Recruitment and

selection
 RECRUITMENT
Recruitment is the process of searching
the candidates for employment and
stimulating them to apply for jobs in
the organization. It is the process to
discover sources of manpower to meet
the requirement of staffing schedule.
 PURPOSE/ IMPORTANCE OF RECRUITMENT

1. Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost.

2. Help increase the success rate of selection process by decreasing

number of visibly under qualified or overqualified job applicants.

3.Help reduce the probability that job applicants once recruited and
selected will leave the organization only after a short period of
time.

4.Begin identifying and preparing potential job applicants who will

be appropriate candidates.

5. Process which links employers with the employees

Types of Recruitment Needs
Planned

Unexpected
Recruitment Policy
It provides a outline for implementation of the
recruitment programme

Requirements/Pre-Requisites of a good recruitment

policy:
1. It should be flexible to meet changing organizational
needs
2. Should match employees qualities with the job needs
3. Should highlight the necessity of job analysis
4. Should provide suitable jobs to handicapped, women
& minority groups
Elements of a good recruitment policy:
Organizational Objectives

Identification of recruitment needs

Preferred sources of recruitment

Criteria for selection

Monetary Aspects
Factors Affecting Recruitment:
Internal Factors:
1. The recruiting policy of the organization
2. Growth & expansion plans of the organization
3. Cost involved in recruiting employees
4. Working conditions, salary & other benefits offered
by the organization which may influence turnover &
require future recruitment
5. Introduction of new technology may lead to
disappearance of old jobs & creation of new jobs
External Factors affecting Recruitment
Company’s image among job seekers
Supply & demand for specific skills in labour markets
The Economic Factors
The Social Factors
The Political Factors
The Legal Factors
Types of Recruitment Policy
Centralized Recruitment

Decentralized Recruitment
Factors which are considered by management in deciding whether to go for
internal or external sources of recruitment:
Effect of the policy on attitude & actions of employees

Level of specialization required of employees

Importance on employee participation at all levels

Need for originality & initiative

Acceptance of the seniority principles

 PROCESS OF RECRUITMENT
Identify the vacancy

Prepare job description and person specification

Advertising the vacancy

Managing the response

Short-listing

Arrange interviews

Evaluation & control

 SOURCES OF
RECRUITMENT
RECRUITMENT
INTERNAL EXTERNAL

Advertisement
Transfer Employment Exchanges
Promotion Placement Agencies
Former Educational Institutions
Employees/Rehir Trade Unions
ing Campus Recruitment
Employee Rival Firms
Referrals
Merits of Internal source of recruitment
Improves employee morale
Proper Evaluation by management
Cost saving
Promotes loyalty
Motivation Technique
Stability of employees
Trade Union’s support
Demerits of Internal Source of recruitment

Lead to inbreeding & discourage new blood

Internal sources may dry up

This practice not followed in jobs which need original

thinking as learner does not know more than trainer

Personal biases of management may play a role in

selection of internal people
Merits of external recruitment
Suitable candidate with skill, talent, knowledge are available

Help to bring new ideas, better techniques

Selection of candidates without preconceived notions

Existing employees will also broaden their personality

Entry of qualitative person from outside will help the

organization in the long run
Disadvantages of external recruitment
More expensive & time-consuming

Need much training as they are new to the

organization

If higher level jobs are filled from outside existing

staffs get demotivated
Methods of recruitment

1. Direct Method
- campus recruitment
2. Indirect Method
- advertisement
3. Third Party Methods
- employment exchanges
- consulting firms
- trade unions
- labour contractors
- employee referral
Constraints & challenges of Recruitment
Image of the organization
Unattractive job
Internal policies of the organization
Budgetary support
Government Interference
Recruitment Practices in India
Employee Referrals
Advertising
Local Educational Institutions
Public Employment exchanges
Private employment agencies
Sons of the soil
Reservations
Recent Trends in recruitment
Outsourcing

