MODULE -1

MEANING OF JOB ANALYSIS

Job Analysis in layman’s language means the procedure of gathering

information about a job.

Job analysis, contains a simple term called "analysis", which means detailed study or
examination of something (job) in order to understand more about it (job). therefore job analysis
is to understand more about a specifiJob Analysis is a method of collecting and
studying about the information related to a particular job. It includes the
operations and tasks of a specific job.
Another meaning of Job analysis is a complete examination of activities in a job. It can be
considered a technical procedure that can be used to classify the duties and responsibilities of a
job.

It can also be defined as a group of tasks which can be performed by a lone employee towards
the production of some services or products of an organization.

PURPOSE OF JOB ANALYSIS -The purpose of a job analysis is to analyze job

duties and functions, and the skills required to do a job. A job analysis is often used to
create a job posting or job description, but sometimes a job analysis is used to determine whether
a specific position needs to be expanded.

To create an accurate job analysis, review the responsibilities of several employees that have the
same job title. Analyze which responsibilities are assigned to the employees and make a list of
daily tasks they perform. It is also a good idea to talk to the manager in charge of the employees
to get an idea of the kind of skills an employee must have to perform the job.

With this information, write a statement about how this job position contributes to the company
and aids in managing the work flow. In addition, do some research to come up with a
comprehensive job analysis. Look through job descriptions and postings that other companies
have created to spot any missing information.

When drafting a job posting, use the job analysis to list all of the required duties of the position
and the job requirements, such as a college degree or industry experience. Also, mention things
like the environment the employee will work in and the physical requirements of the position.
STEPS AND TECHNIQUES OF JOB ANALYSIS -The
following steps Methods of Job Analysis
The most general Job Analysis methods are discussed below:

1. Observation Method: In this method the job analyst observes the employees work and
records all the tasks that are performed and also those that are not performed. This may seem to
be an easy method of job analysis, but it is the most difficult one. The main reason being that
every person has a different way of observing things, which might involve personal bias, likes
and dislikes which will not give the desired results.

2. Interview Method: In this method the manpower is interviewed. The employee under this
method comes up with different ideas towards their working style, problems faced by them and
uncertainties or insecurities faced by them. It helps the organization in knowing exactly what the
employees are thinking about their jobs. This helps in minimizing errors as not only one
employee is interviewed, but everyone in the organization is interviewed.

3. Questionnaire Method: This is another common method of Job Analysis, which uses a
questionnaire to be filled by the employees. Care should be taken while framing questions for
this, because this method also suffers from bias by the superiors. It is always better if the staff is
communicated in a better way to make them understand that the data collected is for their own
good. Here different types of questionnaires are prepared for different grades which is also time
consuming.

1. Time for Conducting Job Analysis:

“Is the time ripe for conducting job analysis?” is the question human resource manager has to ask
himself. He has to decide on this vital issue. It is a matter of strategy. In modern times things are
changing very fast. The new competitors are entering into the business and industrial arena.
Under the changed circumstances organisations have to restructure the organisational set up as a
part of strategy to meet the challenges anew. This leads to job analysis. Some new jobs may be
created, some eliminated or some may be combined with others.

The qualifications, skills, knowledge of computers and other potentials required to perform the
job and salary structure may also change. Additional jobs may be created due to expansion,
mergers and acquisitions requiring job analysis.

Employees and managers may feel that their present position requires more hard work and they
need higher pay scale. This also lead to analysis of jobs to be undertaken afresh to determine the
duties, responsibilities and accountabilities with knowledge, skill, talent, potential, abilities
required to perform the job and salary structure to be fixed accordingly. Normally job analysis
should be conducted after a regular interval of two, three or five years or any time if the need
arise.

2. Collection of Information Relating to Jobs:

After deciding to conduct job analysis the first step is to collect all relevant information relating
to various jobs in the organisation. The following are the ways to collect information for the
purpose of job analysis.

(a) Questionnaires:

It is a widely used method of data collection. It is less costly method of collecting information
about the job from the employees. A detailed questionnaire is prepared so that vital information
is not missed. The questionnaires used to be distributed to the employees from whom
information in respect of jobs are to be gathered.

(b) Observation:

In this method the job performers are observed while they are working. Observation may be
continuous or in samples. This method is not fool proof. It is useful for the jobs involving
physical activities. It provides observer the general familiarity about the job.

(c) Interviews:

The experienced employees having complete knowledge about the jobs are interviewed and the
relevant information about the job and its specific activities gathered. A structured interview is
most useful to collect vital information regarding the job and its performance. An interview is
time consuming. An interview may be biased. To avoid this more employees are to be
interviewer

The information collected through the above ways must include the information relating to
physical environment while performing job such as, temperature, noise, dirt, likelihood of
accident, comforts or discomforts; social environment prevalent while performing job; financial
benefits drawn such as pay scales and other incentives; the qualities, required in a person for
performing the job such as skills, abilities, talent, knowledge, potential, intellect etc.

