Key Elements of Effective Recruitment and Selection - Essay Example

?Key Elements of an Effective Approach to Recruitment and Selection Introduction In the present business climate where it is getting more and more difficult to find quality employees, the quality of recruitment is of utmost importance. Presently, it is a rather fruitless proposition to have a ‘situation vacant’ board in front of ones office and expect potential candidates to queue up for job. So, in the present business scenario, selection and recruitment have become a task of precision and expertise. In addition, while the inclusion of the right employee makes the organization move to more profits, the selection of the wrong one will ruin the entire system. It is not only the work-related knowledge of an employee that is to be checked in the modern complex workplace, but there are issues like aptitude, attitude, temperament, and life vision that too have a role in the performance of an employee. Thus, altogether, selection and recruitment have become very important in any organization. There are various stages in a standardized selection procedure, and there are a lot of things to be taken care of while handling each stage. This paper is to look into the various stages in the process of selection and recruitment, and to analyze the key elements that decide the success of each stage. As Catano, Wiesner, Hackett and Methot (2009, p. 25) observe, there will be a large number of applicants in most employment situations; and hence the employer’s goal is to find the candidates who possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and all other features required to successfully perform the particular job. The Structure of Recruiting In the opinion of Stedt (2006, p. 38), the initial stage in the recruiting process is the design of an effective recruiting strategy. To develop an effective recruiting strategy, one should have knowledge about the following; the industry, the corporate culture of the company, the exact nature and number of job openings, expected hire dates, place of hiring, the budget to be spent on recruiting, time schedule, interviews, compensation package to be offered, and orientation of the new recruits (ibid). At this juncture, an overview of the key elements of the selection and recruitment process is presented below: 1 Clearly identifying the nature of the job to be filled 2 Producing a job description 3 Defining a selection criteria for the post 4 Advertising the post 5 Short-listing the candidates who meet the criteria 6 Preparing for the interview 7 Assigning core interview questions to board members 8 Evaluating candidates based on selection criteria 9 Communicating final selection decision (Source: Recruitment and Selection Procedures, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, July 2006, p. 5). 1) Identifying the nature of the job to be filled The first stage is to identify the number of requisitions and the type of openings. This is utmost important in any organization because lack of clear idea about the number of openings, job titles, location, nature of the job, and date of hiring will affect the entire plan of selection and recruitment. It is only with a clear vision of the ‘to be filled’ job positions that a perfect recruiting plan can be developed (Stedt, 2006, p. 39). 2) Job description The purpose of job description is to set out the total purpose and base of the job. It should clearly address the key responsibilities involved in the job and the environment in which the job is done. The benefit of this job description is that the people who are engaged in selection can do so with a well-defined and clear idea about the job, responsibilities, and the skills required for doing the job. In addition, this will help the applicants in having a clear idea about the nature of the job while applying. However, the description will vary according to the nature of the job that is to be filled; but certainly, a degree of description is required for all posts. Understanding the importance of job description, recently, companies have started to give importance to presenting the purpose and key responsibilities of the job along with their outcomes instead of simply setting out a list of duties. According to Recruitment and Selection Resources (November 2008, Queensland Government Public Service Commission), the role description serves several purposes. The main functions are job evaluation and performance management. So, the role description should be short, simple and clear ( ibid). The advantages of having job descriptions are mentioned by Quayle (2006, p. 18) in ‘5 mistakes everyone makes with job descriptions and how to avoid them. The first benefit is that a good job description helps settle many disputes and grievances that arise in the course of job before they develop into real problems. The second benefit is that the ‘who-what-when-where-and why’ aspects of the description could be helpful in analyzing work flow. Thirdly, any organizational studies on any aspect ranging from recruitment, and promotion will start with an analysis of the appropriate job description (ibid). 