Poaching/Raiding

E-recruitment
 SELECTION
Employee Selection is the process
of putting right men on right job.
It is a procedure of matching
organizational requirements with
the skills and qualifications of
people. Effective selection can be
done only when there is effective
matching.
Nature & Importance of Selection:
Find the needs of the job
Match Applicant’s Profile with Job Needs
Poor selection could prove to be a costly affair
Keep expectations of employees in mind
Legal Interventions may spoil the show
Right selection could prove to be a source of
competitive advantage
Its considered as a negative process but the final
outcome will always be positive for recruiter &
candidate.
Impacts of Poor Selection
Lower personal productivity among dissatisfied
employees
Dissatisfied employees leaving the firm
New cost involved in selecting replacements
Training new hires
Mistakes made by new hires
Lost productivity until new hires become experts
Stress/anxiety among experienced employees
Lost customers & decreased market share
Loss in brand image & position
 PROCESS/STEPS OF SELECTION
Reception of Applications
Preliminary Interview
Application form
 Selection Tests/Psychological tests
 Employment Interview
 Background Investigation/Reference Check
List of Desirable applicants
Final selection by Interviewers
Physical/Medical Examination
Job Offer
Contract of employment
Employee Testing and Interview:
Test – A systematic procedure for sampling human
behaviour.

Purpose of Tests:
- for selection & placement of new employees
- for appraising employees for promotional potentials
- for counseling employees
TYPES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS:
1. Aptitude(ability) Tests:
- measures hidden ability to learn new job or skill
- helps to find whether a candidate will perform well
- helps to detect defects in a person’s intellectual
capacity
- used in medicine, law, clerical, painting job etc
- measures capacity to learn a particular mechanical
work(mechanical aptitude test)
2. Intelligence Tests:
-measures overall intellectual ability –know whether
he has mental capacity to deal with new problems
- determines word fluency , memory, reasoning
capability
- The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-widely used
for management appraisal & selection
- expensive & needs much preparation by
organization
- used in competitive examinations, financial sectors
 Types of Psychological Tests:

3. Skills Tests:
- measures a person’s ability to do a specific job
- used to select workers doing repetitive jobs, semi-skilled
jobs
- eg: packing, testing & inspection etc
Types of Psychological Tests
4.Achievement Tests:
 Measures skill/knowledge gained after training & on-the-
job experience
5. Personality Tests:
- non-intellectual in nature
 Tries to know individuals values, emotional reactions,
maturity,self-confidence, dominance,optimism etc
 Used to advise individuals, to select higher level
executives
Types of Psychological Tests:
6. Interest Tests
 Type of work in which a candidate is interested
 Questionnaire used to test likes & dislikes

7. Honesty tests/Polygraph test:

- lie detector
-used to ensure accuracy of information given in
application form
- jewellery shops, banks etc may use it
8. Simulation tests
9. Assessment Centres
-The In Basket
(Candidates given a basket with papers & files related to his functional
area, he has to study it & give his own suggestions on the problem
situation)

- Leaderless Group Discussion

- Management Games (candidates have to solve realistic problems as

members of simulated companies competing in a market place. They have
to decide like how to advertise, how to penetrate the market etc)

- Individual Presentations
- Interviews

10. Graphology Test

Advantages of testing:
More easier to determine test value compared to interview or application
forms

Test are very much objective compared to other selection devices

Reduce labour turnover

Increases production- employees placed in jobs of interest

Provide uniform basis for comparing individuals with different

backgrounds

Help in selecting people with promotional ability

Developing a Test Programme:
1. Deciding the objectives of the testing programme
2. Analysis of the job
3. Choosing the tests
4. Administering the tests
5. Revalidating(perform the test on a new sample of
employees)
6. Analyzing the results of the test
Characteristics of a good test
1. Assumption – no two persons are alike in their intelligence, skills,
personality
2. Validity – Ability of a test to measure the quality it wants to measure

a)Criteria Validity- It says those who score good in tests will be good
performers also & vice versa

b)Content Validity- The test should consist of a fair amount of job

content

c) Construct Validity- measure phychological characteristics like

intelligence, leadership ability etc related to job performance
3.Reliability – Measures consistency of test
4. Objectivity
5.Qualified people needed to interpret test scores
6.Tailor made for different organisations
7. Simple & easy to understand
INTERVIEW:
A face to face interaction between two persons for a particular purpose

An attempt to secure maximum information from the candidate

concerning his suitability for the job under consideration.

