Objectives To become familiar with the recruiting process. To learn various ways in which an employee is recruited. To obtain knowledge concerning the different advertising media used in recruitment.

Main Menu The Recruitment Process Recruitment Sources Recruitment Advertising Legal & Ethical Considerations & Tips

The Recruitment Process

Recruitment Is the method of finding a group of applicants and selecting qualified employees to hire Is the process of locating, identifying and attracting capable applicants Provides employers with a pool of potentially qualified job candidates from which a selection can be made to fill job openings or positions

Recruitment Is usually completed by the human resources department of a business Begins with proper employment planning and forecasting Is dependent on the type of job and the number of openings

The Recruiting Process Involves: developing a recruitment policy completing and analyzing a needs assessment identifying the “ideal employee” accurately describing the “ideal employee” and open position in a job description recruiting the “ideal employee” by identifying recruitment sources and strategies associated with these sources

Recruitment Policy Is a set of guidelines for a business to follow when recruiting prospective employees Includes guidelines for: the needs assessment ways to analyze the needs assessment potential media or techniques which could be used in the recruitment process legal issues and regulations

Needs Assessment Is completed by a company to determine if and where new employees are needed Provides a business with insight as to where new employees could add to the productivity and profitability of the business Is usually completed by the human resources department of a business Is analyzed to determine the actual needs of a business as well as to obtain opinions on the collected data Needs Assessment: an impartial way to determine where added employees or supervisors could be of use

Identifying the “Ideal Employee” Allows businesses to create a job description by identifying: the type of employee it needs, for example: graphic designer sales director the skills and knowledge the employee needs to succeed, such as: experience using graphic design software experience and success in group sales  

Accurately Describing the “Ideal Employee” Is extremely important, but can be difficult Ensures recruiting candidates who are qualified Is completed by creating a job description the job description should serve as a “snapshot” of the position the employee will be filling and be used when advertising for the position

Job Description Should include: title of the position department management level general tasks and requirements key areas of responsibility assigned team members and work groups terms of employment qualifications (necessary skills and required experience)

Writing a Job Description Do not rely solely on a job’s history focus on what the job needs in terms of the organization’s current state and long-term objectives Clarify the actual tasks and responsibilities of a position before considering the special attributes needed for the position Include more than a list of tasks and responsibilities necessary to complete the job

Writing a Job Description Explain the credentials essential to the job the credentials you establish have a direct bearing on the candidate’s ability to become a top performer for example: in order for a secretary to dictate he or she must be able to type 45 words per minute, therefore anyone who can type 45 words or more per minute is a suitable candidate

Recruiting the “Ideal Employee” Involves identifying: sources of prospective employees ways to reach the individual methods of attracting the individual

Recruitment Sources

Recruitment Sources Include: current employees competitor employees walk-in applicants employment services and agencies educational institutions

Current Employees Are a good place to start when looking to fill a position Should be considered when thinking of the qualities needed for the job

Current Employee Recruiting Advantages include: employee’s work habits are already known recruiting and training costs are lower organizational structure and environment are already familiar to the employee Disadvantages include: promoting from within may cause resentment in fellow employees hiring only from within limits opportunities for bringing new ideas into a company

Competitor’s Employees Can be a useful recruiting source if your competitor has gone out of business, downsized or the employee wished for a change of atmosphere Are sometimes viewed as off-limits for recruiting

Recruiting Competitor’s Employees Advantages include: allow current job skills to be utilized insight into competitor’s operations can be obtained Disadvantages include: sometimes viewed as unethical can start a costly cycle of raiding each other’s personnel could require un-training and retraining to meet the needs of your business Some employers require employees to sign a non-competition clause which does not allow employees to work for a competitor for a certain number of years after they have left a company.

Walk-in Applicants Usually ask to be considered for various job openings in the company whether they occur now or in the future Should complete an application form May be given information on jobs which are now available or may become available Can complete a company’s employment test to determine how they fit with company needs Employment tests can include typing tests, aptitude tests and personality assessments. These tests are normally taken online or on-site.

Recruiting Walk-in Applicants Advantages include: applicants show drive for wanting a job with your company individuals can bring new ideas into the business Disadvantages include: applicants might not be as qualified for certain positions as current employees or other recruits individuals could require more extensive training process of reading applications and résumés can be tedious and often overwhelming

Employment Services & Agencies Provide a business with a list of pre-screened and tested applicants from a large database Give businesses a record of only those applicants which meet the needs of a business Charge a fee if they are a private agency or service Are free if they are a state or public agency or service

Using Employment Services & Agencies Advantages include: decreases the work done by the business pre-screens and tests employees to ensure they fit the job enhances the efficiency and speed of the process due to a large applicant database Disadvantages include: increases the expenses associated with recruiting requires frequent updates of job openings

Educational Institutions Can be extremely effective sources when looking for either part-time help or positions which require specialized skills Are filled with students who could use a part-time job for a source of income Are prime targets for business recruitment Offer students with extremely specialized knowledge and skills

Recruiting Using Educational Institutions Advantages include: large pool of prospects is available students are often seeking work or on-the-job training graduates have specialized degrees needed for certain positions Disadvantages include: additional training may be needed student or graduate’s maturity level could be an issue

How Businesses Advertise Job Openings Career fairs Networking Media advertising

Career Fairs May be hosted by schools, communities or other civic groups Can be specialized based on the topic or industry Allow businesses to set up booths which give an overview of their company Involve members of the business talking to individuals about the company and its purpose Are great ways to publicize a business Are a great source of acquiring immediate help Conventions often involve career fairs in order to allow individuals at the convention to see examples of the industry associated with the convention topic.

