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Recruitment and Selection

Recruitment
Recruitment is the process of attracting individuals on a timely basis, in sufficient numbers and with
appropriate qualifications, and encouraging them to apply for jobs with an organization (Mondy & Noe,
1990). It is one of the means of meeting the organization's staffing requirements. An effective
recruiting program can have a major impact on the bottom line of a company, because it is estimated
that the cost of replacing just one employee when a bad decision is made is two to three times the
employee’s annual salary. As can be seen in the figure (Werther & Davis, 1996) below, the groundwork
for successful recruiting effort lies on human resource planning and job analysis information. Once
organizations identify job openings, thorough human resource planning, managers need to design and
implement recruitment programs to attract qualified applicants, because the type of people selected are
the one who determine the success or failure of the organization. However, in large organization,
human resource department is responsible for the recruitment process. On the other hand, in small
organization, recruitment is likely the responsibility of recruitment and selection committee or the
individual manager.

Nature of recruitment
Recruitment is understood as the process of searching for and obtaining applicants for jobs.
Theoretically recruitment process is said to end with the receipt of applications.
• In practice, the activity extends to the screening of applications so as to eliminate those who are
not qualified for the job
• In reality the term is used to describe the entire process of employee hiring or the entire process
of employment.
There is difference b/n recruitment and selection.

Purposes of recruitment
The general purpose of recruitment is to provide a pool of potentially qualified candidates. Specifically,
the purposes are to:
• Determine the present and future requirements of the firm in conjunction with its personnel-
planning and job-analysis activities.
• Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost
• Help increase the success rate of the selection process by reducing the number of visibly under-
qualified or over-qualified job applicants.
• Help reduce the probability that job applicants once recruited and selected, will leave the
organization only after a short period of time.
• Meet the organization’s legal and social obligations regarding the composition of its workforce.
• Begin identifying and preparing potential job applicants who will be appropriate candidates.
• Help increase the success rate of the selection process by reducing the number of visibly under-
qualified or over-qualified job applicant.
• Increase organizational and individual effectiveness in the short term and long term.
• Evaluate effectiveness of various recruiting techniques and sources for all types of job
applicants.

Factors governing recruitment

Given its role and external visibility, recruitment is naturally subject to influence of several factors.
These include external as well as internal forces.
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External Factors
• Supply and demand-
– if the demand for a particular skill is high relative to the supply, an extraordinary
recruiting effort may be needed.
• Unemployment rate-
– when the unemployment rate in a given area is high, the company’s recruitment process
may be simpler.
• Labor-market-
– labor market conditions in a local area are of primary importance in recruiting for most
non-managerial, supervisory and middle-management positions.
• Political-legal considerations-
-Reservation of jobs for minorities and other economically backward classes is a
political decision. There are various laws that cover working conditions, compensation,
retirement benefits and safety and health of employees in industrial establishments.
• A preference to sons of the soil is another political factor. Political leaders claim that preference
must be given to the people of their respective states in matters of employment.
• The company’s image also matters in attracting large number of job seekers.

Internal Factors
• Recruiting policy- most companies have a policy preferring internal sourcing. Another related
policy is to have temporary and part-time employees.
• HRP- the major internal factor that can determine the success of the recruiting program is
whether or not the company engages in HRP. Effective HRP facilitates the recruitment process.
• Size- an organization with 100 thousand employees will find recruiting less problematic than a
firm with just one hundred employees.
• Cost of recruiting- recruiters must operate within budgets.
• Growth and expansion- an organization registering growth and expansion will have more
recruiting on hand than the one which finds its fortunes declining.

Alternatives to Recruitment
Alternatives to Recruitment
Recruitment is not always the best method to fill vacant positions in an organization. Recruitment and
selection are not only time consuming activities but also expensive. Moreover, they don't solve the
immediate employee demand of an organization. Therefore, an organization should carefully consider
all viable alternatives before involving in recruitment functions.

Even when there is a need for additional employees, a firm may decide against increasing the size of its
regular workforce. Alternatives such as outsourcing, contingent workers, employee leasing, and
overtime may all be considered before recruiting new full-time employees.

Outsourcing is the process of hiring an external provider to do the work that was previously done
internally. Outsourcing has become a widespread and increasingly popular alternative, involving almost
every functional area in business today.

Contingent workers are considered to be part of the “disposable American workforce” because they
work as part-time, temporary, or contract workers who can easily be let go when they are not needed.
These contingent workers have also been called the “bookends of recessions” because they are often the
first to go when a recession begins and the last to be hired when the economy gets better. However,
many companies are reversing this trend and holding off hiring regular, full-time employees, choosing
instead to use contingent workers.
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When a decision is made to use employee leasing, the company releases its employees, who are then
hired by a Professional Employer Organization. The PEO is now the legal employer, and takes care of
employee administration, payroll, benefits, and recruiting.

The most commonly used alternative to hiring new employees is having existing employees work
overtime. The employer benefits by avoiding recruitment, selection, and training costs, and the existing
employees benefit from the increased income.
However, some managers believe that when employees work for unusually long periods, the company
pays more and receives less when the employees become fatigued or work at a slower pace to ensure
overtime.

Recruitment Process
RECRUITMENT PROCESS
External Environment
Internal Environment

Human Resource Planning

Alternatives to Recruitment

Employee Requisition

Internal Sources External Sources

Internal Methods External Methods

Recruited Individuals

This figure illustrates the way many firms approach the recruitment process. Initially, the manager
may consider alternatives to hiring. If these alternatives are deemed inadequate, then recruitment begins
with the manager submitting an employee requisition. The next step is to determine whether qualified
employees are available within the firm or if it is necessary to look to external sources.

The recruitment process of an organization aims at organizing recruitment activities in terms of who
does the recruiting, how they do it, and where they seek recruits. As mentioned earlier, human resource
planning indicated the job vacancies now and in the future. In other words, before a recruitment
decision can be made, the organization must reflect upon any vacancy that occurs and link the decisions
to the objectives set by the human resource plan of the organization (Howe, 1995). Once vacant
positions have been identified, management initiates an employee requisition. The recruitment process
usually begins when a manager submits an employee requisition, a document that specifies job title,
department, and date the employee is needed for work. Once the requisition is filed, managers work
with HR to start the recruitment process.

Recruitment sources are the places where qualified candidates are located, such as colleges or
competitor firms.
Recruitment methods, on the other hand, are the specific means used to attract potential employees to
the firm, such as online recruiting.
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Finding good sources of candidates and using suitable recruitment methods are essential to maximizing
a firm’s recruiting efficiency and effectiveness. Companies may discover that some recruitment sources
and methods are superior to others for locating and attracting potential talent.

As the figure (Mondy & Noe, 1990) below illustrates, the employee requisition is a document that
specifies job title, department, the date the employee is needed for work and other related details. With
this information, the recruiter can refer to the job description to determine what each job requires.

JOB

OPENING

IDENTIFIED

JOB
ANALYSIS
INFORMAT-
ION

Human

resource
planning

JOB SOURCES METHODS

REQUIRE OF OF
MENTS RECRUIT RECRUIT
MENT MENT

The Recruitment Process

Manager's
comments

JOB JOB TITLE DATE OF DATE REPLACEMENT

NUMBER JOB VACANCY NEEDED

Permanent Temporary Part-Time

PLEASE CHECK

REASON FOR REQUEST:

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION
OF MINIMUM
QUALIFICATIONS FOR
THE JOB CANDIDATES

BRIEF DESCRIPTION
OF JOB DUTIES:

LOCATION NAME

DATE MANAGER'S SIGNATURE

An Employee Requisition Form

The next major decision concerning recruitment is to identify the sources of recruitment. This is a
means of determining whether competent personnel are available within the organization (the internal
source) or must recruit externally.

Sources of Recruitment
The objective of recruitment is to provide a sufficient group of qualified candidates for employment. In
order to realize this recruitment objective, organizations make use of two sources of recruitment. These
are internal and external sources.

Internal Recruitment
Internal employees are a major source for vacant positions in an organization. This usually takes the
form of employee promotion or transfer within an organization. Internal recruiting improves the
probability of a good selection, since all the necessary information on employ's performance and
behavior is readily available. Moreover, it has the following advantages.
1. It can be a motivating factor for employees, since; it lets them know that hard work can lead to
better jobs.
2. Internal candidates do not need the extensive familiarization with organizational policies.
3. Internal recruiting efforts are much less expensive than external efforts (Scarpello & Ledvinka,
1988).

