slection and recruitment

8/6/2019 Slection and Recruitment

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A SUMMER TRAINING REPORT

IN

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION FUNCTION IN HAYS GROUP

UBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENT

OF BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (B.B.A.)

BBA III (M/E)

BATCH -2009-2012

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Name of Guide Name

Designation

JAGANNATH INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT SCHOOL


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STUDENTS UNDERTAKING

I have been undertaking that this is my original work and have never been submitted

elsewhere

Project Guides:

(By Student Name)

Faculty


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to take an opportunity to thank all the people who helped me in collecting

necessary information and making of the report. I am grateful to all of them for their

time, energy and wisdom.

Getting a project ready requires the work and effort of many people. I would like all

those who have contributed in completing this project. First of all, I would like to send

my sincere thanks to MR. ______________ for his helpful hand in the completion of

my project.

NAME:

DATE:


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TENTATIVE FORMAT OF PROJECT REPORT

Copy of Cover Page

Student Undertaking / Declaration

JIMS certifying letter by Director/ Joint Director

Summer Training Certificate

Preface

Acknowledgement

List of Tables / Exhibits / Figures (if desired)

CONTENTS Page Number

Chapter 1 - Introduction (1-20)

1.1. Overview of Industry as a whole - # -

Chapter 1 Company Profile

2.1 Profile of the Organization - # -

2.2 Problems of the Organization - # -

2.3 Competition Information - # -

2. 4 S.W.O.T Analysis of the Organization - # -

Chapter 3 Conceptual Discussion -#-

Chapter 4 Research Methodology

4.1. Title Justification - # -

4.2 Objective -#-

4.3. Significance - # -


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4.4. Managerial Usefulness of the study - # -

4.5 Methodology - # -

4.6 Limitation of the Study - # -

Chapter 5 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION -#-

Chapter 6 FACTS AND FINDING -#-

Chapter 7 RECOMMENDATION -#-

ANNEXURE

QUESTIONNAIRE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

PREFACE


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Recruitment and selection is a multifaceted concept. The relevance of recruitment and

selection is to determine the number of personnel required. The HR proceeds with the

identification of sources of recruitment and finding suitable candidates for employment. Both

internal and external sources of manpower are used depending upon the types of personnel

needed.

In the present business environment, organizations are faced with the pressure to produce

maximum with less recruitment. An employee, on whom an organizations profitability

depends, comprises the largest fixed cost that an organization incurs. In the past, individual

used to work with one or two organization during their entire working life (average between

20-30 years). Organization too used to believe in lifetime employment concept. However,

such concepts are being eroded as a result of the unpredictable business environment. Hence,

organizations have to evolve methods not only to only improve productivity but to also keep

the cost down.


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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION


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OVERVIEW OF INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE

Recruitment and selection is the process of identifying the need for a job, defining the

requirements of the position and the job holder, advertising the position and choosing the

most appropriate person for the job. Retention means ensuring that once the best person has

been recruited, they stay with the business and are not poached by rival companies.

Undertaking this process is one of the main objectives of management. Indeed, the success of

any business depends to a large extent on the quality of its staff. Recruiting employees with

the correct skills can add value to a business and recruiting workers at a wage or salary that

the business can afford, will reduce costs. Employees should therefore be carefully selected,

managed and retained, just like any other resource

The recruitment process

A vacancy presents an opportunity to consider restructuring, or to reassess the requirements of

the job. This assessment is valid whether it is to fill an existing job or a new one. Ask

questions such as:

has the function changed?

have work patterns, new technology or new products altered the job?

are there any changes anticipated which will require different, more flexible skills from the

jobholder?

Answers to these questions should help to clarify the actual requirements of the job and how it

fits into the rest of the organization or department. Exit interviews, or consultation with the

current job-holder and colleagues may well produce good ideas about useful changes.

Writing a good job description or job specification helps in the process of analyzing the needs

of the job.


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Job description/job specification

This should detail the purpose, tasks and responsibilities of the job. A good job description

should include:

main purpose of the job - try to describe this in one sentence

main tasks of the job - use active verbs, like 'writing', 'repairing', 'machining', 'calculating',

instead of vaguer terms like 'dealing with', 'in charge of'

scope of the job - expanding on the main tasks and the importance of the job. Job

importance can be indicated by giving information such as the number of people to be

supervised, the degree of precision required and the value of any materials and equipment

used.

A good job description is useful for all jobs. It can help with induction and training. It

provides the basis for drawing up a person specification - a profile of the skills and aptitudes

considered essential and desirable in the job-holder. It enables prospective applicants to assess

themselves for the job and provides a benchmark for judging achievements.

Person specification

Drawing up the person specification allows the organization to profile the ideal person to fill

the job. It is very important that the skills, aptitudes and knowledge included in the

specification are related precisely to the needs of the job; if they are inflated beyond those

necessary for effective job performance, the risk is that someone will be employed on the

basis of false hopes and aspirations, and both the employer and employee will end up

disappointed in each other

Another good reason not to set unnecessary requirements is to avoid any possibility of

discrimination against particular groups of potential applicants. The very process of writing a


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job and person specification should help the employer to develop and implement a policy of

equal opportunity in the recruitment and selection of employees.

Factors to consider when drawing up the specification include:

Skills, knowledge, aptitudes directly related to the job

The length and type of experience necessary

The competencies necessary

Education and training but only so far as is necessary for satisfactory job performance,

unless the person is being recruited on the basis of future potential (e.g. graduate trainees),

when a higher level of education may be specified

Any criteria relating to personal qualities or circumstances which must be essential and

directly related to the job, and must be applied equally to all groups irrespective of age, sex,

race, nationality, creed, disability, membership or non-membership of a trade union. To do

otherwise is potentially discriminatory .

For instance, a clause requiring the successful candidate to move their place of work should

be included only when absolutely necessary, as it is likely to discourage applicants with

family care commitments. Whilst age discrimination is not presently unlawful, to impose age

barriers will reduce the number of high quality applicants attracted by the vacancy. Since

December 2003 it has been unlawful to discriminate against people at work in respect of

religion or belief or sexual orientation. The Government plans to introduce similar protection

in respect of age by 2006.

The person specification helps the selection and subsequent interview to operate in a

systematic way, as bias-free as possible. The use of competency-based approaches can help

by focusing on the 'match' between candidate and role, but they are best used where they are

an integral part of the continuing assessment and development of staff.

Pay


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After setting the job and the person specifications, consideration should be given to pay rates.

Factors such as scales, grades and negotiated agreements, as well as market rates and skills

shortages, may affect the wage or salary, and organizations should be aware of the

requirements of equal pay and discrimination legislation. Unless there is a formal system for

increments or length of service, paying the new employee a different rate from that paid to the

preceding post holder may contravene the relevant legislation. Employers must also comply

with the provisions of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.

Attracting applicants

The search for suitable candidates now begins. The process of marketing needs to be

undertaken carefully so as to ensure the best response at the least cost. The object is to get a

good selection of good quality candidates. Possible methods to consider are:

Internal Recruitment - This method can have the advantage of building on existing staff's

skills and training, and provides opportunities for development and promotion. It is a good

way to retain valuable employees whose skills can be further enhanced. Other advantages

include the opportunity for staff to extend their competencies and skills to the benefit of both

the organization and the individual, and the enhancement of individual motivation. Use of a

consistent, clear, procedure, agreed jointly between employer and employees, has many

advantages and avoids suspicion of favoritism

Jobcentres of the Department for Work and Pensions - will display employers' vacancies

and refer potential recruits. They also administer some of the Government training programs.

