Reservations, Labor laws)

Image

Internal Factors

Recruitment Policy (Internal Hiring or External Hiring?)

Human Resource Planning (Planning of resources required)

Size of the Organization (Bigger the size lesser the recruitment problems)

Cost


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Growth and Expansion Plans

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION

Basis Recruitment Selection

Meaning It is an activity of establishing contact between employersand applicants.

It is a process of picking up more competent andsuitable employees.

Objective It encourages large number of Candidates for a job. It attempts at rejecting unsuitable candidates.

Process It is a simple process. It is a complicated process.

Hurdles The candidates have not to cross over many hurdles. Many hurdles have to be crossed.

Approach It is a positive approach. It is a negative approach.

Sequence It precedes selection. It follows recruitment.

Economy It is an economical method. It is an expensive method.

TimeConsuming

Less time is required. More time is required.

SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT

Internal Recruitment (Source 1)

Present employees

Employee referrals

Former Employees


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Previous Applicants

Present employees

Promotions and transfer from among the present employees can be good sources of recruitment.

Promotion to higher positions has several advantages. They are (i) it is good public relations. (ii) it builds

morale. (iii) it encourages competent individuals. (iv) improves probability of good selection. (v) it is

cheaper. (vi) it act as training device.

Employee referrals

Many firms have found that their employees can assist in the recruitment process. Employees may

actively solicit applications from their friends and associates.

Before going outside to recruit employees, many organizations ask present employees to encourage

friends or relatives to apply for the job openings. Contacts and referrals from the present employees are

valuable sources of recruits. Employee referrals are relatively inexpensive and usually produce quick

responses.

However some organizations are concerned about problems that result from hiring friends of employees

for example, the practice of hiring friends and relatives favoritisms.

Former employee

Former employees are also an internal source of applicants. Some retired employees may be willing to

come back to work on a part time basis or may recommend someone who would be interested in working

for the company. Sometimes people who have left the company for some reason or the other are willing

to come back and work.

Previous applicants

Those who previously applied for job can be contacted by mail, a quick and inexpensive way to fill an

unexpected opening.

External Recruitment (Source 2)

Professionals or Trade Associations

Advertisements

Employment Exchanges

Campus Recruitment

Walk-ins Interviews

Consultants

Contractors

Displaced Persons

Radio & Television


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Acquisitions & Mergers

Competitors

E-recruiting

Advertisement

A way of communicating the employment needs within the firm to the public through media such as

radio, newspaper, television, industry publications, and the Internet.

Sometimes organizations can perform the recruitment function through blind advertisements in blind

advertisements no identification about the company is provided to applicants. Companies can use blind

advertisements for many reasons e.g.

Company wants to keep the recruitment in low profile so that lesser number of applicants should apply

in order to discourage the irrelevant people.

Due to bad reputation or image of the organization

Advertisement is made just for the purpose of test marketing for example just to have knowledge about

the supply of applicants in labor market etc.

Employment exchange

An organization that helps firms recruits employees and, at the same time, aids individuals in their

attempt to locate jobs. There are two types of the employment agencies i.e.

Public Employment Agencies.

Private Employment Agencies

Both of these sources provide coordination between the organizations and applicants who are searching

for jobs, for this service they use to charge a fee .Employment agencies are able to tailor their services to

the specific needs of the clients For example some agencies Specialize in a particular employment areas,

such as engineering, human resource or Computer programming, etc.

Campus recruitment

College, universities, research laboratories and institutes are grounds for recruiters. Campus recruitment is

an expensive process, even if the recruiting process eventually produces jobs offers and acceptances.

Majority of those would leave the firms within the first five years of their employment.

Walk-ins and write-ins

The most common and least expensive approach for candidates is direct applications, in which job

seekers submit unsolicited application letters. Direct applications can also provide a pool of potential


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employees to meet future needs. Direct applications are particularly effective in filling entry level and

unskilled candidates.

Write-ins are those who send written enquiries.

Talk-ins job seekers are required to meet the recruiter for detailed talks.