However, a policy of filling vacant positions using the internal recruiting approach has its own
disadvantages. Some of the major ones are:
1. 'Inbreeding' is a drawback. The employee tends to demonstrate on the job only what he/she has
learned in the organization and has few new ideas.
2. Inadequacy of supply would also arise since fewer people would be available to choose from as
opposed to external recruitment.
3. Recruiting friends/ relatives of present employees may often create unnecessary tensions and
charges of favoritism, nepotism, etc. It often leads to serious erosion of discipline as well
(Chattterjee, 1995).

Internal Recruitment Methods

There are a variety of ways organizations recruit internally to fill a vacancy: Human resource
databases, Job posting, Job bidding, Internet, Intranet, and Company’s online newsletter.
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Job posting is a procedure for informing employees that job openings exist within the firm. Job
posting is a method of internal recruitment, which can facilitate promotion and transfer within the
organization. It is a procedure used to notify the current employees that job openings exist. Job
bidding, on the other hand, is a technique that permits employees who believe that they possess the
required qualifications to apply for a posted job (Mondy & Noe, 1990). In organizations vacant
positions are posted on a bulletin board. Any staff who can satisfy the criteria is encouraged to apply.
It is important here to remember that qualifications and other facts typically are drawn from the job
analysis information. Then, through self-nominations or the recommendation of a supervisor,
employees who are qualified and interested in the posted opening report to the human resource
department and apply (Werther & Davis, 1996).

Job bidding is a procedure that allows employees who believe they are qualified to apply for posted
jobs. The job posting and bidding procedures can help minimize the commonly heard complaint that
insiders never hear about a job opening until it is filled. Typically, jobs are posted internally before any
external recruiting takes place.

External Recruitment
Why external recruitment is needed?
External recruitment is needed to fill entry-level jobs; to hire employees with skills not possessed by
current employees; and to find employees with different backgrounds to increase diversity in the firm.

When vacant positions can not be filled internally, the desired employees must be attracted from a
number of external sources. In other words, according Mondy and Noe (1990), at times, a firm must
look beyond itself to find employees, particularly when expanding its workforce. The following
circumstances require external recruitment:
1. to file entry- level jobs;
2. to acquire skills not possessed by current employees, and
3. to obtain employees with different backgrounds to provide new ideas (Mondy & Noe, 1990).

External recruiting can offer many advantages. Among the advantages of external recruiting are:
1. Outside people can often bring new and innovative ideas to the workplace.
2. New recruit is less susceptible to conformity pressures and other negative group phenomenal that
adversely affect employee morale and productivity.
3. It is less expensive to hire a well-trained specialist or professional from outside the organization
than to train and develop existing personnel (Scarpello & Ledvinka, 1988).

Depending on the type educational qualifications desired, individuals may be attracted from a member
of external sources.

External Sources
High Schools and Vocational Schools
High schools and vocational schools are excellent sources for hiring clerical and other entry-level
operative employees. For example, many vocational school in Ethiopia have outstanding training
programs for specific occupational skills, such as auto-mechanics, wood-works, electricity, and the like.

Community Colleges
Many community colleges are sensitive to the specific employment needs in their local labor markets
and produce students with marketable skills. Career centers often provide a place for employers to
contact students, thereby facilitating the recruitment process.

Colleges and Universities

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This is a major source of entry-level administrative, technical, and professional talent. College and
university recruiting provide a good opportunity for both graduates and organizations. According to
Chatterjee (1995), for students coming out of educational institutions, this form of recruitment is very
convenient and satisfying. For employers, it serves a great deal of time and processing costs and they
get access to a large number of bright, young people at one place from among whom they can choose
and with whom interviews can be fixed at short notice.

Walk-ins and Write-ins

These are inexpensive sources of qualified job seekers. Walk-ins are job candidates who physically
arrive at the organization in search of a job. Write-ins are job seekers who send application letter to an
organization's employment office.

Self-employed Workers
This may also be a good potential recruit. The self-employed workers constitute a source of job
applicants for any number of jobs requiring managerial, technical or professional within an
organization.

Competitors
When relevant experience is required, competitors in the same industry may be the most important
source of recruits. Another name for actively recruiting employees from competitors is poaching. In
many cases, the most highly qualified applicants often come directly from competitors in the same labor
market.
Former Employees
At one time, when employees quit, managers tended to view them as disloyal, and they were “punished”
with no-return policies. Those days are gone, and now “goodbye” may not be forever. Today’s young
workers are more likely to change jobs and later return to a former employer than people who entered
the workforce 20 or 30 years ago would be.