Networking Is the process of building and maintaining informal relationships with people who could bring advantages such as a job or business opportunity Is commonly linked to employee referrals Uses friends and associates as business contacts

Media Advertising Allows businesses to be selective and clearly indicate the nature of the job and its required qualifications Enables a company to target minorities through: minority-oriented media publications at schools and college campuses Increases expenses associated with advertising Examples of minority target marketing are businesses advertising on a television station, or placing ads around college campuses which are known for a high percentage of minority students.

Recruitment Advertising

Advertising Media Include: newspaper Internet television radio Additional media such as billboards or flyers are used by some businesses to obtain employment.

Media Advertising Statistics Seventy-five percent of job seekers read listings in newspaper editions Sixty percent of job seekers use the Web to view job posts Sixty percent of individuals combine newspaper searches with the Internet and/or another search vehicle

Media Advertising Statistics Almost 60 percent of job seekers also rely on other job-seeking means, such as: hearing about jobs from friends professional organizations agency placement Just under half of those who report using only one search method indicate they use newspaper classifieds this is double the percent of job seekers who say they only use the Internet

Newspaper Advertising Is the most common form of job posting Is becoming less popular as Internet posting sites are gaining popularity Involves the company writing a want ad to place in the classifieds section of the paper Is viewed as a more trustworthy source of finding employment than Internet advertising Want ads are a condensed version of a job description stating only the main points of a job and contact information. The cost of placing a want ad in a newspaper varies from paper to paper depending on the length of the ad and the amount of time it runs.

Tips for Writing a Want Ad Get to the point with job responsibilities be concise, but thorough Prioritize skills determine the skills for the position, rank them in importance and place them in the ad List the interviewer as the contact person BE HONEST

What to Include in a Want Ad Salary optional, but if the salary is low it could reduce the applicants who are in need of more pay list if there is an opportunity for growth Experience always put if experience is required Company description

Internet Advertising Is gaining popularity at a rapid rate Is a faster way of posting jobs Is able to be viewed 24 hours a day Is mainly used by companies which have a website Offers unlimited space for advertisements whole job descriptions can be posted rather than a want ad Some newspapers post their want ads on their website for viewing as well.

Cost of Internet Job Posting Sites Varies from site to site Is more expensive than in a newspaper Can be lessened by purchasing packages to post more than one job opening Popular Job Posting Sites: www.monster.com www.jobs.com www.careerbuilder.com www.jobfactory.com Individuals who are looking for jobs can submit their résumé to some of these sites to be matched with positions for a fee.

Radio & Television Advertising Is mainly used in small areas where the position is located Is not as commonly used as newspaper or Internet advertising methods Is used to fill an immediate or entry-level position Is often used to recruit part-time student positions

Legal & Ethical Considerations & Tips

Recruitment Laws Include: discrimination laws immigration laws

Discrimination Laws Must be followed to be considered an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) Include employment laws concerning discrimination based on: age sex race religion disability EOE: To access the specific laws associated with each category go to www.eeoc.gov.

Immigration Laws Include laws regarding: illegal immigrant employment citizenship green cards social security cards To access specific immigration laws go to www.dol.gov.

Ethical Considerations Concern the moral aspects of the recruitment process remember: if something does not seem like it is ethical, it probably is not Need to be included in policies for recruiting employees such as: keeping jobs posted for a set amount of days to allow all interested parties time to apply not showing favoritism to certain employees by promoting them based on partiality rather than merit

Ethical Considerations Example Hiring your significant other as your secretary without posting the job for a set number of days or interviewing other candidates is not an ethical practice

Ethical Considerations Play a large role in the recruiting and hiring process businesses should always be able to prove why one potential employee was selected over another businesses should keep a record of résumés, interview all qualified candidates and call an interviewee’s references in order to ensure all prospects are treated fairly

Tips for Being Recruited Always network most companies place a high value on employee referrals, the more people you know the more likely you are to get a referral “it is not what you know, it is who you know” Always check for benefits it is important to know exactly what a job is offering in terms of insurance, vacation, social security, worker’s compensation and bonuses

Tips for Being Recruited Apply for jobs you are qualified for do not sell yourself short, but do not exaggerate abilities Research the company you are being recruited by it is always smart to know the purpose of the business and have a general idea of the job you wish to obtain in case questions relating directly to the job are asked in the interview

Recruitment Is a necessary process for any business Can provide businesses with a qualified workforce if completed correctly Is essential in ensuring the success of a business

Resources http://vt.essortment.com/successfulrecru_pzx.htm Robbins, S.P., & Decenzo, D.A. (2004). Supervision Today. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Allen, K.R. & Meyer, E.C. (2006). Entrepreneurship and small business management. Woodland Hills, CA: McGraw-Hill

Acknowledgements Production Coordinator: Technical Writer: Megan Mitchell Technical Writer: Jessica Odom Project Coordinator: Maggie Bigham Production Manager: Dusty Moore Graphic Designer: Ann Adams Executive Producers: Gordon Davis, Ph.D., Jeff Lansdell © MMIX CEV Multimedia, Ltd.