The Disability Service Team staff at Jobcentres can help address the specific requirements of

attracting disabled people

Learning and Skills Council - may well have trained workers available through their

recruitment service, and can tailor training to an employer's requirements


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Commercial Recruitment Agencies - often specialize in particular types of work, eg

secretarial, office work, industrial, computing, and may already have potential applicants

registered with them

Executive Search Organizations - usually working in the higher management/specialist

fields, will seek out suitable candidates working in other companies by direct approach, or via

specialist advertising

National Newspapers - advertising in the national press is expensive, but likely to produce

a good response for particular, specialist vacancies. Remember too there are national ethnic

group newspapers which will reach a wide audience

Specialist and Professional Journals - less expensive than the national press, these

journals can guarantee to reach the precise group of potential applicants for specialist and

professional vacancies

Internet - is beginning to emerge as a recruitment medium. It is mainly used for graduate-

level and technical jobs because it tends to target a self-selected group who are computer

literate and have access to the web at their place of study or work. Its use is likely to grow

Local Newspapers, Radio - for less specialized jobs, or to target groups in a particular local

area, advertisements in the local media may produce a good response

Local Schools, Colleges and the Careers Service - maintaining contact with schools,

colleges and careers advisers will ensure that the organizations needs for school/college

leavers with particular skills and abilities are known. It can be particularly useful to offer

students the opportunity to spend some time at the company, on work experience, or

'shadowing'

Word of Mouth - introduction via existing employees or through an employers' network.

Whilst this may be economical, it is likely to lead to a much smaller pool of suitable


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applicants and does not normally satisfy equal opportunities requirements because any

imbalance in the workforce may be perpetuated.

Once the recruitment channel or channels are decided, the next step is to consider:

The design and content of any advertisement used

How applicants are to respond - by application form, fax, telephone, in person at the

organization or agency, by letter, by email on the internet or by tape

who is to be responsible for sifting the applications? What is the selection process going to

be?

If interviews are to be held, when will they be and will everyone who needs to be involved

be available?

Are selection tests to be used? Is there the expertise to administer them and ensure they are

non-discriminatory and appropriate?

Are references/medicals to be requested?

Are arrangements in hand to give prompt acknowledgement of applications received?

The advertisement

Any advertisement needs to be designed and presented effectively to ensure the right

candidates are attracted. Look through national, local or professional papers and see what

advertisements catch the eye. The newspaper office will often advise on suitable formats.

Advertisements must be tailored to the level of the target audience, and should always be

clear and easily understood. They must be non-discriminatory, and should avoid any gender

or culturally specific language. To support this, the organization should include in the advert

its statement of commitment to equal opportunities, which will underline the organization as

one that will welcome applications from all sections of the community.


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Consider the following factors in the advertisement:

If the organization is well known, does it have a logo that could feature prominently in the

advertisement? Make the advertisement consistent with the company image

should the job title be the most prominent feature?

Keep the text short and simple while giving the main aspects of the job, pay, career

prospects, location, contract length

Mention specific details - such as pay, qualifications and experience required - be given in a

way which will reduce the number of unsuitable applications?

Is it possible to avoid generalizations such as 'attractive salary', or 'appropriate

qualifications' which may discourage valid applications?

Is the form of reply and the closing date for applications clear? Is there a contact name and

phone number for further information and enquiries?

All advertisements should carry the same information, whether for internal or external use.

Application forms

Application forms can help the recruitment process by providing necessary and relevant

information about the applicant and their skills. The design of the form needs to be realistic

and straightforward, appropriate to the level of the job. Using application forms has the

following advantages:

Comparing like with like is easier. CVs can be time-consuming and may not provide the

information required

They provide the basis for an initial sift, and then for the interview

The standard of completion can be a guide to the candidate's suitability, if writing and

presentation skills are essential to the job; however, be aware of the possibility of disability

discrimination

They provide a record of qualifications, abilities and experience as stated by the applicant.


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Care also needs to be taken over some less positive aspects of application forms:

There is a temptation to use application forms to try to extract too much information, e.g.

motives, values and personality characteristics. The form should concentrate on the

experience, knowledge and competencies needed for the job

some people may dislike filling in forms and so be put off applying for the job. Some very

experienced people may find the form inadequate, whilst those with little in the way of

qualifications or experience may be intimidated by large empty spaces on the form

Application forms add another stage, and therefore more time, to the recruitment process.

Some candidates may be lost if they can obtain work elsewhere more quickly

Application forms may inadvertently be discriminatory. For instance, to require a form to be

filled out 'in your own handwriting', where written English is not relevant to the job, may

discriminate against those for whom English is not their first language, or who may not have

well-developed literacy skills.

Any information such as title (marital status), ethnic origin or date of birth requested for

monitoring purposes (e.g. for compliance with the legal requirements and codes of practice on

race, sex, disability and age discrimination) should be clearly shown to be for this purpose

only, and should be on a separate sheet or tear-off section. Such information need only be

provided on a voluntary basis. Medical information should also be obtained separately and

kept separate from the application form.

All applications should be promptly acknowledged.

Selecting the best candidate

Whatever form the applications take, there may be a need to separate them before moving on

to the interview stage. Such a separation serves to match the applicants as closely as possible

to the job and person specification and to produce a shortlist of people to interview. To avoid

any possibility of bias, such saperation should be undertaken by two or more people, and it


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should involve the direct line manager/supervisor as well as personnel. The separating stage

can also help the organization by providing feedback on the advertising process and the

suitability of the application form. It can also identify people who might be useful elsewhere

in the organization. If references or medicals are to be taken up before the invitation to

interview stage, it should be made clear on the application form/information pack sent to the

applicant.

Some jobs require medicals to be given at the commencement of employment, and employers

may seek preliminary information on a separate medical questionnaire at the time of

recruitment. This applies mainly in driving work and industries where there is an exposure to

certain chemicals.

If your organization believes that pre-employment health screening is necessary, you must

make sure it is carried out in a non-discriminatory way: for instance, do not single out

disabled people for medical assessment. If a report from any individuals doctor is sought,

then permission must be given by the individual, and they have the right to see the report

The candidates who best match the specifications may then be invited for interview. The

invitation letter should tell candidates that they should advise the organization in advance if

any particular arrangements need to be made to accommodate them on arrival or during the

interview; for instance, ramp access or lighting levels. The invitation letter should also clearly

state whether the organization will pay the candidates reasonable travel expenses for the

interview.

Who makes the decision?

In some companies there will be a personnel or human resource specialist who will undertake

most of the separating and short listing. It is very important that the line manager/supervisor


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for the job also be involved, both at the job and person specification stage and at the interview

stage. The final selection will thus normally be a joint decision, except in those very small

companies where only a line manager/supervisor is available to do the recruitment of staff.

Gaining the commitment of the immediate manager/supervisor by involving them in the

selection process can be vital to ensuring that the new employee is settled successfully into

the organization. It may be useful both for the candidates to see the environment in which

they would be working, and, if they are to be part of a team, for the current team members to

meet the candidate.

Selection techniques

There is a variety of methods available to help in the selection process - including interviews,

tests (practical or psychometric), assessment centers, role plays and team exercises, to name a

few. Usually a range of methods will be used by the organization depending on the type of job

to be filled, the skills of the recruiter and the budget for recruitment.

