Final Research Project Report

on

“Recruitment”

Submitted to

I.K. GUJRAL PUNJAB TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

KAPURTHALA

In partial fulfillment of the requirement for the

award of degree of
Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Submitted by Supervisor

Manbir Singh Bhatia Ms. Baljinder kaur

2016957

Chandigarh Business
School of Administration
Chandigarh Groups of Colleges
Landran
(Batch: 2020-22)
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STUDENT DECLARATION

I, “Manbir Singh Bhatia”, hereby declare that I have completed a research project titled “Recruitment”

under the guidance of Ms. Baljinder Kaur.

Further, I hereby confirm that the work presented herein is genuine and original and has not been

published elsewhere.

Manbir Singh Bhatia

(Student name and Signature)

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 FACULTY DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the student Mr. Manbir Singh Bhatia of MBA (IV) has undergone his project under

my periodic guidance on “Recruitment”.

Further, I hereby declare that the student was periodically in touch with me during his/her research work

and the work done by student is genuine & original.

(Signature of Supervisor)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I Manbir Singh Bhatia take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude and deep regards to my
company mentor Dr. P.J. Singh and Ms. Damanjit Kaur Walia for their guidance, support, and constant
encouragement during the Internship. I would also like to thank the entire Tynor family for constantly
helping me throughout this journey.

I would also like to express a deep sense of gratitude to Baljinder Kaur, my faculty mentor from
Chandigarh Groups of Colleges, Landran for providing me this wonderful opportunity to work with Tynor
Orthotics Pvt. Ltd. Also, I would like to thank her for his cordial support, valuable information, and
guidance, which helped me in completing this task through various stages.

I put forward my heartiest thanks to Ms. Damanjit Kaur Walia for her great support in completion of this
project. Her leadership skills and style motivated me a lot to work on myself and be successful. She
constantly helped me throughout this journey with her ideas and sources of information. At the end I
would like to express my sincere thanks to my family, friends, colleagues, and others who helped me
directly or indirectly during this project.

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 ABSTRACT

Recruitment is the process of searching for prospective employees and stimulating them to apply for jobs
in the organization. Selection may be defined as the process by which the organization chooses from
among the applicants, those people whom they feel would best meet the job requirement, considering
current environmental condition. In today's rapidly changing business environment, organizations have to
respond quickly to requirements for people. Hence, it is important to have a well-defined recruitment
policy in place, which can be executed effectively to get the best fits for the vacant positions. Selecting
the wrong candidate or rejecting the right candidate could turn out to be costly mistakes for the
organization.

Successful human resource should identify human resource needs in the organization. Recruitment is the
discovering of potential candidates for actual or anticipated organizational vacancies. Or, from another
perspective, it is a linking activity bringing together those with jobs to fill and those seeking job. The ideal
recruitment effort will attract a large number of qualified applicants who will take the job if it is offered. It
should also provide information so that unqualified applicants can self-select themselves out of job
candidacy; this is, a good recruiting program should attract the qualified and not attract the unqualified.
This dual objective will minimize the cost of processing unqualified candidates.

According to Edwin B Flippo Recruitment as “the process of searching for prospective employees and
stimulating them to apply for the jobs in the organization.”

Recruitment is the process of attracting prospective employees and stimulating them for applying job in
an organization. Recruitment is the process of hiring the right kinds of candidates on the right job
Recruitment and selection activity is predominantly dealt with in two fields: ·A generally prescriptive
human resource management or personnel management viewpoint and · A very technical psychology
literature that focuses on the validity (absolute and relative) of different forms of recruitment techniques,
such as competency modelling, interviews and various types of psychometric testing.
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The report is divided into five chapters:

 Chapter 1: Introduction of the Project

 Introduction to the recruitment process.

 Recruitment planning.
 Strategy Evaluation.
 Candidate Search.
 Screening.
 Evaluation & monitoring.

 Chapter 2: Review of Literature

 An Introduction
 Body
 Conclusion

 Chapter 3: Problem Formulation, Methodology followed

 Introduction
 Steps Involved in process

 Chapter 4: Project Description

 A detailed overview.

 Chapter 5: Conclusions
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Chapter 1: Introduction of the Project

Recruitment refers to the process of identifying, attracting, interviewing, selecting, hiring and onboarding
employees. In other words, it involves everything from the identification of a staffing need to filling it.

Depending on the size of an organization, recruitment is the responsibility of a range of workers. Larger
organizations may have entire teams of recruiters, while others only a single recruiter. In small outfits, the
hiring manager may be responsible for recruiting. In addition, many organizations outsource recruiting to
outside firms. Companies almost always recruit candidates for new positions via advertisements, job
boards, social media sites, and others. Many companies utilize recruiting software to more effectively and
efficiently source top candidates. Regardless, recruitment typically works in conjunction with, or as a part
of Human Resources.

Human Resource Management, otherwise known as HRM or HR for short, is the function of people
management within an organization. HR is responsible for facilitating the overall goals of the organization
through effective administration of human capital — focusing on employees as the company's most
important asset. Recruitment is the first step in building an organization's human capital. At a high level,
the goals are to locate and hire the best candidates, on time, and on budget.

 What does recruitment involve?

While the recruitment process is unique to each organization, there are 15 essential steps of the hiring
process. We’ve listed them here, but for a detailed exploration of these steps, check out our page
on Hiring Process Steps:

 Identify the hiring need

 Devise a recruitment plan
 Write a job description
 Advertise the position
 Recruit the position
 Review applications
 Phone Interview/Initial Screening
 Interviews
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 Applicant Assessment
 Background Check
 Decision
 Reference Check
 Job offer
 Hiring
 Onboarding

Tips for effective recruiting:

Recruitment is a nuanced process that requires extensive research, thorough procedures, and finesse in
order to produce high-quality hires with regularity. With that in mind, here are out top-three tips for
effective recruitment:

 Look internally before externally: there’s a good chance the best candidate for your position is
already working for your organization. Internal candidates are already familiar with and
contributing to your corporate culture and goals. Given their past success within your
organization, it is reasonable to expect they will continue to excel in a new position.
 Reach out to “passive” candidates: there is a good chance your ideal candidate is not actively
looking for a new job and will not respond to your job board ad. Why? Because they’re likely
already employed elsewhere. After all, why wouldn’t your competitors also want to employ your
ideal candidate? Therefore, effective recruiting requires you to look outside of your applicant pool
for top talent. Encouraging your staff to attend industry conferences and participate in
professional organizations; developing relationships with local university business schools (or
other relevant departments); searching social media sites (i.e., LinkedIn) for strong resumes from
candidates who might not be actively looking for a new job; and encouraging your employees to
refer people they know or are connected to are all important mechanisms through which to
expand your recruitment network.
 Hire the sure thing: according to two authors and experts, you should hire the person who is
already excelling doing the exact job in your industry. Past success, in other words, is the best
indicator of future success.

Recruitment plan:
Recruitment plan refers to a prearranged strategy for hiring employees. It acts as a timeline for companies
to find qualified applicants without causing downtime for the company.

Recruitment plan identifies the goals for a particular position.

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Recruitment plans make the hiring process smoother and act as a qualifying guideline for applicants. This
helps employers to ensure that they are hiring individuals with the qualifications and skills needed to do
the job.

The biggest benefit is keeping the company on its course and running. With a good recruitment plan
companies are able to find qualified employees in a timely manner preventing lapses in employment, such
as having positions that need to be filled and no one able to do the work in the meantime.

Steps and components of recruitment plans:

Recruitment plan consists of five general steps:

1. Identifying the job opening

2. Deciding how to fill the job opening

3. Identifying the target group

4. Notifying the target group

5. Meeting with the candidates

The recruitment plan components include:

- announcement

- recruiting timeline

- advertising plan

- interview schedule

- assessment tools

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- background checks

- interview plans

- references

Strategy Evaluation

Strategic evaluation constitutes the final stage of strategic management and is considered one of the most
vital steps in the process.

