Topic 1 - Recruitment and

Selection

N5 Business Management

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Learning Intentions / Success Criteria

Learning

Intentions

Recruitment

and

selection

Success Criteria

By end of this topic you will be able

to describe different methods of:

• recruitment (online advertisement,

national press, local press,

recruitment agencies)

• selection (application forms, CVs,

assessment centres, testing,

interviews).

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Difference between Recruitment and

Selection

• Recruitment - encouraging people to apply

for a job vacancy.

• Selection - choosing the best person for a job.

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Importance of Recruitment

It is important that the best possible people are attracted to

work for a business because they play an important role in

the business’ activities.

• They contribute towards achieving objectives.

• They produce quality goods and provide services.

• They interact with customers and have to provide a

quality service.

• They interact and communicate with other stakeholders.

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5 Stages in the Recruitment Process

Once it is established that recruitment is

necessary there are five stages in the recruitment

process:

1. Job analysis

2. Job description

3. Peron specification

4. Internal or external recruitment

5. Advertising

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1. Job Analysis

Outlines the main

tasks involved in

the job and is used

to find out the

main skills and

experience needed

to do the job.

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2. Job Description

Summary of the

full details about

the job,

including the job

title and where it

is based.

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3. Peron Specification

List of the skills

qualifications and

experience needed

to do the job –

identifies type of

person needed.

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4. Internal or External Recruitment

You can decide to

recruit internally – by

promoting or moving

someone already

employed by the

business or externally –

by advertising the

position outside the

business.

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5. Advertising

When a job is advertised and those interested are

asked to apply.

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Methods of Recruitment

Before people can apply for a job, they have to know it

exists. A job could be advertised internally by e-mail, on

the business intranet, or by a poster on a notice board.

Other methods include:

• online advertisement

• national press

• local press

• recruitment agencies.

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Online Advertisement

12

Local Press

13

National Press

14

Recruitment Agencies

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Methods of Selection

The selection process is to review the information provided

by all job applicants to determine which applicants meet the

minimum qualifications/skills. Methods of selection:

• Application forms

• Curriculum vitae (CV)

• Assessment centres

• Testing

• Interviews.

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Application Forms

• An application form requires applicants to answer a number of questions that the business has decided.

• These include questions about the applicant's qualifications, experience, skills and about why they want the job.

• Questions are sometimes very specific to the job being applied for and sometimes applicant’s have to describe situations that they have been involved in, e.g. when working in a team or dealing with a difficult situation.

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CVs

• A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a word-processed document that applicants create themselves.

• It contains information that the applicant has chosen to include, but would normally contain details of their education, work experience and other achievements.

• The CV would be submitted by e-mail or sent in the post to the business where the vacancy exists.

• Sometimes a business will ask applicants to submit a CV in addition to completing an application form.

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Assessment Centres

• Assessment centres allow an organisation to see applicants undertaking

a variety of tasks in different situations and scenarios and can

sometimes take place over a couple of days.

• Many large organisations have assessment centres where they get

applicants to take part in role play exercises, team building activities

and make presentations.

• Applicants may have to undertake tests during the assessment centre.

At all points during the assessment centre, the organisation will be

watching each applicant carefully and making a note of their

communication, team work and problem solving skills.

• Assessment centres are common in the aviation industry and airlines

recruiting, for example cabin crew, will often carry out an assessment

centre to help them in the selection process.

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Testing

• A test can assess a number of things, e.g. medical, personality or specific skills.

• Each test will assess a different aspect of the applicant and can confirm the information given on the application form.

Example:

• Gemma applied for a job as

an Administrative Assistant.

• Her application form says

she can type at 40 words

per minute.

• The business asked Gemma

to undertake a test to

confirm that she can do

this.

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Types of Testing

• Aptitude/attainment tests - measure how good the applicant is at a

particular skill such as mathematical skills, typing or shorthand speeds,

driving ability and so on.

• Psychometric tests - are designed to measure the personality, attitudes

and character of the applicant.

• Intelligence tests - measure the mental competence of potential

employees. They can include tests on problem-solving, literacy and

numeracy.

• Personality tests - can give an indication as to whether a candidate is a

team player or not, and what team role or roles they perform best.

• Medical tests - are required for some jobs such as those working off

shore, or for some emergency services and the armed forces, where

employees need to have a minimum fitness level.

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Advantages/Disadvantages of Testing

Advantages

• The content of the

applicant's CV or

application farm can be

confirmed.

• Can provide

information about the

personality of the

applicant.

Disadvantages

• Time consuming to

carry out.

• Same people might not

be good at tests (they

are like exams) because

they are stressful.

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Interviews

Advantages

• Personality and appearance of

the applicant is seen.

• The content of the applicant’s

CV or application form can be

checked.

• The applicant can ask

questions.

Disadvantages

• Time consuming to carry

out.

• Some people don’t perform

well at interviews, but might

be more than suitable for the

job.

• Interviewer bias can exist.

• An interview is a meeting between an applicant and

people from the business.

• The applicant has to answer a number of questions

about why they want the job.

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