Interviews

Most jobs are filled through interviews. The interview has two main purposes - to find out if

the candidate is suitable for the job, and to give the candidate information about the job and

the organization. Every candidate should be offered the same opportunities to give the best

presentation of themselves, to demonstrate their suitability and to ask questions of the

interviewer.

A structured interview designed to discover all relevant information and assess the

competencies of the applicant is an efficient method of focusing on the match between job

and candidate. It also means that there is a consistent form to the interviews, particularly

important if there are a number of candidates to be seen.


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Unstructured interviews are very poor for recruiting the right person. The structured interview

is most likely to be effective in obtaining specific information against a set of clearly defined

criteria. However, not every manager is skilled at interviewing, and may not be able to judge

efficiently the applicant's skills and competencies. Ideally all interviewers should receive

training, including the equal opportunities aspects of recruitment and the relevant legislation.

Interviews need not be formal. The length and style of the interview will relate to the job and

the organization. Some vacancies may call for a formal interview panel, some for a less

formal, one-to-one interview. The interviewer(s) should consider the job and the candidates

when deciding on the nature of the interview.

All interviews, whether formal or informal, need careful preparation if they are to be

successful. Each candidate should leave with a sense of being treated well and fairly and

having had the opportunity to give of their best.

Preparing the interview

The interviewer should prepare by:

Reading the application form, job and person specifications to identify areas which need

further exploration or clarification Planning the questions. In some interviews it is

appropriate to ask only one or two questions to encourage the candidate to talk at length on

certain subjects. In others it may be better to ask a series of short questions on several

different areas. If there is more than one interviewer, different people can cover different

topics, e.g. job knowledge, training, qualifications. Do not ask for personal information or

views irrelevant to the job. Do not ask potentially discriminatory questions such as 'Are you

planning to have children in the next few years?'

* being ready for the candidates' questions, and trying to anticipate what additional

nformation they may seek.

Conducting the interview


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Conduct the interview in an environment that will allow candidates to give of their best.

Arrange for there to be no interruptions, divert telephone calls, welcome the candidate(s), and

show them cloakroom facilities, etc.

If possible, let the candidate have a brief tour of the place of work. This is particularly useful

in the case of people new to the job market (school-leavers, returning men and women), who

may have little or no experience of what to expect in a workplace. It may also prove valuable

in offering an additional opportunity to assess the candidates interaction with possible

colleagues.

Consider whether any adjustments need to be made to accommodate an interviewee who has

indicated a disability on the application form - it is easy to overlook simple adjustments that

may be reasonable to make:

Candidates with hearing impairment may not only need to be able to clearly see the

interviewer as they are talking, but may need communication support if they are not to be

placed at a disadvantage

Is there an alternative to steps for access to the building? Can the interview take place

elsewhere, where access might be easier for someone with a physical disability?

It is common that both interviewer and candidate are nervous. Thorough preparation will help

both of you. Be careful not to fill silences by talking too much - the aim of the interview is to

draw information from the candidate to decide if they would suit the job. The candidate

should do most of the talking.

Nevertheless, the interviewer will want to encourage candidates to relax and give of their best

in what is, after all, a somewhat unnatural setting. It is important to keep the conversation

flowing, and the introductions and initial 'scene-setting' can help all parties settle to the

interview.

The following pointers may be helpful in conducting the interview:


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Introduce yourself (and other interviewers if present); this also gives the candidate time to

settle down

Give some background information about the organization and the job - this helps everyone

to focus on the objective

Structure the questions to cover all the relevant areas, and don't ask too many 'closed'

questions. Open-ended questions (i.e. ones that cant be answered just by a yes or no answer)

will encourage the candidate to speak freely - they often begin 'what', 'why', 'when' or 'how'

Avoid leading questions

Listen, and make brief notes as necessary on salient points

Have a time frame and keep to it, allowing sufficient time for candidates to ask any

questions they might have

Make sure the candidate is familiar with the terms and conditions of the job, and they are

acceptable. If not, and the candidate is the best one for the job, then some negotiation may be

necessary

*Be careful to avoid inadvertent discrimination

Tell the candidate what will happen next and when to expect to hear from the organization.

Practical tests

If the job involves practical skills, it may be appropriate to test for ability before or at the time

of interview. This is generally acceptable for manual and word processing skills, but less

useful for clerical and administrative posts. Telephone skills are increasingly in demand, and

candidates for telesales/call centre work will almost invariably be asked to undertake a

practical test. Any tests must, however, be free of bias and related to the necessary

requirements of the job. Consideration in giving any tests must include the objectives of such

a test, the efficiency of the method selected, the numbers of candidates (and vacancies), the

costs and benefits of such method.


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Psychometric and psychological tests, including bio-data

There are numerous tests commercially available which can assist in measuring aspects of

personality and intelligence such as reasoning, problem solving, decision making,

interpersonal skills and confidence. Although many large organizations have used them for a

number of years, they are not widely used, and some tests are considered controversial - for

instance, those that assess personality. Any organization considering the use of psychometric

or psychological tests should refer to the guides available, and make sure they have the need,

skills and resources necessary.

Tests should never be used in isolation, or as the sole selection technique. Where a decision is

made solely on the automatic processing of personal data, an applicant may require that the

organization must reconsider any rejection or make a new decision on another basis.

Bio-data (short for biographical data), is a questionnaire format with multiple choice answers.

The questions are of a biographical nature and answers are scored according to the scoring

key developed by the employer. In general bio-data is successfully used only by really large

employers, who have a large throughput of applicants. Use of bio-data, like other tests, needs

careful control to avoid any possibility of discrimination or invasion of privacy.

Think carefully before using any test - is it actually necessary for the requirements of the job?

Is the test relevant to the person/job specification? What is the company policy about using

tests, storing results and giving feedback to the candidate? Marking criteria must be objective,

and the record sheets should be retained for Data Protection.

Assessment centres, role plays and team exercises

Assessment centres are often used by large organizations making senior management or 'fast-

stream' graduate appointments. Exercises, sole and group, may take place over a few days,

normally in a residential setting. The individual may also be required to make presentations

and to take part in role-plays or team events.


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Making the decision

Decide whom to employ as soon as possible after the interview/test/assessment. Use of a

structured scoring system helps here, particularly one that is based on the applicants'

competencies, and helps avoid the pitfalls of stereotyping, making snap judgments, and

'mirror-image' effects (that is, a subconscious subjectivity - looking for similarities to oneself

in the candidate). Structured scoring allows the organization to weight some elements or

competencies if desired, and to compare a candidate's score with the job specification 'ideal'

score - although care must be taken when considering the results that a high overall score

doesnt mask a low score in a crucial area.

Write up notes immediately after the interview - recording relevant answers and detail. This is

not only for the decision-making process but also to provide feedback to the candidate if

requested. which will enable the candidate to ask to see interview notes where they form part

of a 'set' of information about the candidate - for instance, the application form, references

received and so on, or the full personnel file if the candidate is already working for the

organization..

Inform all the applicants of the outcome as soon as possible, whether successful or

unsuccessful. Keep in touch if the decision is delayed.

Try to give positive feedback to unsuccessful candidates on any aspects they could reasonably

improve for future success. It is sensible to maintain a favorable view of the organization

among the applicants - there may be future job vacancies for which they would be suitable

and for which you would wish them to apply. Failure to get one job does not necessarily mean

unsuitability for other jobs with the organization. You may want to keep CVs or applications

on file for future matching. Also bear in mind that applicants and their families may be your

customers as well as potential employees, so it makes business sense to treat them fairly and

courteously.


