Advertising Sales Executive's Recruitment and Selection Strategy - Term Paper Example

Title Page Title: The best recruitment strategy and selection strategy of hiring an advertising sales executive. Course Number: Course Name: Lecturer: Assignment number: Date due: Student name: Student number: Letter of Transmittal Human Resource Manager, Davies Brothers Pty Limited. 1st September 2009 Chief Executive Officer, Davies Brothers Pty Limited. Dear Sir, The human resources manager of Davies Brothers Pty Limited has prepared a report that examines the recruitment and selection strategies he would use in hiring a new online advertising sales executive; a position that is currently vacant. The results of this report can justify the fairness, professionalism and accountability of the human resource department undertakings. Executive Summary This report aims at establishing the principles and concepts that should be employed whenever a company is being involved in hiring of new members while focusing on recruitment and selection strategies used to ensure that hiring is just, dignified and based on integrity. It uses exemplification by tackling the hiring of an online advertising sales executive. According to the findings, there is no discrete method of writing the job profile. Recruitment and selection affect a company’s success and can be done internally or externally but whichever way; the process should be free, fair and accurate. Internal recruitment minimizes costs of training new employees while external recruitment eliminates bias and prejudice which are common to recruitment and selection processes. Bias in the selection process is avoided by ensuring that the strategies used are very accurate. Human resource managers should appreciate biographical data in the selection process. Several methods should be used in recruitment and selection to increase accuracy. Companies should have recruitment offerings and should be more versatile by appreciating internet advertising. Table of Contents Title Page…………………………………………………………………………… i Letter of Transmittal……………………………………………………………….. ii Executive Summary………………………………………………………………… iii Table of Contents…………………………………………………………………… iv 1.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………………… 1 1.1 Background……………………………………………………………… 1 1.2 Aims…………………………………………………………………….. 2 1.3 Scope……………………………………………………………………. 2 2.0 Discussion………………………………………………………………………. 3 2.1 Concepts and Principles of Recruitment and selection ………………… 3 2.2 Advertisement Sales Executive Recruitment Strategy…………. 5 2.3 Advertisement Sales Executive Selection Strategy……………. 7 3.0 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………….. 10 4.0 Recommendations……………………………………………………………… 10 5.0 List of References………………………………………………………………. 11 6.0 Appendices……………………………………………………………………... 14 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background In the recent past, human resource has become one of the most convoluted departments in terms of the modes of operation yet its input is regarded very vital. It has undergone a transformation from use of traditional operational methods to more sophisticated approaches which recognize that organizations should be guided by individuals with exceptional talent, capacities and abilities. Human resource management has numerous roles within its jurisdiction in a company. Among its minor roles, it is charged with the responsibility of training and developing the company’s workforce, tracking employee records, compensating and rewarding individuals, and assisting employees in developing their careers. The major roles it plays are performance assessment, mediating the employees and the industry and hiring or firing of employees through calculated recruitment and selection processes. However, the mystery and the controversy that is evident in this particular department especially on issues regarding employee recruitment and selection cannot be overlooked (Breaugh 2000). With the high rates of growth in internet business, online businesses are becoming a force to reckon with. More people are willing to do online advertisement and hence many jobs are being created. Most important of all, employers want great employees such as competent online advertisement sales executives who can be able to make better returns for these online businesses. Human resource department has had to adjust to these needs in the way it selects and recruits employees (Baumback & Lawyer 1979). 1.2 Aims This report aims at not only identifying the concepts and principles that should be employed to ensure that employees are selected in a fair, dignified manner that is beneficial to the company, but also justifying them. It focuses on the recruitment and selection strategies that should be followed in this undertaking. The report elaborates these vital points further by use of a specific example of recruiting an online advertising sales executive. 1.3 Scope This report evaluates the various methods used in recruiting staff in most organizations and the selection procedures used to discriminate short listed applicants. The focal point is the recruitment and selection strategies or theories applicable when hiring online advertisement sales executive job applicants. 