Unemployed Workers
The unemployed often provide a valuable source of recruits. Qualified applicants join the ranks of the
unemployed every day for various reasons. Companies may downsize their operations, go out of
business, or merge with other firms, leaving qualified workers without jobs. This was certainly the case
in the recession of 2008-2010.

External Methods of Recruitment

Once recruitment sources are identified, organizations then seek to attract job seekers by specific
recruitment methods. Advertising, employee referrals and employment agencies are external
recruitment methods most commonly used by many organizations.

Advertising
Many job seekers are attracted through advertising. It is a means of communicating the organization
employment requirements to the general public. To this effect, various media are used such as daily
newspapers, magazines, television and radio broadcasts. The advertisements should provide a clear and
honest picture of the job and also the organization to the prospective employees. In other words, a
good, carefully worded advertisement can help in building the image of the organization since very
often, potential candidates are first introduced to the organization through advertisements in the media
(Chatterjee, 1995).

Employee Referrals
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This is a technique in which current employees refer job seekers from out side the organization. The
technique is inexpensive and effective when organizations are looking for candidates in particular job
skills that may be urgently required within the organization. According to Werther and Davis (1996),
employee referrals have several advantages including the following:
1. Employees with hard-to-find job skills may know others who do the same work.
2. New recruits already know something about the organization from the employees who referred them.
3. Employees tend to refer their friends, who are likely to have similar work habits and attitudes.
Although employee referrals appear to be an easy and quick way to attract potential candidates to an
organization, they tend to maintain the status quo of the workforce in terms of race, religion, sex, and
other characteristics, possibly leading to charges of discrimination (Werther & Davis, 1996).
Employment Agencies
An employment agency is an organization that helps firms to recruit employees and, at the same time,
aids individuals in their attempts to locate jobs (Mondy & Noe 1990). They conduct recruitment and
selection activities for many organizations.

Recruiters
Recruiters work for the employer and most commonly focus on sourcing candidates from technical
schools, colleges, and universities. Career service directors at these institutions arrange interviews with
students who potentially possess the qualifications desired by the firm. Recruiters then identify qualified
candidates and schedule interviews within their firm.

Job fair
A job fair is used by a single employer or group of employers to attract a large number of applicants to
one location for interviews. From an employer’s viewpoint, a primary advantage of a job fair is the
opportunity to meet a large number of candidates in a short time. Job fairs are often organized by
colleges and universities to assist their students in obtaining positions.

Internship
An internship is a special form of recruitment that involves placing a student in a temporary job with no
obligation either by the company to hire the student permanently or by the student to accept a permanent
position with the firm. Just having a degree today is often not enough; internships are often a deciding
factor in landing a good job.

Executive search firms

Executive search firms are organizations that locate experienced professionals and executives when
other sources prove inadequate. The key benefit of executive search firms is that they target ideal
candidates. In addition, the search firm can often find and recruit those highly qualified individuals who
are not actively looking for a job. The search firm’s task is to present top-tier candidates, and it is then
up to the company to decide whom to hire.

Professional Organizations
Virtually every professional organization publishes a journal and has a website that its members use for
recruiting and job hunting. For example, the Society for Human Resource Management in America has
a job referral service for members seeking new positions and for employers with positions to fill.

Competitive Games
This is a unique way to get individuals interested in applying for technical positions. For example,
Google has a unique way to get individuals interested in applying for technical positions. It sponsors an
annual computer programming competition in which students from around the world enter, and the
winners of the competition are sure to be noticed by top companies.
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Sources and methods vary according to position being filled. Because each organization is unique, so
are the types and qualifications of workers needed to fill positions. To be successful, a firm must tailor
its recruitment sources and methods to its specific needs.

Selection
What is Selection?

The human resource planning indicates that additional employees are required to get organizational job
done, hence, recruitment process takes place. This process provides a group of potential candidates to
enable the organization select and hire the best person or persons from the group. Selection is the
process of choosing from a group of applicants the individual best suited for a particular position. The
purpose of selection is to identify the recruits that most likely help the organization in achieving its
objectives.