A type of useful selection tool/technique

Objectives of Interview:
 To get an opportunity to judge an applicant’s qualifications &
characteristics

 To give candidates essential facts about job & company

 To establish a rapport between personnel dept & applicant to be employed

Objectives of Interview:
To get a real feel of the candidate
Valuable tool for disciplinary actions
Exit-interview –helps to know why candidate is leaving

Types of Interviews:
A. Classification according to structure

1. Unstructured/Non-Directive Interview
2. Structured/Direct Interview
B. Classification As per Interview purpose
1. Stress Interview
2. Appraisal Interview
3. Exit Interview

C. Classification according to Interview’s content of questions

1. Situational Interview(how they would react to a future
situation)
2. Job-related Interview(job-related questions)
3. Behavioural Interview(how candidate has behaved in the
past in a particular situation)
4. Psychological Interviews(conducted by psychologists)
D. Classification on basis of how interviews are
managed/administered
One on One Interview
Sequential Interview
Group Interview(groups are interviewed)
Panel Interview
Guideline for Effective Interview
Interview should never be hurried

A description of the job should be prepared in advance

Interview questions should be based on important job duties

Competent & trained interviewers required

Interview should be conducted in a quiet, comfortable & non-

stressful atmosphere

Proper interview method should be used & specific guidelines

should be given to interviewers
Guideline for Effective Interview
 Wasting time on notorious time wasters should be
avoided

Interviewer should avoid personal bias or prejudices

Allow candidate to open up freely

Interviewer should listen carefully to candidates & record

the in formation carefully

Leave a good impression on job applicants

How to conduct Interview Successfully?/ Steps in an interview process
1. Preparation for the Interview
a. Determine objectives of the interview
b. Determine Methods to be used
c. Acquainting Oneself About the Applicant
d. Determining the No. of Interviewers

2. The Physical setting

3. Conduct of the Interview
a. Establishing Rapport
b. Getting Complete & Accurate Information
c. Recording of Impression of the candidate
4. Close the Interview
5. Evaluation of results
Qualities of a Good Interviewer:
Should have more than average intelligence,
emotional maturity, interest in human behaviour etc
Should be able to establish rapport
Should be fully trained in art of interview
Have thorough knowledge about the organisation
Should be sensitive to how his behaviour affects
others
Should have good general knowledge
Errors/Limitations/Drawbacks of Interview:
1. The Halo Effect:
- one marked characteristic of candidate dominates
the appraisal of entire personality
- like physical appearance, fluency in language,
foreign returned etc

2. Leniency(easygoing):
- tendency to give high scores
- may be due to lack of knowledge or no interest in
rating
- opposite is toughness- give consistently low scores
Errors/Limitations/Drawbacks of Interview:
3. Projection:
- interviewer expects his own qualities, skills, values in
applicant
- may select candidates who resemble him in age,
appearance, manners etc

4. Stereotyping:
- interviewer already forms some opinion regarding a
particular trait, gender, race , personality etc
- may lead to rejection of some deserving candidates
- eg: belief that people from urban areas are more fluent in
language compared to rural areas
Errors/Limitations/Drawbacks of Interview:
5.Constant Error
- Interview of the previous candidate influences the
interviewer in favour of or against the next candidate

6. Snap Judgement
- Interviewers making sudden judgement early in the
interview & blocking out further useful information

7. Pressure to hire may lead giving candidates more

scores than they deserve
Errors/Limitations/Drawbacks of Interview:
8. Telegraphing
- sending a message to candidate through the question
itself
- eg: The job involves a lot of overtime. You can do
that ,can’t you?

9.Too Much/Too little talking

Interview Guidance for the Interviewees:
1. Preparation of a Good Resume.
2. Preparation for the Interview Itself
3.During the Interview
- first impressions are important
- appropriate clothing
- a firm handshake
- alert attention when interviewer speaks
- an understanding of employer’s needs & desire to
serve them
- not to be egoistic
- response precise-to the point
BARRIERS OF SELECTION
Perception – Inability to understand others accurately,
wrong judgement

Fairness - Discrimination on the basis of caste,

gender, religion etc.

Validity – If tests used to select candidates are not

valid i.e. do not accurately measure how employees
will perform in their job
BARRIERS OF SELECTION
Reliability – If the selection methods are not reliable
then it will be a barrier to effective selection. For eg: a
reliable test is one which will produce same result
under similar situations.

