Methods of Recruitment (DP IB Business Management)
Revision Note
Written by: Lisa Eades
Reviewed by: Steve Vorster
An Introduction to Recruitment
Recruitment is the process of attracting and identifying potential job candidates who are suitable for a particular role
Recruitment activities include job advertising, job fairs, social media outreach and referrals from current employees
The goal of recruitment is to create a pool of qualified candidates who can be considered for the role
Selection is the process of choosing the best candidate
Selection activities often involve reviewing CVs and conducting interviews or assessment tasks
The goal of selection is to hire the most suitable candidate for the job
Diagram: the recruitment and selection process
1. Define the role
Businesses should determine exactly what is required and part of that is developing a job description and a person/job specification
A job specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and personal qualities required from a candidate for a specific job e.g. problem solver, good communicator, able to code in Java etc.
A job description outlines the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of a particular job
2. Determine the best source of candidates
The business can advertise the role internally, externally, or a combination of both
Internal recruitment is the process of hiring employees from within the organisation
Internal recruitment can be beneficial as it encourages employee development, builds morale and can save time and money on training
External recruitment is the process of hiring employees from outside the organisation
External recruitment can bring fresh ideas, experiences and perspectives to the organization
These methods are considered in more detail below
3. Advertise
Businesses with a strong social media presence can use these platforms to advertise cost effectively e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok
Depending on the nature of the business, there may be specialist recruitment portals through which they can advertise and these tend to cost more e.g. The Times Educational Supplement is one of the main publications used to recruit teaching staff
4. Receive applications
The application stage involves collecting information from potential candidates
These methods are discussed fully below
Someone within the business must be nominated to manage the application process
This person (possibly together with others) will draw up a shortlist of candidates from the many applications received
The shortlist usually includes 3-5 candidates who are invited to interview
5. The selection process
This process varies significantly between organisations
Businesses must decide on the most appropriate method which will help them to identify the best candidate
The most commonly used methods are discussed fully below
Internal & External Recruitment
Businesses often use a combination of internal and external recruitment methods, depending on the nature of the job and the availability of suitable candidates
The method chosen will also depend on the organisation's goals, the level of the position being filled and the industry in which it operates
Internal recruitment methods
Internal recruitment involves the promotion or redeployment of staff to fill a vacant post
Vacancies are advertised internally on staff notice boards, in newsletters or via in-house electronic communications
Recruiting internally has a range of advantages and disadvantages
Advantages and Disadvantages of Internal Recruitment
Advantages | Disadvantages |
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External Recruitment Methods
If a vacancy cannot be filled internally it will be necessary to look outside of the business to find suitable candidates
New skills, experiences and ideas can be introduced to the business
Some methods are expensive and it can be difficult to target the desired audience
A Comparison of External Recruitment Methods
Method | Explanation |
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Referrals/Personal Recommendations |
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Online Advertising |
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Newspaper Advertising |
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Specialist Trade Publications |
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Employment Agencies |
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Headhunting |
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Job Centres |
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Careers Fairs |
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External recruitment overcomes some of the disadvantages of internal recruitment
However it is often more expensive than internal recruitment
There is also a greater degree of uncertainty as external candidates are unknown to the business
Applying for a Job
Both internal and external candidates typically apply for advertised roles by submitting an application form
Alternatively candidates are asked to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) with an accompanying cover letter
Application Form | Curriculum Vitae (CV) | Covering Letter |
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Selecting the right candidate
A range of methods may be used to make a choice between job applicants
Business commonly use a combination of these methods
Diagram: common selection methods
Interview | Testing |
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Portfolio | References |
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