Strategy Management Process:

Strategy evaluation is the process by which the management assesses how well a chosen strategy has been
implemented and how successful or otherwise the strategy is. To simply put, strategy evaluation entails
reviewing and appraising the strategy implementation process and measuring organizational
performance. 

In the instance, the implementation of the strategy is not taking place as planned, say due to the
limitations in the strategy that are blocking the achievement of organizational goals, necessary corrective
actions should be identified and applied.     

At the end of the evaluation, you’ll have gathered insight to either reformulate the strategy or to plan and
develop new ones.

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Evaluating the strategy helps improve it, distinguish between what works and what doesn’t, and
contribute to the ongoing development and adaptation of the strategy to the changing conditions and
complexities in the industry. 

Strategy evaluation operates at two levels: strategic and operational. At the strategic level, the focus is
given to the consistency of the strategy with the environment, and at the operational level, how well the
organization is pursuing the strategy is assessed. 

Through the process of strategy evaluation, strategists can make sure that the,

 Premises made during strategy formulation are correct

 Strategy is guiding the organization towards accomplishing its objectives
 Managers are doing what they are supposed to be doing to effectively implement the strategy
 The organization is performing well, schedules are being followed, and resources are being
properly utilized 
 Whether there’s a need to reformulate or change the strategy

Participants of the Strategy Evaluation 

The stage of strategy evaluation requires the contribution of several participants who will be playing
different roles throughout the process.

The board of directors: 

takes on the formal role of reviewing and screening the executive decisions in light of their
environmental, business, and organizational implications. Although they are not directly involved in the
evaluation and control of the strategy implementation process, they periodically take part in reviewing the
organization’s performance and results. 

Chief executives: are responsible for all the administrative tasks of strategy evaluation and
control. 

The SBU or profit-center heads: monitor strategy implementation at the business unit level and give
feedback to the corporate parent who can intervene as necessary.  

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Financial controller, company secretaries, and external and internal auditors: responsible for
operational control based on financial analysis, budgeting, and reporting. 

Middle-level managers: carry out tasks assigned to them by SBU heads or the strategic planning
group, and provide them with feedback and information. They will also be participating in the corrective
actions, in the case of mid-term revisions in the implementation process.

Importance of Strategic Evaluation:

The phase of strategy evaluation helps ensure that the implementation of the particular strategy will help
the organization achieve its objectives. Without this step in the strategy management process, it would
prove difficult to identify whether the strategy implemented is generating the desired effect. In addition,
strategy evaluation also helps,

 Check the validity of the strategic choices the organization makes

 Assess whether the decisions made during the strategy implementation stage meet the intended
strategy requirements
 Provide insight and experience into the strategists that can be used in reformulating or planning
new strategies 
 Shed light on issues caused by changes in the internal and external environment and take
precautions and avoid making wrong decisions 

Strategy Evaluation Process:

The strategy evaluation is carried out in order to determine that the strategy is helping the organization
achieve its objectives. It compares the actual performance of the organization with desired results and
provides the necessary insight into the corrective action that needs to be taken to improve the performance
of the organization. Following are the steps in the process of evaluating strategy.

Establish standards: 

This step starts with determining what standards to set, how to set them, and the terms used to express the
standards. To do this, 

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  Identify the key areas of performance which are usually based on the key managerial tasks
pertaining to strategic requirements. Standards should be set within these identified key
performance areas. 
 The special requirements needed to perform each of these key tasks can be used to determine the
type of standard to be set. 
 Performance indicators that can satisfy these special requirements can then be identified for
evaluation.

Performance indicators have to be set on the basis of quantitative or qualitative criteria in order to make
measuring performance easier.

 Quantitative criteria – on the basis of this criteria, performance can be evaluated in two ways:
Either by comparing how the company has performed against its past achievements or against the
performance of the industry average or that of the competitors.   
 Qualitative criteria – in order to assess factors such as core competencies, capabilities, risk-
bearing capacity, workability, and flexibility, companies need a set of qualitative criteria such as
the ones suggested by Glueck and Jauch,
o Consistency (evaluating strategy against company objectives, environmental assumptions,
and internal conditions)
o Appropriateness (evaluating strategy with regard to resource capabilities, risk preference,
and time horizon)
o Workability (evaluating the feasibility and simulation of the strategy)

Measure Performance:

The standards of performance set will serve as the benchmark against which the actual performance will
be evaluated. Based on these standards, managers should decide how to measure the performance and
how often to do so. 

The methods used to measure performance may vary on the standard set; usually, data such as the number
of materials used, units produced, the monetary amount of services utilized, the number of defects found,
processes followed, quality of output, and return on investment, are used. 

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Once the methods of measuring performance are identified, how often it should be done for control
purposes needs to be then decided.  Whether it should be on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annual basis is
decided on factors such as how important the objective is to the organization, how quickly the situation
might change, and how difficult or costly it would be to fix a problem once it has occurred .

Analyze Variances:

Evaluating the actual performance against the standards of performance will reveal whether; 

 The actual performance matches the budgeted performance 

 The actual performance differs from the budgeted performance in a positive way 
 The actual performance differs from the budgeted performance in a negative way

A predetermined set range of tolerance limits can be used to determine whether the results can be
accepted satisfactorily. If the actual performance deviates from the budgeted performance within the set
tolerance limit, the performance can be considered acceptable and the variance insignificant. 

On the other hand, if the performance is below standards, effort must be directed to finding the root
causes of the deviation and coming up with corrective action to fix it.

Take Corrective Action:  

In the case the actual performance falls out of the tolerance limit, corrective action must be taken to solve
it. The deviation can be caused internally or externally, predicted or random, or temporary or permanent. 

If the actual performance is below the standards consistently, a thorough analysis should be carried out to
find the root causes. If the organizational potential can’t meet the performance requirements, consider
adopting attainable performance standards. In the case of an extreme deviation, you might have to
consider formulating the strategy, which might require you to start from the beginning of the strategic
management process.

Gap analysis:

A gap analysis is performed to identify and measure the gap between your current state of
organizational performance and the desired state. It can be utilized to evaluate various aspects of
the business from production to marketing. 

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Learn more on how to conduct a gap analysis and the tools you can use to accelerate the process
and the gap analysis templates to simplify the steps.

SWOT analysis:

A SWOT analysis is another helpful tool that strategists use to assess the current situation -both
internal and external environments – of an organization. It helps you gain insight into your
internal landscape by analyzing strengths and weaknesses, and insight into your external
landscape by scanning opportunities and threats.

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 Candidate Search

The searching stage is the process of actively finding job candidates. Many companies use a combination
of internal and external sources for attracting applicants. Internal recruitment includes transfers,
promotions, postings within the organization and reaching out to former employees. There are several
types of recruiting. Here’s an overview:

 Types of recruiting:
Internal Recruiting: internal recruiting involves filling vacancies with existing employees from within an
organization.

 Retained Recruiting:

When organization hire a recruiting firm, there are several ways to do so;
retained recruiting is a common one. When an organization retains a recruiting firm to fill a vacancy, they
pay an upfront fee to fill the position. The firm is responsible for finding candidates until the position is
filled. The organization also agrees to work exclusively with the firm. Companies cannot, in other words,
hire multiple recruiting firms to fill the same position.

 Contingency Recruiting:

like retained recruiting, contingency recruiting requires an outside firm. Unlike retained recruiting, there
is no upfront fee with contingency. Instead, the recruitment company receives payment only when the
clients they represent are hired by an organization.

 Staffing Recruiting:

staffing recruiters work for staffing agencies. Staffing recruiting matches qualified applicants with
qualified job openings. Moreover, staffing agencies typically focus on short-term or temporary
employment positions.

