CHAPTER FOUR
Recruitment, Selection and Orientation
4-1. Recruitment
Recruitment is the process of attracting applicants who may comply with the criteria of a
position to be filling an organization. Recruitment is the process of attracting and discovering
potential applicants for actual or anticipated organizational vacancies. According to Werther and
Davis definition “Recruitment is the process of finding and attracting capable applicants for
employment. The process begins when new recruits are sought and ends when their applications
are submitted. The result is a pool of applicants from which new employees are selected. Thus,
recruitment process is concerned with the identification of possible sources of human resource
supply and tapping those sources. It is a “positive” and “continuing” function, which aims at
constantly increasing the selection ratio i.e., the number of applicants per job opening, so as to
permit adequate selection of a capable and productive work group.
4-1-1.Recruitment Policies and Procedures
One of the first steps in planning for the recruitment of employees into the organization is to
establish proper policies and procedures. A recruitment policy indicates the organizations' code
of conduct in this area of activity. A typical policy statement for recruitment may include many
relevant issues. In its recruitment activities, the company will: Advertise all vacancies internally
and/or externally, respond to every job applicant without any delay, Inform job applicants the
basic details and job conditions of every job advertised, Process all applications with efficiency
and courtesy, and Seek candidates on the basis of their qualifications, etc.
4-1-2. Features of Recruitment
The following are some features of recruitment function:-
Recruitment is a process or a serious action.
It is a linking activity as it brings employer and prospective employees together.
It is a positive function.
The basic function of recruitment is to locate the sources of people to meet the job
requirements.
Recruitment is a two way function as it takes both recruiter and recruits together.
4-1-3. Purposes or Uses for proper recruitment
a. Greater productivity: when the recruitment is scientific, productivity increase
b. Better moral: When the recruitment is proper, the morale of the work force will be high.
c. Better public image: when an organization employs a scientific method, it can get
better reputation from the public.
d. Lower turnover: when the recruitment is proper, there will be better job adjustments, and
then labor turnover will be lower.
4-1-4. Sources and Methods of Recruitment
There are two sources of supply from where the potential employees can be drawn both at
managerial and operational level.
A. Internal Source
Internal sources refer to the present work force of an organization. In the event of internal
vacancy, there are different methods by which employees can be obtained internally. Those who
are already on the payroll may be upgraded or transferred as from a less desirable or rewarding
job to a better job or promoting an employee from a lower level position.
Promotion: is moving an employee from a lower position or job status to a higher position or job
status.
This is done when individuals have the potential and capacity to carry out the requirement of the
higher position and job status.
Transfer: is moving one person from the existing position to another position with equal status.
When someone is transferred, their status, typically in terms of their job level, responsibilities,
and compensation, remains relatively unchanged or is similar in their new position. Other
internal sources also include: Employee referrals, former employee, Dependents and relatives of
deceased and disabled employee.
Merits/Advantages
Economical: The cost of recruiting internal candidates is minimal. No expenses are incurred on
advertising.
Suitable: The organization can pick the right – candidates having the requisite skills. The
candidates can choose a right vacancy where their talents can be fully utilized.
Reliable: The organization has knowledge about the suitability of a candidature for a position.
Known devils are better than unknown angels.
Satisfying: A policy of preferring people from within offers regular promotional avenues for
employees. It motivates them to work hard and earn promotions. They will work with loyalty,
commitment and enthusiasm. Therefore there are low turnover rate and absenteeism.
Demerits/Disadvantages
Limited Choice: The organization is forced to select candidates from a limited pool. It may
have to sacrifice quality and settle down for less qualified candidates.
Inbreeding: It discourages entry for talented people, available outside an organization.
Existing employees may fail to behave in innovative ways and inject necessary dynamism to
enterprise activities.
Inefficiency: Promotions based on length of service rather than merit, may prove to be a blessing
for inefficient candidates. They do not work hard and prove their worth.
Bone of Contention: Recruitment from within may lead to infighting among employees aspiring
for limited, higher level positions in an organization. As years roll by, the race for premium
positions may end up on a bitter note.
B. External sources of recruitment
The following external (outside) sources are utilized for recruitment process.
1. Advertisement:
It is the most effective means to search potential employees from outside the organization.