Selection is affected by, and also affects other human resource management activities. For instance:
¨ Job analysis identifies the personal attributes to seek out among job candidates.
¨ Human resource planning can play a role in employee selection by providing a forecast of position
openings.
¨ Recruiting is related to selection in that a high selective selection procedure requires the recruitment
program to generate a larger or more qualified candidate pool.
¨ Training is, in one sense, a substitute for selection: if selection neither does nor results in hiring
employees with the necessary skills, training might be used to impart those skills.
¨ Career management focuses on internal selection. If a career management system is in operation,
the selection system should identify employees with the aptitude to benefit from the career sequence
that is planned. If there is no formal career planning system, then the selection system should focus
more on identifying candidates who already have the skills that would be developed through a well-
planned career in the organization.
¨ Compensation is critical aid in selection because if pay is not high enough, the organization will not
attract enough candidates who can pass the selection requirements.
¨ Labor relations are important in selection because an effective selection process can contribute to a
positive union-management relationship. Although union contracts often specify promotion based
on seniority, if the organization does a better job of selection in its initial hiring, it is less likely to
have to promote less-qualified people later on.

The Selection Process

The selection process as shown in the figure below is a series of specific steps through which job
candidates pass. Although the sequence of steps may differ from one organization to another, the
process ends in acquiring the right person for the right job.

Preliminary Reception of Applications

Selection process often starts with preliminary reception of applications. At this stage, the job seekers
may visit the organization in person or send job application letter. The organization then examines the
applications to check whether there is a match between the applicants' qualification and the vacant
position. The application form provides basic employment information for use in latter steps of the
selection process and it can be used to screen out unqualified applicants.

Although the information requested on application forms vary from one job type to another and even
from organization to organization, it generally contains sections for personal data, job interest, education
and training and work-related history. Those applicants who best satisfy the selection criteria will be
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selected for selection tests.

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Selection Tests
Selection tests are instruments that enable organizations to assess the match between the prospective
employees and the requirement of job opening. They enable the management to make rational hiring
decision. On the other hand, ability and motivation to perform a task determine employee job
performance. Selection tests, therefore, may accurately predict an applicant's ability to perform the job,
but be less successful in indicating the extent to which the individual will want to perform it.
According to Glueck (1978), there are various kinds of tests. The following are the types of selection
tests:

Performance Tests
A performance test is an experience that involves actually doing a sample of the work the job involves
in a controlled situation. Examples of this type of tests include typing tests for secretarial position.

Performance Simulations
A performance simulation is a non-paper-and-pencil experience designed to determine abilities related
to job performance. The simulation is not direct performance of part of the job, but it comes close to
that through simulation. For example, drivers may have learned to drive by performing first on
simulation machines.

Paper-and-Pencil Tests
The paper-and-pencil tests are designed to measure general intelligence and aptitudes. Intelligence and
mental ability tests attempt to sample intellectual and mental development or skills. Examples of paper-
and-pencil tests include mathematics test for an accountant. There are other several tests organizations
may give to applicants to check the suitability of the applicant to the position:
 Aptitude test-means of measuring a person’s capacity or latent ability to learn and
perform a job. Eg. Verbal, numerical, perceptual…
 Psychomotor test- test that measures a person’s strength, dexterity and coordination.
 Job knowledge test-test used to measure the job related knowledge of an applicant.
 Proficiency test- test used to measure how well a job applicant performs a sample of job
to be performed.
 Interest tests- tests designed to determine how a person’s interests compared with the
interests of successful people in a specific job.
 Personality tests- tests that measure a person’s trait
 Graphology tests- These tests are associated with handwriting analysis. Through
analyzing the handwriting of the applicant, his/her personality and faithfulness will be
assessed.
 Drug and AIDS testing. R
e
EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT J
e
INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT c
t
Preliminary reception e
Of applications d

A
Selection tests p
p
l
i
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Selection interview
c
a
n
ts
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References and back-

ground checks

Hiring Decision

Medical examination

Employed individual

Steps in the Selection Process

Characteristics of Selection Tests/ Selection Standards

Well-designed and properly administered tests have the following characteristics. These are:
- Standardization
- Objectivity
- Norms
- Reliability
- Validity

Standardization
This refers to the uniformity of the procedures and conditions related to administering tests. In order to
compare test results of candidates, it is important to ensure uniform conditions. For example, if a group
of candidates takes a test in a hall where the light is dim and another group takes the same test in a hall
where the light is bright, differences in performance are likely to occur. Management, therefore, should
strictly observe that standardized conditions are provided when test is administered.

Objectivity
Objectivity in testing is achieved when everyone scoring a test obtains the same results. The job
candidates taking objective tests either choose the best answer or do not. Multiple-choice questions and
true-false questions are examples of objective test.

Norms
A norm provides a frame of reference for comparing an applicant's performance with that of others. It
indicates the distribution of many scores obtained by people similar to the applicant being tested.

