Introduction
According to Gros and Sonntag (2008), recruitment is the procedure of creating a collection of competent candidates for a specific type of job. As such, recruitment is a combination of processes that are used by organizations in a bid to attract those candidates that are qualified and capable of ensuring that such an organization adequately meets its objectives. Healthfield (2008) opines that the recruitment of the best workforce that can blend with the organization’s culture is both an opportunity and a challenge.
Healthfield further adds that it is much easier to retain your best workforce when the right things get done most appropriately. Before the undertaking of the recruitment process, there must be a foundation that encompasses both the internal and external factors that may affect the process.
Internal factors
In the preparation of a comprehensive job description, it becomes important that the first step be that of recognizing the definite needs of human resources. As a legal requirement, the job description aids human resource management in the screening process of candidates. Usually, a corporate philosophy will normally dictate the direction taken by a company from that point on. As such, a company may either seek to fill the vacancies internally or source for external candidates.
In addition, some companies have a culture of recruiting those candidates with the highest qualifications, their background notwithstanding. On the other hand, there are those companies that seek to be leaders in the diversity of their workforce. Once a recruiter has engaged the company’s philosophy with the available policies and practices of a company, then the required base for ushering in the external environment is set.
External factors
The ethical, legal, and practical aspects of a recruitment exercise demand that a recruiter be conversant with the external environment of an organization. It is these factors that assist a recruiter in strategizing for the exercise. From a legal perspective, the environment is in constant change, meaning that the new laws and regulations that get approved impact all the features of human resource management.
In an attempt to maintain the company philosophy, the recruiter becomes morally obliged to pursue those guidelines that help advance the positive corporate image of the company. The practical aspects of recruitment provide numerous opportunities for sourcing job candidates. To improve the efficiency of the process, a regular update of the economy and labor market on a local and national level is crucial.
Recruitment strategies
On a global scale, employers have to grapple with needs and challenges that have been occasion by the employee generation of the baby boomers (Science news 2008). A study commissioned by the Pennsylvania State and which involved 208 employers in the United States, helped to unearth a wide range of strategies for recruitment. These strategies focused more on recruitment as well as the retention of older workers. The employers observed that a single approach for retaining older workers was no longer feasible. According to Diane Spokus, who is a scholar in the education of the workforce, there is a need for the employers of today to embrace innovative skills in both the hiring and motivating of their workforces (Science news 2008). William Rothwell, another scholar in workforce education concurs with this argument, adding that few organizations have instituted efforts to retain their older workforce.
Thanks to low birth rates that were witnessed in the 60s and 70s, there shall be fewer young people to occupy jobs at the entry level. For this reason, this means that some of the baby boomers may need to forego early retirement (Science news 2008). The Pennsylvania study helped in the identification of best practices that employers claimed to have been using in the hiring, training as well as management of mature workers. According to the study, 49 percent of the employers claimed that they often rely on employee incentives as a tool for the recruitment of mature workers. On the other hand, 57.7 percent of employers utilize flexible work schedules, as an incentive for the recruitment and retention of mature workers.
The study further revealed that 58.6 percent of the older workers are not only flexible but are also open to change. A further 31.9 percent of the employers said that they usually invite the retired workers, as well as those who are near retirement to attend the company’s get-togethers and holiday events, in a bid to maintain professional and personal ties (Science news 2008).
Writing job orders
According to Bill Radin (2008), the process of writing job orders is both a science as well as an art. As a science, the process involves the gathering of such relevant information as the description of the available position, the job’s selling points, the sense of urgency for filling the job, and the provision of ideas about where one would look for prospective candidates. From an art point of view, this involves the efficient gathering of information, while at the same time establishing a rapport with the manager that is hiring, and also arriving at a desirable fee agreement.
Theoretically, a new job order ought to resemble a travel guide by providing the necessary roadmap of the post, the manager, organization, the work environment, salary, industry, and the reporting contacts (Radin, 2008). In reality, obtaining vast amounts of details from a candidate, especially in a single conversation can be both impractical and unrealistic. For this reason, Radin (2008) has proposed that the job order be kept simple.
Radin further advises that a recruiter should aspire to only hit the important points so that they can get as much relevant information as possible in the least amount of time. By practicing this approach, Radin (2008) argues that a recruiter can decipher the needs of an employer and assess the assignment quality. This then enables a recruiter to set up a record of follow-up questions that they would wish to clarify later.
Guidelines for the successful recruitment of employees
Improving the pool of candidates
This could be achieved by investing time in the development of relationships with recruiters, placement offices at the universities, as well as executive search firms. Additionally, the current staff members could also be encouraged to actively engage in industry conferences, and professional associations, as they are likely to meet prospective candidates here (Healthfield, 2008). Potential candidates could also be found by visiting online job boards, magazines, and relevant websites. The building of a pool of candidates before the need arise is the key here.
The hiring of a sure thing
According to Bruce Pfau and Ira Kay, who has authored ‘the human capital edge’, an employer ought to hire those candidates who have done a particular job in a particular industry. Additionally, the authors have stressed that such a candidate is from an exact industry, with similar business culture and climate (Healthfield, 2008).
Prioritizing first on in-house candidates
The provision of both lateral and promotional opportunities to the current employees impacts positively on their morale. As such, the current members of staff can feel their capabilities and talents, as well as appreciate their accomplishments. Posts should always first be internally posted (Healthfield, 2008). By interviewing the potential candidates, is an opportunity to know them better, and they also get to learn more about the goals and objectives of the company.
Recognition as a great employer
Pfau and Kay have strongly stressed that it is not just important to be a great employer; people should know that indeed you are a great employer. To do this, they have proposed that employers evaluate the practices that have been instituted for their employees. These include accountability, motivation, retention, recognition, reward, promotions, work flexibility, and involvement (Healthfield, 2008).
Involving Employees in the process of recruitment
An employer can engage his/her employees in the hiring process in three ways. First, employees can be used as a recommendation to your company’s excellent potential candidates. Secondly, the staff can assist in the reviewing of qualifications and resumes of the potential candidates. Finally, the staff could also be engaged in the interviewing process to examine those candidates that would better blend with your organization’s philosophy and culture (McBride, 2007). For those companies that fail to utilize their staff in the assessment of potential workers, they are failing to valuably utilize one of the key assets of the organization; human resources.
References
- Gros, M., & Sonntag. (2008). What is Recruiting?.
- Healthfield, S. M. (2008). Five tips for the successful recruitment of employees. Web.
- McBride, J. (2007). Recruiting people with disabilities to increase diversity in your international exchange programs.
- Radin, B. (2008). Job orders: better, faster, smarter.
- Science news (2008). Older workforce requires variety of recruitment strategies.