2.0 Discussion 2.1 Concepts and Principles of Recruitment and Selection If a job is considered to be vacant, it is usually advertised so as to search for potential applicants. If the job advertisement is to be considered complete, it has to contain a job profile that elucidates further what that job is all about. However, there is no discrete way of formulating the job profile (Elliott 1983). Most basically, the human resources manager should make sure that the advert contains a job title, a job reference code or number, educational background requirements, experience, name of department, date of posting, the closure date, the status of the job; permanent or contractual and the requirements of that particular job. Additional contents like the salary scale, intellectual or corporeal requirements and more specific knowledge and capabilities are also acceptable. A connection to more information should also be provided to the applicants and preferably, a statement of equal opportunities for all applicants clearly pointed out (Wellin 2007). The nature of recruitment determines a company’s success whether instant or long term. It bears a quality workforce when it is done considering the fact that the company is dealing with a competitive market. Recruitment can be done both externally and internally (Chan 1996). Internal recruitment enables the employer to save resources in terms of training, development and calls for appraisal by the workforce. However, internal recruitment can be a little bit tricky as it is susceptible to manipulation (Lewis & Sargean 2004). In contrast, external recruitment is more often than not good in ensuring that integrity, dignity and fairness are used in conducting the hiring process. Although external recruitment is expensive at times, the swiftly changing business of today requires talent and experience which cannot be totally acquired from existing internal human resources (Pynes 2004). It is absurd for an organization to carry out all recruitment exercise steps without involving an intermediary. For high profile jobs such as senior management positions which are characterised by high competition, external recruitment is the best solution (Winfield, Bishop & Porter 2004). Another reason as to why external recruitment could be used is if the exercise requires use of resources that the company does not have. It would be cheaper to hire them than buy them if the company seldom uses those resources. Recruitment is basically a procedure of spotting and magnetizing both internal and external potential candidates with a goal of assessing them for future employment. Once the candidates are well-known, the selection process follows. This is the point where information is collected, measured and evaluated for the particular positions at stake. These procedures help employers to come up with a team of employees whose skills and capabilities match the requirements of the various posts existent in an organization (Peetz 2006). Companies with highly effective selection methods have much in common. Most of their interviews are behaviour based; code of conduct and ethics are usually given a high priority regardless of how strong the academic qualifications of the applicant are. Effective selection also value the training and experience background of their applicant and even go to a level of creating workshops for evaluating them. Moreover, in these companies, aptitude tests are given to potential employees so as to determine if the skills of the applicant are useful and resourceful to the position at stake and the company at large (Billsberry 2007). Though not commonly used, extraction of a candidate’s biographical data is a very efficient selective method. An applicant’s pasts behaviours, beliefs, outlook and standards can tell much about his future behaviour, performance and capabilities with respect to the position in question. 2.2 Recruitment strategy for hiring an advertisement sales executive The recruitment strategy used should depend mainly if not entirely on the level of the position which in this case is an online advertisement sales executive position. This position is a senior management one and therefore using the internet would be one of the best methods to go about recruiting. Internet advertisements are placed on job boards or even bulletins (Rollinson 2005). The internet is more widespread and therefore it is expected that a numerous number of people are going to view the advert. When more people turn up interested in the sales executive position, they are going to provide the company with an array of talent, abilities, vast experience from different regions and even links like emails that could see the employer access the biographical data of each applicant. Making applications through the internet is also cheaper in terms of time, and it is less hectic for the human resource management team. It is advantageous to use the internet as it is cheap where large numbers of candidates are involved. Even if the internet seems to be taking the lead in providing information, other informative sources are still a force to reckon with, in recruitment (McLean & Osman-Gani 2004). National newspapers would also not be forgotten in the exercise given that they aren’t outdated yet. A large population still accredit modern newspapers and it would be wise to advertise the position of the online advertisement sales executive in the paper preferably on the jobs column where it is well visible. The cost of doing this is quite high and hence only a few newspapers or even one would be used for the job post. Professional magazines especially those affiliated to online business advertising which is the area of interest are also a potential target of the recruitment strategy. Due to sensitivity of the job position, direct mailing is not a good strategy to handle the recruiting process. Local newspapers would have to be omitted as it is highly unlikely that the specific skills needed for this particular position such as exposure of the applicant to online advertising and the digital business will come from one area. On the other hand, radio, television and movie advertisements would be appropriate as the job profile requires candidates who are familiar with media advertising and more so the digital world. Apart from advertisements, the company can also utilise internal job postings and employee transfers as a recruitment strategy. The vacant position can be placed in the company’s website so as to draw willing applicants. Posting it on the company’s website would be a good way of natural selection since computer illiterate members will automatically disqualify themselves from the position. Internal postings are relatively cheap and they don’t only identify individuals who fit the needed description from within the company, but from without as well. Internal postings usually hit two birds with one stone in