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  Outplacement Recruiting:

In this an employer-sponsored benefit which helps former employees transition into new jobs.
Outplacement recruiting is designed to provide displaced employees with the resources to find
new positions or careers.

 Reverse Recruiting:

refers to the process whereby an employee is encouraged to seek employment with a different
organization that offers a better fit for their skill set. We offer Reverse Recruiting Days to help workers
with this process. At our Reverse Recruiting Days, we review resumes, conduct mock interviews, and
offer deep dives into specific job roles.

Screening:

Screening is the process of reviewing job applications and involves scanning through the resumes and
finding the closest applicant who matches the job description. While screening, one should concentrate on
the cover letter, applicant education, work experience, and skill set to project the candidate organization

fit. The screening process is the most time-intensive facet of the hiring process. Candidate screening is a
process of determining whether a candidate is qualified for the role based on their education, experience,
and information based on their resume. The goal of screening candidates is to decide whether to process
them to the next level of hiring or to reject the application.

Steps of a candidate screening process:

 Step 1 – Ticking off the basic requirements

 Step 2 – Scanning for preferred qualifications
 Step 3 – Matching the picture of the candidate to the role

Evaluation & Monitoring:

It’s possible that in today’s challenging recruiting market, some recruiters might not have the luxury of
waiting that long to determine the effectiveness of a source.

So, here are five steps to consider when evaluating the effectiveness of a recruiting source.

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1. Decide what effectiveness means for you. This may not be as easy as it sounds. Does being an
effective source mean lots of applications? Or a lot of interviews? Or a lot of hires? Maybe it
means not only quantity of hires, but quality after the introductory period has ended. Does it
include cost-per-hire? Each organization needs to define what effectiveness means for them.
Recruiters will need to know this information and be consistent.
2. Get management to buy-in.  Recruiters will want to make sure that hiring managers are on the
same page when it comes to the effectiveness of sources. If managers think a great source is one
that supplies piles of applicant flow and HR thinks it’s about quality over quantity, there it could
be a challenge getting buy-in for a particular source. Or changing sources if results aren’t being
achieved.
3. Agree on time frames, data collection, and reporting. In some organizations, it’s possible that
a source will get one try.  It might not seem fair, but that was what senior management was
willing to finance. It’s equally important to make sure that everyone will accept the data regarding
sources. The good news is that many recruiting technology solutions can supply this data, so there
shouldn’t be too many questions about its validity.
4. Determine the consequences. Okay, so you’re measuring the effectiveness of sources. That’s
great. What happens if a source isn’t cutting it? It makes no sense to track effectiveness if nothing
is going to happen to ineffective sources. This is going to put some pressure on recruiters, because
sometimes doing something…anything…is better than nothing. Even if it is a less than reliable
source.
5. Let source providers know. If the company is using third-party sources like job boards, career
fairs, search firms, etc. for their recruiting, it’s only fair to tell these providers that if they aren’t
effective, the company will have to reevaluate the partnership. That’s not a mean thing to do. In
fact, it could make some sense to share the metrics with your third-party sources. Maybe they
have some ideas to improve effectiveness using their product or service.

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 Chapter 2: Review of Literature

Introduction:

Nowadays, every organization necessitates personnel planning as one of the most vital activities. Human
Resource Planning is, by far, an essential ingredient for the success of any organization in the long run.
There are a number of techniques that need to be followed by every organization that guarantees that it
possesses the right number and type of people, at the right time and right place, so as to enable the
organization to achieve its planned objectives. Commonly, the objectives of Human Resource Planning
department include resource, planning, recruitment and selection, career planning, training and
development, promotions, risk management, performance appraisal, to name a few. Each of these
objectives requires special attention and accurate planning and execution.

Edwin Flippo defines Recruitment and selection process as “A process of searching for prospective
employees and stimulating and encouraging them to apply for jobs in an organization.”

Body:

In simpler terms, recruitment and selection are concurrent processes and are void without each other.
They significantly differ from each other and are essential constituents of the organization. It helps in
discovering the potential and capabilities of applicants for expected or actual organizational vacancies. It

is a link between the jobs and those seeking jobs. Successful recruitment techniques involve an incisive
analysis of the job, the labor market scenario/ conditions and interviews, and psychometric tests in order
to find out the potentialities of job seekers. Furthermore, small and medium sized enterprises lay their
hands on interviews and assessment with main concern related to job analysis, emotional intelligence in
inexperienced job seekers, and corporate social responsibility. 

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Insufficient recruitment may result into lack of labor or hindrances in management decision making, and
the overall recruitment process can itself be advanced and amended by complying with management
theories. According to these theories, the recruitment process can be largely enhanced by means of
Rodgers seven-point plan, Munro-Frasers five-fold grading system, personal interviews, as well as
psychological tests.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

The present study generates insights on recruitment and selection, which is a set of actions undertaken by
organizations to identify the candidates with the necessary skills and knowledge to be placed in a right
job. The findings of these factors suggest the similarities and variations in the recruitment and selection
methods. In both Indian and global contexts, the recruitment and selection processes are vastly influenced
by certain exogenous and external factors like gender differentiation, family stress, inflexibility in
adopting internal environmental changes, emotional immaturity, physical breakdown, responsibility
overload, competition, social changes, legal changes, economic changes, and the adoption of new
technology in organizations, which constantly affect the recruitment and selection process. Mun (2010),
DeVaro and Morita (2013), Hussein, Manthorpe and Stevens (2010), and several authors surveyed the
reasons behind the factors influencing the recruitment and selection process. They found gender
differentiation which indicates the need of high training program for female members compared to male
members. It also includes the cost factor that measures the initial remuneration difference in this
process. Phatak et al. (2005), Calogero (2011), Bidwell (2011), Blommaert, Coenders and van
Tubergen (2014), Peltokorpi and Vaara (2014), Kundu and Gahlawat (2015), and other authors
suggested that expatriate factors and technology upgradation internally influence the organizational
behavior and the psychological traits of potential candidates can also be modulated. It is also found out
that a particular behavior in an individual is not fixed and can be changed according to environmental
changes. In the Indian context, recruiters focused only on the aptitude test, written test, and face- to-face
interviews and focused less on headhunting and failed to analyze expatriate traits, which led to a reduced
importance of potential candidates. On the other hand, the expatriate method is used to find the right
person through job analysis, environmental analysis, and personality traits of the prospective
candidate in the global context. Hence, concentrating on expatriate traits of candidates results in finding
out the right person for the right job.

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CONCLUSION:
The past researches highlighted on newly developed technologies, such as online recruitment,
mobile recruitment applications, and outsourcing recruitment. Adapting this new technology provides
quick, effective, and efficient ways to find the best candidate. Besides, there also some drawbacks to
select the right candidate for an organization, as most of the organizations do not consider the
expatriate factor, which includes cross-cultural adaptation, personal qualities, experience, skills,
family situations, and attention from organizations for the implementation of other foreign
assignments. The expatriate factor has an impact on the demographic and psychological factors. It has
been proved by several researches that the recruitment and selection process is influenced by the
expatriate process. Hence, the adoption of a suitable methodology for the recruitment practices would
result in finding out the right candidate for the right job.

 Chapter 3: Problem Formulation, Methodology followed

Problem solving is the act of defining a problem; determining the cause of the problem; identifying,
prioritizing, and selecting alternatives for a solution; and implementing a solution.

 The problem-solving process

 Problem solving resources

Problem Solving Chart

THE PROBLEM-SOLVING PROCESS:

In order to effectively manage and run a successful organization, leadership must guide their employees
and develop problem-solving techniques. Finding suitable solution for issues can be accomplished by
following the basic four-step problem-solving process and methodology outlined below.