Employment advertisement in Newspaper, Journals bulletins are widely used as a method of
attracting people. An advertisement contains brief statement of the nature of jobs, the type of
people required, and procedure for applying for these jobs.
2. Employment Agencies:
There are specialized agencies, which on receiving requisitions from companies advertise
position descriptions in leading newspapers without disclosing the name of the client company.
Usually, they provide employment services particularly for selecting higher level and middle
level executives. These agencies also undertake total functions of recruiting and selecting
personnel on behalf of various organizations.
3. On Campus Recruitment:
In this method organizations conduct interviews at the campuses of various institute, universities,
and collages in search of prospective employees. This source is quite useful for selecting people
to the posts of management trainees, technical supervisor or other entry-level positions.
Example: Ethiopian Airlines for the position of Marketing Trainee.
4. Employee Recommendations:
The present employees may have specific knowledge of the individuals who may be their
friends, relatives, or acquaintances. Employee recommendations are considered to employ
personnel particularly at the lower levels.
5. Labor Unions:
In many organizations labor unions are used as source of manpower supply though at the lower
levels. The unions are asked to make recommendations for employment of people as a matter of
goodwill and cooperation.
6. Gate Hiring:
some organizations rely upon the concept of gate hiring to select people who approach on their
own for employment in the organization. This method is mostly used in case of unskilled and
semi-skilled workers.
7. Deputation:
Many organizations take people on delegation from other organizations. Such people are given
choice either to return to their original organization after a certain time or to opt for the present
organization.
Merits/Advantages
Wide Choice: the organization has the freedom to select candidates from a large pool.
Injection of fresh blood: People with special skills and knowledge could be hired to stir up the
existing employees and pave the way for innovative ways of working
Motivational Force: It helps in motivating internal employees to work hard and complete with
external candidates while seeking career growth.
Long Term Benefits: Talented people could join the ranks, new ideas could find meaningful
expression, a competitive atmosphere would compel people to give out their best and earn
rewards, etc.
Demerits/Disadvantages
Expensive: hiring costs could go up substantially.
Time Consuming: It takes time to advertise screen, to test and to select suitable employees,
where suitable ones are not available, the process has to be repeated.
De-motivating: Existing employees who have put in considerable service may resist the process
of filling up vacancies from outside.
Uncertainty: There is no guarantee that the organization, ultimately, will be able to hire the
services of suitable candidates. It may end up hiring someone who does not ‘fit’ and who may
not be able to adjust in the new set-up.
4-2. Employee Selection
To select means to choose. Selection is the process of picking individuals who have relevant
qualifications to fill jobs in an organization. The basic purpose is to choose the individual who
can most successfully perform the job from the pool of qualified candidates. It is the process of
differentiating between applicants in order to identify those with a greater likelihood of success
in a job. Here under are selection process:
1. Screening of Applications
Prospective employees have to fill up some sort of application forms while applying.These forms
have variety of information about the applicants like their personal bio-data, achievements,
experience etc. This information’s are used to screen the applicants who are found to be qualified
for the consideration of employments. Based on the screening of applications, only those
candidates are called for further process of selection, which is found to be suitable to meet the
job standards of the organization.
2 Selection Tests
Selection tests are organized by the organizations to know more about the candidates or to reject
the candidates who cannot be called for interview, etc. Selection tests provide information about
the attitude, interest, and personality of the candidate, which cannot be known by application
forms. These selection tests have different objectives and measure different attributes. These
tests may be classified as follows: -
Achievement Test - It is also called performance test or trade test. Achievement is concerned
with what one has accomplished. The achievement tests are conducted to measure how well the
candidates know the things. Trade tests are designed to measure an applicant’s knowledge of a
specific trade and to measure what the applicant can do currently. For example, a typing test
may measure the typing performance of a typist in terms of speed, accuracy and efficiency.
Intelligence Test - Intelligence test tries to measure the level of intelligence of a candidate. This
test generally includes verbal comprehension, word fluency, memory, and inductive, reasoning,
number facility. Intelligence test is designed on the basis of age groups. Thus, each age group
has different intelligence tests. The basic idea behind intelligence test is to made available
people with higher intelligence to the organization, because intelligent employees learn faster
than dull employees.
