4.2 Recruitment and Selection of Employees

The Recruitment Process

Click each step for an overview, or scroll down for more information.

The need for a new employee
is identified

Job description and person specification created

The vacancy is advertised

Candidates apply for
the job

Candidates are interviewed

The successful candidate is offered the job

Identifying the Need for New Staff

A business will need a new member of staff for one or more of the following reasons:

Replacement of staff

Staff who move to other jobs, retire, or who are sacked will need to be replaced.

Business expansion

The business is expanding, or needs to produce more goods, and needs more staff to do this.

Introducing new skills

A business lacks knowledge in certain areas, so they hire someone with those skills.

Diversification

New staff can create different products or move into an additional market.

Describing the Job

Job Description

What the job requirements are, including:

The job title
Day-to-day duties
The manager of the role
Subordinates (staff they are responsible for)

Person Specification

The attributes of the employee:

Qualifications
Experience in similar roles
Personal attributes (e.g. someone who works well in a term, someone who enjoys challenges

Working hours

When deciding upon the job description, the business will need to determine how many hours they want their new employees to work. The different types of contract are: full time, part time, and zero hours.

Full time contracts

35 – 40 hours per week
Provides maximum working hours and income to the employee
Will often be the employee’s only job
Company must have enough work to justify a full time job
Company must consider how they will cope if the employee is off sick or on holiday

Part time contracts

Less hours per week than a full time contact
Allows the employee more time for other things (e.g. hobbies, family commitments)
Staff may have a second job
Part time staff may be flexible and able to temporarily increase their hours to cover for other employee’s sickness or holidays
Two or more staff can job share (doing the same duties at different times) to cover one full-time role

Zero hours contacts

The employer does not guarantee any work each week
Flexible – staff only work when required: very useful for seasonal work
Cheap – businesses only pay for staff when they’re needed
Staff not obligated to accept offered hours – useful for students or those who just need extra money from time to time
Unpredictable income makes it difficult for workers who rely on a wage

Advertising the Vacancy

The business needs to let potential candidates know that a vacancy has become available. They should target their advert where they have a good chance of reaching the best candidates. Candidates will be recruited internally or externally.

Internal Recruitment

Advertised within the company to existing staff.

Staff will already know about the company; there are no advertising costs; and the post can be filled quickly.

But it will leave a vacancy elsewhere in the business and the person may not bring new ideas.

External Recruitment

External adverts are advertised outside the company to attract new employees (newspapers, online, Job Centres).

Advertising can be expensive, but can reach a wide audience to attract someone really suited to the job

Candidate Applications

A candidate applies using a CV (curriculum vitae). A CV is a summary of a person’s qualifications, skills, and experience for the role.

Many businesses also ask applicants to fill-in an application form. This allows the business to ask questions which specifically relate to their job description.

A CV will contain:

Personal details
Such as your name, address, and phone number so the recruiter knows who you are and how to contact you

Personal Statement
A short statement about the applicant, what they hope to achieve, and their suitability for the job

Education and Qualifications
Where the applicant studied, exam results, and any professional qualifications.

Employment history
Where the applicant has previously worked, their job title, main achievements, and an overview of duties.

References
The names and contact details of people who know the applicant well and can confirm the details in the CV. Typically a previous employer or teacher.

Interviews

The company will create a shortlist of applicants to invite for an interview.

Most interviews are in-person, but some may be remote via video conferencing.

The interviewer will ask questions which are appropriate to the role. All candidates will be asked the same questions so that a comparison of responses can be made.

There may also be:

A task to complete to assess skills
An aptitude test to assess the candidate’s potential to learn
A psychometric test to assess the candidate’s personality and traits
Group tests to see how well candidates work in a group

The business will choose a candidate to offer the job to. If the candidate accepts the offer, they will be given a written contract of employment. It confirms the role given in the job description, including hours and wages

Avoiding discrimination

Questions must be fair and relevant to the job.

It is illegal to discriminate on age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic.