Recruitment Management - Literature review Example

Running head: Recruitment Recruitment Management [Pick the Contents 2 Introduction 2 Recruitment 3 Recruitment Process 4 Job Analysis 4 Sourcing 4 Screening and Selection 5 On boarding 7 Types of recruitment 7 Internal Recruitment 7 External Recruitment 8 Newspaper Advertisements 8 Outsourcing 9 Campus recruitment 9 Executive search firms / Employment Agencies 10 E-recruitment 11 E-recruitment Portals 11 Social Media 12 Advantages of E-recruitment 13 Disadvantages of E-Recruitment 13 Conclusion 14 References 16 Abstract Recruitment is a process within human resources where firms look to attract and select the best candidates for the available vacant positions. Recruiting the right person for the right job brings success to the organization, creates future leaders and gives the organization a competitive edge in the market. There are various recruitment methods and types exercised by these firms. Although during the recent decade the use of e-recruitment has increased immensely, both in sourcing candidates as well as managing the overall selecting activities. It is however observed that traditional means of recruitment channels are still used due to the specific advantages. The marvels of e-recruitment has affected all the other means although it cannot completely take over the traditional recruitment channels. Introduction After the industrialization era and the birth of modern information economy, the emphasis shifted from processes and procedures to employees and humanistic approach of management was adopted by organizations. The change came after realization of human creativity and abilities with the enormous success innovation and inventiveness can bring. After recognizing that human capital is the most profound asset, a war on talent started between the businesses which gave birth to newer strategies related to management practices (Arthur, 2012). The paper discusses, recruitment followed by its types and the modern practice of e-recruitment with its distinct advantages and disadvantages. The importance of recruitment process and different strategies organizations use to attract the best talent available in the market. It also explores the difference between traditional approaches to recruitment and their effectiveness with modern techniques of recruitment introduced after the increasing usage of internet and social website and portals. Recruitment The recruitment process supports an organization in finding and attracting capable applicants for employment and a series of steps that decide which applicant should be hired. The paper focuses on recruitment process which varies with organization to organization. The modern recruitment processes evolved on the landscape of corporate sector with the evolution of modern human resources practices. Even in the era of post industrialization, recruitment practices were being followed although since emphasis was not on the quality of applicants, the hiring process was simpler and straight forward. The modern recruitment process is composed of analysing job, attracting, screening and selecting the best person for the job. The specific steps involved in recruitment include; analysing job, developing a job specification and sourcing candidate using different means or search methods, both internal and external (Brewster et al., 2011). It is important to understand that search methods may vary on the basis of vacant job and size of the organization. Nevertheless every organization aspires to attract and retain the best employee for each position, in order to maximize productivity, create future leaders and to gain a competitive edge over other competitors in the market (Arthur, 2012). Recruitment Process Job Analysis The recruitment process is initiated with a job analysis where responsibilities of an incumbent are recognized and documented in form of job descriptions. In modern organizations such job descriptions are prepared beforehand by analysing the job performed by the individual. These job descriptions provide the basis for person specification best for the vacant position. This job specification is used to assess the incumbent through the process of interviews, aptitude or psychometric tests along with experience, education, past references and expertise (Compton et al., 2009). The method of e-recruitment has made it easier to share the job specifications with the candidates. A job advert goes up on the popular recruitment websites and this advert is mostly composed of the job specification with other elements that attract the candidates (Pfeffer, 2008). Sourcing The phenomena of sourcing is a strategic approach for identifying and attracting the best person of the job. It can involve both internal and external means of advertising using newspapers, job boards, campus hiring, job centres and recruitment methods available on the internet. After the information explosion that came with invention of internet sharing information and data became more convenient. The methods used to attract incumbents over the internet include recruitment portals, job boards, social media website and career portals managed by the organizations themselves. It is also observed that company’s also share their vacant positions through emails sent out by individuals to potential incumbents, incumbents whom they know personally or professionally. Another major source for sourcing candidates are head hunters or recruitment consultants who help the organization find the best candidate for the vacant position and charge a fee for such services. The sourcing process generates potential candidates contacted after the screening process (Compton et al., 2009). The e-recruitment has revolutionized the sourcing process, companies now rely on recruitment portals either managed by them or by recruitment companies who advertise vacant positions on their renowned (recruitment portals). These recruitment portals are easily accessed by candidates by using internet and by uploading their resumes or filling information they show interest in the available job (Pfeffer, 2008). Screening and Selection It is the process where suitability of a candidate for the job in question is assessed by evaluating skills, knowledge and abilities with special emphasis given to field of interest, expertise acquired, education and experience. Within this stage resumes or curriculum vitae (CVs) are screened, telephonic interviews are conducted followed by tests and face to face interviews with managers and human resource personnel (Compton et al., 2009). The e-recruitment portals not only attract the best candidates conveniently but also manage information of the