Personality Test – dimensions of personality such as interpersonal competence, dominance-
submission, and extroversion. Introversion, self-confidence, leadership ability, patience,
ambition are measured through personality tests. The personality test is conducted to predict
performance success for jobs that require dealing with people, or jobs that are essentially
supervisory or managerial in character.
Aptitude Test – These tests are designed to assess the special aptitudes of the applicants such as
clerical aptitude, mechanical aptitude, mathematical aptitude manual dexterity, abilities and
skills. These tests used when the vacancy in question requires the possession of a high degree of
one or more particular aptitudes for adequate job performance.
3. Interview
Selection tests are normally followed by personal interview of the candidates. Interview is
selection technique that enables the interviewer to view the total individual. It consists of
interaction between interviewer and applicant. This is the way of finding out overall suitability
of candidates for the job. Interview also provides opportunity to give relevant information about
the organization to the candidates.
4. Checking of References
References are intended to investigate the candidate’s background and can be obtained from the
following sources-school and college officials, previous employer or other persons of
prominence who may be aware of the candidate’s behavior and ability. Through references more
information about the candidates can be solicited to select the right type of a person for a job.
5. Medical Examination
Medical examination is carried out to ascertain the physical standard and fitness of prospective
employees. The medical examination is designed to match the applicant’s physical capabilities
to job requirements. Medical examination also serves the following purposes.
To reject those whose physical qualification are insufficient to meet the requirements of the
work they are being considered for.
To obtain the record of the physical condition of the person at the time of hiring.
To prevent the employment of those with communicable disease.
6. Approval by Appropriate Authority
On the basis of the above steps, suitable candidates are recommended for selection by the
selection committee or personal department. Organizations may designate the various
authorities for approval of final selection of candidates for different categories of candidates. For
top level managers, Board of Directors may be approving authority, for lower levels, functional
heads concerned may be approving authority. When the approval is received, the candidates are
informed about their selection and asked to report for duty.
7. Placement
After the completion of all formalities, the candidates are placed on their jobs initially on
probation basis. The probation period may range from post to post and organization to
organization. But in our country context the probation period was 45 days. During the
probation period, employees are observed keenly and when they complete this period
successfully, they become the permanent employees of the organization.
Factors Governing Selection
The main factor affecting the selection process was government laws and regulations (legal
consideration). Organizations and their managers should be aware of the legal environment in
which they are operating, and hence the legal issues. Among these, the following discriminatory
elements should be noted.
Gender issues: Using criteria for final screening points and decisions that reflect or are based on
gender is unpleasant and is not legal unless for specific jobs which require men or women only.
Therefore, an organization and its manager should be aware of this and be adjusted to it.
Race and National Origin: Selection decision practiced by using discrimination in race and
national origin is also unpleasant and illegal. Due to this regard selection decisions should be
made without regard of these factors.
Physical handicap and physical Requirement: Specification of requirements that restrict physical
handicap and/ or physical requirement should be used only when the requirements are necessary
for performing that particular job; discriminating individuals based on their physical conditions
should not be requested in the selection process.
Religion: A selection decision, made on discrimination of religion, is illegal unless, the
organization is working for its own religious sake. In public sector organizations like in
Ethiopian civil service system and in any private business company, selection decisions based on
religious belief is unacceptable.
Speed of Decision Making: The speed of decision making matters in the selection decision
process. The time available to make the selection decision can have a major effect on the
selection process.
For some jobs the requirement for selection decision is not within shorter time. The speed of
decision making should be taken within shorter time, which in turn can have implication on the
selection process.
4-3. Orientation/Induction
After selecting a candidate, he/she should be placed on a suitable job. Proper placement helps an
employee to get along with people easily, avoid mistakes and so good performance on the jobs.
Orientation makes the employee feel at home from day one and develop a sense of pride in the
organization and commitment to the job. Orientation is the task of introducing the new
employees to the organization and its policies, procedures and rules.
Content of Induction
1.Organizational issues Like: - Company history, Name, vision, Mission etc.
2.Employee benefits Like: -Pay Scales, insurance, medical, recreation etc…
3.Introduction Like: -To supervisors, to co-workers, to trainers, to employee…
4.Job Duties Like: - Job location, Job tasks, job safety needs, job objective, relationship with
others etc…
