What are the Methods of Recruitment?

Methods of recruitment

Methods of recruitment are different from the sources of recruitment. Sources are the locations where prospective employees are available. On the other hand, methods are a way of establishing links with prospective employees. Various methods employed for recruiting employees may be classified into the following categories:

1. Direct Methods:

These include sending recruiters to educational and professional institutions, employees, contacts with the public, and manned exhibits. One of the widely used direct methods is that of sending recruiters to colleges and technical schools. Most college recruiting is done in cooperation with the placement office of a college. The placement office usually provides help in attracting students, arranging interviews, furnishing space, and providing student resume.

For managerial, professional, and sales personnel campus recruiting is an extensive operation. Persons reading for MBA or other technical diplomas are picked up in this manner. For this purpose, carefully prepared brochures, describing the organization and the jobs it offers, are distributed among students, before the interviewer arrives. Sometimes, firms directly solicit information from the concerned professors about students with an outstanding records. Many companies have found employee contact with the public a very effective method. Other direct methods include sending recruiters to conventions and seminars, setting up exhibits at fairs, and using mobile offices to go to the desired centers.

Table 4.2: Methods of Contacting Prospective Candidates

Based on personnel to be recruited
Managerial/technical personnel	Operative personnel
Advertisement Internet Walk-ins Campus recruitments Job fairs Consultancy firms Personnel contacts Poaching and raiding	Public employment exchanges Labour unions Employee referrals Gate hiring Labor contractors
Based on the movement of the organization
Direct methods	Third-party method
Advertisement Internet recruiting Campus recruitment Job fairs Personnel contacts Gate hiring	Consultancy firms Public employment exchanges Labour unions Employee referrals Labor contractors

2. Indirect Methods:

The most frequently used indirect method of recruitment is an advertisement in newspapers, journals, and on the radio and television. Advertisement enables candidates to assess their suitability. It is appropriate when the organization wants to reach out to a large target group scattered nationwide. When a firm wants to conceal its identity, it can give a blind advertisement in which only a box number is given. Considerable details about jobs and qualifications can be given in the advertisements. Another method of advertising is a notice board placed at the gate of the company.

3. Third-Party Methods:

The most frequently used third-party methods are public and private employment agencies. Public employment exchanges have been largely concerned with factory workers and clerical jobs. They also provide help in recruiting professional employees. Private agencies provide consultancy services and charge a fee. They are usually specialized for different categories of operatives, office workers, salesmen, supervisory, and management personnel. Other third-party methods include the use of trade unions. Labour management committees have usually demonstrated the effectiveness of trade unions as methods of recruitment.

Several criteria discussed in the preceding section for evaluating sources of applicants can also be used for assessing recruiting methods. Attempts should be made to identify how the candidate was attracted to the company. To accomplish this, the application may consist of an item as to how the applicant came to learn about the vacancy. Then, attempts should be made to determine the method which consistently attracts good candidates. Thus, the most effective method should be utilized to improve the recruitment program.

What is Philosophies of Recruitment

There are basically two philosophies of recruitment:

• Traditional

• Realistic

The traditional philosophy is to get as many people as possible to apply for the job. As a result of this, a large number of job seekers apply for the job, which makes the final selection process difficult and can often result in the selection of the wrong candidates. Wrong selection can, in turn, lead to employee dissatisfaction and turnover in the long run.

In realistic philosophy, the needs of the organization are matched with the needs of the applicants, which enhances the effectiveness of the recruitment process. In a realistic approach, the employees who are recruited will stay in the organization for a longer period and will perform at a higher level of effectiveness. Table 4.3: Difference between Traditional and Realistic Job Previews

Traditional Job Preview	Realistic Job Preview
Setting unrealistic and high job expectations.	Setting realistic job expectations.
Job is viewed by the candidates as highly attractive	The attractiveness of the job is evaluated in the light of realistic job expectations
High rate of acceptance of job offers.	Some accept and some reject job offers.
High expectations belied by actual job experience	Expectations are confirmed by job experience.
Creations of dissatisfaction, frustration, and thoughts of leaving the job	Creation of satisfaction in the light of job expectations.
High rate of personnel turnover and a lower rate of job survival	High rate of personnel retention and high rate of job survival

Summary

Recruitment forms a step in the process that continues with selection and ceases with the placement of the candidate. It is the next step in the procurement function, the first being manpower planning. Recruiting makes it possible to acquire the number and types of people necessary to ensure the continued operation of the organization. Thus, the recruitment process is concerned with the identification of possible sources of human resource supply and tapping those sources.

The recruitment process involves five elements, viz., a recruitment policy, a recruitment organization, the development of sources of recruitment, different techniques used for utilizing these sources, and a method of assessing the recruitment program. After the finalization of the recruitment plan indicating the number and type of prospective candidates, they must be attracted to offer themselves for consideration for their employment. This necessitates the identification of sources from which these candidates can be attracted. Some companies try to develop new sources, while most only try to tackle the existing sources they have. These sources, accordingly, may be termed as internal and external.

	Self Assessment Questions
1.	Define recruitment and identify the various factors which affect recruitment.
2.	Discuss the steps of the recruitment process. How will you reconcile the internal and external sources of recruitment?
3.	Discuss various sources of recruitment.
4.	What is a realistic job preview? How does it differ from a traditional job preview?
5.	What do you mean by recruitment policy? Explain the prerequisites of a good recruitment policy
6.	Write short notes on the following. (i) Advantages and disadvantages of internal sources of recruitment. (ii) Advantages and disadvantages of an external source of recruitment.
7.	Explain the direct, indirect, and third-party methods of recruitment.