Consultants

ABC consultants, Ferguson associates, Head hunters, Batliboi and Co among the numerous recruiting

associates. Consultants have nationwide contacts and lend professionalism to the hiring process. Cost is

high. Most consultants charge fees ranging from 20 to 50 percent of the first year salaries of individuals

placed.

Displaced persons

Implementing of a project in an area would result in displacement of several inhabitants. Rehabilitating

the displaced people is a social responsibility of business. Such peoples are source of recruitment, not

only for the project which caused the displacement, but also for other companies located elsewhere.

Radio and Television

Radio and Television can be used to reach certain types of job applicants such as skilled workers. It

depends upon how its delivered.

Acquisition and mergers

Another method of staffing firms is a result of the merger or acquisition process. When organizations

combine into one, they have to handle a large pool of employees, some of whom may no longer be

necessary in the new organization.

Competitors

Rival firms can be a source of recruitment. Popularly called raiding, this method identifies the right

people in rival companies, offering them better terms.

E-recruiting

Companies post vacancies in their websites. Employers can electronically screen candidates, conduct

online test, background check, and interview candidates via videoconference. Employers can manage

entire process through web based software.


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INTERNAL RECRUITMENT

Advantages Disadvantages

1. Less Costly

2. Candidates already oriented towards

organization

3. Organizations have better knowledge about

internal candidates

4. Employee morale and motivation is

enhanced

1. Old concept of doing things

2. It abets raiding

3. Candidates current work may be affected

4. Politics play greater roles

5. Morale problem for those not promoted.

EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT

Advantages Disadvantages

1. Benefits of new skills and talents

2. Benefits of new experiences

3. Compliance with reservation policy

becomes easy

4. Scope for resentment, jealousies, and

heartburn are avoided.

1. Better morale and motivation associated

with internal recruiting is denied

2. It is costly method

3. Chances of creeping in false positive and

false negative errors

4. Adjustment of new employees takes longer

time.

PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION

1. Preliminary Interview:The purpose of preliminary interviews is basically to eliminate

unqualified applications based on information supplied in application forms. The basic objective is to

reject misfits. On the other hands preliminary interviews is often called a courtesy interview and is a

good public relations exercise.

2. Selection Tests: Jobseekers who pass the preliminary interviews are called for tests. There are

various types of tests conducted depending upon the jobs and the company. These tests can be

Aptitude Tests, Personality Tests, and Ability Tests and are conducted to judge how well an

individual can perform tasks related to the job. Besides this there are some other tests also like

Interest Tests (activity preferences), Graphology Test (Handwriting), Medical Tests, Psychometric

Tests etc.

3. Employment Interview: The next step in selection is employment interview. Here interview is a

formal and in-depth conversation between applicants acceptability. It is considered to be an excellent

selection device. Interviews can be One-to-One, Panel Interview, or Sequential Interviews. Besides

there can be Structured and Unstructured interviews, Behavioral Interviews, Stress Interviews.


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4. Reference & Background Checks: Reference checks and background checks are conducted

to verify the information provided by the candidates. Reference checks can be through formal letters,

telephone conversations. However it is merely a formality and selections decisions are seldom

affected by it.

5. Selection Decis ion: After obtaining all the information, the most critical step is the selection

decision is to be made. The final decision has to be made out of applicants who have passed

preliminary interviews, tests, final interviews and reference checks. The views of line managers are

considered generally because it is the line manager who is responsible for the performance of the new

employee.

6. Physical Examination:After the selection decision is made, the candidate is required to

undergo a physical fitness test. A job offer is often contingent upon the candidate passing the physical

examination.

7. Job Offer: The next step in selection process is job offer to those applicants who have crossed all

the previous hurdles. It is made by way of letter of appointment.

8. Contract of Employment: After the job offer is made and candidates accept the offer, certain

documents need to be executed by the employer and the candidate. Here is a need to prepare a formal

contract of employment, containing written contractual terms of employment etc.

Types of tests

Tests are used to determine applicants ability, aptitude and personality.

Ability tests (achievement test) assist in determining in how well an individual can

perform tasks related to job. Example: typing test for secretarial job.

Aptitude test help determine a persons potential to learn in a given area. Example:

GMAT General Management Aptitude Test for students.