3. Preparing Job Description Forms:

The information collected in the above ways should now be used to prepare job description form.
It is a document which shows the complete information describing the various activities involved
in the job. It describes how and when job is to be done and how a jobholder will do it. The
separate job description forms are prepared for different jobs stored for reference.
4. Preparing Job Specifications:

The next step in the process of job analysis is to prepare job specification on the basis of
collected information. The job specification is the statement declaring minimum acceptable
qualifications required in a person to perform the job successfully.

5. Preparing Report:

The job analysts are appointed by organisation to do job analysis. The next step in the process of
job analysis is to prepare the report on job analysis by the analyst and to submit the same to the
human resource manager. The report contains the different activities of various jobs and the
minimum educational qualifications, experience, training and skills required to perform them and
the recommendations.

MEANING OF JOB DESCRIPTION- This is a very vital document which is usually

explanatory in nature. It consists of both organizational as well as functional information. It
provides information as to the scope of activities, position of the job and the responsibilities. It
gives the employees a very clear picture of what is required of him to meet the goals of his job.
A good Job Description must consist of the following: . It should include the nature and scope of
the job along with accountability.

(ii). A good Job Description should be lucid about the position, responsibilities and duties.

(iii). The complexity of the job.

(iv). The amount of skills required for that particular job.

(v). How far are the problems consistent?

(vi). The level of responsibility the worker has for each stage of work

∗ Contents of Job Specification

The following are the contents of Job Specification:

→ Physical Qualifications: These qualifications or specifications vary from job to job.

Physical Qualifications are nothing but the capabilities of employees. These include height,
weight, hearing, vision, capacity to handle machines etc.

→ Mental Qualifications: This includes the ability to interpret data, calculations, planning,
general knowledge, judgement, memory etc.
→ Social and Emotional specifications: This is vital for the role of Managers and
Supervisors. It includes emotional constancy and elasticity. It also includes the way they dress,
personality and relationship.

→ Behavioral Qualifications: This qualification is very important in selecting employees

for higher levels of management. This specification asks to depict the acts of the managers rather
than traits which cause those acts. This includes creativity, research, maturity level, dominance
etc.

PURPOSE OD JOB DESCRIPTON

Job Description is a summary of job analysis findings that helps managers determine what an
employee is supposed to do when onboard. The purpose of job description depends on the
level of details the job findings include. Job description carried for general purpose typically
involves job identification (title, designation, location) and a statement of duties and functions of
a prospective or existing employee. A specifically carried job description includes detailed
information about the kind of job, how it is supposed to be performed and what is expected to be
delivered. Let’s discuss the general and specific purpose of conducting a job description process.
General Purpose of Job Description
General purpose job descriptions are used by organizations to find the very basic information
about a particular job opening. Though data includes worker’s duties but does not contain sub
tasks, performance standards and basis for evaluating jobs and establishing right compensation
packages.

Advantages

The main benefit of general purpose job description is that it does not consume much time and
quickly provides basic information to managers. It does not require much human efforts and is
very easy and convenient to carry out. Additionally, a job analyst does not have to conduct deep
research to gather the required details.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage of general purpose job description is that it does not provide managers
with full-fledged information about job context and sub tasks. Sometimes, a manager may fail to
extract correct information from such small amount of data.

Specific Purpose of Job Description

Specific purpose job description includes detailed information about job responsibilities of an
employee. It also covers sub tasks, essential functions and detailed job duties. It involves huge
amount of details such as what an employee needs to do, how it is to be done and what are the
performance standards, etc.
Advantages

The main benefit of specific purpose job description is that it offers ample information to
evaluate job performance and determine training needs of employees. It serves as a basis for all
other HR processes including recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, compensation
decision and many more.

Disadvantages

Though it assists managers in decision making process but it has its own limitations. The
process, however, may take very long and consume lots of human efforts. Since, it involves
collecting detailed information; the biased nature of job analyst can cause severe problems. The
data collected may not be 100 percent genuine.

Therefore, it can be said that information collected during job analysis defines the purpose of job
description. If data collected is extremely basic, it will serve only the general purpose and
therefore, can not be used for making management decisions. On the other hand, detailed data
serves the specific purpose and can be easily used while making important decisions.`

not provide managers with full-fledged information about job context and sub tasks. Sometimes,
a manager may fail to extract correct information from such small amount of data.

Specific Purpose of Job Description

Specific purpose job description includes detailed information about job responsibilities of an
employee. It also covers sub tasks, essential functions and detailed job duties. It involves huge
amount of details such as what an employee needs to do, how it is to be done and what are the
performance standards, etc.

Advantages

The main benefit of specific purpose job description is that it offers ample information to
evaluate job performance and determine training needs of employees. It serves as a basis for all
other HR processes including recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, compensation
decision and many more.