candidates for the employers, assisting them in screening the appropriate candidates. The process starts where a candidate sees an appropriate position for himself on the recruitment portal, he applies for the job providing his information in predetermined text fields, drop downs and buttons. Once the candidate completes this process he applies for the available position and uploads his / her resume along with it. This information is presented to the employers in easily readable manner where using a software the hiring managers shortlists the most appropriate candidates after considering the information provided by the candidate. Most of the organizations now use different ERP software to manage their day to day activities, recruitment ERPs are also helpful for hiring managers and human resource departments, where database of candidates are managed, interviews and feedbacks are stored along with presenting important information and helping higher authorities make decisions about the candidates and give approvals for hiring. Once approved the appropriate notifications are generated by the software providing all the parties with appropriate information and specifying need for their actions (Pfeffer, 2008). On boarding The process of recruitment ends with on-boarding, which refers to activities that help an incumbent get acquainted with new colleagues, understand and become a part of the new organizational culture and start performing the particular job the incumbent is recruited for (Roberts, 1997). Types of recruitment Internal Recruitment Most companies use internal means for their recruitment activities, using an internal recruiter who actively seek out most appropriate candidates from within the organization, in their own circles, trade organizations and competitors (Arthur, 2012). These internal recruiters also participate in the selection process with multitude of human resource activities. Another internal technique used by employers is announcing internal vacancies where position available is presented to current workforce and they can apply on such position the same selection process follows with tests and multilevel interviews. Another internal technique used by organizations for decades is employee referrals where an employee can refer his friend or a family member for a vacant position. This is a more reliable source for candidates as an existing employee only refers someone he considers appropriate for the existing vacant position. It is estimated that most big organizations depend on employee referrals for lower, middle and upper management positions. A departing employee may also refer a suitable candidate within his team or from the outside. In order to get more and more employee referrals, employers tend to associate a reward for each successful referral made by an employee. It is also seen that fearing a wrong referral employees tend not to refer a friend / family member, a hiring gone bad can result in bad reputation within the organization and also effect the relationship with the hired candidate (Taylor, 2002). External Recruitment The means of recruitment that include using external sources for advertisement purposes intended to source the best candidates for the job. These external means were used widely for attracting the best incumbents for the job and for a long period of time newspapers and employee referrals were the most commonly used recruitment methods, soon after the invention of internet and information sharing through websites, recruitment portals and websites became famous and took up a huge portion of recruitment activities from the traditional means (Roberts, 1997). Newspaper Advertisements It is considered as the most appropriate means for external recruitment where a newspaper advertisement is placed in the job section. Searching candidates always explore this section of the newspaper for more rewarding and intriguing jobs. Although this method produces a cumbersome amount of applications in hard copies through post, shortlisting and screening resumes becomes a difficult job for the human resource department. On the other hand directing candidates to an e-recruitment website from newspaper yields the most positive results in terms of screening and number of candidates applying for a position. After the e-recruitment phenomena, newspaper business was probably the most affected recruitment channel as organizations tend to advertise through internet as buying a newspaper is becoming a diminishing practice by today’s youth. Newspapers themselves have started electronic versions of their newspaper on their websites along with an electronic job board or vacancies section (Pfeffer, 2008). Outsourcing Small organizations that cannot have a spate human resources or recruitment divisions tend to outsource the whole recruitment activity to specialized recruitment firms. During the harsh economic times it was seen that even middle sized companies and big companies outsourced their recruitment activities as vacancies were rare and supporting departments such as human resources were downsized (Taylor, 2002). Campus recruitment This method of recruitment is only suitable for organizations that are looking for fresh graduates passing out from their universities and colleges. Many organizations believe in hiring fresh candidates as it is easier to mould them in to their organizational culture. These employees are very flexible, with no or very less experience making them cost efficient. Campus recruitment drives also publicizes the organization and is an effective way of attracting students to join on a junior position and later on growing to leadership and managerial positions (Taylor, 2002). Executive search firms / Employment Agencies These firms are independent organizations that have expertise in recruiting for other organizations for different sectors. Such organizations have a long history in both private and public sectors. They are only active in recruitment activities and maintain an active candidate database hailing from all industries and sectors both technical and non-technical in nature. After understanding the needs of the clients and the requirements of the position they head hunt for the most suitable candidate and provide that candidate to the organization for selection purposes. The involvement of such agencies or consultancies end after sourcing a candidate and upon successful placement and confirmation of employee, the recruitment consultancy or executive search company is paid a fee usually equivalent to one gross salary of the placed candidate or more. There are some consultancies that also charge the employee for his/her successful placement although this practice