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References and checking

State on the application form when any references will be sought, and do not approach a

current employer unless the candidate has given express permission. If references are sought,

they will be most effective if you include a job description with the request, with structured,

relevant questions that will enable you to gain accurate further information about the

candidate's abilities. Do not ask for personal information about the applicant. Remember too

that completing a reference takes time and proper consideration, so only seek such references

if you believe they are necessary and appropriate. A simple form confirming dates of

employment, capacity and particular skills may be satisfactory.

The holding of particular qualifications, training or licenses may be important to the job, and

it is reasonable to ask candidates for proof. If checks on such qualifications are to be made, it

is good employment practice to make sure the applicant knows, and that copies of any

relevant documents will be held on their personnel file.

The timing of reference and qualification checks is variable. It is often the case that references

are taken up at shortlist or offer stage, and the candidate may be asked to bring documentary

evidence of qualifications to the interview. Job offers are sometimes made 'subject to

satisfactory references being received', but this is not advisable. The referee may simply fail

to provide any kind of reference. There is no legal requirement to do so. Or a referee may

wrongly indicate the applicant is unsuitable, in which case if the offer is withdrawn on those

grounds, the organization could face legal action by the applicant. The organization needs a

policy of what to do in circumstances such as the non-supply of a reference - an initial

'probationary' period might be an acceptable way of proceeding.

The offer

Once the successful candidate is identified, and any necessary references and checks

completed, send out an offer letter. This is preferable to telephoning the candidate, as a letter


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enables the specifics of the job to be re-stated, with the terms and conditions, any pre-

conditions (e.g. subject to exam success), or post-conditions (e.g. subject to a satisfactory

probation period).

Remember that the employment contract is a legal one, and exists even before the candidate

has commenced employment. The offer letter should set out the following points:

The job title and the offer of that job

Any conditions (pre or post) that apply to the offer

The terms of the offer - salary, hours, benefits, pension arrangements, holiday entitlement,

place of employment, etc

The date of starting, and any probationary period

What action the candidate needs to take, e.g. returning a signed acceptance of the offer,

agreement to references, any date constraints on acceptance

If the letter is to form part of the contract of employment, it should say so. Alternatively it

could form the main terms and conditions of employment - a written statement required by

law to be issued to employees within two months of them starting work.

Preparing for the new employee

Once the candidate has accepted the job, the organization must then prepare for the new

employee's arrival and induction. Failure to attend to this can create a poor impression and

undo much of the positive view the candidate has gained throughout the recruitment and

selection process. A good induction program reinforces positive first impressions and makes

new employees feel welcome and ready to contribute fully.


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CHAPTER 2 COMPANY PROFILE


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2.1 PROFILE OF THE ORGANIZATION

Our business is based on one key service: specialist recruitment consultancy services

across more than 20 professional disciplines. We have successfully placed more than

80,000 candidates globally into permanent jobs this year.

How we do it

Specialist recruitment is all about people. More than 9,000 people make up our worldwide

team, including 5,798 recruitment consultants, working across 393 offices within 27

countries.

We share ideas, knowledge and experience across businesses and territories to deliver

outstanding results and we invest heavily in equipping our staff with the skills to perform

to the highest standards, while developing their careers.

Our front and back offices are professionally administered by dedicated teams of supportstaff in IT, legal, finance, HR and marketing.

How we communicate with our customers

We harness the potential of multiple channels of communication to reach out to

candidates and clients that include direct mail, PR, press advertising, internet advertising

and e-marketing.

Apart from our physical presence across regions we offer our services through the

website, www.hays.in . The groups parent site www.hays.com attracts 1.3 million visitors

and 140,000 job applications each month, with more than 57,000 live jobs online at any

time, the magnitude of growth we would like to replicate in India as well.

Hays specialist HR services help bring a complete dashboard view of the Employment &

Recruitment ecosystem which combines well with the backend technology solutions and

expertise of its consultants.
http://www.hays.in/http://www.hays.com/http://www.hays.in/http://www.hays.com/


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Our office network ensures were physically present in all the places where we do

business, ensuring clients and candidates receive the highest levels of real service.

Where we are

Our largest market is that of the United Kingdom and Ireland. This market accounts for

58% of the net fees for the Group. We have over 255 offices in the United Kingdom and

Ireland.

Our business in Continental Europe and Rest of the World has been growing rapidly. We

now operate in 19 countries in the region and have recently opened new operations in

Hungary and Denmark.

We have also opened an office in Dubai and in 2006 acquired a specialist recruitment

business in Japan, where we have begun our geographical expansion by opening in Osaka.

We have also settled offices in China and other parts of South East Asia.

The growth of our business in Australia and New Zealand has been phenomenal and we

continue to roll out our specialist activities across the network.

In India, we have an office in Mumbai and will open an office in Delhi in 2009. We will

also open our first office in Russia in Moscow in the first quarter of 2009.

How we work together

Each Hays business is run autonomously with a distinct business unit identity,

management team and structure. This gives each specialist business stream a clear style

and identity; one that is reflective of the clients and candidates and the business sector

being served. Even with this relative independence, each business shares the brand values

of Hays to ensure consistent standards of service quality, communication and delivery toeach business sector in which we operate.


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RECRUITMENT- Matching the of the organization & applicants

IMPACT OF PERSONNEL POLICIES ON RECRUITMENT POLICIES

Recruitment policies are mostly drawn from personnel policies of the organization. According

to Dale Yodar and Paul D. Standohar, general personnel policies provide a wide variety of

guidelines to be spelt out in recruitment policy. After formulation of the recruitment policies,

the management has to decide whether to centralize or decentralize the recruitment function.

CENTRALISED V/s DECENTRALISED RECRUITMENT

Recruitment practices vary from one organization to another. Some organizations like

commercial banks resort to centralized recruitment while some organizations like the Indian

Railway resort to decentralized recruitment practices. Personnel department at the central

office performs all the functions of recruitment in case of centralised recruitment and

personnel departments at unit level/zonal level perform all the functions of recruitment

concerning to the jobs of the respective unit or zone.

MERITS OF CENTRALISED RECRUITMENT

Average cost of recruitment per candidate/unit should be relatively less due to

economies of scale.

It would have more expertise available to it.

It can ensure broad uniformity among human resources of various units/zones inrespect of education, skill, knowledge, talent, etc.


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It would generally be above malpractices, abuse of powers, favouritism, bias, etc.

It would facilitate interchangeability of staff among various units/zones.

It enables the line managers of various units and zones to concentrate on their

operational activities by relieving them from the recruiting functions. It enables the organization to have centralised selection procedure, promotional and

transfer procedure, etc.

It ensures the most effective and suitable placement to candidates.

It enables centralised training programmes which further brings uniformity and

minimizes average cost of staff.

MERITS OF DECENTRALISED RECRUITMENT

The unit concerned concentrates only on those sources/places wherein normally gets

the suitable candidates. As such the cost of recruitment would be relatively less.

The unit gets most suitable candidates as it is well aware of the requirements of the job

regarding culture, traditional, family background aspects, local factors, social factors,

etc.

Units can recruit candidates as and when they are required without any delay.

The units would enjoy freedom in finding out, developing the sources, in selecting and

employing the techniques to stimulate the candidates.