Disadvantages

Though it assists managers in decision making process but it has its own limitations. The
process, however, may take very long and consume lots of human efforts. Since, it involves
collecting detailed information; the biased nature of job analyst can cause severe problems. The
data collected may not be 100 percent genuine.
Therefore, it can be said that information collected during job analysis defines the purpose of job
description. If data collected is extremely basic, it will serve only the general purpose and
therefore, can not be used for making management decisions. On the other hand, detailed data
serves the specific purpose and can be easily used while making important decisioN

Characteristics of a Job Description

A job description outlines the roles, responsibilities and qualifications required for a job. With
the right job description, you can quickly narrow down a pool of applicants to find only the most
qualified candidates. After a position has been filled, a job description helps ensure an employee
is doing all that is required for the job.

Job Summary
At the beginning of the job description, include a couple short sentences to summarize what the
job entails. Think of this section as a snapshot of the job and do not go into detail about specific
tasks, responsibilities or qualifications. An example of a job description for an administrative
assistant may read "provides support to management and other personnel through routine clerical
tasks and by performing other administrative duties."

Duties and Responsibilities

Immediately after the job summary, the job description should outline the specific duties and
responsibilities required in the job. These items should be organized in a list format. Each duty
should start with a verb, briefly describe the task and also include the general outcome or
purpose for the task. For example, "creates spreadsheets using Excel to analyze product sales."
This list will ideally contain around 10 responsibilities.

Qualifications

The qualifications section will outline any education, experience and other skills required for the
position. You may organize this section by minimum qualifications and desired qualifications to
differentiate between what is required for the job versus the qualifications the ideal candidate
will possess. Include any education and certification requirements, years of experience
andspecial skills. You may also outline other requirements, such as physical expectations or
being willing to travel.
Salary and Benefits

A good job description will offer a brief overview of the position's salary and benefits. This
section does not have to go into a lot of detail but may include the minimum starting salary or a
statement saying the salary is negotiable. It may also outline the amount of vacation time and
sick leave offered along with whether the job offers medical benefits, retirement plans or other
perks.

Company Information

When individuals search for a job, they typically search by the title of the position rather than the
company. Offering an overview of your company may help potential applicants determine if the
company is a good fit for them. Include a brief overview of what your company does and its core
values. Also include contact information directing applicants where to inquire about the job or
submit an application

Job Design - Meaning

Job design follows job analysis i.e. it is the next step after job analysis. It aims at outlining and
organising tasks, duties and responsibilities into a single unit of work for the achievement of
certain objectives. It also outlines the methods and relationships that are essential for the success
of a certain job. In simpler terms it refers to the what, how much, how many and the order of the
tasks for a job/s.

Job design essentially involves integrating job responsibilities or content and certain
qualifications that are required to perform the same. It outlines the job responsibilities very
clearly and also helps in attracting the right candidates to the right job. Further it also makes the
job look interesting and specialised.

APPROCHES OF JOB DESIGNING

There are four approaches to Job design:
1. Job Simplification:
The job is broken into simple and narrow set of activities. It makes a
job very simple to perform. Training individuals to perform such jobs
is simple and inexpensive and workers can conveniently interchange
their work activities related to such jobs.

By making the jobs simple to perform; by designing the tasks in a way

that workers repeatedly perform one or a small number of tasks
related to those jobs, managers can achieve quality control and gain
production efficiencies. Making a job too simple, however, may not
motivate employees as they may find that work boring and
monotonous. This can negatively affect the quality of work and result
in low job satisfaction.

2. Job Rotation:
Continuous handling of tasks related to simple jobs can make work
monotonous and dull. Job rotation helps workers do away with the
monotony by allowing them to work on different jobs which involve
different skills and work activities. Job rotation is the practice of
shifting employees from one job to another in a planned and
systematic manner.

It is a better motivational tool than job simplification as it improves

skills and flexibility to perform challenging jobs and increase their
capabilities. Job rotation develops employees and increases their
capabilities and understanding of different job structures of the
organisation. It also promotes innovations by stimulating exchange of
ideas.

a. Employees do not enjoy specialisation of work if there is frequent

movement from one job to the other. In the modern era of
specialisation, employees prefer to enhance their skills on one job
(simple or complex) rather than move to new jobs as a motivational
tool.

b. Frequently moving employees from one job to the other can affect
productivity. Every time an employee moves to a new job, he has to
learn job skills which slows down the work.

c. A person may not really be interested in job rotation for lack of

interest in learning new job skills. He may prefer job enrichment or
enlargement to job rotation.

3. Job Enlargement:
Combining several routine jobs into one or enlarging the scope of a job by
adding variety of tasks is called job enlargement. It removes the dullness of
performing the same activity over and over again by giving the employees
more tasks to perform on the same job.

Workers perform a wider variety of tasks on the job which increases their
job satisfaction. Managers may break a job into four activities (job
enlargement) rather than ten simple activities (job simplification).
Performing a wider variety of tasks on a job is job enlargement.

