Introduction
Human resources management is challenging work for every HR change agent. Researchers have made a lot of attempts to find out the key principles of successful management. Strategic recruitment and retention require a competent leader who is able to cope with different tasks, envisage outcomes, and employ modern ways of recruitment such as e-recruiting.
Five key tasks for an HR change agent
Christensen (2006) emphasizes the fact that there are some common features every HR management should possess without taking into consideration the primary goals and activities. The five key tasks comprise the basis for strategic leadership. In any case, the aim of strategic leadership is to provide the organization with the most effective means and techniques. The first task presupposes the aptitude to look at the working process and organization differently. The second task is the ability to understand the organization’s competence. A real leader has a sound judgment of the organization’s needs and capacity. Such an HR manager is ready to use all available resources. The third task includes the involvement of other leaders. A good HR change agent distributes different assignments among employees and motivates them. That is the way of gathering and making use of human resources to achieve a common aim. According to the fourth task, an HR change agent should recognize all of the resources needed for implementing a particular change. Setting the right goals is of great significance for every organization. The last task assumes that an HR manager should actively participate in the change processes. The manager has to be prepared for any kind of activities, including the control of the overall performance or the development of methods and strategies.
The HR change agent is responsible for the careful organization of the process of strategic recruitment and retention of the employees. There are no strict rules concerning tactical recruitment. The HR change agent has the right to choose or invent a specific plan for recruitment. The HR manager should follow the five key tasks regardless of the chosen strategy. Thus, the ability to look at the problem with a fresh look can facilitate the process of searching and look for the right candidates for the position. For instance, a different view may help the manager to see unique ways of utilizing the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate. The second key task assists the manager to select the appropriate applicant and make the most of his or her abilities for accomplishing of organization’s goals. The third key task is especially useful for strategic retention. A wise distribution of responsibilities promotes the employee’s feeling of importance in the company. One more possible way of taking advantage of this task is to create an organized community of employees who help each other and form a positive environment at the workplace. The possessing of ability described in the fourth task makes it possible to find out the organization’s needs. As a result, an HR change agent creates a certain job proposal that will attract the attention only of the necessary candidates. The last task presupposes the control of the recruitment process. Therefore, an HR manager is to interview all candidates personally and constantly track their progress.
According to Ivancevich (2013), e-recruiting is a popular and easy way to find new employees. The initial thing to think over is the number of applications. From first sight, it seems perfect to receive as many applications as possible. On the other hand, the HR change agent should think about whether it is appropriate to receive, for instance, five hundred applications if the company needs only ten employees. The other fact to consider is the process of choosing the best candidate. E-recruiting makes it possible for everyone to apply for a job. Marginally qualified persons may apply for a job. As a result, the company receives an immense number of applications. This makes it difficult to find the ideal candidate. The last important point to reflect on is the way company attracts attention. E-recruiting provides the ability for every existing organization to search for employees worldwide. This enhances the risk that the company’s job proposal may be inconspicuous.
The first question deals with my recommendations concerning making a job posting unique. In my opinion, an ideal web job proposal is a detailed one. The organization should provide potential candidates with all necessary information. The heading of the posting should correspond to its content. From my personal experience, I can say that it is rather frustrating when the heading states “Looking for Photoshop designer” and in the description, you find the information that the company will interview the candidates with perfect knowledge of Java or PHP. The designer knows that Java or PHP has nothing to do with Photoshop design and just ignores the posting. The job description should be informative. The organization should provide candidates with all requirements and labor conditions. I think it can be of use to type something like “Only the candidates who meet all demands should apply”. This may prevent the company from the overabundance of applications and from the negative impact on candidates who are not qualified for the vacancy. I should also note, that the statement “Ready to hire student” makes posting especially attractive for students.
The next question concerns my opinion about the advantages and disadvantages of using web-based recruitment for local hiring. I would strongly recommend employing web-based recruitment as far as it is a popular and quick way to look for a job. Besides, young specialists prefer searching for a job via the Internet. That is the main advantage. What concerns disadvantages, the company may receive a number of useless applications from candidates from other places. However, there is a solution. Most of the web sources provide different filters. The organization should employ such filters to make the job posting visible only for candidates from a particular area.
The third question refers to the way companies should prevent inappropriate content from reaching the web and the balance between action’s speed and legal protection. I find it significant to appoint people responsible for content control. A picture showing all men as the company’s staff can subconsciously prevent women from applying for a vacancy. For every student, it would be important to see young people in the company’s photographs. The organization should balance the need for legal protection and the desire for speed of action by setting the right goals. It is the task of an HR change agent to create a plan with all necessary stages that combine required speed with timely legal protection.
The case study under consideration has helped me to understand the way e-recruiting campaigns work. I have come to the conclusion that I must possess all requirements to apply for the job otherwise I will waste my and the organization’s time. The case study can also assist me in defining the priorities and choosing the best options for a future career.
References
Christensen, R. (2006). Roadmap to Strategic HR: Turning a Great Idea into a Business Reality. New York, USA: AMACOM.
Ivancevich, J. (2013). Human Resource Management. New York, USA: McGraw-Hill Irwin.