3) Setting selection criteria Once the job description is intact, it is time for the recruitment team to set the selection criteria. This stage is meant to decide what core skills, experience and personal qualities are to be looked for in the candidates to meet the requirements as have arisen from the already made job description. In addition, this helps reduce the chaos while selecting candidates as a specific set of criteria are formed. This will help assess each candidate against a specific set of requirements. However, at this juncture, while setting the criteria, the recruitment team should make sure that the criteria are well in accordance with the rules of the land. Here, the Employment Equality Act 2010 should be taken into consideration. Age and educational qualification should be set according to the rules. It is not possible to have clear list of criteria for all jobs but, generally, the criteria should include skills, experience, qualifications, and any other relevant information. However, at this juncture, it is beneficial to have the criteria divided into two; essential, and desirable. In dividing like this, the essential criteria should be the minimum requirement to function in that position, and the desired criteria should be those that will help optimize the performance. However, at this juncture, it is necessary to make sure that the criteria set for measurement are assessable and measurable in nature so that the selection board can identify and evaluate them. The advertisement, the interview questions, and the evaluation all will be based on the criteria decided and agreed upon. 4) Advertising the post The success of advertisements depends upon their ability to attract a wide pool of applicants. However, while advertising, one has to be sure that the advertisements include the job title, location, remuneration, responsibilities, selection criteria, and the deadline for application. Recruitment and Selection Resources (November 2008, Queensland Government Public Service Commission) gives details of how to make advertisements effective. To entice applicants to apply, it is necessary to publicize the real strength of the job. This might include salary, flexibility, travel, chances for further development, other exciting events, and so on (ibid). The key elements of an effective recruitment advertisement are effective visual design, a captivating headline, and a perfect body copy that describes the job details, benefits, and interview process (Three key elements of effective recruitment ads, n.d.). 5) Further particulars This section is intended to ensure that only quality applications are received. These particulars can include more details about the organization, location, nature of the job, and so on. In addition, it can give more insight to the applicants on issues including selection criteria, and the way skills and experience are important for selection. 6) Keeping confidentiality Another vital thing to do is to handle all the applications confidentially without giving much publicity to the details of the applicants. This is because many people do not like to publicize that they have applied for the post. 7) The role of the Chair in the interview process It is the duty of the Chair to see that the whole selection process is conducted well in accordance with the decided selection process. In other words, the presence of Chair is necessary at each stage of the process. It is the duty of the Chair to meet al the members of the board in advance and detail the role of each member and the selection criteria to be used. During interview, the Chair is supposed to introduce board embers to the candidate. In addition, proper use of the selection criteria by each member is the duty of the chair. 8) Short-listing the candidates The next stage is the short-listing of candidates who meet the selection criteria. The process of short-listing involves accepting the applications which met the selection criteria and rejecting the ones that do not meet the criteria. In case the number of applicants is to be reduced, the board can make use of the desirable qualification criteria. The ones who do not possess the desired qualities can be expelled. Screening and short listing are very important in all recruitment processes. As Pettersen and Durivage (2008, p. 45) observe, there are a number of tools that can be used with the candidates to evaluate the criteria, ranging from resume analysis, job knowledge tests, simulations, and references. There are a number of ways that can be adopted to screen the skills and abilities of candidates. Some of them are; Psychometric testing Psychometric tests are intended to assess the attributes like intelligence, aptitude and personality of an individual. Assessing these features will give the employer an insight into how effectively that employee can function in the work environment of the organization. However, as per reports, recently, there has been an increase in the use of such psychometric tests that can assess integrity, honesty and predisposition to anger. In addition, according to statistics, (cited in Psychometric tests: Introduction, n.d. ) more than 80% of the Fortune 500 companies in the US have started using psychometric testing as a part of their recruitment process. Telephone screening interview Adams (1997, p. 240), in ‘Streetwise managing people: lead our staff to peak performance’ writes that the best way to screen potential candidates, in terms of saving time, is to use telephone screening. However, care should be taken so that knowledge regarding specific operational information is elicited through the interview. In addition, there are various other ‘do-it-yourself’ options too. Some of them are: Work samples This is an effective way to analyze the capability of any applicant. According to Rothwell (p. 234), it is easy to analyze how well a candidate performs through work samples. Skill tests It has become common for organizations to assess the skills of new recruits through skill tests. This is a highly effective and useful in assessing the level of expertise the potential candidate has got in the field. Some other commonly used methods are in-tray exercises, role plays, and presentations. According to Recruitment and Selection Resources (November 2008), reference checking is vital in the process as it gives knowledge about the job performance of the candidate. In analyzing the reference, specific stress should be given to checking how the referee has summarized the candidate’s performance in general. In addition, stress should be given on the disciplinary history, attendance, ability to adapt to the environment, and workplace behavior of the candidate. At this stage, it is necessary to check for validation of information if required, and any doubts should be clarified. 