Though beneficial as it appears, it suffers from the following

limitations:
(a) Increased training costs,

(b) Demand from workers for increase in pay as they perform wider variety
of tasks, and

(c) Not being sufficiently challenging, motivating and innovative as

performing a few more similar tasks is not motivating enough for workers
to perform those tasks.

4. Job Enrichment:
Job enrichment means enriching a job with more responsibility, autonomy,
skills and decision-making power. It serves as a strong motivational force to
increase potential for growth and development. It provides a strong sense
of achievement and recognition which provides internal satisfaction to
employees; a source of high morale leading to high productivity.

It is a more comprehensive approach than job enlargement. It not only

increases the variety of tasks on a job but also the control that worker has
over the job. To enrich a job, managers increase the job depth, that is, “the
degree to which individuals can plan and control the work involved in their
jobs.”
 Combining several routine jobs into one or enlarging the scope of a job by
adding variety of tasks is called job enlargement. It removes the dullness of
performing the same activity over and over again by giving the employees
more tasks to perform on the same job.

Workers perform a wider variety of tasks on the job which increases their
job satisfaction. Managers may break a job into four activities (job
enlargement) rather than ten simple activities (job simplification).
Performing a wider variety of tasks on a job is job enlargement.

Though beneficial as it appears, it suffers from the following

limitations:
(a) Increased training costs,

(b) Demand from workers for increase in pay as they perform wider variety
of tasks, and

(c) Not being sufficiently challenging, motivating and innovative as

performing a few more similar tasks is not motivating enough for workers
to perform those tasks.

4. Job Enrichment:
Job enrichment means enriching a job with more responsibility, autonomy,
skills and decision-making power. It serves as a strong motivational force to
increase potential for growth and development. It provides a strong sense
of achievement and recognition which provides internal satisfaction to
employees; a source of high morale leading to high productivity.

It is a more comprehensive approach than job enlargement. It not only

increases the variety of tasks on a job but also the control that worker has
over the job. To enrich a job, managers increase the job depth, that is, “the
degree to which individuals can plan and control the work involved in their
jobs.”

t allows the workers to decide their goals, ways of achieving those goals and
self-control their activities. This increases the sense of responsibility,
capabilities to accept new and challenging tasks and opportunities for
growth and development.

Job enrichment helps employees satisfy their higher order needs of

recognition, prestige and achievement.

It is a “deliberate upgrading of responsibility, scope, and challenge in

work.”

— Hersey and Blanchard

It is a “the process of upgrading the job-task mix in order to increase

significantly the potential for growth, achievement, responsibility and
recognition.” — Bartol and Martin

Ways of Achieving Job Enrichment:

Richard Hacknmn and Greg Oldhman developed job
characteristic model to achieve job enrichment.
The model has three elements:
(a) Core Job Characteristics

(b) Critical Psychological States

(c) Outcomes

(a) Core Job Characteristics:

There are five characteristics of a job:
(i) Skill variety:
The job should involve activities which require variety of skills.

(ii) Task identity:

The job should represent a major part of the work rather than fraction of
the whole work, that is, the job should have independent identity.

(iii) Task significance:

Workers should feel the impact of their job output on others’ output and
also on the enterprise as a whole. It represents importance of the task.
(iv) Autonomy:
Workers should have autonomy to decide how the job is done, sequence
involved in the activities, work methods for achieving the output, etc.

(v) Feedback:
Workers should have timely feedback on their job performance to know
how well the job is performed so that deviations can be checked in time.
These characteristics make the job challenging and motivating for the
workers.

(b) Critical Psychologiccal States:

Workers experience three critical psychological states:
(i) Feeling that the work is meaningful

(ii) Knowing that they are responsible for the outcomes

(iii) Actually finding out the results

The core job characteristics have motivational value if they have the
psychological states.

(c) Outcomes:
When workers with critical psychological states perform jobs
with core job characteristics, they experience the following
outcomes:
(i) High internal work motivation.

(ii) High satisfaction of ‘growth needs’.

(iii) High degree of job satisfaction.

(iv) High degree of work effectiveness.

The job characteristic model enriches the job when individuals have the
knowledge and skills to perform the redesigned jobs, have high growth-
needs (needs for personal growth and development) and feel satisfied with
factors related to ‘job context’ (factors other than the job, like salary, job
security, working conditions etc.) The above features make the job rich in
content and motivate the employees to work hard to achieve the goals
related to these jobs.

Merits of Job Enrichment: Job enrichment has the following

merits:
(i) It increases employees’ internal motivation.

(ii) It satisfies their ‘growth’ needs’.

(iii) It provides them job satisfaction.

(iv) It reduces labour turnover and absenteeism.

(v) It increases the efficiency of work through qualitative and quantitative

improvement of work.

(vi) Greater freedom and autonomy to handle the work activities provides
measures of self-control. The deviations are checked by the employees
themselves rather than pointed by the supervisors.