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 Step Characteristics

1. Define the problem  Differentiate fact from opinion

 Specify underlying causes
 Consult each faction involved for information
 State the problem specifically
 Identify what standard or expectation is violated
 Determine in which process the problem lies
 Avoid trying to solve the problem without data

2. Generate alternative solutions  Postpone evaluating alternatives initially

 Include all involved individuals in the generating of
 Specify alternatives consistent with organizational g
 Specify short- and long-term alternatives
 Brainstorm on others' ideas
 Seek alternatives that may solve the problem

3. Evaluate and select an alternative  Evaluate alternatives relative to a target standard

 Evaluate all alternatives without bias
 Evaluate alternatives relative to established goals
 Evaluate both proven and possible outcomes
 State the selected alternative explicitly

4. Implement and follow up on the solution
 Plan and implement a pilot test of the chosen alterna
 Gather feedback from all affected parties
 Seek acceptance or consensus by all those affected
 Establish ongoing measures and monitoring
 Evaluate long-term results based on final solution

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1. Define the problem:
Diagnose the situation so that your focus is on the problem, not just its symptoms. Helpful problem-solving
techniques include using flowcharts to identify the expected steps of a process and cause-and-effect
diagrams to define and analyze root causes.

The sections below help explain key problem-solving steps. These steps support the involvement of interested
parties, the use of factual information, comparison of expectations to reality, and a focus on root causes of a
problem. You should begin by:

 Reviewing and documenting how processes currently work (i.e., who does what, with what
information, using what tools, communicating with what organizations and individuals, in what time
frame, using what format).
 Evaluating the possible impact of new tools and revised policies in the development of your "what
should be" model.

2. Generate alternative solutions:

Postpone the selection of one solution until several problem-solving alternatives have been proposed.
Considering multiple alternatives can significantly enhance the value of your ideal solution. Once you have
decided on the "what should be" model, this target standard becomes the basis for developing a road map for
investigating alternatives. Brainstorming and team problem-solving techniques are both useful tools in this
stage of problem solving.

Many alternative solutions to the problem should be generated before final evaluation. A common mistake in
problem solving is that alternatives are evaluated as they are proposed, so the first acceptable solution is
chosen, even if it’s not the best fit. If we focus on trying to get the results we want, we miss the potential for
learning something new that will allow for real improvement in the problem-solving process.

3. Evaluate and select an alternative:

Skilled problem solvers use a series of considerations when selecting the best alternative. They consider the
extent to which:

 A particular alternative will solve the problem without causing other unanticipated problems.
 All the individuals involved will accept the alternative.
 Implementation of the alternative is likely.
 The alternative fits within the organizational constraints.

4. Implement and follow up on the solution:

Leaders may be called upon to direct others to implement the solution, "sell" the solution, or facilitate the
implementation with the help of others. Involving others in the implementation is an effective way to gain buy-
in and support and minimize resistance to subsequent changes.

Regardless of how the solution is rolled out, feedback channels should be built into the implementation. This
allows for continuous monitoring and testing of actual events against expectations. Problem solving, and the
techniques used to gain clarity, are most effective if the solution remains in place and is updated to respond to
future changes.

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PROBLEM SOLVING RESOURCES:

You can also search articles, case studies, and publications for problem solving resources.

 Books

Root Cause Analysis: The Core of Problem Solving and Corrective Action

The Quality Toolbox

Introduction To 8D Problem Solving: Including Practical Applications and Examples

 Articles

One Good Idea: Some Sage Advice (Quality Progress) The person with the problem just wants it to go
away quickly, and the problem-solvers also want to resolve it in as little time as possible because they
have other responsibilities. Whatever the urgency, effective problem-solvers have the self-discipline to
develop a complete description of the problem.

Diagnostic Quality Problem Solving: A Conceptual Framework And Six Strategies (Quality

Management Journal) This paper contributes a conceptual framework for the generic process of diagnosis
in quality problem solving by identifying its activities and how they are related.

Weathering The Storm (Quality Progress) Even in the most contentious circumstances, this approach
describes how to sustain customer-supplier relationships during high-stakes problem solving situations to
actually enhance customer-supplier relationships.

The Right Questions (Quality Progress) All problem solving begins with a problem description. Make
the most of problem solving by asking effective questions.

Solving the Problem (Quality Progress) Brush up on your problem-solving skills and address the primary
issues with these seven methods.

24
  Case Studies

Refreshing Louisville Metro’s Problem-Solving System (Journal for Quality and

Participation) Organization-wide transformation can be tricky, especially when it comes to sustaining any
progress made over time. In Louisville Metro, a government organization based in Kentucky, many
strategies were used to enact and sustain meaningful transformation.

 Webcasts

Making the Connection In this exclusive QP webcast, Jack ReVelle, ASQ Fellow and author, shares
how quality tools can be combined to create a powerful problem-solving force.

Problem Solving Process:

Step 1: Define the Problem

 What is the problem?

 How did you discover the problem?
 When did the problem start and how long has this problem been going on?
 Is there enough data available to contain the problem and prevent it from getting  passed to the
next process step? If yes, contain the problem.

Step 2: Clarify the Problem

 What data is available or needed to help clarify, or fully understand the problem?
 Is it a top priority to resolve the problem at this point in time?
 Are additional resources required to clarify the problem? If yes, elevate the problem to your
leader to help locate the right resources and form a team. 
  Consider a Lean Event (Do-it, Burst, RPI, Project).
 ∙Ensure the problem is contained and does not get passed to the next process step.

25
Step 3: Define the Goals

 What is your end goal or desired future state?

 What will you accomplish if you fix this problem?
 What is the desired timeline for solving this problem?

Step 4: Identify Root Cause of the Problem

 Identify possible causes of the problem.

 Prioritize possible root causes of the problem.
 What information or data is there to validate the root cause?

Step 5: Develop Action Plan

 Generate a list of actions required to address the root cause and prevent problem from getting to
others.
 Assign an owner and timeline to each action.
 Status actions to ensure completion.

Step 6: Execute Action Plan

 Implement action plan to address the root cause.

 Verify actions are completed.

Step 7: Evaluate the Results

 Monitor and Collect Data.

 Did you meet your goals defined in step 3? If not, repeate th 8-Step Process. 
 Were there any unforeseen consequences?
 If problem is resolved, remove activities that were added previously to contain the problem.

Step 8: Continuously Improve

 Look for additional opportunities to implement solution.

 Ensure problem will not come back and communicate lessons learned.
 If needed, repeat the 8-Step Problem Solving Process to drive further improvements.

26
 Chapter 4: Project Description

A Detailed overview:

Recruitment is a process of finding and attracting the potential resources for filling up the vacant
positions in an organization. It sources the candidates with the abilities and attitude, which are required
for achieving the objectives of an organization.

Recruitment process is a process of identifying the jobs vacancy, analyzing the job requirements,
reviewing applications, screening, shortlisting and selecting the right candidate.

To increase the efficiency of hiring, it is recommended that the HR team of an organization follows the
five best practices (as shown in the following image). These five practices ensure successful recruitment
without any interruptions. In addition, these practices also ensure consistency and compliance in the
recruitment process.

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Recruitment process is the first step in creating a powerful resource base. The process undergoes a
systematic procedure starting from sourcing the resources to arranging and conducting interviews and
finally selecting the right candidates.

Recruitment Planning

Recruitment planning is the first step of the recruitment process, where the vacant positions are analyzed
and described. It includes job specifications and its nature, experience, qualifications and skills required
for the job, etc.

A structured recruitment plan is mandatory to attract potential candidates from a pool of candidates. The
potential candidates should be qualified, experienced with a capability to take the responsibilities
required to achieve the objectives of the organization.

