RECRUITMENT

Recruitment is the process of actively seeking out, finding and hiring

candidates for a specific position or job. The recruitment definition includes
the entire hiring process, from inception to the individual recruit’s integration
into the company.

Recruitment process

A recruitment process involves activities like identifying different sources of

labour supply from which applications of prospective employees may be
obtained; evaluating the validity of different sources; choosing the most
suitable source; and attracting and motivating prospective candidates to
apply for the vacant jobs.
Every organization follows its own recruitment process, but there are some
basic steps that are followed by most the organization, which are listed
here:

Step 1: Preparing
Once the job opening is approved internally, the recruiter contacts the hiring
manager. This step is about gathering details about the open position.
During the discussion, the recruiter has to gather information, like the
required skills, roles, responsibilities, etc., and use this information to write a
clear and inclusive Job description. Based on the job description, they can
write the job posting.
Step 2: Sourcing
Once the job description is ready, the next step is to start the sourcing. It
refers to identifying and contacting qualified candidates rather than waiting
for the candidate to apply for the position. The primary goal is to pull
qualified candidates. A recruiter uses a variety of job portals to pull the
resumes, but it is not essential that for every position, sourcing is required.
In some cases, if there are a large number of applications, there may not be
any need to source more candidates.

Step 3: Screening
The Screening of a candidate can take place in many ways. Generally, the
first step is Resume screening. If the resume meets the criteria required for
the job opening, then the next step is the phone screening, in which, the
recruiter can cover topics, like the candidate’s availability, current role, and
responsibilities, current salary, salary expectations, Notice period, etc., and if
he seems to be the right candidate, an organization can process further with
his profile.
Step 4: Selecting
This process is about sending the assignments, psychometric tests and
scheduling interviews, participating in the interview process, and also
keeping the hiring manager in the loop for the whole process. It is about
maintaining a good relationship with the candidate and keeping the
candidate updated about the interview feedback.

Step 5: Hiring
This step includes the final discussion with the candidate about salary,
joining date, etc. Once the joining date is confirmed, the offer letter is
released. In some cases, this step also includes background checks.
Step 6: Onboarding
Once the candidate has accepted the offer letter, the process is not over yet.
This is where the pre-boarding period starts. This is the time between the
joining date and when the offer letter was accepted. And it’s very important
to be in touch with your candidate during this period to keep them engaged.
If not done so, it can result in them joining another company. It also includes
sharing the new hire’s email and other details with the team. Once the
candidate starts the first day, it’s time to begin the onboarding process.
Recruitment methods

1. Direct advertising
Placing job adverts on your careers site, job boards, social media and industry
publications is an excellent way to find lots of applicants. It also gives
exposure to your employer branding and boosts your company’s reputation.
The downside is that external advertising can be very expensive.

Also, if you don’t target the placement of your ads well, you could attract
unsuitable applicants, or get too few applications.

2. Talent pool databases

You should always search your talent pool databases for applicants and
candidates that were not hired but were suitable enough to save. Most hiring
decisions involve deciding between at least two or three candidates.

When a new vacancy comes up, search your talent pool for similar skills and
experience. You could save yourself a lot of time.

3. Employee referrals
Most companies have some kind of employee referral program in place.
Employee referrals is a combination of internal and external recruitment.
Existing staff are encouraged to refer people they know for vacancies.

The value is that it’s cost-effective, quick and you can trust that employees
won’t refer unsuitable candidates. Also, the new hire will already know more
about your organization than an outside hire.

4. Boomerang employees
Rehiring past employees is gaining popularity. Known as boomerang
employees, these are people who worked well at a company but then left on
good terms for a myriad of reasons.

Employers are seeing the value of rehiring them because they know their
abilities and the employee knows and fits into the company culture. Bringing
a boomerang employee back on board reduces time to hire, eliminates the
risk of a bad hire and reduces cost per hire.
5. Promotions and transfers
Promotions and transfers aren’t quite the same thing, but the concept is the
same. Internal employees are identified to fill open roles. A promotion means
that the person moves up the ladder and is given more responsibilities and
also a pay increase. A transfer usually doesn’t involve greater responsibilities
or more money and is a horizontal move.

Staff can be transferred to the same role in another branch or region, or they
can take on a similar position in a different department or division.

6. Employment exchanges
Although not available in all countries, employment exchanges are
mandatory in others. An employment exchange is a government-run initiative
that keeps record of unemployed job seekers.

Employers submit new vacancies to the exchange and are given the details of
suitable candidates. Using an exchange is cost-effective but mostly suited to
more junior, factory, agricultural and artisan roles.

7. Recruitment agencies
You can outsource your hiring process to a recruitment agency. Agencies
manage full cycle recruiting on your behalf. Although the cost of using an
agency is high, it frees up your time to focus on more pressing matters.
Recruitment agencies are a great option for hard-to-fill positions and for
companies that don’t have the internal HR resources to focus on hiring.