The unit would relatively enjoy advantage about the availability of information,

control and feedback and various functions/processes of recruitment.

The unit would enjoy better familiarity and control over the employees it recruits

rather than on employees selected by the central recruitment agency.

Both the systems of recruitment would suffer from their own demerits. Hence, the

management has to weigh both the merits and demerits of each system before making a finaldecision about centralizing or decentralizing the recruitment. Alternatively management may

decentralize the recruitment of certain categories of employees preferably middle and top

level managerial personnel and centralize the recruitment of other categories of employees

preferably lower level positions in view of the nature of the jobs and suitability of those

systems for those categories of positions. The management has to find out and develop the

sources of recruitment after deciding upon centralizing or decentralizing the recruitment

function.


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RECRUITING OR RETAINING

Hay Consultants Ltd is an internationally reputed electronics firm. It attracted employees

from internationally reputed institutes and industries by offering high salaries, perks, etc. It

had advertised for the position of an Electronics engineer some years back. Nearly 150candidates working in various electronics firm applied for the job. Mr. Sashidhar, an

Electronics Engineer Graduate from Indian Institute of Technology with 5 years of working

experience in a small electronics firm was selected among those interviewed. The interview

board recommended an enhancement in his salary by Rs.500 more than his present salary at

his request. He was very happy and was congratulated by his previous employer for his

brilliant interview performance and good luck.

Mr. Sashidhar joined the company with great enthusiasm and also found his job to be quitecomfortable and challenging one. He found that his colleagues and superiors were friendly

and co-operative. But this didnt last long. After one year of his service, he slowly learnt

about a number of unpleasant stories about the company, management, the superior-

subordinate relations, rate of employee turnover, etc. But still he decided to continue with the

promise that he made in the interview. He wanted to please and change the attitude of

management through his performance, commitment and dedication. Looking at his great

contributions and efforts, the management got the impression that he is well settled will

remain in the company for a long time. After sometime they all started taking undue

advantage of him and overloaded him with multifarious jobs and thereby ridded over him. As

a result, his freedom in deciding and executing was cut down to size; his colleagues started

assigning their responsibilities to him. Consequently, there were imbalances in his family,

social and organization life.

It was quite surprising to the general manager to see the resignation letter of Mr. Sashidhar

one fine morning. The general manager failed to convince him to withdraw his resignation.The general manager wanted to appoint a committee to go into the matter immediately, but

dropped the idea later so that the companys image doesnt get spoiled.

ANALYSIS


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Thus, from this case study it is clear that retaining is much more important than recruiting.

Whats the use and benefits of recruiting quality employees if they cannot be retained by the

organization in a proper manner. The purpose of recruitment is fulfilled when the employees

selected from a pool of qualified applicants are retained in the company by keeping them

satisfied in all aspects. They must be provided with better working conditions, better pay

scales, incentives, recognition, promotion, bonus, flexible working hours, etc. They should

treat the employees as co-owners and partners of the company.

SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT

The sources of recruitment may be broadly divided into two categories: internal sources and

external sources. Both have their own merits and demerits. Lets examine these.

Internal Sources:-

Persons who are already working in an organization constitute the internal sources.

Retrenched employees, retired employees, dependents of deceased employees may also

constitute the internal sources. Whenever any vacancy arises, someone from within the

organization is upgraded, transferred, promoted or even demoted.

External Sources

External sources lie outside an organization. Here the organization can have the services of :

(a) Employees working in other organizations; (b) Jobs aspirants registered with employment

exchanges; (c) Students from reputed educational institutions; (d) Candidates referred by

unions, friends, relatives and existing employees; (e) Candidates forwarded by search firms

and contractors; (f) Candidates responding to the advertisements, issued by the organization;

and (g) Unsolicited applications/ walk-ins.

Merits and Demerits of Recruiting people from Within

Merits Demerits

1) Economical: The cost of recruiting

internal candidates is minimal. No

expenses are incurred on advertising.

2) Suitable: The organization can pick the

1) Limited Choice: The organization is

forced to select candidates from a

limited pool. It may have to sacrifice

quality and settle down for less


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right candidates having the requisite

skills. The candidate can choose a right

vacancy where their talents can be fully

utilized.

3) Reliable: The organization has the

knowledge about suitability of a

candidate for a position. Known devils

are better than unknown angels!

4) Satisfying: A policy of preferring

people from within offers regular

promotional avenues for employees. Itmotivates them to work hard and earn

promotions. They will work with

loyalty commitment and enthusiasm.

qualified candidates.

2) Inbreeding: It discourages entry for

talented people, available outside an

organization. Existing employees mayfail to behave in innovative ways and

inject necessary dynamism to

enterprise activities.

3) Inefficiency: Promotions based on

length of service rather than merit,

may prove to be a blessing for

inefficient candidate. They do notwork hard and prove their worth.

4) Bone of contention: Recruitment from

within may lead to infighting among

employees aspiring for limited, higher

level positions in an organization. As

years roll by, the race for premium

positions may end up in a bitter race.

The merits and demerits of recruiting candidates from outside an organization may be stated

thus:

Merits and Demerits of External sources of Recruitment

Merits Demerits

Wide Choice: The organization has the

freedom to select candidates from a large

Expenses: Hiring costs could go up

substantially. Tapping multifarious sources


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It is a method of recruiting by visiting and participating in college campuses and their

placement centres. Here the recruiters visit reputed educational institutions such as IITs,

IIMs, colleges and universities with a view to pick up job aspirants having requisite technical

or professional skills. Job seekers are provided information about the jobs and the recruiters,

in turn, get a snapshot of job seekers through constant interchange of information with

respective institutions.

A preliminary screening is done within the campus and the short listed students are then

subjected to the remainder of the selection process. In view of the growing demand for young

managers, most reputed organizations (such as Hindustan Lever Ltd., Proctor & Cable,

Citibank, State Bank of India, Tata and Birla group companies) visit IIMs and IITs regularly

and even sponsor certain popular campus activities with a view to earn goodwill in the jobmarket. Advantages of this method include: the placement centre helps locate applicants and

provides resumes to organizations; applicants can be prescreened; applicants will not have to

be lured away from a current job and lower salary expectations. On the negative front,

campus recruiting means hiring people with little or no work experience.

The organizations will have to offer some kind of training to the applicants, almost

immediately after hiring. It demands careful advance planning, looking into the placement

weeks of various institutions in different parts of the country. Further, campus recruiting can

be costly for organizations situated in another city (airfare, boarding and lodging expenses of

recruiters, site visit of applicants if allowed, etc.).

If campus recruitment is used, steps should be taken by human resource department to ensure

that recruiters are knowledgeable concerning the jobs that are to be filled and the

organizations and understand and employ effective interviewing skills. Guidelines for campus

recruiting: companies using college campuses as recruitment source should consider the

following guidelines:

Identify the potential candidates early: The earlier that candidate with top potential can

be identified, the more likely the organization will be in a position to attract them.

Employ various means to attract candidates: These may include providing research

grants; consulting opportunities to faculty members, funding university infrastructural


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requirements, internships to students, etc. in the long run these will enhance the

prestige of the company in the eyes of potential job seekers.

Use effective recruitment material: Attractive brochures, films, computer diskettes,

followed by enthusiastic and effective presentations by company officials,

correspondence with placement offices in respective campus in a friendly way will

help in booting the company image in the eyes of the applicants. The company must

provide detailed information about the characteristics of entry level positions,

especially those that have had a major positive impact on prior applicants decisions to

join the company.

