Recruitment and Selection Process in Human Resource Management.

Human Resource activities are considered the most important activities that impact an organization’s success. HR activities are important as they shape the overall effectiveness and productivity of a company.

One of the primary functions of the Human Resources department is to recruit and select appropriate individuals for the Organization, which involves a thorough understanding of the company’s culture, values, and needs. HR activities also include onboarding, training, and development of employees, managing employee relations, and providing support to employees’ personal and professional growth.

In a nutshell, the HR department is like a strategic partner for the organization as it manages its most valuable asset — its people!

What is the Recruitment Process?

Recruitment in Human Resources is the process of identifying, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding staff to an organization. It sources the candidates with the abilities and attitude, which are required for achieving the objectives of an organization.

There are different definitions of recruitment by leading experts.

Let’s dive into it!

Dale Yoder, an author popularly known for his book, ‘Personnel Management and Industrial Relations’ defined recruitment as:

Recruitment is the process to discover the source of manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing schedule and to employ effective measures for attracting that manpower in an adequate number to facilitate effective selection of an efficient working force.”

Edwin Flippo, an author popularly known for his book, ‘Principles of Personnel Management’ defined recruitment as:

It is the process of searching prospective employees and stimulating for prospective employees, to stimulate them and encourage them to apply for a job in an organization. It is the activity that links employers and job seekers.

The recruitment process aims to identify people with excellent qualifications. It also helps to prevent hiring the wrong people, who may distraught the organization’s goals.

There must be a definite and well-defined process for the recruitment of employees in the enterprise. The process of recruitment is the series of steps through which the employees are finally selected for the enterprise.

Without further ado, let’s jump into the recruitment process.

1. Creation of Application Forms: The first step is to put together a clear and detailed job description for the role. This is the first point of contact with the candidates. I
2. Sourcing Candidates: Next is to publish your Job description. These applications may be invited through advertising the vacancies in newspapers, magazines, Employment exchanges, Schools and Colleges, Training Centers, Labour Unions, and other Educational Institutions, etc. The use of social media platforms like LinkedIn is a great way to source for clients.
3. Analysis of Application Forms: A date is issued at the end of the application form to put an end to submitting the application forms. The forms are analyzed and the applications that are incomplete or that do not meet the requirements of the post are set aside and the applicants of remaining applications are further invited for different tests and interviews etc.
4. Screen Resume: The next step is screening the candidates so the unqualified ones can be eliminated. Reviewing candidates’ detailed information, work history, educational qualifications, and recommendations from former employers or managers is important to understand their past performance and potential for the organization.
5. Interviews: The candidates selected are invited for an interview. The main object of the interview is to find out whether an individual candidate is suitable for a particular job or not. Face-to-face interview is the most important step of the selection procedure. It helps in judging the personality, ability, capability, and temperament of the candidates. It also provides an opportunity to check the information given by the candidates in their application forms.
6. Employment Test: One important step is to conduct an employment test to determine whether they have the necessary skills. There are different types of employment tests available, depending on the nature of the work.

• Intelligence Tests: Intelligence tests are meant to measure the mental ability of an individual in terms of his memory, vocabulary, reasoning, etc. These tests measure the power of understanding the candidates and usually involve solving problems within a time limit.
• Personality tests: These are designed to test personality tests aim at testing the nature, habit, emotion, maturity, temperament of the candidates, candidate soft skills and determine how they will behave in certain situations.
• Knowledge tests: These present candidates with specific situations or questions that assess their expertise, training, and experience.
• Technical skills assessments: These provide an objective assessment of candidates’ technical skills, making it easy to compare one candidate to another.

7. Hire your Ideal Candidates: The final stage is to review the candidates based on the results of their interviews and any tests or assessments they have completed.

8. Issue of Appointment Letters: Once you have identified the ideal candidates, the next step is to issue them appointment letters, which contain all the necessary information regarding their position, probation period, salary scale, and terms of appointment. The appointment letters should also specify the date by which the candidates should join the firm.

9. Arrangement of Training: Necessary arrangements are made for providing training to the selected candidates, if necessary. The nature and duration of the training will depend on the nature of the job. Training is important as it can increase the efficiency and morale of the selected candidates.

10. Allotment of Work: Once the employees have been trained, the work should be allotted to them. The allotment of work must be done keeping in mind the candidates’ capacity, ability, experience, and preferences. The most important factor to consider while allotting work is to ensure that the right person is given the right job.

11. Follow-Up: After the employees have been allotted work, it is important to follow up with them. Under this process, the supervisor should check whether the employees are performing their work according to the instructions given to them or not. If not, necessary instructions and directions should be given to them.

What is the Selection Process?

Looking for the best candidates to fill open positions in an organization is a crucial process. This is when the selection process comes in.

The selection process can be defined as the process of selection and shortlisting of the right candidates with the necessary qualifications to fill the vacancies in an organization.

To make sure they get the best fit for the job, employers use different tools and techniques to screen and evaluate candidates. Qualified applicants go on to the next step, while the unqualified ones are eliminated.

Thus, an effective selection program is a nonrandom process because those selected have been chosen based on the assumption that they are more likely to be better employees than those who have been rejected.

There is no one-size-fits-all recruitment and selection process that applies to all enterprises. However, there are some common steps that most employers follow:

1. Preliminary Screening: The initial step involves screening applications and resumes to shortlist candidates who meet the minimum qualifications for the job. This step is for eliminating those who do not qualify for several reasons.
2. Application Blank: The application blank is then filled out by the candidates to capture their personal information, education, work experience, and other relevant details.
3. Written Tests: Next, written tests. Candidates may be asked to take written tests to assess their knowledge, aptitude, and skills related to the job requirements.
4. Interviewing: This step involves conducting interviews to evaluate candidates’ suitability for the job. Interviews can be conducted in various formats, such as structured interviews, unstructured interviews, panel interviews, or behavioral interviews.
5. Reference Checks: Employers typically contact references provided by candidates to gather insights into their work history, performance, and character.
6. Medical Examination: Candidates may be required to undergo a medical examination to ensure they are physically fit for the job.
7. Final Selection: Based on the overall assessment of candidates’ qualifications, test scores, interview performance, reference checks, and medical examination results, the final selection is made.

The success of any company depends on its employees. If the employee is ideal for a job, the entire organization will enjoy the benefits of its unbeatable success. Recruitment and selection help in selecting the right candidate for the right position. It most importantly helps reduce an organization’s losses.