Identifying Vacancy

The first and foremost process of recruitment plan is identifying the vacancy. This process begins with
receiving the requisition for recruitments from different department of the organization to the HR
Department, which contains −

 Number of posts to be filled

 Number of positions

 Duties and responsibilities to be performed

 Qualification and experience required

28
When a vacancy is identified, it the responsibility of the sourcing manager to ascertain whether the
position is required or not, permanent or temporary, full-time or part-time, etc. These parameters should
be evaluated before commencing recruitment. Proper identifying, planning and evaluating leads to hiring
of the right resource for the team and the organization.

Job Analysis:

Job analysis is a process of identifying, analyzing, and determining the duties, responsibilities, skills,
abilities, and work environment of a specific job. These factors help in identifying what a job demands
and what an employee must possess in performing a job productively.

Job analysis helps in understanding what tasks are important and how to perform them. Its purpose is to
establish and document the job relatedness of employment procedures such as selection, training,
compensation, and performance appraisal.

The following steps are important in analyzing a job −

 Recording and collecting job information

 Accuracy in checking the job information

 Generating job description based on the information

 Determining the skills, knowledge and skills, which are required for the job

The immediate products of job analysis are job descriptions and job specifications.

Job Description:

Job description is an important document, which is descriptive in nature and contains the final statement
of the job analysis. This description is very important for a successful recruitment process.

Job description provides information about the scope of job roles, responsibilities and the positioning of
the job in the organization. And this data gives the employer and the organization a clear idea of what an
employee must do to meet the requirement of his job responsibilities.

Job description is generated for fulfilling the following processes −

 Classification and ranking of jobs

 Placing and orientation of new resources

 Promotions and transfers

29
  Describing the career path

 Future development of work standards

A job description provides information on the following elements −

 Job Title / Job Identification / Organization Position

 Job Location

 Summary of Job

 Job Duties

 Machines, Materials and Equipment

 Process of Supervision

 Working Conditions

 Health Hazards

Job Specification:

Job specification focuses on the specifications of the candidate, whom the HR team is going to hire. The
first step in job specification is preparing the list of all jobs in the organization and its locations. The
second step is to generate the information of each job.

This information about each job in an organization is as follows −

 Physical specifications

 Mental specifications

 Physical features

 Emotional specifications

 Behavioral specifications

A job specification document provides information on the following elements −

 Qualification

 Experiences

 Training and development

 Skills requirements

 Work responsibilities

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  Emotional characteristics

 Planning of career

Job Evaluation:

Job evaluation is a comparative process of analyzing, assessing, and determining the relative value/worth
of a job in relation to the other jobs in an organization.

The main objective of job evaluation is to analyze and determine which job commands how much pay.
There are several methods such as job grading, job classifications, job ranking, etc., which are
involved in job evaluation. Job evaluation forms the basis for salary and wage negotiations.

Recruitment Strategy:

Recruitment strategy is the second step of the recruitment process, where a strategy is prepared for hiring
the resources. After completing the preparation of job descriptions and job specifications, the next step is
to decide which strategy to adopt for recruiting the potential candidates for the organization.

While preparing a recruitment strategy, the HR team considers the following points −

 Make or buy employees

 Types of recruitment

 Geographical area

 Recruitment sources

The development of a recruitment strategy is a long process, but having a right strategy is mandatory to
attract the right candidates. The steps involved in developing a recruitment strategy include −

 Setting up a board team

 Analyzing HR strategy

 Collection of available data

 Analyzing the collected data

 Setting the recruitment strategy

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Searching the Right Candidates:

Searching is the process of recruitment where the resources are sourced depending upon the requirement
of the job. After the recruitment strategy is done, the searching of candidates will be initialized. This
process consists of two steps −

 Source activation − Once the line manager verifies and permits the existence of the vacancy, the
search for candidates starts.
 Selling − Here, the organization selects the media through which the communication of
vacancies reaches the prospective candidates.

Searching involves attracting the job seekers to the vacancies. The sources are broadly divided into two
categories: Internal Sources and External Sources.

Internal Sources:

Internal sources of recruitment refer to hiring employees within the organization through −

 Promotions

 Transfers

 Former Employees

 Internal Advertisements (Job Posting)

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  Employee Referrals

 Previous Applicants

External Sources:

External sources of recruitment refer to hiring employees outside the organization through −

 Direct Recruitment

 Employment Exchanges

 Employment Agencies

 Advertisements

 Professional Associations

 Campus Recruitment

 Word of Mouth

Screening / Shortlisting:

Screening starts after completion of the process of sourcing the candidates. Screening is the process of
filtering the applications of the candidates for further selection process.

Screening is an integral part of recruitment process that helps in removing unqualified or irrelevant
candidates, which were received through sourcing. The screening process of recruitment consists of three
steps –

Reviewing of Resumes and Cover Letters:

Reviewing is the first step of screening candidates. In this process, the resumes of the candidates are
reviewed and checked for the candidates’ education, work experience, and overall background matching
the requirement of the job

While reviewing the resumes, an HR executive must keep the following points in mind, to ensure better
screening of the potential candidates –

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  Reason for change of job

 Longevity with each organization

 Long gaps in employment

 Job-hopping

 Lack of career progression

Conducting Telephonic or Video Interview:

Conducting telephonic or video interviews is the second step of screening candidates. In this process,
after the resumes are screened, the candidates are contacted through phone or video by the hiring
manager. This screening process has two outcomes −

 It helps in verifying the candidates, whether they are active and available.
 It also helps in giving a quick insight about the candidate’s attitude, ability to answer interview
questions, and communication skills.

Identifying the top candidates:

Identifying the top candidates is the final step of screening the resumes/candidates. In this process, the
cream/top layer of resumes are shortlisted, which makes it easy for the hiring manager to take a decision.
This process has the following three outcomes −

 Shortlisting 5 to 10 resumes for review by the hiring managers

 Providing insights and recommendations to the hiring manager

 Helps the hiring managers to take a decision in hiring the right candidate

Evaluation and Control:

Evaluation and control is the last stage in the process of recruitment. In this process, the effectiveness
and the validity of the process and methods are assessed. Recruitment is a costly process, hence it is
important that the performance of the recruitment process is thoroughly evaluated.

The costs incurred in the recruitment process are to be evaluated and controlled effectively. These
include the following –

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 Salaries to the Recruiters

  Advertisements cost and other costs incurred in recruitment methods, i.e., agency fees.
 Administrative expenses and Recruitment overheads
 Overtime and Outstanding costs, while the vacancies remain unfilled
 Cost incurred in recruiting suitable candidates for the final selection process
 Time spent by the Management and the Professionals in preparing job description, job
specifications, and conducting interviews.

For any organization, recruitment is a crucial part of developing and maintaining an effective and
efficient team. A good recruitment strategy will cut down the wastage of time and money, which would
have incurred for extensive training and development of unqualified resources.

Have you ever thought of, how a recruiter finds the right candidates? Recruiters use different methods to
source, screen, shortlist, and select the resources as per the requirements of the organization. Recruitment
types explain the means by which an organization reaches potential job seekers.

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In this chapter, we will shed some light on the secrets of hiring and recruiting methods, used by the
recruiters. Recruitment is broadly classified into two different categories − Internal Sources and
External Sources.
Internal Sources of Recruitment:

Internal sources of recruitment refer to hiring employees within the organization internally. In other
words, applicants seeking for the different positions are those who are currently employed with the same
organization.

At the time recruitment of employees, the initial consideration should be given to those employees who
are currently working within the organization. This is an important source of recruitment, which provides
the opportunities for the development and utilization of the existing resources within the organization.

Internal sources of recruitment are the best and the easiest way of selecting resources as performance of
their work is already known to the organization. Let us now discuss more on the various internal sources
of recruitment.

Promotions:

Promotion refers to upgrading the cadre of the employees by evaluating their performance in the
organization. It is the process of shifting an employee from a lower position to a higher position with
more responsibilities, remuneration, facilities, and status. Many organizations fill the higher vacant
positions with the process of promotions, internally.