Offer training to campus interviews: Its better to devote more time and resources to

train on campus interviewers to answer specific job related questions of applicants.

Come out with a competitive offer: Keep the key job attributes that influence the

decisions of applicants such as promotional avenues, challenging assignments, long

term income potential, etc., while talking to candidates.

Indirect methods:-

Advertisements:-

These include advertisements in newspapers; trade, professional and technical journals; radio

and television; etc. in recent times, this medium has become just as colourful, lively and

imaginative as consumer advertising. The ads generally give a brief outline of the job

responsibilities, compensation package, prospects in organizations, etc. this method is

appropriate when (a) the organization intends to reach a large target group and (b) the

organizations wants a fairly good number of talented people who are geographically spread

out. To apply for advertised vacancies lets briefly examine the wide variety of alternatives

available to a company - as far as ads are concerned:

Newspaper Ads : Here it is easy to place job ads without much of a lead time. It

has flexibility in terms of information and can conveniently target a specific

geographic location. On the negative side, newspaper ads tend to attract only

those who are actively seeking employment at that point of time, while some of

the best candidates who are well paid and challenged by their current jobs may

not be aware of such openings. As a result, the company may be bombarded with

applications from a large number of candidates who are marginally qualified for

the job adding to its administrative burden. To maintain secrecy for various


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reasons (avoiding the rush, sending signals to competitors, cutting down expenses

involved in responding to any individual who applies, etc.), large companies with

a national reputation may also go in for blind-box ads in newspapers, especially

for filling lower level positions. In a blind-box ad there is no identification of the

advertising organization. Job aspirants are asked to respond to a post office box

number or to an employment firm that is acting as an agent between the job

seekers and the organization.

Television and radio ads: These ads are more likely to each individual who are

not actively seeking employment; they are more likely to stand out distinctly,

they help the organization to target the audience more selectively and they offer

considerable scope for designing ads creatively. However, these ads are

expensive. Also, because the television or radio is simply seen or heard, potential

candidates may have a tough time remembering the details, making application

difficult.

Third Party Methods

Private Employment Search Firms:-

\As search firm is a private employment agency that maintains computerized lists of

qualified applicants and supplies these to employers willing to hire people from the list for a

fee. Firms like Arthur Anderson, Boble and Hewitt, ABC consultants, SB Billimoria,

KPMG; Ferguson Associates offers specialized employment-related services to corporate

houses for a fee, especially for top and middle level executive vacancies. AT the lower end,

a number of search firms operate providing multifarious services to both recruiters and the

recruitees.

Employment Exchanges:-

AS a statutory requirement, companies are also expected to notify (wherever the

Employment Exchanges Act, 1959, applies) their vacancies through the respective

Employment Exchanges, created all over India for helping unemployed youth, displaced

persons, ex-military personnel, physically handicapped, etc. AS per the Act all employers

are supposed to notify the vacancies arising in their establishments form time to time with

certain exemptions to the prescribed employment exchanges before they are filled. The

Act covers all establishments in public sector and nonagricultural establishments employing


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25 or more workers in the private sector. However, in view of the practical difficulties

involved in implementing the provisions of the Act (such as filing a quarterly return in

respect of their staff strength, vacancies and shortages, returns showing occupational

distribution of their employees, etc.) many organizations have successfully fought court

battles when they were asked to pick up candidates from among those sponsored by the

employment exchanges.

Gate Hiring and Contractors:-

Gate hiring (where job seekers, generally blue collar employees, present themselves at the

factory gate and offer their services on a daily basis), hiring through contractors, recruiting

through word-of-mouth publicity are still in use despite the many possibilities for their

misuse in the small scale sector in India.

Unsolicited Applicants / Walk-ins:-

Companies generally receive unsolicited applications from job seekers at various points of

time; the number of such applications depends on economic conditions, the image of the

company and the job seekers perception of the types of jobs that might be available etc.

Such applications are generally kept in a data bank and whenever a suitable vacancy arises,

the company would intimate the candidates to apply through a formal channel. One

important problem with this method is that job seekers generally apply to number of

organizations and when they are actually required by the organizations, either they are

already employed in other organizations or are not simply interested in the position.

Alternatives to Recruitment:-

Since recruitment and selection costs are high (search process, interviewing agency fee, etc.)

firms these days are trying to look at alternatives to recruitment especially when market

demand for firms products and services is sluggish. Moreover, once employees are placedon the payroll, it may be extremely difficult to remove them if their performance is marginal.

Some of the options in this regard may be listed thus:

Evaluation of Alternative Sources

Companies have to evaluate the sources of recruiting carefully looking at cost, time,

flexibility, quality and other criteria before earmarking funds for the recruitment


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process. They cannot afford to fill all their vacancies through a particular source. To

facilitate the decision making process in this regard, companies rely on the following:

Time lapse data: They show the time lag between the dates of requisition for manpower

supply from a department to the actual date of filling the vacancies in that department. For

example, a companys past experience may indicate that the average number of days from

application to interview is 10, from interview to offer is 7, from offer to acceptance is 10 and

from acceptance to report for work is 15. Therefore, if the company starts the recruitment and

selection process now it would require 42 days before the new employee joins its ranks.

Armed with this information, the length of the time needed for alternative sources of

recruitment can be ascertained before pinning hopes on a particular source that meets the

recruitment objectives of the company.

Yield ratios : These ratios indicate the number of leads / contacts needed to generate a given

number of hires at a point at time. For example, if a company needs 10 management trainees

in the next six months, it has to monitor past yield ratios in order to find out the number of

candidates to be contacted for this purpose. On the basis of past experience, to continue the

same example, the company finds that to hire 10 trainees, it has to extend 20 offers. If the

interview-to-offer is 3:2, then 30 interviews must be conducted. If the invitees to interview

ratios are 4:3 then, as many as 40 candidates must be invited. Lastly, if contacts or leads

needed to identify suitable trainees to invite are in 5:1 ratio, then 200 contacts are made.

Surveys and studies: Surveys may also be conducted to find out the suitability of a

particular source for certain positions. For example, as pointed out previously, employee

referral has emerged as popular way of hiring people in the Information Technology industry

in recent times in India. Correlation studies could also be carried out to find out the

relationship between different organizational positions. Before finally identifying the sources

of recruitment, the human resource managers must also look into the cost or hiring a

candidate. The cost per hire can be found out by dividing the recruitment cost by the number

of candidates hired. SELECTION

Introduction

The size of the labour market, the image of the company, the place of posting, the nature of

job, the compensation package and a host of other factors influence the manner of aspirants

are likely to respond to the recruiting efforts of the company. Through the process of


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recruitment the company tries to locate prospective employees and encourages them to apply

for vacancies at various levels. Recruiting, thus, provides a pool of applicants for selection.

Definition

To select mean to choose. Selection is the process of picking individuals who have relevant

qualifications to fill jobs in an organisation. The basic purpose is to choose the individual who

can most successfully perform the job from the pool of qualified candidates.