Limitations of Job Enrichment: Job enrichment suffers from the

following limitations:
(i) Expensive:
To enrich a job by adding more activities and allowing the workers to
assume responsibility for the entire job may be costly for small concerns.
Large concerns may, however, derive benefits which will offset the
increased cost.

(ii) Workers’ perception:

Some workers are satisfied with the present content of the job and job
enrichment becomes an additional liability for them. They are more
interested in job security than job enrichment. Job enrichment may not,
thus, prove to be lucrative in such situations.

(iii) Imposition on workers:Workers may not be capable to accept the

challenges associated with the jobs. They feel that job enrichment is an
added burden for them and want managers to consult them before adding
more responsibilities to the job.
(iv) Technological considerations:
The present technology may not be appropriate for enriching the current
jobs. Job enrichment may not, therefore, be possible because of
technological constraints. These limitations are primarily related to small-
sized concerns or concerns which have unskilled or low skilled workers who
perform routine work and do not want to add more responsibility to their
job content. Highly skilled workers favour job enrichment for personal
growth and development.

Effective Job Enrichment:

The following guidelines can make job enrichment effective:
(i) Consult the workers:
Managers should consult the workers and invite their suggestions on what
they think about job enrichment. This involves greater participation by
workers and acceptance of higher responsibility.

(ii) Share the benefits with workers:

Companies can share the benefits of job enrichment with workers who are
not enterprising and innovative and,

(iii) Be informed about the reasons for job enrichment:

Workers do not go against management. If properly explained about the
reasons why managers want to enrich the jobs and what benefits it will
offer to both individuals and organisations, they will accept job enrichment
as a positive reinforcement on their behavior
MODULE -4

MEANING OF RECRUITMENT- e process of finding and hiring the best-qualified candidate (from
within or outside of an organization) for a job opening, in a timely and cost effective manner. The recruitment
process includes analyzing the requirements of a job, attracting employees to that job, screening and selecting
applicants, hiring, and integrating the new employee to the organization.

EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL RECRUITMENT

EXTERNAL-External recruitment is a strategy of seeking new employees from a

prospect pool outside the company, according to Mark Applegate for the
Houston Chronicle. It is used in addition to or instead of an internal recruiting
program. Companies seek external candidates to increase the number and quality of
applicants or to invite fresh perspectives into the organization.

Companies promote job openings to outside candidates through various media,

including newspapers and online job boards. Large employers may even use
billboards to reach a broader local market. Job fairs are another common method for
reaching external candidates. Some employers use job search agencies, often known
as headhunters, to strategically recruit highly qualified people, notes Applegate.

External recruiting is necessary when the internal pool for a given position is limited.
In some cases, companies try to recruit candidates already performing a given position
by offering a better compensation package. Applegate indicates that a primary benefit
of going outside the company is to bring in fresh ideas. Workers inside the
organization have been exposed to existing ideas, while new ideas help with
innovation. External recruiting also helps a company develop and maintain a diverse
workforce. A long-established company struggles to evolve with changing
populations if it never brings in new people.

INTERNAL-Internal recruitment refers to the identification and attraction of job

candidates from within a given organization. Instead of picking candidates from the public, a
company may decide to advertise a job vacancy and allow only members of the existing staff to
apply in order to achieve certain goals.

Internal recruitment is normally done in large organizations where employees in a different

department may not be aware of job openings in a particular department. Some of the methods
that can be used in internal recruitment include career ladders, job boards, job postings within the
organization and supervisor referrals.

Here are some benefits of internal recruitment:

 Recruiting people from the outside requires commitment of resources, which translates to
higher costs. Internal recruitment allows employers to get ideal candidates without
incurring a lot of costs.
 It is easier and much faster for employers to hire suitable candidates from within the
organization, since they have already been vetted and tested.
 Employees who anticipate frequent internal recruitment are likely to be highly productive
as they build a good reputation in order to be considered in future internal recruitment
drives.
 It is easier for employees to adapt to new positions within the organization since they
already have knowledge of the organization's culture and operation

SOURCE OF RECRUITMENT

The sources included under each category are depicted in the following
figure 6.1.
A. Internal Sources:
1. Present Emploees-promotions and transfers from among the present
employees can be a good source of recruitment. Promotion implies
upgrading of an employee to a higher position carrying higher status, pay
and responsibilities. Promotion from among the present employees is
advantageous because the employees promoted are well acquainted with
the organisational culture, they get motivated, and it is cheaper also.

Promotion from among present employees also reduces the requirement

for job training. However, the disadvantage lies in limiting the choice to a
few people and denying hiring of outsiders who may be better qualified and
skilled. Furthermore, promotion from among present employees also
results in inbreeding which creates frustration among those not promoted.

Transfer refers to shifting an employee from one job to another without any
change in the position/post, status and responsibilities. The need for
transfer is felt to provide employees a broader and varied base which is
considered necessary for promotions. Job rotation, involves transfer of
employees from one job to another on the lateral basis.

