Recruitment refers to the entire procedure of identifying, recruiting, screening, interviewing, shortlisting and finally selecting suitable candidates for employment within an organisation. Recruitment may also refer to internal procedures involved in selecting people for unpaid positions. Recruitment is a very crucial procedure, because it determines whether the right candidate is made available for hire. An effective recruitment process ensures that the right candidates are selected for the right job openings. Therefore, a recruitment process is a major important part of any business process.
The recruitment process starts with identifying a job opening, which could be either internal or external. In internal recruitment, the recruitment process starts with the recruitment of the most qualified and capable candidate best suited for the job opening. The recruitment process for the candidates may differ, depending on the nature of the organisation and the size of the organisation.
Once the appropriate candidate is identified, he or she undergoes the preliminary interview. This interview could be done by a single individual or a collection of interviewers. This interview session helps determine if the right candidate is made available for consideration for the job opening.
On the other hand, the recruitment process for external candidates begins with a pool of candidates identified from varied sources such as advertisements in the newspapers, websites, trade fairs, etc. The recruitment agencies then carry out a comprehensive selection process to identify the best candidates available for hire. Once the right candidate is identified, he or she is sent for an interview.
During the interview process, the interviewers determine the suitability of the candidate by observing his or her personality, communication skills, interaction style, communication competence and most importantly, by assessing his or her potentials. Once the interviewee matches the requirements, both the recruitment agency and the candidate mutually agree to enter into a contract, which is called a ‘hire-and-hire agreement’.