Purpose

The purpose of selection is to pick up the most suitable candidate who would meet the

requirements of the job in an organisation best, to find out which job applicant will be

successful, if hired. To meet this goal, the company obtains and assesses information about

the applicants in terms of age, qualifications, skills, experience, etc. the needs of the job are

matched with the profile of candidates. The most suitable person is then picked up after

eliminating the unsuitable applicants through successive stages of selection process. How well

an employee is matched to a job is very important because it is directly affects the amount and

quality of employees work. Any mismatched in this regard can cost an organisation a great

deal of money, time and trouble, especially, in terms of training and operating costs. In course

of time, the employee may find the job distasteful and leave in frustration. He may even

circulate hot news and juicy bits of negative information about the company, causing

incalculable harm to the company in the long run. Effective election, therefore, demands

constant monitoring of the fit between people the job.


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2.2 PROBLEMS OF THE ORGANIZATION

This research intends to investigate the relationship between high-commitment HRM

practices and affective commitment through the mediating mechanism of employees

perceptions of high-commitment HRM practices. With respect to data collection. For

example, if an organization conducted a training program in the workplace, it would be

reasonable to assume that such implementation could enhance workers knowledge, skills and

abilities, and thus foster superior employee affective commitment due to satisfied experience

with the organization; nevertheless, such analogy may sometimes be deceiving or unreliable.

Although some employees may consider this training as helpful and acknowledge the

implementation of organizational HRM practices, but conversely, other workers may perceive

the program as non-effective and regard it as a burden that impede their routine work

schedule, hence brought down their satisfaction with the organization and degraded their

commitment. For that reason, employees individual perception plays as a critical mediator in

the relationship between organizational HRM practices and the actual revelation of

employees attitudes and behaviors. Consequently, from this perspective, we reason that

HRM practices in its influential process to employee affective commitment, will first impinge

on its members perception of organizational HRM practices and subsequently further modify

or change their affective commitment towards the organization. Hence, via the

implementation of high-commitment HRM practices, e.g. intensive training and development,

socialization, promotion from within, high level of compensation, it will make the employees

be convinced that the organizations intention conforms with their perceptions, and then, they

will reciprocate with higher commitment and stronger submission to devote and contribute for

the organization


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2.3 COMPETITION INFORMATION

ABC COSULTANTS

MAFOI

TEAMLEASE


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2. 4 S.W.O.T ANALYSIS OF THE ORGANIZATION

A s.w.o.t analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses,

o pportunities, and threats involved in a project or in a business.

This analysis proves to be very useful and effective within the recruiting industry as well.

Performing a swot analysis will assist the company or organizations recruiting team with

valuable insight and information that will enhance your recruiting strategy and improve

candidate sourcing efforts.

Competitive strengths

In this area, you want to see just what you are up against by taking a look at your competitors

stronger suits. Here are a couple of questions to research:

What stands out about the competitor?

What types of benefits are offered?

Is there opportunity for work-life balance?

What is the measure of growth per year?

What is the rank or position in the industry?

How long has the organization been in operation?

Is there a specialty or unique focus?

Weakness overview

When considering your competitors weaknesses, we should focus on the following:

Company presence where is their biggest presence? What part of the country? (isthat an area that candidates would want to live or work?)

Company culture what is it like to work for x company? This information can be

gathered through social and professional networking sites like facebook and

linkedin. These sites host groups that are sometimes made up of employees from

specific companies. Employees use these groups as an opportunity to connect with

other employees around the world, use it as a forum to openly discuss new ideas or

sometimes, just for fun. Typically these employees are very honest and open tosharing information about their experience working with that company. Just ask,


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what do you like and dislike about working with xyz company? You will be

surprised!

Attrition what is the rate of attrition per year? What area do they tend to lose the

most employees? Credibility look for information on the credibility of the company. Although you

may not find any negative information, this is still a worthwhile area to check.

Exploring opportunities .

As you continue to research and gather more information about your competitor, recognize

the areas where there may be an opportunity for you to shine! In this area, you are comparing

certain aspects of your organization with theirs. You are using a combination of the

weaknesses and strengths, yet finding areas where there may be possible loopholes where

your company or organization could have the advantage.

Here are some questions to consider:

Are the benefits comparable?

What does your organization offer that the competitor does not?

How valuable is the competitors credibility?

Who (what type of candidate) is the competitors primary target?

What type of advancement opportunities are in place?

Considering the threats.

In this area, we are to take a look at the road ahead! Recognizing and evaluating your

competitors advantages and current status is a great way to determine potential threats and

provide clarity as to where the attention needs to be within your company or organization.

Some questions to consider would be:

What is your competitors forecasted growth?

What is your competitors niche or specialty?

Are they in expansion mode?

What was the revenue percentage for the previous year?

What is their current industry ranking?


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CHAPTER 3 CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSION


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Recruitment and selection is the process of identifying the need for a job, defining the

requirements of the position and the job holder, advertising the position and choosing the

most appropriate person for the job. Retention means ensuring that once the best person has

been recruited, they stay with the business and are not poached by rival companies.

Undertaking this process is one of the main objectives of management. Indeed, the success of

any business depends to a large extent on the quality of its staff. Recruiting employees with

the correct skills can add value to a business and recruiting workers at a wage or salary that

the business can afford, will reduce costs. Employees should therefore be carefully selected,

managed and retained, just like any other resource

The recruitment process

A vacancy presents an opportunity to consider restructuring, or to reassess the requirements of

the job. This assessment is valid whether it is to fill an existing job or a new one. Ask

questions such as:

has the function changed?

have work patterns, new technology or new products altered the job?

are there any changes anticipated which will require different, more flexible skills from the

jobholder?

Answers to these questions should help to clarify the actual requirements of the job and how it

fits into the rest of the organization or department. Exit interviews, or consultation with the

current job-holder and colleagues may well produce good ideas about useful changes.

Writing a good job description or job specification helps in the process of analyzing the needs

of the job.

Job description/job specification

This should detail the purpose, tasks and responsibilities of the job. A good job description

should include:

main purpose of the job - try to describe this in one sentence


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main tasks of the job - use active verbs, like 'writing', 'repairing', 'machining', 'calculating',

instead of vaguer terms like 'dealing with', 'in charge of'

scope of the job - expanding on the main tasks and the importance of the job. Job

importance can be indicated by giving information such as the number of people to be

supervised, the degree of precision required and the value of any materials and equipment

used.

A good job description is useful for all jobs. It can help with induction and training. It

provides the basis for drawing up a person specification - a profile of the skills and aptitudes

considered essential and desirable in the job-holder. It enables prospective applicants to assess

themselves for the job and provides a benchmark for judging achievements.

Person specification

Drawing up the person specification allows the organization to profile the ideal person to fill

the job. It is very important that the skills, aptitudes and knowledge included in the

specification are related precisely to the needs of the job; if they are inflated beyond those

necessary for effective job performance, the risk is that someone will be employed on the

basis of false hopes and aspirations, and both the employer and employee will end updisappointed in each other

Another good reason not to set unnecessary requirements is to avoid any possibility of

discrimination against particular groups of potential applicants. The very process of writing a

job and person specification should help the employer to develop and implement a policy of

equal opportunity in the recruitment and selection of employees.

Factors to consider when drawing up the specification include:

Skills, knowledge, aptitudes directly related to the job

The length and type of experience necessary

The competencies necessary

Education and training but only so far as is necessary for satisfactory job performance,

unless the person is being recruited on the basis of future potential (e.g. graduate trainees),

when a higher level of education may be specified


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Any criteria relating to personal qualities or circumstances which must be essential and

directly related to the job, and must be applied equally to all groups irrespective of age, sex,

race, nationality, creed, disability, membership or non-membership of a trade union. To do

otherwise is potentially discriminatory .

