Subject:- human resource management

Unit 2:-
RECRUITMENT
MEANING: The process of finding and hiring the best-qualified candidate
(from within or outside of an organization) for a job opening, in a timely
and cost-effective manner. The recruitment process includes analysing.
the requirements of a job, attracting employees to that job, screening
and selecting applicants, hiring, and integrating the new employee to the
organization. Recruitment is a positive process of searching for prospective
employees and stimulating them to apply for the jobs in the organization. When more persons apply for
jobs then there will be a scope for recruiting better persons.
DEFINITION OF RECRUITMENT:
1. Keith Davis states, “recruitment is finding and attracting capable
applicants for employment. The process begins when recruits are
sought and ends when their applications are submitted.”
2. According to Edwin B. Flippo, “recruitment is the process of searching
for prospective employees and stimulating them to apply for jobs in the
organization.” 3. Mart and T. Telsang, “recruitment generates applications or
applicants for a specific position.” THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF RECRUITMENT
1. Recruitment is a searching and attracting function – It is mainly
concerned with searching and attracting the potential candidates
towards organization.
2. Recruitment is not a selection – Recruitment involves searching the
potential candidates and attracting them towards organization to apply
for the job. But selection involves choosing suitable candidate among
those who have applied for job.
3. It is a process – Recruitment is a process of series of activities like
recruitment policy, sources of recruitment, technique of tapping those
sources and evaluation of those sources etc.
4. It is a linking activity – Recruitment brings together those who have a
job (employer) and those who search for a Recruitment brings together those who have a job (employer)
and those who search for a job (employees).
5. It is a pervasive function – This function needs to be performed by all
organizations which need human resources. 6. It is one of the functions of personnel management – It is
an
important function of personnel management as it helps in acquiring
different number and types of persons for continued functioning of an
organization.
PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE OF RECRUITMENT
The Purpose and Importance of Recruitment are given below:
1. Attract and encourage more and more candidates to apply in the
organization.
2. Create a talent pool of candidates to enable the selection of best
candidates for the organization
. 3. Determine present and future requirements of the organization in
conjunction with its personnel planning and job analysis activities.
4. Recruitment is the process which links the employers with the
employees.
 5. Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost.
6. Help increase the success rate of the selection process by decreasing
the number of visibly under qualified or overqualified job applicants.
7. Help reduce the probability that job applicants once recruited and
selected will leave the organization only after a short period of time.
8. Meet the organizations legal and social obligations regarding the
composition of its workforce
. 9. Begin identifying and preparing potential job applicants who will be
appropriate candidates.
10. Increase organization and individual’s effectiveness of various
recruiting techniques and sources for all types of job applicants.
THE FACTORS AFFECTING RECRUITMENTS
1. INTERNAL FACTORS:
(i) Organization Policies and Practices: Policies and practices of the
organization affect the system of recruitment of the organization. Some
organizations may adopt the practice of recruiting from within the
organization through promotion, transfer, lay-off etc., and others may go
for external sources. Some organizations adopt the practice of recruiting
the persons from backward castes and communities, physically
handicapped persons etc., and others may give importance to merit
irrespective of caste, creed and religion. (ii) Image of the Organization: Image or the impression that an
organization gives to the public considerably influences on the
recruitment process of the organization. Kind of job environment, benefit
it provides to its employees, employer employee relation that prevails in
the organization enhance the image of the organization. Better the
image, better the quality of applicant and vice-versa. (iii) Wage and Salary Policies: Benefits provided by
the organization to
its employees have a great influence on its recruitment system. Higher
salaries and wages consistent with the merit and experience of the
employees will certainly attract meritorious and experienced employees
towards the organization. (iv) Promotion and Retirement Policies: Company which provides better
promotion prospects to its dedicated and meritorious employees and
offers retirement benefits like pension or gratuity to those who are
serving in the company for a minimum fixed period also affect the
recruitment policy of the organization and in turn attract meritorious and
able persons towards the organization. (v) Working Conditions: Good working conditions like proper
lighting and
ventilation, safety provisions, welfare measures like bonus, quarter’s
facility, subsidized food, medical facility etc., influence positively on the
recruitment system of the organization.
2. EXTERNAL FACTORS:
(i) Government Regulations: Government regulations towards Backward
Caste, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes and women have a direct
impact on recruiting practices and hence organizations have to observe
these regulations while recruiting its employees.
(ii) Trade Union Restrictions: Trade union always wants to protect the
interest of its members and hence interfere in the recruitment process
of the organization. Therefore, while making the recruitment, interest ofthe trade union should be kept
in mind and process should be continued. (iii) Labour Market Conditions: Labour market conditions in
India are
always volatile i.e., changing. At any given point of time there may be a
surplus or a shortage of well qualified candidate in a particular category
of post for which vacancy is to be filled up. If well qualified candidates
are in short supply recruitment becomes difficult and if the candidates
are excess with suitable qualification, selection becomes difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to take a
note of labour market condition while
recruiting the employees. (iv) Legal Factors: Legal factors like prohibition of employment of
children, prohibition of employment of women in night shift, provision of
security to the workers in underground mines, abolition of bonded labour, regulation of employment of
contract labour, safety of scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and other weaker sections of society,
discrimination in
employment on the basis of religion, caste, sex, etc., influence on the
recruitment practice of the organization. (v) Economic Factors: Economic factors like cost of
recruitment, capacity of recruiting competent persons, working conditions in other similar
organizations etc., also affect the recruitment practice of. the organization.

SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT:-
The eligible and suitable candidates required for a particular job are
available through various sources. These sources can be divided into
two categories:
A. Internal sources of recruitment:
Internal sources indicate
recruiting qualified people from within the organization (from the
present working force) When reference is made to the number of
employees already employed by the organization, we speak of the
internal supply. Whenever any vacancy occurs, someone from within the
organization is upgraded, promoted, or transferred to another
department also goes into the category of an internal recruitment source.
1. Promotions: The promotion policy is followed as a motivational technique for the employees who
work hard and show good
performance. Promotion results in enhancements in pay, position, responsibility and authority. The
important requirement for
implementation of the promotion policy is that the terms, conditions, rules and regulations should be
well-defined.
2. Retirements: The retired employees may be given the extension in
their service in case of non-availability of suitable candidates for the
post.
3. Former employees: Former employees who had performed well
during their tenure may be called back, and higher wages and incentives
can be paid to them.
4. Transfer: Employees may be transferred from one department to
another wherever the post becomes vacant.
5. Internal advertisement: The existing employees may be interested in
taking up the vacant jobs. As they are working in the company since long
time, they know about the specification and description of the vacant job. For their benefit, the
advertisement within the company is circulated so. that the employees will be intimated.
BENEFITS:
1. The existing employees get motivated.
2. Cost is saved as there is no need to give advertisements about the
vacancy.
3. It builds loyalty among employees towards the organization.
4. Training cost is saved as the employees already know about the
nature of job to be performed.
5. It provides an opportunity for advancement. 6. It is a reliable and easy process.
7. It improves the probability of better performance as the candidate is in
a better position to know the objectives and expectations of the
organization.
LIMITATIONS:
1. Young people with the knowledge of modem technology and
innovative ideas do not get the chance.
2. The performance of the existing employees may not be as efficient as
before.
3. It brings the morale down of employees who do not get promotion or
selected.
4. It may lead to encouragement to favouritism.
5. It may not be always in the good interest of the organization
6. An option may be limited in locating the right talents.
B. External sources of recruitment: External recruitment is
concerned with generating a pool of qualified candidates through
external sources of employment.The external sources of recruitment
include – employment at the factory gate, advertisements, employment
exchanges, employment agencies, educational institutes, labor
contractors, recommendations, etc
1. Press advertisement: A wide choice for selecting the appropriate
candidate for the post is available through this source. It gives publicity
to the vacant posts and the details about the job in the form of job
description and job specification are made available to public in general.
2. Campus interviews: It is the best possible method for companies to
select students from various educational institutions. It is easy and
economical. The company officials personally visit various institutes and
select students eligible for a particular post through interviews. Students
get a good opportunity to prove themselves and get selected for a good
job.
3. Placement agencies: A databank of candidates is sent to
organizations for their selection purpose and agencies get commission
in return.
4. Employment exchange: People register themselves with government
employment exchanges with their personal details. According to the
needs and request of the organization, the candidates are sent for
interviews.
5. Walk in interviews: These interviews are declared by companies on
the specific day and time and conducted for selection. 6. E-recruitment: Various sites such as jobs.com,
naukri.com, and
monster.com are the available electronic sites on which candidates
upload their resume and seek the jobs. 7. Competitors: By offering better terms and conditions of
service, the
human resource managers try to get the employees working in the
competitor’s organization. 8. Gate Applicants: The educated unemployed youth may contact the
company to get employment. These candidates may not have any
recommendations. Even the company might not have issued any
advertisement for the post. The candidate personally approaches the
appointing authority of the company. If such candidate is found fit for
any one of the posts which are vacant at that time, the candidate is
appointed. 9. Unsolicited Applicants: Unsolicited applications mean the application
received through mail from the candidate. The application brings the
information regarding the name and address of the candidate, his age, educational qualification,
experience, area of interest, etc. If there is any
vacancy at that time, the candidate will be recruited for the specified
post. Normally, this type of application is considered for the posts at the
lower level. BENEFITS:
1. New talents get the opportunity. 2. The best selection is possible as a large number of candidates
apply
for the job. 3. In case of unavailability of suitable candidates within the organization, it is better to
select them from outside sources. 4. Choice – A company can recruit a person out of a large number of
applicants. Each and every candidates plus points and minus points are
taken into consideration for the purpose of recruitment. Then, the best
candidate can be selected by the company
5. New Outlook – If a new person is recruited by the company, a new
way of approach may be used to solve the problem, which will give
maximum benefits to the company. 6. Wide Experience – If the recruited new candidate has experience
in
various fields, the company can get the benefit of the candidate’sexperience. LIMITATIONS:
The external sources also have some demerits.
1. Grudging of old employment – If a candidate is recruited from
external sources, the existing staff may have a grudge against him. It
results in demoralisation of the staff members.
2. Lack of co-operation – The existing staff members do not extend
their co-operation to the person who is selected from out of external
sources. In addition to this, the existing staff members make the new
recruit face the difficulties and try to disorient him in relation to his work.
3. Expensive – Recruitment of a person from outside the company
requires a lot of formalities. The formalities include issuing
advertisement, receiving the applications, screening the applications, dispatching the interview letters,
fixation of interview date, time and
place, formation of an interview committee etc. Completing all the above
said procedure involves a lot of expenditure.
4. Trade union – If the trade union of the company is very strong, it is
very difficult to convince the trade union and recruit a person from
outside a company.
 5. Danger of non-adjustment – If a newly recruited person fails to adjust
himself to the working conditions of the company, it leads to more
expenditure in looking for his replacement. Besides, it causes irritation
and quarrel between the recruited person and the existing staff
members.
MAJOR CHALLENGES FACED BY HR IN
RECRUITMENT:-
1.Adaptability to globalization: The HR professionals are expected and
required to keep in tune with the changing times, i.e. the changes taking
place across the globe. HR should maintain the timeliness of the
process.
2. Lack of motivation: Recruitment is considered to be a thankless job. Even if the organization is
achieving results, HR department or
professionals are not thanked for recruiting the right employees and
performers.
3. Process analysis: The immediacy and speed of the recruitment
process are the main concerns of HR in recruitment. The process should
be flexible, adaptive and responsive to the immediate requirements. The
recruitment process should also be cost effective.
4. Strategic prioritization: The emerging new systems are both an
opportunity as well as a challenge for the HR professionals. Therefore, reviewing staffing needs and
prioritizing the tasks to meet the changes
in the market has become a challenge for recruitment professionals.
5. Technological changes: The decision to strategy development relates
to the methods used in recruitment and selection. This decision is
mainly influenced by the available technology. The advent of computers
has made it possible for employers to scan national and international
applicant qualifications. Although impersonal, computers have given
employers and job seekers a wider scope of options in the internal
screening’ stage. Technological advancement has made it possible for
job seekers to gain better access. They have begun sending C.V. about
themselves to a number of organizations without wasting time and
without spending money on travel.
Selection:-
Selection is the process of identifying and choosing the best person out of a number of prospective
candidates for a job.
Selection process:-
A well organised selection process of personnel involves the following steps:

(i) Preliminary screening: It helps the manager to eliminate unqualified or unfit job seekers, based on
the information supplied in the application forms.

(ii) Selection tests: An employment test is a mechanism (either a paper and pencil test or exercise) that
attempts to measure certain characteristics of individuals. These characteristics range from aptitudes,
such as manual dexterity, to intelligence, to personality, etc.

(iii) Employment interview: Interview is a formal, in-depth conversation, conducted to evaluate the
applicant's suitability for the job. Through an interview, an interviewer seeks to obtain maximum
information about the interviewee and the interviewee seeks information about the job and the
company.

(iv) Reference and background checks: Many employers request names, addresses and telephone
numbers of references for the purpose of verifying information and gaining additional information of an
applicant.

(v) Selection decision: The final decision has to be made from among the candidates, who pass the tests,
interviews and reference checks.

(vi) Medical examination: After the selection decision and before the job offer, the candidate is required
to undergo a medical fitness test. The job offer is given to the candidate, who is physically and mentally
fit for the job.

(vii) Job offer: The next step in the selection process is issuing job offer to those applicants, who have
passed all the previous hurdles. It is made through a letter of appointment to confirm his acceptance,
and communicating to him the reporting date and time.

(viii) Contract of employment: When a candidate accepts the job offer, the contract of employment is
made, which is in a written form and includes job title, duties, responsibilities, date when continuous
employment starts and the basis for calculating service, rates of pay, allowances, hours of work, leave
rules, sickness, grievance procedure, etc.