is discouraged by the employers. In order to take full advantage of their recruitment expertise there have been instances where consultancies are kept on annual retainer ship models or the complete exercise of recruitment is outsourced to them (Compton et al., 2009). E-recruitment The method of e-recruitment has revolutionized the recruitment process altogether, it has brought both candidates and employers more closer than ever. An applicant can now apply for a job from the convenience of his home by following a few steps. Although this specific method sometimes produces too much data and irrelevant candidates. Using relevant software one can filter the irrelevant applicants and manage their recruitment process efficiently (Pfeffer, 2008). E-recruitment Portals The e-recruitment websites and portals whether managed by an independent recruitment organization (like monster.com, careerbuilder.com, glassdoor.com) or managed by the company itself has two main sections. A job board and resume database which records details of an applicant, job boards contain posted vacancies while the database contains information about the candidate that can be viewed by employer(s) for fishing out the most suitable candidate if a job vacancy becomes available. Most e-recruitment websites and software used by recruitment firms and employers now enable them to manage database of gigantic sizes with various screening techniques along with managing schedules, sending emails, storing interview feedbacks and maintaining history of a candidate. More advance options used particularly by employers themselves are the controls and decision making exercised by the higher authorities in case of hiring or rejection of a candidate (Pfeffer, 2008). Social Media The social media websites also help employers source the best candidates for vacant positions. The use of LinkedIn, Facebook and even twitter is immense these days. The approach used by employers in order to attract candidates from social media websites includes positing jobs on their company page or their human resource staff announcing a position available in their company. Similarly head hunters / executive search firms also use the social media website for advertising positions available with their clients. Both external and internal recruiters can view profiles of candidates (a virtual CV usually available on LinkedIn or Facebook) and contact them directly by sending a private message to them. The whole world become one after invent of Facebook and LinkedIn, everyone has the access to information hence applying for a job has never been easier. Another technique used by the organizations these days is to explore the candidate on social media website such as twitter and Facebook (Pfeffer, 2008). It is seen that before confirming a hiring of the candidate employers tend to view the Facebook page and twitter updates of the candidate in order to assess his personality, values and beliefs. If these factors oppose the organizational values and beliefs there is a chance that the qualified incumbent would not be selected. Advantages of E-recruitment Job advertisement reaches a wider audience in comparison to other recruitment methods. With e-recruitment employers can manage the recruitment activities better. The cumbersome process of screening resumes is immensely simplified by using database with intelligent filters. The candidate can apply to a job conveniently by using a few simple steps. Automated responses to rejected or irrelevant candidates can be sent using email notifications. As a part of ERP the whole activity of recruitment from advertising job to orientation of the incumbent can be managed electronically. A huge pool of candidates and database can be managed by the employers. Disadvantages of E-Recruitment The position becomes open to everyone and secrecy is not ensured. Something the executive search firms’ guarantee hence it has been observed that Sr. positions are not advertised on the recruitment portals. Anyone and everyone can apply for the position from any location and country hence rejecting all those candidates due to one reason or another effects the company’s reputation. The hiring done through e-recruitment tools or portals is not reliable as compared to referrals and executive search firms who ensure references are taken before the screening process starts. No contact with company personal and executive search firms, keeps out a lot of candidates due to usage of filters such as experience or education. For example a candidate best for the particular position may not be even considered as he is removed by filters due to lack of experience or relevant education (Pfeffer, 2008). Not used for executive and senior leadership positions. The most talented people do not visit e-recruitment sites as they are usually satisfied or kept satisfied by their employers. These candidates do not rely on e-recruitment site, such candidates can only be referred or head hunted by an executive search firm, convincing the incumbent to apply for the position available (Pfeffer, 2008). Conclusion The specific method of e-recruitment has changed the landscape of the sourcing and hiring process followed by modern day organizations. It is although surprising that organization only tend to use e-recruitment for their tertiary and mid/low level positions while a huge number of organizations still depend on outsourcing recruitment activities, using executive search firms or recruitment agencies. A large number of vacancies are filled by employee referrals and internal recruiters. It can be said that e-recruitment has simplified the recruitment process, it helps the organizations create and maintain the recruitment activity, it has decreased the dependency of employers on traditional means of recruitment although it would never replace the services provided by the head-hunters and other traditional means such as employee referrals or reference based recruitment, recommendations and lateral / internal hiring. References Arthur, D. (2012). Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting & Orienting New Employees, MACOM Div American Mgmt Association. Brewster, C., Sparrow, P., Vermon G. & Houldworth, E. (2011). International Human Resource Management. CI PD Publishing Compton, R.L., Nankervis, A.R. & Morrissey, B. (2009). Effective Recruitment and Selection Practices, CCH Australia Ltd. Pfeffer, M. (2008). E-recruitment: Analysis of Current Trends Based on an Empirical Survey Focusing on Online Career Networks, VDM Publishing. Roberts, D. (1997). Recruitment and Selection, CIPD Publishing. Taylor, S. (2002). People Resourcing- People and Organizations. CIPD publishing. Read More