For instance, a clause requiring the successful candidate to move their place of work should

be included only when absolutely necessary, as it is likely to discourage applicants with

family care commitments. Whilst age discrimination is not presently unlawful, to impose age

barriers will reduce the number of high quality applicants attracted by the vacancy. Since

December 2003 it has been unlawful to discriminate against people at work in respect of

religion or belief or sexual orientation. The Government plans to introduce similar protection

in respect of age by 2006.

The person specification helps the selection and subsequent interview to operate in a

systematic way, as bias-free as possible. The use of competency-based approaches can help

by focusing on the 'match' between candidate and role, but they are best used where they are

an integral part of the continuing assessment and development of staff.

Pay

After setting the job and the person specifications, consideration should be given to pay rates.

Factors such as scales, grades and negotiated agreements, as well as market rates and skills

shortages, may affect the wage or salary, and organizations should be aware of the

requirements of equal pay and discrimination legislation. Unless there is a formal system for

increments or length of service, paying the new employee a different rate from that paid to the

preceding post holder may contravene the relevant legislation. Employers must also comply

with the provisions of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.

Attracting applicants

The search for suitable candidates now begins. The process of marketing needs to be

undertaken carefully so as to ensure the best response at the least cost. The object is to get a

good selection of good quality candidates. Possible methods to consider are:

Internal Recruitment - This method can have the advantage of building on existing staff's

skills and training, and provides opportunities for development and promotion. It is a good

way to retain valuable employees whose skills can be further enhanced. Other advantages


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include the opportunity for staff to extend their competencies and skills to the benefit of both

the organization and the individual, and the enhancement of individual motivation. Use of a

consistent, clear, procedure, agreed jointly between employer and employees, has many

advantages and avoids suspicion of favoritism

Jobcentres of the Department for Work and Pensions - will display employers' vacancies

and refer potential recruits. They also administer some of the Government training programs.

The Disability Service Team staff at Jobcentres can help address the specific requirements of

attracting disabled people

Learning and Skills Council - may well have trained workers available through their

recruitment service, and can tailor training to an employer's requirements

Commercial Recruitment Agencies - often specialize in particular types of work, eg

secretarial, office work, industrial, computing, and may already have potential applicants

registered with them

Executive Search Organizations - usually working in the higher management/specialist

fields, will seek out suitable candidates working in other companies by direct approach, or via

specialist advertising

National Newspapers - advertising in the national press is expensive, but likely to produce

a good response for particular, specialist vacancies. Remember too there are national ethnic

group newspapers which will reach a wide audience

Specialist and Professional Journals - less expensive than the national press, these

journals can guarantee to reach the precise group of potential applicants for specialist and

professional vacancies

Internet - is beginning to emerge as a recruitment medium. It is mainly used for graduate-

level and technical jobs because it tends to target a self-selected group who are computer

literate and have access to the web at their place of study or work. Its use is likely to grow

Local Newspapers, Radio - for less specialized jobs, or to target groups in a particular local

area, advertisements in the local media may produce a good response

Local Schools, Colleges and the Careers Service - maintaining contact with schools,

colleges and careers advisers will ensure that the organizations needs for school/college


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leavers with particular skills and abilities are known. It can be particularly useful to offer

students the opportunity to spend some time at the company, on work experience, or

'shadowing'

Word of Mouth - introduction via existing employees or through an employers' network.

Whilst this may be economical, it is likely to lead to a much smaller pool of suitable

applicants and does not normally satisfy equal opportunities requirements because any

imbalance in the workforce may be perpetuated.

Once the recruitment channel or channels are decided, the next step is to consider:

The design and content of any advertisement used

How applicants are to respond - by application form, fax, telephone, in person at the

organization or agency, by letter, by email on the internet or by tape

who is to be responsible for sifting the applications? What is the selection process going to

be?

If interviews are to be held, when will they be and will everyone who needs to be involved

be available?

Are selection tests to be used? Is there the expertise to administer them and ensure they are

non-discriminatory and appropriate?

Are references/medicals to be requested?

Are arrangements in hand to give prompt acknowledgement of applications received?

The advertisement

Any advertisement needs to be designed and presented effectively to ensure the right

candidates are attracted. Look through national, local or professional papers and see what

advertisements catch the eye. The newspaper office will often advise on suitable formats.

Advertisements must be tailored to the level of the target audience, and should always be

clear and easily understood. They must be non-discriminatory, and should avoid any gender

or culturally specific language. To support this, the organization should include in the advert

its statement of commitment to equal opportunities, which will underline the organization asone that will welcome applications from all sections of the community.


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Consider the following factors in the advertisement:

If the organization is well known, does it have a logo that could feature prominently in the

advertisement? Make the advertisement consistent with the company image

should the job title be the most prominent feature?

Keep the text short and simple while giving the main aspects of the job, pay, career

prospects, location, contract length

Mention specific details - such as pay, qualifications and experience required - be given in away which will reduce the number of unsuitable applications?

Is it possible to avoid generalizations such as 'attractive salary', or 'appropriate

qualifications' which may discourage valid applications?

Is the form of reply and the closing date for applications clear? Is there a contact name and

phone number for further information and enquiries?

All advertisements should carry the same information, whether for internal or external use.

Application forms

Application forms can help the recruitment process by providing necessary and relevant

information about the applicant and their skills. The design of the form needs to be realistic

and straightforward, appropriate to the level of the job. Using application forms has the

following advantages:

Comparing like with like is easier. CVs can be time-consuming and may not provide the

information required

They provide the basis for an initial sift, and then for the interview

The standard of completion can be a guide to the candidate's suitability, if writing and

presentation skills are essential to the job; however, be aware of the possibility of disability

discrimination

They provide a record of qualifications, abilities and experience as stated by the applicant.


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Care also needs to be taken over some less positive aspects of application forms:

There is a temptation to use application forms to try to extract too much information, e.g.

motives, values and personality characteristics. The form should concentrate on the

experience, knowledge and competencies needed for the job

some people may dislike filling in forms and so be put off applying for the job. Some very

experienced people may find the form inadequate, whilst those with little in the way of

qualifications or experience may be intimidated by large empty spaces on the form

Application forms add another stage, and therefore more time, to the recruitment process.

Some candidates may be lost if they can obtain work elsewhere more quickly

Application forms may inadvertently be discriminatory. For instance, to require a form to be

filled out 'in your own handwriting', where written English is not relevant to the job, may

discriminate against those for whom English is not their first language, or who may not have

well-developed literacy skills.

Any information such as title (marital status), ethnic origin or date of birth requested for

monitoring purposes (e.g. for compliance with the legal requirements and codes of practice on

race, sex, disability and age discrimination) should be clearly shown to be for this purpose

only, and should be on a separate sheet or tear-off section. Such information need only be

provided on a voluntary basis. Medical information should also be obtained separately and

kept separate from the application form.

All applications should be promptly acknowledged.

Selecting the best candidate

Whatever form the applications take, there may be a need to separate them before moving onto the interview stage. Such a separation serves to match the applicants as closely as possible

to the job and person specification and to produce a shortlist of people to interview. To avoid

any possibility of bias, such saperation should be undertaken by two or more people, and it

should involve the direct line manager/supervisor as well as personnel. The separating stage

can also help the organization by providing feedback on the advertising process and the

suitability of the application form. It can also identify people who might be useful elsewhere

slection and recruitment

Documents