Reliability
The term reliability refers to the extent to which a test provides dependable or consistent results.
Reliability data reveal the degree of confidence that can be placed in a test. If a test has low reliability,
its validity as a predictor will also be low. But the existence of reliability does not in itself guarantee
validity.

Validity
In personnel measurement, the term validity refers to how well a test measures what it is supposed to
measure. In other words, validity means that test scores relate significantly to job performance or to
another job-relevant criterion. If a selection test cannot be used to assess a candidate's suitability for
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employment; it has no value as a predictor. Hence, validity should be a concern of organizations that
use tests as one of the selection tool.
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Selection Interview
Interview is a formal conversation conducted to assess the suitability of candidate for a particular job.
According to Werther and Davis (1996), the interviewer seeks to answer three broad questions. These
are:-
- Can the applicant do the job?
- Will the applicant do the job?
- How does the applicant compare with others who are being considered for the job?

Interviews are the most common selection techniques. They can be used to evaluate candidates’
acceptability for all types of employment in an organization. Moreover, selection interviews allow two-
way face-to-face communication in which organizations not only obtain additional information from the
candidates but also provide information concerning the organization.
The selection interview is especially significant because the applicants who reach this stage are the most
promising candidates. They have successfully passed the preliminary screening and obtained good
results on selection tests. Hence, the candidates seem to be qualified for the jobs in question. The
specific content to be used in selection interviews varies from organization to organization and the level
of the job. However, the following general topics appeal consistently in interviews:
 Academic Achievement. The interviewer needs to try to discover any underlying factors related
to academic performance.
 Personal Qualities. Personal qualities normally observed during the interview include
physical appearance, speaking ability and assertiveness.
 Occupational Experience. Exploring an individual's experience requires finding out about
the applicant's skills, abilities, and willingness to handle responsibility.
 Interpersonal Competence. The interviewer should ask questions regarding the applicant's
interpersonal relationships with family and friends and how he/ she behaves in other social and
civil situations.
 Career Orientation. Questions about a candidate's career objectives may enable the
interviewer to determine whether the applicant's aspirations are realistic.
Types of Interviews
Interviews have to be appropriate for the job and the candidate. They are tools used by many
organizations to predict applicant future success. Moreover, interviews solicit the following types of
information from applicants. These are:-
- ability to perform the job;
- motivation to stay on the job; and
- adaptability to the job situation

There are different interview types. Organizations may use one or more of the interview types to select
the best among applicants. In general, interview types that are used are:-
¨ Structured interview ¨ Behavioral interviewing
¨ Unstructured interview ¨ Stress interview
¨ Mixed interview

Structured Interview
Structured or directive interview depends on a predetermined set of job-related questions. List of
questions is prepared before the interview begins and the interviewer does not allowed to deviate from
it. In this type of interview, interviewers should follow a structured, systematic interview procedure in
order to obtain the information necessary to evaluate the candidate fairly and objectively (Mondy &
Noe, 1990). The interviewers use a standardized evaluation form to note the candidate's responses to the
questions. A structured job interview typically contains four types of questions (Mondy & Noe, 1990).
These are:
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- Situational questions pose a hypothetical job situation to determine what the applicant would do
in that situation.
- Job knowledge questions probe the applicant's job-related knowledge. These questions may
relate to basic educational skills or complex scientific or managerial skills.
- Job-sample simulation questions involve situations in which an applicant may be required to
actually perform a sample task from the job.
- Worker requirement questions seek to determine the applicant's willingness to confirm to the
job requirements. For example, the applicant's willingness to work in the rural part of the
country.

The problem with the structured interviews is that it is very restrictive. The information obtained is
confined within certain parameters only and the interviewer has no chance of displaying either his own

talents or skills nor adapt to the individual candidate (Chatterjee, 1995). The rigid format is equally
constraining to the candidate, who is not in a position to elaborate or qualify on answer to the questions.

Unstructured Interview
The unstructured interview consists of open-ended questions such as:
- What do you believe are your primary strengths and main weaknesses?
- How will our organization benefit by having you as an employee?
In this type of interview, the interviewer can prepare questions while the interview is in progress. The
overriding advantage of the unstructured type is the freedom it allows the interviewer to adapt to the
situation and to the changing stream of applicants (Glueck, 1978). Unfortunately, this method, which
also is called non-directive interviewing, lacks the reliability of structured interview because each
applicant is asked a different series of questions. Even worse, this approach may overlook key areas of
the applicant's skills or background (Werther & Davis, 1996).

