Chapter-5 (Recruitment)
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.
Recruitment is a positive process of searching for prospective employees and stimulating them to
apply for the jobs in the organization. When more persons apply for jobs then there will be a
scope for recruiting better persons.
According to Edwin B. Flippo, “It is a process of searching for prospective employees and
stimulating and encouraging them to apply for jobs in an organization.” He further elaborates it,
terming it both negative and positive.
He says, “It is often termed positive in that it stimulates people to apply for jobs, to increase the
hiring ratio, i.e. the number of applicants for a job. Selection, on the other hand, tends to be
negative because it rejects a good number of those who apply, leaving only the best to be hired. ”
The process of Recruitment-
A recruitment process involves a number of steps to recruit potential job candidates. As there is no
one best recruitment technique, so recruiters follow steps. The figure provides an overview of the
recruitment process.
1. Identification of Job Opening: As shown in figure, the recruitment process starts with human
resource planning (HRP) and manager requests.
2. Determination of Job Requirements: After jobs openings have been identified, the next step
is to determine their requirements.
3. Evaluation of Alternatives: When job requirements are specified, the firm may evaluate
alternatives to recruitments.
4. Proper Recruitment: If alternatives are found to be inappropriate, proper recruitment begins.
At this stage, the process seeks out the needed people.
5. Determination of Recruitment Sources and Methods: Once the organization has decided to
recruit personnel, it is faced with two major decisions: where to search for persons (i.e. sources)
and how to inform the applicants of the job positions (i.e. recruiting methods or channels). There
are actually two sources of supply of human resources.
6. Creation of Pool of Qualified Recruits: The last step is to generate a pool of qualified
recruits. At this stage, the company should use recruitment sources and methods tailored to its
specific needs.
Factors affecting recruitment:
There are a number of factors that affect recruitment.
These are broadly classified into two categories:
1. Internal Factors
2. External Factors
These are discussed below-
1. Internal Factors:
The internal factors also called endogenous factors are the factors within the organization that
affect recruiting personnel in the organization. Some of these are mentioned here.
a. Size of the Organization:
The size of an organization affects the recruitment process. Experience suggests that larger
organizations find recruitment less problematic than organizations with smaller in size.
b. Recruiting Policy:
The recruiting policy of the organization i.e., recruiting from internal sources (from own
employees) and from external sources (from outside the organization) also affects recruitment
process. Generally, recruiting through internal sourcing is preferred, because own employees
know the organization and they can well fit intothe organization’s culture.
c. Image of the Organization:
Image of organization is another internal factor having its influence on the recruitment process of
the organization. Good image of the organization earned by a number of overt and covert actions
by management helps attract potential and competent candidates. Managerial actions like good
public relations, rendering public services like building roads, public parks, hospitals and schools
help earn image or goodwill for the organization. That is why reputed companies attract large
number of applications.
d. Image of Job:
Just as image of organization affects recruitment so does the image of a job also. Better
remuneration and working conditions are considered the characteristics of good image of a job.
Besides, promotion and career development policies of organization also attract potential
candidates.
2. External Factors:
Like internal factors, there are some factors external to organization which
has their influence on recruitment process.
a. Demographic Factors:
As demographic factors are intimately related to human beings, i.e., employees, these have
profound influence on recruitment process. Demographic factors include sex, age, literacy,
economic status etc.
b. Labor Market:
Labor market conditions i.e., supply and demand of labor is of particular importance in affecting
recruitment process. For example, if the demand for a specific skill is high relative to its supply,
recruiting employees will involve more efforts. On the contrary, if supply is more than demand
for a particular skill, recruitment will be relatively easier.
c. Unemployment Situation:
The rate unemployment is yet another external factor having its influence on the recruitment
process. When the unemployment rate in a given area is high, the recruitment process tends to be
simpler. The reason is not difficult to seek. The number of applicants is expectedly very high
which makes easier to attract the best qualified applicants. The reverse is also true. With a low
rate of unemployment, recruiting process tends to become difficult.
d. Legal Considerations:
Another external factor is legal considerations with regard to employment. Reservation of jobs
for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes are the popular example of
such legal consideration.