Transfers:

Transfer refers to the process of interchanging from one job to another without any change in the rank
and responsibilities. It can also be the shifting of employees from one department to another department
or one location to another location, depending upon the requirement of the position.

Let’s take an example to understand how it works. Assume there is a finance company called ABC Ltd.
Having two branches, Branch-A and Branch-B, and an employee from Branch-A resigned from his job
responsibilities. Hence, this position has to be filled for the continuation of the project in Branch-A.

In this scenario, instead of searching or sourcing new candidates, which is time consuming and
expensive, there is a possibility of shifting an employee from Branch-B to Branch-A, depending upon the
project requirements and the capabilities of that respective employee.

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This internal shifting of an employee from one branch to another branch is called as Transfer.
Recruiting Former Employees:

Recruiting former employees is a process of internal sources of recruitment, wherein the exemployees
are called back depending upon the requirement of the position. This process is costeffective and saves
plenty of time. The other major benefit of recruiting former employees is that they are very well versed
with the roles and responsibilities of the job and the organization needs to spend less on their training
and development.

Internal Advertisements (Job Posting):

Internal Advertisements is a process of posting/advertising jobs within the organization. This job posting
is an open invitation to all the employees inside the organization, where they can apply for the vacant
positions. It provides equal opportunities to all the employees working in the organization. Hence, the
recruitment will be done from within the organization and it saves a lot of cost.

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Employee Referrals:

Employee referrals is an effective way of sourcing the right candidates at a low cost. It is the process of
hiring new resources through the references of employees, who are currently working with the
organization. In this process, the present employees can refer their friends and relatives for filling up the
vacant positions.

Organizations encourage employee referrals, because it is cost effective and saves time as compared to
hiring candidates from external sources. Most organizations, in order to motivate their employees, go
ahead and reward them with a referral bonus for a successful hire.

Previous Applicants:

Here, the hiring team checks the profiles of previous applicants from the organizational recruitment
database. These applicants are those who have applied for jobs in the past. These resources can be easily
approached and the response will be positive in most of the cases. It is also an inexpensive way of filling
up the vacant positions.

Pros and Cons of Internal Sources of Recruitment:

Internal sources of recruitment, i.e., hiring employees within the organization, has its own set of
advantages and disadvantages. The advantages are as follows −

 It is simple, easy, quick, and cost effective.

 No need of induction and training, as the candidates already know their job and responsibilities.

 It motivates the employees to work hard, and increases the work relationship within the
organization.

 It helps in developing employee loyalty towards the organization.

The drawbacks of hiring candidates through internal sources are as follows −

 It prevents new hiring of potential resources. Sometimes, new resources bring innovative ideas
and new thinking onto the table.

 It has limited scope because all the vacant positions cannot be filled.

 There could be issues in between the employees, who are promoted and who are not.

 If an internal resource is promoted or transferred, then that position will remain vacant.

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  Employees, who are not promoted, may end up being unhappy and demotivated.

External Sources of Recruitment:

External sources of recruitment refer to hiring employees outside the organization externally. In other
words, the applicants seeking job opportunities in this case are those who are external to the
organization.

External employees bring innovativeness and fresh thoughts to the organization. Although hiring through
external sources is a bit expensive and tough, it has tremendous potential of driving the organization
forward in achieving its goals. Let us now discuss in detail the various external sources of recruitment.

Direct Recruitment:

Direct recruitment refers to the external source of recruitment where the recruitment of qualified
candidates are done by placing a notice of vacancy on the notice board in the organization. This method
of sourcing is also called as factory gate recruitment, as the blue-collar and technical workers are hired
through this process.

Employment Exchanges:

As per the law, for certain job vacancies, it is mandatory that the organization provides details to the
employment exchange. Employment exchange is a government entity, where the details of the job
seekers are stored and given to the employers for filling the vacant positions. This external recruitment is
helpful in hiring for unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled workers.

39
Employment Agencies:

Employment agencies are a good external source of recruitment. Employment agencies are run by
various sectors like private, public, or government. It provides unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled
resources as per the requirements of the organization. These agencies hold a database of qualified
candidates and organizations can use their services at a cost.

Advertisements:

Advertisements are the most popular and very much preferred source of external source of recruitment.
The job vacancy is announced through various print and electronic media with a specific job description
and specifications of the requirements. Using advertisements is the best way to source candidates in a
short span and it offers an efficient way of screening the candidates’ specific requirements.

Let’s take an example. Assume that there is a Sales Company called XYZ Ltd which has got a new
project of selling a product in a short span of time, as the competition is very high. In this scenario,
choosing the specific recruitment plays a vital role. Here the ideal type of recruitment which should be
chosen is Advertisement.

Advertisement is the best suitable practice for this kind of hiring, because a large volume of hiring in a
short span can be done through Advertisement only. Advertisement is one of the costliest way to recruit
candidates, but when time and number are important, then advertisement is the best source of
recruitment.

Professional Associations:

Professional associations can help an organization in hiring professional, technical, and managerial
personnel, however they specialize in sourcing mid-level and top-level resources. There are many
professional associations that act as a bridge between the organizations and the job-seekers.

Campus Recruitment:

Campus recruitment is an external source of recruitment, where the educational institutions such as
colleges and universities offers opportunities for hiring students. In this process, the organizations visit
technical, management, and professional institutions for recruiting students directly for the new
positions.
 40

Word of Mouth Advertising:

Word of mouth is an intangible way of sourcing the candidates for filling up the vacant positions. There
are many reputed organizations with good image in the market. Such organizations only need a word-of-
mouth advertising regarding a job vacancy to attract a large number of candidates.

Pros and Cons of External Sources of Recruitment:

External sources of recruitment, i.e., hiring employees outside an organization, has both its benefits and
drawbacks. The benefits are as follows −

 It encourages new opportunities for job seekers.

 Organization branding increases through external sources.

 There will be no biasing or partiality between the employees.

 The scope for selecting the right candidate is more, because of the large number candidates
appearing.

The disadvantages of recruiting through external sources are as follows −

 This process consumes more time, as the selection process is very lengthy.

 The cost incurred is very high when compared to recruiting through internal sources.

 External candidates demand more remuneration and benefits.

To conclude, the HR department should be flexible enough to choose between internal or external
methods of recruitment, depending upon the requirement of the organization.

Interview:

An interview is a purposeful exchange of ideas, the answering of questions and communication between
two or more persons. Generally, an interview is a process of private meeting conversation between
people, where questions are asked and answered, for obtaining information about qualities, attitudes,
prospectus etc.

An interview refers to a conversation with one or more persons acting as the role of an  interviewer who
ask questions and the person who answers the questions acts as the role of an interviewee.
 41

The primary purpose of an interview is to transfer information from interviewee to interviewer.

Interviews can be either formal or informal, structured or unstructured. Interviews can be carried out
one-to-one or in groups; they can be conducted over telephone or via video conferencing.

There are different meanings of the word “interview”, as different scholars defined the term differently.
However, interviews have some basic objectives, which are as follows−

 Through interviews, recruiters can verify the information obtained through application forms and
tests.
 Recruiters can obtain additional information about the candidates which are not mentioned in the
application forms or resumes.
 Interviews provides an applicant the information and the necessary facts about the job and the
organization.
 Interviews establish a mutual understanding between the applicant and the organization.

How to Interview?

Various researches have proved that organizations that spend more time on recruitment have benefitted
greatly in long term. An important thing to do, when you are planning for an interview is to think, whom
you are interviewing and what kind of information you want from that person. Hence, you should
prepare a list of questions, which you want to ask, prior to conducting an interview.

42
Interviewing is both an art and a science. Hence, how to interview is a technique that every HR
professional should learn and try to implement.