Mixed Interview
This is an interviewing method in which the interviewers use harmonious combination of structured and
unsaturated set of questions. According to Werther and Davis (1996), the structured questions provide a
base of information that allows comparisons between candidates; the unstructured questions make the
interview more conversational and permit greater insights into the unique differences between
applicants.

Behavioral Interviewing
Behavioral interviewing focuses on problem or a hypothetical situation that the applicant is asked to
solve. In this type of interviewing, questions are limited to hypothetical situations and the candidate is
asked what should be done. The purpose is to understand the candidate's analytic abilities and
reasoning. Here not only the candidate's answer but his/her approach is also evaluated. The interview
might consist of situations similar to the following:
Suppose you had to decide between candidates for a promotion. Candidate A is loyal, cooperative,
punctual, and hardworking. Candidate B is a complainer and is tardy and discourteous but is the
best producer in your department. Whom would you recommend for promotion to supervisor?
Why? (Werther & Davis, 1996).

Stress Interview
The idea of using this type of interviewing is to understand the candidate's ability to cope with stress on
the job. Chatterjee (1995) noted that stress interview is a deliberate attempt to create tension and
pressure in an applicant to see how well he/ she responds to these tensions and pressures. For example,
candidates for police duty are selected using a stress interview in connection with other relevant
interview formats.
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The major purpose of interviewing is to increase the effectiveness of selection by:

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- Identifying the basic qualities necessary for success on the job and using those qualities to
evaluate candidates.
- Standardizing the interview method, and
- Training interviewers to gather, interpret, and relate data to qualities of success on the job
(Scarpello & Ledvinka, 1988).

Interview needs to identify the application and job description. Moreover, the entire nature of interview
is directly related to the job. The following summary indicates the type of interviews (Werther & Davis
1996) discussed earlier.

References and Background Checks

Is the applicant a good, reliable worker? Are the job accomplishments, titles, educational background,
and other facts on the resume' or application true? What type of person is the applicant? Most
important, what information is relevant to matching the applicant and the job? (Werther & Davis 1996).

In order to provide answer to these questions, organizations use references and background
investigation. Checking references and investigating the candidate's background history are important
tools that enable organizations to determine whether past work experience is related to qualification
required for the new job. Moreover, candidates may also be required to submit recommendation letters.
The letters reveal past behavior, the candidate's job interest, relation with immediate boss and co-
workers, and reason for termination. According to Glueck (1978), for a letter of recommendation to be
useful, it must meet certain conditions:
- The writer must know the applicant's performance level and be competent to assess it.
- The writer must communicate the evaluation effectively to the potential employer.
- The writer must be truthful.
Another major reason for conducting references and background checks is to verify candidate's
credential. It is important to bear in mind that some people are not what they present themselves to be
and not even whom they say they are. Background checks can confirm or disprove claims made by job
applicants (Mondy & Noe,1990).

INTERVIEW TYPES OF QUESTIONS USEFUL APPLICATION

FORMAT

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UNSTRUCTURED Few if any planned questions. Useful when trying to

Questions are made up during help interviewees solve
the interview. personal problems or
understand why they are
not right for a job.

A predetermined checklist of Useful for valid results,

STRUCTURED questions, usually asked of all especially when dealing
applicants. with large numbers of
applicants.

A combination of structured Realistic approach that

MIXED and unstructured questions yields comparable
that resemble what is usually answers plus in-depth
done in practice. insights.

Questions limited to Useful to understand

hypothetical situations. applicant's reasoning and
BEHAVIORAL Evaluation is one the solution analytic abilities under
and the approach of the modest stress.
applicant
STRESS A series of harsh, rapid-fire Useful for stressful jobs,
questions intended to upset such as handling
the applicant. complaints.

Different question formats in Interview

Hiring Decision
After obtaining and evaluating information about the finalists, the manager must take the most critical
step of all: making the actual hiring decision (Mondy & Noe, 1990). Manager's decision to select those
individuals best suited for employment must be based on reliable and valid information. Moreover,
since the success of any organization largely depends on employee performance, the manager before
making the final employment decision must:
- be familiar with the job requirements.
- organize a forum with the selection committee or human resource department, whereby the
entire selection process is reviewed.
- be convinced that rational decision is made at every stage of the selection process.
- obtain information from the immediate supervisor of the new employee concerning the match
between their qualifications and the requirements of the new vacant position.
Among the candidates decided to be hired, some of them may not accept the job offer or may even fail
the physical examination, it is, therefore, important to keep a waiting list. This, among other things,
enables the organization to fill the vacancy immediately rather than starting the recruitment process, and
it also avoids additional cost of recruitment and selection.