2. Former Employees:
Former employees are another source of applicants for vacancies to be
filled up in the organisation. Retired or retrenched employees may be
interested to come back to the company to work on a part-time basis.
Similarly, some former employees who left the organisation for any reason
may again be interested to come back to work. This source has the
advantage of hiring people whose performance is already known to the
organisation.
3. Employee Referrals:This is yet another internal source of
recruitment. The existing employees refer their family members, friends
and relatives to the company as potential candidates for the vacancies to be
filled up in the organization

his source serves as one of the most effective methods of recruiting people
in the organisation because employees refer to those potential candidates
who meet the company requirements known to them from their own
experience. The referred individuals are expected to be similar in type in
terms of race and sex, for example, to those who are already working in the
organisation.

4. Previous Applicants:
This is considered as internal source in the sense that applications from the
potential candidates are already lying with the organisation. Sometimes,
the organisations contact through mail or messenger these applicants to fill
up the vacancies particularly for unskilled or semi- skilled jobs.

Evaluation of Internal Source:

Let us try to evaluate the internal source of recruitment. Obviously, it can
be done in terms of its advantages and disadvantages. The same are spelled
out as follows:

Advantages:
The advantages of the internal source of recruitment include the following:

1. Familiarity with own employees:

The organisation has more knowledge and familiarity with the strengths
and weaknesses of its own employees than of strange and unknown
outsiders.

2. Better use of the talent:

The policy of internal recruitment also provides an opportunity to the
organisation to make a better use of the talents internally available and to
develop them further and further.

3. Economical Recruitment:
In case of internal recruitment, the organisation does not need to spend
much money, time and effort to locate and attract the potential candidates.
Thus, internal recruitment proves to be economical, or say, inexpensive.

4. Improves Morale:
This method makes employees sure that they would be preferred over the
outsiders as and when vacancies will be filled up in their organisation.

5. A Motivator:
The promotion through internal recruitment serves as a source of
motivation for employees to improve their career and income. The
employees feel that organisation is a place where they can build up their
life-long career. Besides, internal recruitment also serves as a means of
attracting and retaining competent employees in the organisation.

Disadvantages:
The main drawbacks associated with internal recruitment are as
follows:
1. Limited Choice:
Internal recruitment limits its choice to the talent available within the
organisation. Thus, it denies the tapping of talent available in the vast
labour market outside the organisation. Moreover, internal recruitment
serves as a means for “inbreeding”, which is never j healthy for the future of
the organisation.

2. Discourages Competition:
In this system, the internal candidates are protected from competition by
not giving opportunity to otherwise competent candidates from outside the
organisation. This, in turn, develops a tendency among the employees to
take promotion without showing extra performance.

3. Stagnation of Skills:
With the feeling that internal candidates will surely get promoted, their
skill in the long run may become stagnant or obsolete. If so, the
productivity and efficiency of the organisation, in turn, decreases.

4. Creates Conflicts:
Conflicts and controversies surface among the internal candidates, whether
or not they deserve promotion.

B. External Sources:

xternal sources of recruitment lie outside the organisation. These

outnumber internal sources.

The main ones are listed as follows:

1. Employment Exchanges:
The National Commission on Labour (1969) observed in its report that in
the pre-Independence era, the main source of labour was rural areas
surrounding the industries. Immediately after Independence, National
Employment Service was established to bring employers and job seekers
together.

In response to it, the compulsory Notification of Vacancies Act of 1959

(commonly called Employment Exchange Act) was instituted which became
operative in 1960. Under Section 4 of the Act, it is obligatory for all
industrial establishments having 25 workers or more, to notify the nearest
employment exchange of vacancies (with certain exceptions) in them,
before they are filled.

The main functions of these employment exchanges with their branches in

most cities are registration of job seekers and their placement in the
notified vacancies. It is obligatory for the employer to inform the outcome
of selection within 15 days to the employment exchange.

Employment exchanges are particularly useful in recruiting blue-collar,

white-collar and technical workers. A study conducted by Gopalji on 31
organisations throughout the country also revealed that recruitment
through employment exchanges was most preferred for clerical personnel
i.e., white-collar jobs.

2. Employment Agencies:
In addition to the government agencies, there are a number of private
employment agencies who register candidates for employment and furnish
a list of suitable candidates from their data bank as and when sought by the
prospective employers. ABC Consultants, Datamatics, Ferguson Associates,
S B Billimoria, etc. are the popular private employment agencies in our
country.
Generally, these agencies select personnel for supervisory and higher levels.
The main function of these agencies is to invite applications and short list
the suitable candidates for the organisation. Of course, the final decision on
selection is taken by the representatives of the organisation. At best, the
representatives of the employment agencies may also sit on the panel for
final selection of the candidates.

The employer organisations derive several advantages through this source.

For example, this method proves cheaper than the one organisations
recruiting themselves. The time saved in this method can be better utilized
elsewhere by the organisation.