that, if a candidate taking the position is a former employee, then he or she stands a chance to be promoted and hence the much common protests that claim employees are mistreated and discriminated are minimised (Holton & Trott 1996). Organisations such as provisional and even governmental groups are also other avenues in which the recruitment process can be realised (Harel & Tzafrir 1999). The provisional organisations especially employment agencies are able to come up with good teams and criteria of proving whether an applicant has the skills and abilities needed. The agencies can relate information and establish if the employee’s academic certificates are genuine and are able to link with former employers of applicants and hence the employer is able to know which applicant can be entrusted to that position in future. Agencies also have time to assess the applicants; the online advertisement sales executive applicants can be given a sales assignment to prove if they really have a passion in sales as per the job description, ascertain if they truly understand online business and to see the way they deal with clients. Recruitments from colleges would be unfavourable as a two-year experience is required. Recruitment contributions would also be another factor that would be incorporated into the recruitment strategy (Deshopande & Golhar 1994). Basically, there are four important contributions that would see great candidates attracted to this sales executive position. Firstly, the organisation has to maintain a culture that is way above average. Potential online advertisement sales executives would like a strategically located, diverse, flexible, reputable and organised company. Secondly, applicants would be more attracted when the payment package is attractive and the working environment is versatile with vocational time for all employees. Moreover, these senior managers would like an environment that gives them a chance to further their studies and develop technically (Gary, 2004). Companies which also help employees develop financially through schemes and stock investments would also attract more applicants. 2.3 Selection strategy for hiring an advertisement sales executive After attaining the best applicants the advertisement sales executive post, the short listed candidates are subjected to selection. Selection is a way of eliminating shortlisted candidates leaving out the desired number alone. Several selection strategies are applicable. An interview that examines the behaviour of the applicants is a good way to begin with the selection (Ours & Ridder 1992). A sales executive has to be a person of unquestionable conduct and he should be polite to the clients; anyone who fails to meet this is automatically eliminated from the candidates’ list. Past relations with customers can also be used to determine the kind of sales executive a certain applicant would make; a past full of disagreements with clients would mean the applicant could bring down the sales of the company unless otherwise stated. However, high degrees of accuracy are recommended when probing into the applicant’s past relations so as to avoid bias and prejudice during the selection process; biased selection processes break the law of equal opportunity (McLean 2006). Dignity and integrity should be the guiding principles of the panel charged with the mandate of selecting short listed candidates. According to Gary (2004), evaluation of training capabilities and experience of an applicant can also be very resourceful. Standardised measures of capacity and competence such as job-specific knowledge tests can be used to eliminate candidates who fail to meet minimum qualifications of this particular level. An experienced sales executive is expected to handle work sample tests for example describing the process of selling advertisement space with ease and his understanding of internet business should be way above average as compared to an inexperienced one. Candidates without experience will surely have a hard time working on experience test procedures and hence have them eliminated. Biographical data would also be helpful in the selection of the preferred candidates. This data entails the standpoint of the applicants, his views and opinions, and the values he holds in life. With the right resources, a good selection team can use this data to distinguish between a performer and a non-performer. The selection panel should also embark on efforts that could see them know where the preferences of the applicant in question lie; if it is not sales, he or she cannot serve as a good sales executive. In cases where the candidates are too many, resumes can be screened by use of a computer program. Faulty and incomplete resumes like those lacking parts like experience are automatically rejected and this makes the work of the selection panel easier. Employees are satisfied with this method since it is free from bias. If the best candidate does not fit the minimum expectation, the job is re-advertised (Zanko & Ngui 2003). Alternatively, the company can choose to train the recruit so as to enable him or her to match the expected standards. These alternative leads to a situation whereby the recruits’ salary scale depends on level of qualification and the company’s expenditure on the candidate’s training. 3.0 Conclusions Recruitment can be done internally or externally. Internal recruitment is favourable when the position is non-managerial, less competitive and when the employer wants to minimise the cost of training new employees. Internal recruitment is subject to manipulation and hence for sensitive jobs, external recruitment is advisable. Advertisements, organisations and recruitment contributions are the major avenues or strategies employed during recruitment. Selection strategies used in hiring applicants include use of interviews, training and experience tests and biographical data. Accuracy is very important in the selection process to avoid bias and prejudice. The discussion is specific for an advertisement sales executive job but it is a representative of the general recruitment and selective strategies that should be employed when hiring employees. 