Personality tests are given to measure a prospective employees motivation to

function in a particular working environment. There are various tests designed to

assess a candidates personality. Example: Bernsenter personality invento

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT), Thurstone Temperament Survey (TST).

Interest tests are used to measure an individuals activity preferences.

Graphology test is designed to analyze the handwriting of an individual. It has been

said that an individuals handwriting can suggest the degree of energy, inhibitions

and spontaneity. For example, big letters and emphasis on capital letters indicate a

tendency towards domination and competitiveness. A slant to the right, moderate

pressure and good legibility show leadership potential.


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Polygraph test (lie detector) are designed to ensure accuracy of the information

given in the applications. Department stores, treasury offices and jewellery shops

that is those highly vulnerable to theft may find polygraph tests useful.

Medical test reveal physical fitness of a candidate. With the development of

technology, medical tests have become diversified.

Drug tests help measure the presence of illegal or performance affecting drugs.

Genetic screening identifies genetic predispositions to specific medical problems.

Interview

Interview is a formal, in-depth conversation conducted to evaluate the applicants

acceptability. Interview allows two-way exchange of information, the interviewers

learn about the applicant and the applicant learns about the employers. Interview is

considered to be an excellent selection device. Interview can be adapted to

unskilled, skilled, managerial and professional employees.

Types of interview

1) Preliminary interview

a) Informal interview

b) Unstructured interview

2) Core interview

a) Background information interview

b) Job and probing interview

c) Stress interview

d) The group discussion interview

e) Formal and structured interview

f) Panel interview

g) Depth interview

3) Decision making interview

1) Preliminary interview

a) Informal interview: this is the interview can be conducted at any place by any

person to secure the basic and non job related information. The interaction

between the candidate and the personnel manager. Candidates enquire


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about the vacancies or additional particulars in connection with

employment advertisement are an example of informal interview.

b) Unstructured interview: in this interview the candidate is given the freedom

to tell about himself. Similarly the interviewer also provides information on

various items required by the candidate.

2) Core interview: it is normally between the candidate and the line executive or

experts.

a) Background information interview: this interview is intended to collect the

information which is not available in application and to check that information

provided in the application regarding education, place of domicile, health,

interests, hobbies, likes, dislikes, extracurricular activities of the applicant.

b) Job and probing interview: this interview aims at testing the candidates job

knowledge about duties, activities, methods of doing the job etc.

c) Stress interview: this interview aims at testing the candidates job behavior

and level of withstanding during the period of stress and strain. Interviewer

tests the candidate by putting him under stress and strain by interrupting the

applicant from answering, criticizing his opinions, asking questions pertaining

to unrelated areas etc. stress interview must be handled with at most care

and skill.

d) Group discussion interview: there are two methods of conducting group

discussions interview, viz., group interview method and discussion interview

method. All the candidates are brought into one room. i.e., interview room

and are interviewed one by one under group interview. This method helps a

busy executive to save valuable time and gives a fair account of the

objectivity of the interview to the candidates. Under the discussion interview

method, one topic is given for discussion to the candidates who assemble in

one room and they are asked to discuss the topic in detail. This type of

interview helps the interviewer in appraising, certain skills of the candidates

like initiative, interpersonal skills, dynamism, presentation, leadin

comprehension, collaboration, etc.

e) Formal and structured interview: in this type of interview, all the formalities,

procedures like fixing the value, time, panel of interviewers, opening and

closing, intimating the candidates officially etc., are strictly followed in

arranging and conducting interview. The course of interview is preplanned


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and structures, in advance, depending on job requirements. The questions

items for discussions are structured and experts are allotted different areas

and questions to be asked.

f) Panel interview: interviewing of candidates by one person may not be

effective as he cannot judge the candidates in different areas due to lack of

knowledge and competence in multiple disciplines and areas. Hence more

organization invites a panel of experts. A panel of experts interview each

candidates judges his performance individually and prepares a consolidated

judgement based on each experts judgement and weightage of each factor.

g) Depth interview: in this type interview, the candidates would be examined

extensively in core areas. Experts in the particular field examine the

candidates by posting relevant questions.

unit iii revised

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