9) Conducting interview After selecting the selection criteria, the purpose of interview is only to check if the candidates meet the selection criteria. In addition, the board members should make sure that the board is not distracted by any candidate in its normal course of functioning. All candidates should be treated equally and the very same set of criteria should be used for all candidates. 10) Evaluating the candidates In candidate evaluation, it is highly beneficial if an agreed marking system is adopted by all board embers. After the marking, the board may discuss the pros and cons of selecting each candidate, reaching a final decision. 11) Informing the outcome It is necessary to make sure that candidates, both winners and losers, are made known about the results. Feedback should be precise, well-defined and should match with the selection criteria. The Legalities Involved The selection procedures of organizations are not free from legal jargons. The first on is the Equality Act of 2010. So, it becomes necessary to make sure that discrimination based on sex, marital status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, color, ethnicity, and religion are not included in the selection criteria. In addition, there is Freedom of Information Act 2007, which gives individuals the right to know the reasons for the decisions that affect them. Hence, the need for a proper selection criteria and its recording is clear. Catano et al (2009, p. 28) points out that the hiring decisions must be defensible, and must meet all the legal requirements and professional standards of reliability and validity. Factors of a successful recruiting plan Some common problems faced by organizations in their recruitment are lack of a formal recruitment strategy, lack of coordination, no bargaining power, inability to identify the job requirements precisely, loss of good candidates through unscientific recruitment procedures, and poor screening methods (How do I ensure a successful recruitment strategy?, n.d.). While preparing a recruiting plan, as Stedt (2006, pp. 39-40) says, it is necessary to have adequate knowledge about the hiring budget, the location of hires, projected hire dates, number of openings, and type of openings. Once this information is collected, it is time to prepare a schedule for the recruitment process. Wasting more time through these procedures means unnecessary wastage of the organization’s money. In addition, it is warned that in the modern fast-paced business climate, it is easy for potential candidates to “fall through the cracks” (Stedt, 2006, p. 42). So, a slow recruitment may lead to the disappearance of some potential applicants. On the other hand, a fast-paced recruiting process will make a good impression about the company in the minds of the candidates. Another vital thing is the importance to be given to interview. ‘The more structured an interview is, the more validity it has’ (Pettersen & Durivage, p. 54). However, it is pointed out that even though interviews can be highly structured, the board members, at times, are supposed to help the interviewee. Sometimes, a sub-question, or the repetition of a question will help a candidate explain his opinion more easily. In addition, the questions should be aimed at checking if the candidate possesses the qualities as already decided through the selection criteria. The last thing is to have proper follow-up of the new recruits for the first few months to see that they get well-integrated into the company system. In addition, this will help solve frictions, if any. Conclusion In total, it becomes evident that recruiting staff is one of the most complicated tasks for any organization in the modern world. As the process of recruitment and selection is complicated, it should be preplanned and well-scheduled in advance. In addition, care should be taken at each step to make sure that the system remains fair so that only the ones with the required skills and abilities join the firm. Lastly, the procedure should be brisk so that the loss of employees through ‘cracks’ can be avoided. In other words, the recruitment procedure can give a powerful subliminal message about the efficiency of the organization to the candidates. References Adams, B 1997, Streetwise Managing People: Lead your staff to peak performance, Adams Media, USA. Catano, VM, Wiesner, WH, Hackett, RD & Methot, LL 2009, Recruitment and Selection in Canada, 4th Edn, Cengage Learning, USA. ‘How do I ensure a successful recruitment strategy’, n.d, Callcentre Helper, viewed 17 March 2011, < http://www.callcentrehelper.com/how-do-i-ensure-a-successful-recruitment-strategy-181.htm> Pettersen, N & Durivage, A 2008, The Structured Interview: Enhancing Staff Selection, PUQ. ‘Psychometric Tests: introduction’, n.d, Psychometric Success, viewed 17 March 2011, Quayle, E 2006, 5 Mistakes Everyone Makes with Job Descriptions And How to Avoid Them, Business & Legal Reports,Inc., USA. “Recruitment and Selection Procedures” July 2006, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, July 2006, p. 5. Recruitment and Selection Resources November 2008, Queensland Government, Public Service Commission. Stedt, J 2006, Talent Balancing: Staffing Your Company for Long –Term Success, Greenwood Publishing Group, USA. ‘Three key elements of effective recruitment Ads’, n.d, The Oregonian, viewed 17 March 2011, Read More