You can also contract an external recruiter to make contact with specific
people that you would like to attract to your company. You might know of
a passive candidate who’ll be a perfect fit for your role, but they work for
your opposition. So you don’t want to make direct contact. An executive
search recruiter, or headhunter, would be the perfect choice.

8. Professional organizations
When you need to fill a highly skilled position, professional organizations can
be an excellent source of candidates. Many professions require that on
qualification, people register with the appropriate professional association.
There are also other organizations where registration is voluntary, but it adds
to the credibility of a candidate’s qualifications. Partnering with these
associations and organizations can put you in touch with top talent.

9. Internships and apprenticeships

Offering internships and apprenticeships is an excellent way to get to know
the strengths of individuals and can be considered to be a working interview.
During the contact period, line and hiring managers can evaluate the
potential to identify interns and apprentices who can be upskilled and
developed to fill future roles.

Future leaders have to start somewhere, and they will all be hired in an
entry-level position to begin with. Well managed internship and
apprenticeship programs are fertile ground for recognizing future talent and
leaders.

10. Recruitment events

For big organizations, or companies planning expansion, recruitment
events are perfect for attracting the type of people you need. Events can
range from hosting open days to being at job fairs, holding
a hackathon and graduate recruitment drives on campus. Events can be
costly.

To ensure that you get the best ROI, you must know precisely what type of
candidate you want to attract and what your employer value proposition is.

11. Word of mouth

Big brands and multinationals can easily use word of mouth methods of
recruitment because unsolicited job seekers approach them daily. Their
employer brand is established, and they’re recognized as an employer of
choice. All they need to do is put the word out that they’re hiring and they
will get a good response.

This method can also work, though in outlying areas where single companies
employ a substantial percentage of the local population. An example would
be mining companies and sawmills. And in small towns high-street
businesses can also attract applicants by spreading the word through the
local grapevine.
12. Bulletin boards
There are still jobs that can be advertised on bulletin boards. Factory and
agricultural jobs are typical examples. Unemployed people often wait at
factory gates for day or contact jobs to be announced. In agriculture, seasonal
workers gather at local markets or co-ops to see job lists put up by local
farms.

Selection

Selection is the process of choosing from the candidates, from within the
organization or from outside, the most suitable person for the current or
future positions.

Dale Yoder said, “Selection is the process by which candidates for

employment are divided into classes those who will be offered employment
and those who will not.”

The selection process involves making a judgment – not about the

applicant but about the fit between the applicant and the job by
considering knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics required
to perform the job selection procedures are not carried out through
standard patterns and steps in this.

8 Steps in Selection Process

1. Initial Screening

The selection process often begins with an initial screening of applicants to

remove individuals who do not meet the position requirements.

At this stage, a few straightforward questions are asked. An applicant may

be unqualified to fill the advertised position but be well qualified to work in
other open positions.
The Purpose of Screening is to decrease the number of applicants being
considered for selection.

Sources utilized in the screening effort.

A personal Resume presented with the job application is considered a source

of information that can be used for the initial screening process. It mainly
includes information in the following areas:

• Employment & education history.

• Evaluation of character.
• Evaluation of job performance.
2. Completion of the Application Form

Application Blank is a formal record of an individual’s application for

employment. The next step in the selection process may involve having the
prospective employee complete an employment application.

This may be as brief as requiring only an applicant’s name, address, and

telephone number.

The application form gives a job-performance-related synopsis of applicants’

life, skills, and accomplishments.

The specific type of information may vary from firm to firm and even by job
type within an organization.

Application forms are a good way to quickly collect verifiable and fairly
accurate historical data from the candidate.
3. Employment Tests

Personnel testing is a valuable way to measure individual characteristics.

Hundreds of tests have been developed to measure various dimensions of
behavior.

The tests measure mental abilities, knowledge, physical abilities, personality,

interest, temperament, and other attitudes and behaviors.

Evidence suggests that tests are becoming more prevalent for assessing an
applicant’s qualifications and potential for success.

Tests are used more in the public sector than in the private sector and in
medium-sized and large companies than in small companies.

Large organizations are likely to have trained specialists to run their testing
programs.

4. Job Interview

An interview is a goal-oriented conversation in which the interviewer and

applicant exchange information.

The employment interview is especially significant because the applicants

who reach this stage are considered the most promising candidates.

Interview Planning

Interview planning is essential to effective employment interviews.

The physical location of the interview should be both pleasant and private,
providing for a minimum of interruptions. The interviewer should possess a
pleasant personality, empathy, and the ability to listen and communicate
effectively.
He or she should become familiar with the applicant’s qualifications by
reviewing the data collected from other selection tools.

In preparing for the interview, a job profile should be developed based on the
job description.

5. Conditional Job Offer

A conditional job offer means a tentative job offer that becomes permanent
after certain conditions are met.

A conditional job offer is usually made if a job applicant has passed each step
of the selection process.