Pressure: If selectors are pressurised by someone else

like political parties, powerful people etc to select
certain candidates then it may be a barrier to effective
selection.
PLACEMENT
 Placement is assigning a specific rank & responsibility to
an individual

Selection process ends with placement of a worker to the

job

Process of assigning a specific job to each selected

candidate

Matching job requirements with candidates qualifications

Importance of Placement:
It helps a new recruit to find a job as promised by
employer at selection time.
Person-job misfit would prove to be costly
Better motivation resulting in better performance
Lower rate of absenteeism
Reduced cost of supervision
Principles of placement
Man should be placed on job as per job requirements-
job first , man next
Job should be offered to a person as per his
qualifications
Employee should be made aware of the working
conditions & all things related to the job
Placement should be ready before joining date of new
employee
Placement in initial period may be temporary as
changes may occur after training completion
Problems in placement
Problem arises when recruiters look at the individuals
but not the job. Individuals do not work independent
of the other.
Jobs classified into 3 categories
1. Independent jobs- Non-overlapping territories
allotted to each employee. Does not pose much
problem in placement. Objectives of placement will be
- fill job with people having minimum qualifications
- place people on jobs that will make best possible use
of their talents
Problems in placement
2. Dependent Jobs: They may be sequential or pooled
Sequential – Activities of one employee dependent on
activity of a fellow employee
Pooled – High interdependence among jobs- final
output is result of contribution of all workers
ORIENTATION or INDUCTION
A technique by which a new employee is adjusted into
his surroundings & introduced to practices & purposes
of the organisation .

Induction is the welcoming process to make the new

employee feel at home & generate in him a feeling of
belonginess to the organisation
OBJECTIVES OF INDUCTION:
To promote a feeling of belonginess & loyalty among new
comers as first impression may be the last impression

To build up new employees confidence

To give employee information regarding the company

To introduce new workers to supervisors & co-workers

To reduce the chance of new worker leaving the

organisation
Induction Procedure:
No model Induction procedure
Can follow these steps-
1. The new person need time & place to report to work.
2. Supervisor & immediate boss meet & welcome employee
3. Administrative work to be completed – probationary
period, medical systems, leaves allowed etc
4. Departmental orientation – introduction, functions , job
instruction, whom to approach for help etc
5. Supply printed materials , employee handbooks, in-house
journals, short guided tour of the plant etc
Contents of a Formal Induction
Programme:
Significance of the job
Company, its history, products, production process,
major job responsibilities
Organization structure
Departmental information
Company policies, objectives, practices
HR policies & sources of information
Terms, conditions of service, welfare facilities
Contents of a Formal Induction Programme:
Rules governing working hours, overtime,
absenteeism, holidays & vacations, etc
Grievance procedure
Opportunities, promotions, transfers
The orientation programme may be for 1 day or for
weeks
Many programmes include f/up interview after 3-6
mths to find out how new employee is getting along
Typical Techniques of Induction
Programmes:
General Orientation
- general info- history of the firm
- employee services-pension, health plans, safety
- better way- not to give in 1 day- little by little
- normally done by HR dept

Specific Orientation:
- conducted by job supervisor
- employee shown place of work, introduced to co-workers,
canteens, specific organization practices
- purpose- help employee to adjust to his work & environment
Typical Techniques of Induction Programmes:
Follow-up Orientation:

- takes place within 1 week-6 mths of initial orientation

- find out how well employee has adjusted with work,
superior, environment , company practices etc
- feedback also given to employees regarding progress
- personal talks, counselling given to remove any
difficulties faced by newcomers
Benefits of Induction Programmes:
Helps build two-way communication channel
between management & workers
Helps in developing informal relation & teamwork
amongst employees
Helps in developing a sense of belonging
Proves that company is taking interest in candidates-
new hires start working more comfortably –commit
less mistakes
Reduces employee grievances, absenteeism & labour
turnover
Problems in induction:
Supervisor inducting employees may not be trained or
too bossy
Too much information given to employee in a short
time
Employee confused with different forms to be filled
In initial stage, employee given only manual jobs that
may discourage job interest
Employee given too much challenging job where there
is high chance of failure & could discourage them
Employee is thrown into action too soon. His mistakes
may harm the company