4.0 Recommendations Based on the findings, numerous recommendations can be made. Firstly, human resource managers should start using biographical data to establish the potential of applicants during the selection process. Secondly, due to the ease in bringing about bias, several methods strategies and not one selection method should be used to discriminate between short listed applicants. Companies should have offerings such as a good reputation, good salary packages and a convenient working environment to attract more candidates. With the world rapidly changing, companies should invest more into internet advertising for jobs like advertisement sales executive positions so as to get many options to select from. 5.0 References Baumback, C M & Lawyer, K 1979, How to organize and operate a small business, Prentice-Hall, New York, pp. 453-489. Billsberry, J 2007, Experiencing Recruitment and Selection, John Wiley and Sons, Australia, pp. 145-175. Breaugh, JA, Giacobbe, RW, Starke, M, Segal, MN 2000, ‘Research on employee recruitment: so Many studies, so many remaining questions’, Journal of Management, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 405-434,(online Emerald). Chan, W 1996, ‘External recruitment versus internal promotions’, Journal of Labour Economics, vol. 14, no. 4, p.555 ,(online ProQuest). Deshopande, S P & Golhar D Y 1994, ‘HRM practices in large and small manufacturing firms: a comparative study’, Journal of Small Business Management, vol. 32,no.2 , pp.49-57 , (online ProQuest). Elliott, T 1983, Profitable Foodservice Management Through Recruitment and Selection of Employees, Issue 9, Natl Restaurant Assn, USA, pp. 30-120. Harel, G H & Tzafrir, S S 1999, ‘The effect of human resource management practices on the perceptions of organizational and market performance of the firm’, Human Resource Management, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 185-199, viewed 1 September 2009, < http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/64000585/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0>, (0nline Wiley InterScience). Holton II, E F& Trott, J W 1996, ‘Trends Toward a Closer Integration of Vocational Education and Human Resources Development’, Journal of Vocational and Technical Education, vol.12, no. 2, pp.7, ,(online DLA). Lewis, D & Sargean, M 2004, Essentials of Employment Law People and organizations, CIPD Publishing, London, pp. 87-170. McLean, G N 2006, ‘Human Resource Development: A Focused Study in Transitioning Societies in the Developing World’, In Advances in Developing Human Resources, vol. 8, no. 3,pp.,(online Sage). McLean, G N & Osman-Gani, A M 2004, ‘Human resource development as national policy’, Advances in Developing Human Resources, vol. 6, no. 3,pp.,(online Sage). Jobs in South Africa at South Africa's Job Portal, Online Advertising Sales Executive, viewed 1 September 2009, < http://www.jobs.co.za/job-seekers/jobs/24230/online-advertising-sales-executive> Ours, J V & Ridder, G 1992, ‘Vacancies and the Recruitment of New Employees’, Journal of Labor Economics, vol.10, no.2, (online Emerald). Peetz, D 2006, Brave new workplace: how individual contracts are changing our jobs, Allen & Unwin, New Zealand, pp. 200-262. Pynes, J 2004, Human resources management for public and nonprofit organizations Jossey Bass Non-profit & Public Management Series, John Wiley and Sons, USA, pp. 20-33. Rollinson, D 2005, Organisational behaviour and analysis: an integrated approach, Prentice Hall Financial Times, London, pp. 520-640. Wellin, M 2007, Managing the psychological contract: using the personal deal to increase business performance, Gower Publishing, Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 146-192. Winfield, P W, Bishop, R & Porter, K 2004, Core management for HR students and practitioners, Elsevier, England, pp. 300-370. Zanko, M & Ngui, M 2003, The handbook of human resource management policies and practices in Asia-Pacific economies, Volume 2: New horizons in management, Elgar Publishing, pp. 23-47, (online Amazon). Gary, N M, 2004, Advances in Developing Human Resources, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 269-275, (online Sage). Gary, N M, 2004, Advances in Developing Human Resources, vol. 8, no. 3. pp. 116-132, (online Sage). 6.0 Appendices Appendix I Division Name The Mercury Job Code 2076096 Date Posted 12/09/2009 Category Advertising, Media, Arts & Entertainment City Hobart State TAS Job Type Full Time Permanent About the Job DAVIES BROTHERS PTY LIMITED Advertising Sales Executive Would you like to be part of a vibrant, fun and dedicated sales team? We are looking for an enthusiastic and confident team player preferably with a proven sales record to join our busy sales team in a role which will primarily focus on selling advertising into the Tasmanian Country. You will be responsible for managing an existing portfolio of clients with a key focus on pro-active business development and customer based advertising business solutions. The role will also require you to work with other members of the Features team to generate new business on other advertising feature opportunities. Ideally you will: • Have a proven track record in sales• Have the ability to prioritise workload and work to deadlines• Have excellent customer service and computer skills• Have solid negotiation and presentation skills• Not be afraid of cold calling For your opportunity to take the next step in your sales career and join Tasmania's biggest selling rural newspaper, please forward your written application to: Human Resources ManagerDavies Brothers Pty Limited91-93 Macquarie Street, Hobart, TAS 7000 Applications Close 19/09/2009 ABN 37 009 475 754 DAVIES BROTHERS PTY LIMITED IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PROVIDES A SMOKE FREE WORKING ENVIRONMENT Source: http://jobview.careerone.com.au/GetJob.aspx?JobID=83358477&cn=%22The+Mercury%22&cy=AU&vw=b&vw=b&AVSDM=2009-09-12+00%3A03%3A00&pg=1&seq=40 Read More