In essence, the conditional job offer implies that if everything checks out –
such as passing a certain medical, physical, or substance abuse test – the
conditional nature of the job offer will be removed, and the offer will be
permanent.

6. Background Investigation

Background Investigation is intended to verify that information on the

application form is correct and accurate.

This step is used to check the accuracy of the application form through
former employers and references. Verification of education and legal status
to work, credit history, and criminal record are also made.

Personal reference checks may provide additional insight into the information
furnished by the applicant and allow verification of its accuracy.
Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. It is important to gain
as much information as possible about past behavior to understand what
behavior one can expect in the future.

Knowledge about attendance problems, insubordination issues, theft, or

other behavioral problems can help one avoid hiring someone likely to repeat
those behaviors.

Background investigations primarily seek data from references supplied by

the applicant, including his or her previous employers.

The intensity of background investigations depends on the level of

responsibility inherent in the position to be filled.

7. Medical/Physical Examination

After the decision to extend a job offer, the next phase of the selection
process involves completing a medical/physical examination.

This examination determines an applicant’s physical fitness for essential job

performance.

Typically, a job offer is contingent on successfully passing this examination.

8. Permanent Job Offer

Individuals who perform successfully in the preceding steps are eligible to

receive the employment offer. The hiring decision should be made by the
manager in the department where the vacancy exists.

Selection test & importance

It is the process of measuring an employee’s behavior, performance and
attitude.

Type of tests:
• Intelligence test - This test is use to check the candidate’s mental ability
and judgment skills.
• Aptitude test - To check one’s mathematical and clerical skills.
• Personality test - To check the basic aspect of applicants like his
motivation, emotional balance, self confidence, interpersonal behavior etc.
• Simulation test - To check applicant’s response towards the activity and
problem which he may face while at work.
• Assessment center - To check the work sample, related to type of his duty.

Interview

Interviews may be defined as face to face communication method for

knowing some information about the potential job candidates. It is a process
of collecting some information whether the candidates like the job or not.
Under these processes, job seekers invited to appear at the interview board
with their relevant academic and other qualification records. Interview is
generally taken by one member committee several managers at different
places, and several persons sitting in a board.

Job Promotion

Promotion is vertical movement of an employee within the organisation. In

other words, promotion refers to the upward movement of an employee from
one job to another higher one, with increase in salary, status and
responsibilities. Promotion may be temporary or permanent, depending upon
the needs of the organisation.
There can be ‘dry promotion’ also where an employee is assigned to a higher
level job without increase in pay. An example of ‘dry promotion’ is a
University Professor made Head of the Department with no increase in
salary.

Types of Promotion:
Promotion given to employees in an organisation can be classified into
three types:
1. Horizontal promotion:
When an employee is shifted in the same category, it is called ‘horizontal
promotion’. A junior clerk promoted to senior clerk is such an example. It is
important to note that such promotion may take place when an employee
shifts within the same department, from one department to other or from one
plant to another plant.

2. Vertical Promotion:
This is the kind of promotion when an employee is promoted from a lower
category to lower category involving increase in salary, status, authority and
responsibility. Generally, promotion means ‘vertical promotion’.

3. Dry Promotion:
ADVERTISEMENTS:

When promotion is made without increase in salary, it is called ‘dry

promotion’. For example, a lower level manager is promoted to senior level
manager without increase in salary or pay. Such promotion is made either
there is resource/fund crunch in the organisation or some employees hanker
more for status or authority than money.

Demotion
A demotion is a permanent reassignment to a lower position than the
employee previously held. The position will typically have less responsibility
or required skill, as well as a lower pay grade than the previous position.
Demotions can be voluntary or involuntary, and they can occur as a result of
poor employee performance, position elimination, disciplinary actions, or
organisational restructuring. A demotion in hrm allows a company to keep a
valuable employee by returning him or her to his or her previous position.

Reasons to demote an employee

Employees can be demoted for a variety of reasons, including:

• The employee delivered a subpar performance.

• The employee lacks the necessary skills for their current position.
• You’re getting rid of the employee's job.
• You are disciplining the employee for his or her misbehaviour.

An employee may also voluntarily request a demotion. Here are some

reasons why an employee might request a demotion:

• The employee wishes to have fewer responsibilities.

• The employee is resigning from your company.
• The employee wishes to change jobs.
• The employee wishes to rebalance their work-life balance.
• The employee wishes to work remotely or from a different business
location, but his or her current position does not allow for this.

Types of Demotion
There are basically two kinds of demotion.

Voluntary
An individual may wilfully choose a lower-paying job with fewer
responsibilities for personal reasons. In this case, the authorities must be
satisfied with the reasons and must have suitable opportunities. Subject to
that, the employee can be offered a demotion without objections.
Involuntary
This is the most common form of demotion. An employed individual would
prefer a straight graph of career growth. So, any demotion is a setback
against this expectation. When an employee is demoted because of their
inefficiency or unsuitable work ethics, it is usually involuntary. This form of
demotion, if not done with dignity, can be psychologically humiliating for an
individual.