As the organisational identity remains unknown to the job seekers, it, thus,
avoids receiving letters and attempts to influence. However, there is always
a risk of loosing out in screening process done by the agencies, some
applicants whom the representatives of the organisation would have liked
to meet and select.

3. Advertisement:
Advertisement is perhaps the most widely used method for generating
many applications. This is because its reach is very high. This method of
recruitment can be used for jobs like clerical, technical and managerial. The
higher the position in the organisation, the more specialized the skills or
the shorter the supply of that resource in the labour market, the more
widely dispersed the advertisements is likely to be. For example, the search
for a top executive might include advertisements in a national daily like
‘The Hindu’.

Some employers / companies advertise their posts by giving a post box

number or the name of some recruiting agency This is done to particularly
keep own identity secret to avoid unnecessary correspondence with the
applicants. However, the disadvantage of this blind ad, i.e., post box
number is that the potential job seekers are hesitant to apply without
knowing the image of the organisation, on the one hand, and the bad
image/reputation that blind ads have received because of organisations that
place such advertisements without positions lying vacant just to know the
supply of labour/workers in the labour market, on the other.

While preparing advertisement, lot of care has to be taken to make it clear

and to the point. It must ensure that some self-selection among applicants
takes place and only qualified applicants respond to the advertisement. For
this, advertisement copy should be prepared by using a four-point guide
called AIDA. The letters in the acronym denote that advertisement should
attract Attention, gain Interest, arouse a Desire and result in Action.

However, not many organisations mention complete details about job

positions in their advertisements. What happens is that ambiguously
worded and broad-based advertisements may generate a lot of irrelevant
applications which would, by necessity, increase the cost of processing
them. Here, the findings of a study of 496 recruitment advertisements
published in The Hindu during 1981 seem worth mentioning. It was found
that 33.6% of public sector advertisements and 20.7% of private sector
advertisements provided necessary information about job possibilities,
tasks and reporting relationships.

As far as compensation was concerned, more of the public sector

organisations provided information about pay packets rather than the
private sector organisations (71.2% as against 29.4%). Another interesting
feature showed that all public sector organisations provided information on
minimum qualifications while only 18.3% of private sector organisations
offered this information. Finally, only 5.6% of the public and 1.1% of the
private organisations provided information on selection process.

4. Professional Associations:
Very often, recruitment for certain professional and technical positions is
made through professional associations also called ‘ headhunters’. Institute
of Engineers, Indian Medical Association, All Indian Management
Association, etc., provide placement services for their members. For this,
the professional associations prepare either list of job seekers or publish or
sponsor journals or magazines containing advertisements for their
members.

The professional associations are particularly useful for attracting highly

skilled and professional personnel. However, in India, this is not a very
common practice and those few that provide such kind of service have not
been able to generating a large number of applications.

5. Campus Recruitment:
This is another source of recruitment. Though campus recruitment is a
common phenomenon particularly in the American organisations, it has
made its mark rather recently Of late, some organisations such as HLL,
HCL. L &T, Citi Bank, ANZ Grindlays, Motorola, Reliance etc., in India
have started visiting educational and training institutes/campuses for
recruitment purposes.

Examples of such campuses are the Indian Institutes of Management,

Indian Institutes of Technology and the University Departments of
Business Management. For this purpose, many institutes have regular
placement cells/offices to serve as liaison between the employers and the
students. Tezpur Central University has, for example, one Deputy Director
(Training and Placement) for the purposes of campus recruitment and
placement.

The method of campus recruitment offers certain advantages to the

employer organisations. First, the most of the candidates are available at
one place; Second, the interviews are arranged at short notice; third, the
teaching faculty is also met; and Fourth, it gives them opportunity to sell
the organisation to a large student body who would be graduating
subsequently. However, the disadvantages of this type of recruitment are
that organisations have to limit their selection to only “entry” positions and
they interview the candidates who have similar education and experience, if
at all.

6. Deputation:
Another source of recruitment is deputation, i.e., sending an employee to
another organisation for a short duration of two to three years. This method
of recruitment is practiced, in a pretty manner, in the Government
Departments and public sector organisations. Deputation is useful because
it provides ready expertise and the organisation does not have to incur the
initial cost of induction and training.

However, the disadvantage associated with deputation is that the deputa-

tion period of two/three years is not long enough for the deputed employee
to prove his/her mettle, on the one hand, and develop commitment with
the organisation to become part of it, on the other.

7. Word-of-Mouth:
Some organisations in India also practice the ‘word-of-mouth’ method of
recruitment. In this method, the word is passed around the possible
vacancies or openings in the organisation. Another form of word-of-mouth
method of recruitment is “employee-pinching” i.e., the employees working
in another organisation are offered an attractive offer by the rival
organisations. This method is economic, both in terms of time and money.

Some organisations maintain a file of the applications and bio-data sent by

job-seekers. These files serve as very handy as and when there is vacancy in
the organisation. The advantage of this method is no cost involved in
recruitment. However, the drawbacks of this method of recruitment are
non-availability of the candidate when needed and the choice of candidates
is restricted to a too small number.

