Recruitment and Selection

Internal recruitment fills a vacancy with an existing employee. This could involve promotion to a more senior position or redeployment to a different role. A business might advertise the opportunity on its staff noticeboard, intranet or internal email system. Managers may also recommend suitable employees.

Existing employees already understand the business’s routines and culture, so they may settle into the new role quickly and need less induction training. Managers also know something about their performance, reducing uncertainty about the appointment. Internal recruitment is often quicker and cheaper because the business does not need a wide advertising campaign.

Promotion opportunities can encourage employees to work hard and remain with the business because they can see a route to progression.

However, the choice is limited to existing staff. The business may not have anyone with the required skills, and it misses the opportunity to bring in outside experience and ideas. Unsuccessful internal applicants may feel resentful, damaging motivation or working relationships. Moving an employee also usually leaves their previous position vacant: filling one role may create another recruitment problem.

External recruitment: looking outside the business

External recruitment fills a vacancy with someone who does not already work for the business. Methods include advertising on the business’s website, recruitment websites, social media, newspapers or specialist trade publications. Employment agencies can advertise and help assess candidates, while careers fairs allow businesses to meet potential applicants. Existing employees may recommend people they know from outside the business.

External recruitment provides access to a wider pool of applicants. This can be particularly useful when the business needs specialist skills that its current employees lack. New recruits can bring different experiences and ideas rather than continuing existing ways of working.

The drawbacks are cost, time and uncertainty. Advertising and agency fees can be expensive, and reviewing a large number of applications takes time. The business knows less about an external candidate’s actual performance. A new employee will also need to learn the business’s procedures.

Neither approach is always best. A business with an experienced employee ready for promotion may prefer internal recruitment. A business needing unfamiliar technical expertise may need to recruit externally. The choice depends on suitable candidates, the nature of the vacancy, the budget and how quickly the role must be filled.

Defining the job before advertising it

The recruitment and selection process begins by establishing what the business needs, rather than immediately placing an advert.

1. Carry out job analysis. Investigate the work involved: what tasks must be completed, what responsibilities the employee will have and what abilities they need. This helps the business identify the vacancy and prepare accurate recruitment documents.

2. Write a job description. This describes the job itself. It includes duties, managerial or supervisory responsibilities, hours, location, pay and conditions. Applicants can use it to understand what they would actually be expected to do.

3. Write a person specification. This describes the person needed for the job. It identifies essential and desirable qualifications, experience, skills and personal qualities. Essential requirements must be met; desirable requirements help distinguish between otherwise suitable candidates.

Consider a café recruiting a supervisor. Its job description might include organising shifts and handling customer complaints. Its person specification might require communication skills and experience supervising staff. One document describes the work; the other provides criteria for judging applicants’ suitability.

Clear documents help suitable people apply and give the employer a consistent basis for comparing them. Vague documents can attract applicants who misunderstand the role or lack the necessary skills.

Advertising, applications and shortlisting

4. Advertise through suitable recruitment channels. The advert should communicate the vacancy and how to apply. The business chooses internal or external channels according to the role and its circumstances. A specialist publication, for example, can target people working in a particular industry.

5. Receive applications. Applicants may complete an application form or submit a curriculum vitae (CV), often with a letter explaining their interest and suitability.

An application form is designed by the employer and asks candidates the same questions in the same format, making comparison easier. However, its fixed questions may limit what applicants can explain. A CV is prepared by the applicant and summarises their qualifications, experience and skills. Applicants have more freedom over its content, but different formats can make CVs slower to compare.

6. Draw up a shortlist. The employer compares applications with the job description and person specification, then selects the most suitable applicants for further assessment. This reduces the number needing interviews or tests, particularly when many people apply.

Assessing candidates and making the appointment

7. Use appropriate selection methods. Businesses often combine methods because each provides different evidence.

For the café supervisor, an interview could explore previous supervisory experience, while a customer-complaint role play could show how the applicant responds to a realistic situation. The methods should reveal abilities needed for the vacancy, rather than simply create a lengthy process.

8. Choose the most suitable candidate and offer the job. The decision should draw together the evidence and compare it with the requirements established at the start. A more detailed process may be worthwhile for a demanding senior role; a simpler process may suit a straightforward vacancy that needs filling quickly.

Why effective recruitment and selection matters

An effective process matches the employee’s abilities to the job. This can benefit the business in several connected ways.

Higher productivity: workers with suitable skills can perform tasks efficiently and need less help. More output may be produced with the same number of workers, reducing labour cost per item.

Higher-quality output or customer service: capable employees are less likely to make mistakes. This can reduce wasted materials and rework. Employees with appropriate communication skills and knowledge can also deal with customers more effectively, supporting satisfaction and repeat purchases.

Greater staff retention: accurate job information helps applicants understand what they are accepting, while careful selection improves the match between the employee and the role. Employees who are well suited to their jobs are more likely to stay. The business then avoids repeated advertising, selection and training costs and retains experienced staff.

These outcomes are not guaranteed by recruitment alone, but choosing suitable employees provides a stronger foundation for the business’s performance.

Choose according to the vacancy, suitable internal candidates, budget and urgency.

Process to recall

Job analysis → job description and person specification → advertise → receive applications → shortlist → assess → select and offer the job.

• Job analysis: investigate the work and requirements.
• Job description: duties and conditions of the job.
• Person specification: essential and desirable candidate requirements.
• Application form: standard format makes comparison easier.
• CV: applicant-designed; formats and content vary.

Selection methods

• Interview: explore experience and suitability.
• Test/practical task: assess skills or aptitude.
• Portfolio: review previous work.
• Reference: obtain professional evidence about the candidate.
• Assessment centre: observe performance in work-related activities.

Benefits to explain

• Suitable skills → efficient working → higher productivity.