Different methods of recruitment
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Internal and external
Businesses recruit for new roles from both existing employees (inside the business) and potential employees (outside the business). These methods are referred to as Filling a job vacancy with an existing member of staff. and Filling a job vacancy with a person from outside of the organisation.. Internal recruitment usually occurs when an existing employee is seeking a The advancement of an employee’s position within an organisation. or wishes to work in a different role in the business.
Advertising for internal recruitment is often carried out through internal job adverts published via internal emails, notice boards, business websites and internal company memos.
Advertising for external recruitment is often carried out through external job adverts published via external emails, job websites, recruitment agencies, the business’ own website, newspapers and A magazine or newspaper whose target audience is people who work in a particular trade or industry..
Recruitment agencies
Recruitment agencies are businesses that find suitable employees for job vacancies for other businesses. Recruitment agencies can be used to find employees for any type of job role, such as teachers, marketing directors, warehouse workers or cleaners.
Media selection
Media selection refers to how a business advertises their job vacancies. Common methods include company websites, job websites, newspapers, job centre, internal business notice boards.
Application
Letters of application
An application form is completed by a potential employee when they apply for a job. It will often include a series of questions for a potential employee to answer, so that the business can learn more about them. It sometimes includes a section for applicants to write about themselves and why they are the best candidate for the role.
Occasionally, instead of completing an application form, a potential employee is asked to write a letter of application, in which they demonstrate why they should be employed to fulfil the job role. Additionally, some applications require letters of reference, which are letters from an applicant’s previous employers about their skills, experience and character.
Curriculum vitae (CV)
A CV is a document that applicants complete and submit alongside a job application. CV stands for ‘curriculum vitae’, which is Latin for ‘course of life’. It is a personal document that includes information about an applicant’s skills, experience, qualifications and hobbies. This document is used by a business to decide whether applicants match the requirements of the person specification. Some roles only require a CV, with no application form, as this may encourage more applicants to apply.
Informal contact
Informal contact refers to a person contacting a business about a job vacancy that is not completed through official channels. For example, a person may have been informed about a vacancy in a shop, they may then go into the shop and speak to the manager or owner about the vacancy.
Interview
An interview is a type of formal meeting that is used to decide whether an applicant is going to be suitable for a job role and the business. An interview may ask applicants questions about themselves, the job role, or their previous experiences. There are three main types of interview:
- face to face
- telephone
- online
Alternatives to interviews
Whilst interviews are still very common, businesses are seeking alternative methods of understanding whether an applicant is suitable for their job role. Alternative methods include:
- Skills test – these are used to help understand what skills a person has, and whether they are able to utilise these effectively.
- Aptitude test – these are used to help a business understand how an applicant will react and perform in different situations. Aptitude tests also assess an applicants personality and cognitive ability.
- Group tests – these are used to see how well applicants perform in groups. Teams are usually given a task to solve, and observers will consider how each individual in the team works with others.
- Role-play – these are used to test how applicants perform in certain situations. Role-playing assessments are popular for customer facing roles, where an employee could have to react effectively to a range of quickly changing scenarios.
