2c. Methods of Recruitment

What are the two types of recruitment?

Internal or external, depending on the needs of the business

What is internal recruitment?

Where a person who already works for a business is appointed to a job role. This is commonly achieved through promotion or reassignment

What are the benefits of internal recruitment?

• The member of staff is already familiar with business culture and working practices

• The business is aware of the employee's strengths and weaknesses

• There is no need for induction training

• Expensive advertising is not needed

• Employees can be ready to start their new role immediately

What are the drawbacks of internal recruitment?

• When an employee moves to a new role, their old job needs to be filled

• There may be resentment amongst employees who are overlooked; creating tension in the workplace, reduced motivation and even lead to higher staff turnover (the rate at which employees leave a company and are replaced by new hires) if employees feel they have no opportunities for career progression

What is external recruitment?

Where a business hires an employee from outside of the business

What are the benefits of external recruitment?

• A higher number of applicants may be attracted

• New recruits are usually highly motivated and keen to impress

• New ideas and experience are brought into the business

What are the drawbacks of external recruitment?

• New employees may need support from colleagues and induction training which slows down productivity

• Advertising for external staff can be expensive and take a long time

• A candidate who performs well at interview may be unsuitable for the job when they start work; an interview mainly assesses a candidate’s communication skills, confidence, and how well they answer questions rather than their actual ability to perform the job

What is the selection process?

Once candidates have submitted their applications and the business has shortlisted suitable candidates, various methods can be used to select the right worker for the job role

What are common selection methods used to recruit employees?

• Interview - candidates are asked questions about their experience, suitability, and why they want the job

• Testing & Role Play - candidates are given questions or a scenario and meet a certain standard or demonstrate desired behaviours or responses

• Tour of the facilities - candidates are shown around the premises to see employees working and ask questions

• Group discussion - candidates are given topics to discuss as part of a group, their responses and role in the discussion are observed

• Presentation - candidates deliver a pre-prepared presentation to assessors who can observe delivery and ask further questions

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a recruitment agency?

✅Recruitment agencies can find new employees quickly, as they may already have potential candidates enrolled

❌It can be expensive, as businesses have to pay a fee for the agency's services