8. Raiding or Poaching:
Raiding or poaching is another method of recruitment whereby the rival
firms by offering better terms and conditions, try to attract qualified
employees to join them. This raiding is a common feature in the Indian
organisations.

For example, several executives of HMT left to join Titan Watch Company,
so also exodus of pilots from the Indian Airlines to join private air taxi
operators. Whatever may be the means used to raid rival firms for potential
candidates, it is often seen as an unethical practice and not openly talked
about. In fact, raiding has become a challenge for the human resource
manager. Besides these, walk-ins, contractors, radio and television,
acquisitions and mergers, etc., are some other sources of recruitment used
by organisations.

Evaluation of External Sources:

Like internal sources of recruitment, external sources are mixed of
advantages and disadvantages.

The following are the main advantages:

1. Open Process:
Being a more open process, it is likely to attract large number of applicants/
applications. This, in turn, widens its options of selection.

2. Availability of Talented Candidates:

With large pool of applicants, it becomes possible for the organisation to
have talented candidates from outside. Thus, it introduces new blood in the
organisation.

3. Opportunity to select the best candidates:

With large pool of applicants, the selection process becomes more
competitive. This increases prospects for selecting the best candidates.

4. Provides healthy competition:

As the external members are supposed to be more trained and efficient.
With such a background, they work with positive attitude and greater
vigour. This helps create healthy competition and conducive work
environment in the organisation.

However, the external sources of recruitment suffer from certain

disadvantages too:

These are:
1. Expensive and Time Consuming:
This method of recruitment is both expensive and time consuming. There is
no guarantee that organisation wall get good and suitable candidates.

2. Unfamiliarity with the Organisation:

As candidates come from outside the organisation, they are not familiar
with the tasks, job nature and the internal scenario of the organisation.
3. Discourages the Existing Employees:
Existing employees are not sure to get promotion. This discourages them to
work hard. This, in turn, boils down to decreasing productivity of the
organisation.

Now the question arises is: Where from can an organisation recruit
potential job seekers? Table 6.1 offers some guidance. The source that is
used should reflect the local labour market, the type or level of position,
and the size of the organisation.

MEANING OF SELECTION-Once the applicant has become a candidate, it means she has the
requisite skills to warrant an investment of resources necessary to schedule, prepare and conduct an interview.

These days interviews are one of the most important factors in the selection process because the recruiter and

hiring manager are looking at more than what can the candidate do for the company. They are looking for soft

skills the candidate may have in terms of building teams, working in collaboration with other professionals, and

what the candidate can bring to the company that no other candidate can.

Definition: The Selection is the process of choosing the most suitable candidate for
the vacant position in the organization. In other words, selection means weeding out
unsuitable applicants and selecting those individuals with prerequisite qualifications and
capabilities to fill the jobs in the organization.

FACTOR AFFECTING SELRCTION

Relevant Experience

Relevant work experience is likely the most important factor that influences the HR selection method. The relevant work

experience required by an employer depends largely on the available job position and the level of skills required to carry

out the duties of the position. HR personnel initially look at job candidates' relevant work experience by reviewing their

resumes. Applicants without relevant work experience are typically eliminated from the job-selection process. Employers

desire to hire candidates with relevant experience because it saves the company time and money in training an employee.
Employers also seek to reduce employee turnover by hiring qualified applicants.
Education-Educational achievements also play a role in a company’s hiring decisions. Some job positions
require certain industry knowledge that is often obtained through the completion of a degree program. For
example, a company desiring to hire a registered nurse will most likely require that candidates possess a
nursing degree for employment consideration by the HR department. Educational achievement not only acts as
a factor in making hiring decisions, but for some employers, the mode of education is also a factor. Some
companies prefer to hire candidates who graduated from certain top-ranking institutions, or a company may
prefer not to hire candidates who earned degrees through online-degree programs.

Relocation

One of the factors that influence the selection process for the human resource department is the geographical location of

the job candidate. Most employees prefer to hire employees living in the local area. Employers prefer to hire local

candidates because it hastens the hiring process and saves the employer money on the interviewing process and on

relocation fees. Although most employers look to hire local candidates to save time and money, some employers choose to

make the application process open to individuals living in other states. If local candidates fail to meet the employer’s

qualifications for the job, HR typically seeks regional candidates next before widening the search to national and global

candidates.

Salary Requirements

The salary requirements of a job candidate influence the HR employment-selection process. Employers typically set a

maximum salary for an open job position. Candidates who require a salary greater than what the employer offers are

typically eliminated from the selection process. Some companies choose to negotiate the salary with attractive candidates

because they desire to retain their talents and skills. HR managers also consider the present salary of a job candidate. If the

candidate’s current or previous salary is not competitive enough, an employer may not consider the candidate for the job.

SELECTION POLICES