The following five P’s should be taken into consideration in order to ensure effective selection and
interviewing −

 Prepare − Preparation is the first step of conducting an interview. Prior to interview, the
interviewer should make sure that he/she understands the key elements of the job. And the
interviewer should go through the resume of the candidate for understanding his/her qualities
and efficiencies
 Purpose − The interviewer should have knowledge about the purpose of the interview, why
he/she is conducting it. The interviewer should project the organization as the best place to work
to the interviewee, which helps in selecting the right candidate.
 Performance − An interviewer must identify the attitude, attributes, knowledge and skills of the
applicants, who are needed for the success of the organization. If the requirement is about special
education and technical skills, then hiring high-performing applicants plays an important role.
 People Skills − The applicant, who comes for an interview, will not be completely transparent.
Hence, it is the job of an interviewer to un-mask the applicant and discover the inner qualities
and skills during the interview. This good practice of hiring will help in selecting the right
candidate for the organization.
 Process − Every interviewer should follow a structured interview process to get better results. A
structured process of interview avoids bias and gives equal and fair chance to all the applicants.
The best way for accomplishing this process is by using the behavioral based questions and
situational questions.

43

Importance of Interview:
An interview provides an organization the scope to learn more about the applicants, who come for an
interview, while the applicants get an opportunity to become more familiar with the demands of a given
position. Interviews enable both the parties to exchange information, ask questions and also help in
evaluating the potential for establishing a professional working relationship with the organization.

Interviews help in gathering a wide range of information about the applicants’ attitude, feelings and
motivations, which in turn help in the decision-making process to hire the right candidates.

The following points explain the importance of conducting interviews −

 Interviews help in selecting the right candidate from a group of applicants, who applied for a job.
 Interviews are a medium to help collect useful information about potential candidates.
 Information given in the application form or resume is very less. Recruiters can ask the
candidates to provide an elaborate explanation during the interview.
 A good interviewer gives good impression about the organization, which in turn increases the
goodwill of the organization.
 Interviews also help in promotions and transfers of the candidates, as per the requirements of the
organization.

Interview Process:

Interviewing candidates is the final stage in the recruitment process. Hence, to find the right person for a
specific position, there should be a proper process, that has to be followed for the right results.

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An ideal interview process for selecting the right candidates is as follows −

 Determine the requirements of the job. Conduct a thorough job analysis.

 Prepare a specific job description and a job specification.
  Make a plan − how and where to find qualified candidates.
 Collect and review applications and resumes and from them, select the most potential and
qualified candidates for further proceedings.
 Interview the shortlisted candidates based upon the job description and specification.
 Verify the candidates’ background with the references provided by them.

Following such an interview process, the HR department can hire the best possible candidates for a
vacant job position.

Types of Interviews:

Depending up the requirements, situations, locations and time, the interviews are broadly classified into
ten different categories. Recruiters should be knowledgeable enough to understand which type of
interview should be used when.

The ten different types of interviews are as follows −

 Structured Interview − In this type, the interview is designed and detailed in advance. A
structured interview is pre-planned, accurate, and consistent in hiring the candidates.
 Unstructured Interview − This type of interview is an unplanned one, where the interview
questionnaire is not prepared. Here, the effectiveness of the interview is very less and there is a
tremendous waste of time and effort of both the interviewer and the interviewee.
 Group Interview − In this type of interview, all the candidates or a group of candidates are
interviewed together. Group interviews are conducted to save time when there is a large number
of applications for a few job vacancies. A topic will be given to discuss among the candidates
and the interviewer judges the innovativeness and behavior of each candidate in the group.
 Depth Interview − Depth interview is a semi-structured interview, where the candidates have to
give a detailed information about their education background, work experience, special interests,
etc. And the interviewer takes a depth interview and tries in finding the expertise of the
candidate.

45

 Individual Interview − In an individual interview, the interview takes place one-on-one i.e.,
there will be a verbal and a visual interaction between two people, an interviewer and a
candidate. This is a two-way communication interview, which helps in finding the right
candidate for a vacant job position.
 Informal Interview − Such interviews are conducted in an informal way, i.e., the interview will
be fixed without any written communication and can be arranged at any place. There is no
 procedure of asking questions in this type of interview, hence it will be a friendly kind of
interview.
 Formal Interview − A formal interview held in a formal way, i.e., the candidate will be
intimated about the interview well in advance and the interviewer plans and prepares questions
for the interview. This is also called as a planned interview.
 Panel Interview − Panel interview, as the name indicates, is being conducted by a group of
people. In this type of interview, three to five members of the selection committee will be asking
questions to the candidates on different aspects. The final decision will be taken by all the
members of the panel collectively.
 Exit Interview − Exit interviews are conducted for those employees who want to leave the
organization. The importance of the exit interview is to discover why an employee wants to
leave his job.

What is Selection?

Selection is the process of picking or choosing the right candidate, who is most suitable for a vacant job
position in an organization. In others words, selection can also be explained as the process of
interviewing the candidates and evaluating their qualities, which are required for a specific job and then
choosing the suitable candidate for the position.

The selection of a right applicant for a vacant position will be an asset to the organization, which will be
helping the organization in reaching its objectives.

46

Different authors define Selection in different ways. Here is a list of some of the definitions −

 Employee selection is a process of putting a right applicant on a right job.

 Selection of an employee is a process of choosing the applicants, who have the qualifications to
fill the vacant job in an organization.
 Selection is a process of identifying and hiring the applicants for filling the vacancies in an
organization.
  Employee selection is a process of matching organization’s requirements with the skills and the
qualifications of individuals.

A good selection process will ensure that the organization gets the right set of employees with the right
attitude.

Difference between Recruitment and Selection:

The major differences between Recruitment and Selection are as follows −

Recruitment Selection

Recruitment is defined as the process of identifying and Selection is defined as the process of choosing the right candidates
making the potential candidates to apply for the jobs. for the vacant positions.

Recruitment is called as a positive process with its approach Selection is called as a negative process with its elimination or
of attracting as many candidates as possible for the vacant rejection of as many candidates as possible for identifying the right
jobs candidate for the position.

Both recruitment and selection work hand in hand and both play a vital role in the overall growth of an
organization.

Importance of Selection

Selection is an important process because hiring good resources can help increase the overall
performance of the organization. In contrast, if there is bad hire with a bad selection process, then the
work will be affected and the cost incurred for replacing that bad resource will be high.

47

The purpose of selection is to choose the most suitable candidate, who can meet the requirements of the
jobs in an organization, who will be a successful applicant. For meeting the goals of the organization, it
is important to evaluate various attributes of each candidate such as their qualifications, skills,
experiences, overall attitude, etc. In this process, the most suitable candidate is picked after the
elimination of the candidates, who are not suitable for the vacant job.

The organization has to follow a proper selection process or procedure, as a huge amount of money is
spent for hiring a right candidate for a position. If a selection is wrong, then the cost incurred in
induction and training the wrong candidate will be a huge loss to the employer in terms of money, effort,
and also time. Hence, selection is very important and the process should be perfect for the betterment of
the organization.

Advantages of Selection:

A good selection process offers the following advantages−

 It is cost-effective and reduces a lot of time and effort.

 It helps avoid any biasing while recruiting the right candidate.
 It helps eliminate the candidates who are lacking in knowledge, ability, and proficiency.
 It provides a guideline to evaluate the candidates further through strict verification and reference-
checking.
 It helps in comparing the different candidates in terms of their capabilities, knowledge, skills,
experience, work attitude, etc.

A good selection process helps in selecting the best candidate for the requirement of a vacant position in
an organization.

