What is Recruitment?

What is Recruitment

Recruitment is a core function of human resource management. Recruitment is a process of identifying, screening, short listing and hiring potential resource for filling up the vacant positions in an organization.

Recruitment is the process of choosing the right person at the right time for the right position. Recruitment refers to meet the organization’s resource requirements through selecting and appointing potential candidates.

Recruitment Process

Recruitment process is the first step in creating a powerful resource base. The process starts from sourcing the resources and conducting interviews and finally selecting the right candidates.

1.  Recruitment planning – The first step in the recruitment process is recruitment planning. In this process the vacant positions are analyzed and described. It includes job specifications and its nature, experience, qualifications and skills required for the job, etc. the recruitment plan includes the following –

Identifying vacancy – This process involves HR department receiving the requisition for recruitment from different department of the organization, which contains

• Number of posts to be filled
• Number of positions
• Duties and responsibilities to be performed
• Qualification and experience required

Before commencing recruitment, these parameters should be evaluated which leads to hiring of the right resource for the team and the organization

Job analysis – Job analysis is a process of identifying, analyzing, and determining the duties, responsibilities, skills, abilities, and work environment of a specific job. Job analysis involves job descriptions and job specifications.

Job description – Job description provides information about the scope of job roles, responsibilities and the positioning of the job in the organization. Job description provide information on the following element –

• Job Title / Job Identification / Organization Position
• Job Location
• Summary of Job
• Job Duties
• Machines, Materials and Equipment
• Process of Supervision
• Working Conditions
• Health Hazards

Job specification – Job specification focuses on the specifications of the candidate, whom the HR team is going to hire.

Job specification includes the following element

• Qualification
• Experiences
• Training and development
• Skills requirements
• Work responsibilities
• Emotional characteristics
• Planning of career

Job evaluation – This is the analysis done to determine the value or worth of a job in relation to the other jobs in an organization.

2.  Recruitment strategy – In this step strategy is prepared for hiring the resources. After completing job specification and description, the next step is to decide the strategy for recruiting the potential candidates for the organization. The steps involved  in developing a recruitment strategy include:

• Setting up a board team
• Analyzing HR strategy
• Collection of available data
• Analyzing the collected data
• Setting the recruitment strategy

3. Searching the right candidates – After deciding the strategy, the next step is to search the resources depending upon the requirement of the job. The resources are sourced internally and externally.

Internal sources includes hiring employees within the organization through

•  Promotions
•  Transfers
•  Former Employees
•  Internal Advertisements (Job Posting)
•  Employee Referrals
•  Previous Applicants

External sources refers to hiring employees outside the organization through

• Direct Recruitment
• Employment Exchanges
• Employment Agencies
• Advertisements
• Professional Associations
• Campus Recruitment
• Word of Mouth

4.  Screening / short listing – After completion of sourcing of candidates, screening starts. Screening is the process of filtering the applications of the candidates for further selection process. The screening process of recruitment consists of three steps:
   1. Reviewing of Resumes and Cover Letters – In this process resume of candidates are checked and reviewed with the requirement of the job
   2. Conducting Telephonic or Video Interview – After the resumes are selected as per the job requirements, the candidates are contacted through phone or video by the hiring manager.
   3. Identifying the top candidates – In this process the hiring manager shortlist the top resumes to take a decision.

5. Evaluation and control – The last stage in the process of recruitment is evaluation and control. Recruitment is a costly process. Thus the performance of the recruitment process is thoroughly evaluated.

 These include the following:

• Salaries to the Recruiters
• Advertisements cost and other costs incurred in recruitment methods, i.e., agency fees.
• Administrative expenses and Recruitment overheads
• Overtime and Outstanding costs, while the vacancies remain unfilled
• Cost incurred in recruiting suitable candidates for the final selection process
• Time spent by the Management and the Professionals in preparing job description, job specifications, and conducting interviews.