Medical Examination
After the hiring decision has been made, the next process of selection involves a medical examination
for the successful candidate. In most cases, a job offer is conditional upon presentation of a medical
certificate that testifies the applicant is both mentally and physically capable of performing the job in
question. If there is no disqualifying medical problems during the examination, the candidate can now
be employed and be given a letter of employment.

Environmental Factors Affecting the Selection Process

The following environmental factors (Mondy & Noe, 1990) can affect the selection process.
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Legal Considerations
Legislation, executive orders and court decisions have had a major impact on selection.

Speed of Decision Making

The time available to make the selection decision can have a major effect on selection process. An
organization may only conduct an interview to fill a vacant position if a certain department can not
operate unless that particular position is immediately filled. On the other hand, speed may not be
crucial to select a deputy dean of a college. Here a careful attention need to be devoted to study the
application, intensive reference and background checking and time for the interview.

Organizational Hierarchy
Different techniques to selection are required for filling job openings at different levels in the
organization. For instance, consider the variations in hiring a Head of Finance and Administration
Department and in hiring a person to fill a secretarial position. Extensive reference and background
checks and in-depth interviewing needs to be carried out to verify the character and capabilities of the
applicant for a high-level position. However, an applicant for a secretarial position would most likely
take only a word processing test and perhaps have a short selection interview.

Application Pool
The number of available people to be recruited from the labour market for a particular job can affect the
selection process. If there are many candidates as compared to the number of people to be hired, the
selection process can be complicated and takes a long period of time. On the contrary, if there is only
two candidates for one vacant position, the selected process is relatively easy and it also takes a short
duration. This can best be illustrated using selection ratio (Werther & Davis, 1996):

Number of applicants hired

Selectionratio
Total number of applicants
Thus, if the selection ratio is 1:40, the selection process is detailed and high. High selection ratio,
among other things, implies that either the job is attractive or the inability of the labour market to match
would-be-employees to jobs. On the other hand, if the selection ratio is 1:3, the selection process is
short and unsophisticated. A low selection ratio means that there are few applicants from which to
select. In many instances a low selection ratio also means a low quality of recruits (Werther & Davis,
1996).

Type of Organization
The public, private or not-for-profit sectors of the economy for which people are to be hired can also
affect the selection process. A government in the public sector is heavily service oriented. Civil
servants are hired with regard to how they can help accomplish service goals. In business organizations
selection process largely depends on how employees are able and motivated in achieving the
organization's profit objectives. On the other hand, not-for-profit organizations in most cases provide
free services to the community. Their salary schemes may not be attractive as compared with business
and public sectors. Therefore, a person who is going to apply in these organizations must be dedicated
to their objectives.

Probationary Period
Many organizations use a probationary period to check the employee's ability and motivation to work.
This may be either a substitute for or a supplement to, the use of interview and/or tests. If an individual
is found to be productive during the probation period, the management will confirm for the permanent.
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Review and Discussion Questions

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1. Define the following terms:

- recruitment
- selection
- job posting
- selection ratio
2. What background information should an organization have before starting to recruit job seekers?
3. Describe the basic components of:
- recruitment process
- selection process
4. What is internal recruitment? Describe its advantages and disadvantages.

5. Describe the various methods used in:

- internal recruitment
- external recruitment
6. Identify the major sources for external recruitment's and discuss the reasons for external recruitment.
7. In small administrative zones, administrators usually handle their own recruiting. What techniques
would you as an administrator use for the following conditions? Why?
- The regular secretary is going on annual leave for twenty-six days.
- The head of finance is retiring and must be replaced with qualified individual.
- The cashier has the flu.
- Two more tax collectors are required: one to help the tax collector in the zone and one to open a
tax office in another district within the zone.
8. List and discuss the various human resource management activities that may affect selection.
9. What is selection test? Identify and discuses the major types of tests.
10. Identify the characteristics of selection tests. Briefly explain each.
11. What is a selection interview? What are the major things an interviewer needs to identify during the
interview?
12. Describe the types of interview commonly used in the selection.
13. What is main purpose of references and background checks?

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