Recruitment and Selection

• Recruitment and selection refer to the process of identifying and hiring the best-qualified candidates from within or outside of an organisation for job vacancies, in a timely and cost effective manner.

• The purpose of recruitment is to attract a wide range of suitable candidates to apply for a vacancy while the purpose of selection is to decide which candidate is most suitable to fill the post.

• The steps in the recruitment and selection process include identifying a vacancy, preparing a job description, advertising the vacancy, managing the application process, shortlisting candidates, conducting interviews, making a job offer and giving feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

• Writing a job description is a critical step to clearly outlining the responsibilities, duties, and skills needed for a specific role. This usually include information about job title, department, key tasks, performance expectations, physical requirements and working conditions.

• The type of selection methods used can vary greatly between businesses. Commonly, interviews are used along with other methods such as aptitude tests, reference checks, or task-based assessments.

• The process of recruitment and selection can have legal implications. For example, laws relating to discrimination mean that choices about who to employ should only be based on a candidate’s suitability for the job.

• An effective selection and recruitment process can have many benefits such as improving productivity, reducing turnover rates, and promoting a positive company culture. However, it can also be time consuming and expensive.

• There are different ways to recruit a candidate. Internal recruitment refers to recruiting from within existing staff while external recruitment involves looking for new employees outside of the business.

• Each type of recruitment has its advantages and disadvantages. Internal recruitment can be less expensive and faster, promote employee loyalty and have less risks as candidates are known. However, it may limit the diversity and neglect new ideas or skills.

• External recruitment, on the other hand, can bring in fresh perspectives, wider skill sets and larger candidate pool but it can be more time-consuming and expensive, and potential hires are more of an unknown.

• A poor recruitment and selection process can have several negative impacts, such as decreased employee morale, increased turnover, and reduced productivity. Therefore, it is essential for businesses to have a well-planned and effective recruitment process.

• Modern trends in recruitment and selection include the use of technology for candidate sourcing through online job portals or social media, video interviewing, and automating the recruitment process for efficiency and effectiveness.