Selection Process and Steps

As we have discussed that Selection is very important for any organization for minimizing the losses and
maximizing the profits. Hence the selection procedure should be perfect. A good selection process
should comprise the following steps –

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  Employment Interview − Employment interview is a process in which one-on-one session in
conducted with the applicant to know a candidate better. It helps the interviewer to discover the
inner qualities of the applicant and helps in taking a right decision.
 Checking References − Reference checking is a process of verifying the applicant’s
qualifications and experiences with the references provided by him. These reference checks help
the interviewer understand the conduct, the attitude, and the behavior of the candidate as an
individual and also as a professional.
 Medical Examination − Medical examination is a process, in which the physical and the mental
fitness of the applicants are checked to ensure that the candidates are capable of performing a job
or not. This examination helps the organization in choosing the right candidates who are
physically and mentally fit.
 Final Selection − The final selection is the final process which proves that the applicant has
qualified in all the rounds of the selection process and will be issued an appointment letter.

A selection process with the above steps will help any organization in choosing and selecting the right
candidates for the right job.

Salary Negotiations:

Salary negotiation is done ahead of issuing an offer letter. This is the heart of recruitment and selection
process, wherein the actual worth of a right candidate will be evaluated. The remuneration offered should
be balanced, acceptable and agreed by both the parties – the employer and the employee.

Some organizations have salary grades, which are already assigned for each and every position, hence
the new employee also receives the salary as per the grade for which the candidate is qualified and
selected for.

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A Win-Win Situation:

The negotiations should be a win-win situation, where both the candidate and the employer should
benefit.

If the candidate expects and demands for a higher salary than the offered salary, then the employer can
raise the package (if the budget permits) in the following cases −

 The candidate is highly talented with a potential to deliver great results.

 The candidate has exceptional skills which are rare in the market.

Sometimes there is high demand for a skill and the market does not have sufficient supply of qualified
candidates to fill the gap. In such cases, the HR team offers lucrative packages in order to attract talented
professionals.

Hiring managers, most of the time, have a budget for each position and they are under pressure to hire
the right candidates without overshooting their assigned budget.

Tips for Good Salary Negotiation: Hiring managers should keep the following points in mind while
negotiating salary with a potential candidate −

 Research about the job posting well in advance and have a clear understanding of the demand
and supply of skilled professionals in the job market.
 Make the candidates understand the break-up of the total package that is offered.

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  Do not let the candidate know the maximum salary that can be offered.
 Do not reject a candidate if his expectations are beyond the budget, rather try to make them
understand the fringe benefits that is being offered in the package.

Salary negotiation is extremely important, as it can either make or break a selection. Sometimes, hiring
managers tend to go overboard and offer an extraordinary package to attract a right candidate. At other
times, a potential candidate rejects the offer because it was not up to his expectation. Hence, it is very
important to maintain balance between hiring the right candidates and working within the boundaries of
the assigned budget.

Making a Job Offer:

Making a job offer is the final stage of recruitment and selection. Once a candidate is selected, he/she
will be issued an offer letter, which describes the designation, job location, role, responsibilities,
remuneration, benefits, and a few terms related to the company policies.

Most HR professionals tend to believe that making an offer is a simple process, but in many cases, it is
not so. Making an offer is a crucial part of recruitment and selection, because it’s a stressful and
demanding process until the candidate joins the company, after issuing an offer. At this stage, a lot of
responsibility lies on the shoulders of the HR with regards to the process after making an offer.

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How to Make a Job Offer?

Making a job offer is a delicate process and it should be handled carefully. The outcome of this process
can be one of the following −

 the candidate may accept and start working with the organization, or.

 the candidate may accept a better job offer from another organization, if he gets one.

Hence, the HR team should take quick action at his stage. The following points should be kept in mind
while making a job offer −

 Do Not Delay − Issue an offer letter as soon as a candidate is selected, especially if the resources
are limited.
 Put the job offer on the table − While issuing an offer letter, do not wait for the right time.
Contact the selected candidate over phone and give him a verbal confirmation that he/she is
selected to fill the position vacant.
 Set a deadline to accept the offer − Once the offer is issued to the candidate, set a reasonable
deadline to accept the offer. Take a confirmation from the candidate that he/she should join as
per the date of joining mentioned in the offer letter.
 Stay connected − Even after the offer is accepted by the candidate, it is the responsibility of the
hiring manager to be in touch with the selected candidate, till he/she joins the organization.

After finding the right resource for the vacant job in the organization, the offer is prepared and released
to the candidate. It is crucial at this stage to follow a correct process in order to close the deal and ensure
that the selected candidate joins the organization as per the terms issued in the offer letter.

Preparing a Job Offer Letter

Once the salary negotiations are completed, the next step is preparing and issuing a job offer letter.
During the confirmation of the job offer through phone call or mail, it is best to make the initial offer and
discuss about the terms of the employment.

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A formal job offer should include the following −

 Name of the employee

 Title or designation of the job

 The remuneration or salary offered

 Employment commencement date

 Roles and responsibilities of the job

 Terms and conditions (contract/temporary/permanent) of the job

 Compensations and benefit

 Conditions during the probationary period

 Additional condition, which includes legal, background verification etc.

Once the offer letter is prepared and issued to the selected candidate, ask the candidate to send a signed
copy of the offer letter, as a token of acceptance of the job offer.

The process of recruitment and selection starts right from understanding the requirements, sourcing,
scheduling, shortlisting, interviewing, selecting and finally issuing the offer letter. The process is not
over till the candidate joins.

What Next after Issuing a Job Offer?

Employees usually have to serve a notice period before switching jobs. So, there is a time-gap of one
month or so after a candidate accepts the Offer Letter till the time he joins the organization. During this
time-gap, the role of a recruiter is important because the candidate may or may not join, even after
accepting the offer letter!

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Hence, the recruiter should be in touch with the candidate through mails/messages/calls till he/she joins
the company.

This communication and the relationship between the recruiter and the candidate will help the process to
complete and reduce the risks of the candidate not joining the company. Hence, communication plays a
vital role in the process of recruitment and selection.

The following steps are important after a candidate accepts the Job Offer −

 Documentation process − This process includes collecting documents such as educational

certificates, id proof, address proof, previous company offer letter, relieving letters, etc. If a
candidate responds positively, then it is an indicator that he/she is actually interested in joining
the organization.
 Employment verification process − Collecting an employment verification document, which
consists of the details of the previous employers and their references. It provides information
regarding the behavior and attitude of the candidate.
 Contacting the candidates − Be in contact with the candidate through calls or mails or
messages, which helps in building a relationship between the recruiter and a potential employee.
It also helps in knowing the status of the candidate joining the organization.
 Resignation from current employment − As soon as an offer letter is issued to the candidate,
make sure that the candidate resigns his current job and shares a copy of the resignation
document/mail. Later on, do follow up with regards to the resignation acceptance document/mail
from the current employer.
 Following up for the joining date − Finally, keep following up with the candidate about the
joining date, because it will help in knowing the status of the candidate joining the organization
as per the joining date mentioned in the offer letter.

All the above points help the employer in identifying the interest and the seriousness of a candidate in
joining the organization.

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 Chapter 5: Conclusions
My internship was great, and I came across many different challenges and experiences all along the way.
I was able to grow both as a professional and as a person during my time at Tynor Orthotics Pvt. Ltd.
Since I got to meet so many people from different backgrounds and with different attributes in such a
short period of time. I gained so much knowledge from everyone and it will be of great use to me in my
future endeavours. The majority of the tasks assigned to me during the internship were completed. Those
that were left behind or needed constant attention were transferred directly to the team. My previous
degree and my first semester provided me with a lot of theoretical knowledge, as well as the course I was
taking, which helped me to understand key aspects of Human Resource Management. Through this
internship and experience, I was able to learn how things are in the initial phase of any business. In
addition, the knowledge and wisdom I gained from this whole process will be of great value to me in the
years to come.

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