Internal Recruitment:
When a company tries to find the best employee to fill a spot by looking at their own workers
first, they are practicing internal recruitment. Even if you don’t end up moving or promoting
one of your current employees, you give your internal candidates priority before you search
outside of your talent pool. How it’s donecan vary by business.
External recruitment:
The External Sources of Recruitment means hiring people from outside the organization. In
other words, seeking applicants from those who are external to the organization. There are
several methods for external recruiting. The firm must carefully analyze the vacant positions
and then use the method which best fulfillsthe requirement.
The Major Reasons for (or Advantages of) Using External Sources
1. Entry Level Job Needs: External sources are very helpful to fill entry-level jobs. For
entry-level positions and perhaps even for some upper-level positions, internal recruits may not
be available to be drawn.
2. Larger Pool of Talent: The pool of potential talents from public circular is much larger.
The generation of a larger pool of qualified candidates may have a positive impact on the quality
of the selection decision.
3. Easiest Way: It may be the easiest (or only) and cheapest way to hire technical, skilled or
managerial employees from outside.
4. New Insights and Perspectives: Outside candidates may bring new insights and
perspectives not possessed by current employees. External recruits are also likely to bring work
techniques, creative problem-solving techniques, production methods or training to the
organization resulting in increased employee productivity.
5. Elimination of Rivalry: Recruitment of outside applicants for mid-level and higher
positions will eliminate rivalry and competition caused by employees jockeying for promotions
and transfers. Such infighting by current employees can hinder interpersonal and
interdepartmental cooperation. Whenever infighting is severe, organizations resort to more
external recruitment with a view to decreasing internal dissension.
6. External contacts: External recruits are likely to have contacts that internal employees do
not have. In certain areas particularly in sales, research and technology and purchasing, good
external contacts are critical and external recruits with these contacts may be very helpful.
The Major Reasons for Not (or Disadvantages of) Using External
Sources)
1. Difficulty: It is not an easy job to locate external potential candidates. So attracting,
contacting and evaluating these candidates become more difficult.
2. Lack of Information: Another disadvantage of external recruitment is the lack of solid
information about the potential candidate’s performance on the job. That information is available
only through second-hand sources, such as what the references might say and the applicant
themselves volunteer.
3. Morale Problems: There may be harmful effects on the morale and motivation of those
present employees who feel qualified to do the job.
4. Longer Time: The external recruits may not know the industry or organization,
necessitating more extensive orientation and training. Thus it takes longer time for these
employees to adjust to the organization.
5. Greater Cost: Lastly it may be said that external recruitment is time consuming, expensive
and laborious.
Reasons for Not Using (or Disadvantages of Using) Internal Sources.
The major weaknesses of recruiting from internal sources are:
1. Danger of Inbreeding: Recruiting from internal sources leads to inbreeding, which may
cause a lack of new ideas, creativity and cross-fertilization. “Frequently new blood is needed to
provide new ideas and innovation that must take place for firms to remain competitive”.
2. Lack of Qualified Candidate: Organizations with promotion from policies are likely to
face the problems of getting qualified candidates, particularly when there are many vacancies
and during periods of rapid expansion.
3. Reluctance of Supervisor: Promotions or transfers are implemented when the boss
releases the persons being promoted or transferred.
4. Cumbersome Procedure: Some organizations’ internal recruiting procedures are very
cumbersome. “They may involve a bureaucratic nightmare of forms, waiting times, eligibility
lists and requirements of permission to interview from the candidate’s current superior.”
5. Specialized Training: If certain jobs need specialized training and experience, it may not
be filled within the organization successfully.
6. Employee Cloning: Excessive reliance on internal sources can create the risk of
employee “cloning”. Similarities exist everywhere.
7. Wastage of Time: Managers may be required to post all job openings and interview all
inside applicants, even when they already know whom they desire to hire.
BEST PRACTICES IN RECRUITMENT:
1. Establish a well-planned recruitment process…and follow it
A process, no matter how well-planned and well-documented, will only be successful if it is
actually followed. Two things need to consider seriously-
Invest in highly-skilled recruiters and keep training them: If the organization has its
own human resources team put in charge of the recruitment process, then it is important
that the best people are chosen to carry out the tasks and functions. Make sure that the
recruiters made as part of the team possess the skills and talents required. The
organization should also ensure the continuous development of these recruiters by
training them and providing opportunities to grow and hone their skills.
Establish a strong relationship with hiring managers and recruitment specialists: If
you acquire the services of hiring managers and recruitment specialists and consultants in
your recruitment, then make sure that you build and maintain a solid and positive
relationship with them. This will motivate them to carry out your recruitment process
effectively and efficiently, ensuring the quality of hire.
2. Set up a career website:
These days, most business transactions are conducted using the Internet. Thus, it will be to the
organization’s advantage to have its own careers website, where all recruiting processes will be
conducted from. For starters, it is a good place to post vacancies or job openings. It is also an
excellent platform for the company to establish its reputation as a potentially good organization
to work for.
3. Use smart sourcing tools and technologies
Companies spend a lot of money on talent acquisition, particularly on sourcing and attracting top
candidates. By using smart sourcing technologies and other tools, the costs can be cut down, and
small businesses can be competitive in its recruitment process, even with the threat of larger
companies looming over them.
The general perception is that the larger companies have greater chances of attracting the best
talents, precisely because they have more resources at their disposal, and have access to more
(and better) tools. However, the introduction of smart sourcing technologies leveled the playing
field a bit, so that small businesses may also have the same opportunities.
4. Avoid common recruiting mistakes.
Whether it’s an unconvincing job ad, a complicated application process or misaligned
expectations, a recruiter can encounter many roadblocks on the path to a successful hire. The key
is to reduce as many barriers for job seekers as possible without compromising the integrity of
your recruitment process. For example, asking job seekers to re-enter their resume information
into an online application may discourage busy candidates from even applying.
5. Implement good candidate relationship management
Once the organization makes its intention to hire employees known, and applicants express their
interest in the position, a relationship has been developed between them. As all relationships in
business go, it must be managed properly.
The short-term objective here is to ensure that the candidates will have a good experience with
the company, even if, in the end, they are not selected for the job. The long-term goal, on the
other hand, is to sustain enduring relationships with the candidates so that, in the future, they will
still be interested in applying for a position in your company. This will also put your
organization in a favorable light for other, future, applicants.
6. Practice compliance management
Not only does the company have to automate and streamline its recruitment process, it should
also see to it that everything is documented and archived properly. This is because the
organization will still be required to comply with certain rules and regulations set forth by
different government and regulatory agencies regarding recruitment and human resource
management.
Automation of reporting procedures. To easily comply with reporting requirements
about the activities involved in the recruitment processes, it would be a good idea to
automate how the information is recorded, maintained, and distributed.
Practice increased transparency. Organizations may be required to properly notify
about and advertise its open positions.
Ensure proper certifications and qualifications. There are positions where the basic
qualifications involve the possession of specific certifications, accreditations or licenses.
By conducting thorough background checks, compliance with these requirements will be
facilitated.
7. Promote your employer brand.
An authentic employer brand communicates your organization’s story and culture in a way that
resonates with job seekers. Recruiters should collaborate with their organization’s branding and
marketing teams to craft an employer brand that truly differentiates your company from the hiring
competition. Develop content that captivates prospective employees, and then select channels to
reach them in a personalized way. Learn how to create an employer brand that stands out in this
post.