L03 Apply the appropriate documents and processes that

contribute to effective recruitment and selection

P4 Produce appropriate examples of job description and person
specification documents for effective recruitment and selection

“Recruitment is the process of finding and engaging the people the organization needs.
Selection is that part of the recruitment process concerned with deciding which
applicants should be appointed to jobs” (Armstrong, 2012, p.220).

Figure 08: Recruitment and selection process flowchart

• Defining Requirements
1

• Planning recruitment campaigns

2

• Attracting candidates
3

• Selecting candidates
4

• Offering employment
5

• Following up
6

Author Developed

23
Job description for a marketing coordinator of DIMO Agribusinesses.

Job title: Marketing Coordinator

Reports to: Deputy General Manager- Agri Special Projects

Reports to job holder: none

Overall purpose: Ensure efficient and correct documentation of related

processes including raw material ordering and handling
international suppliers and local parties

Main activities:

1 Coordination with international suppliers to get correct documentation for raw material
ordering.

2 Preparation of relevant price notes after approvals.

3 Coordination with local raw materials and bag suppliers to get correct materials at
correct time.

4 Managing all promotional materials with CC division and field staff.

5 Maintaining all raw material supply coordination activity to ensure an efficient

operation.

6 Coordination of all LC opening activities with accounts and supplies department.

7 Manage requests, feedback and queries in a professional way.

23
Job description for an administrative executive of DIMO Agribusinesses.

Job title: Administrative Executive

Reports to: General Manager

Reports to job holder: none

Overall purpose: To provide support to management personnel by managing

administrative, analytical and secretarial duties

Main activities:

1 Analyzing profit and loss and preparing variance analysis report.

2 Costing of foreign consignment to ensure smooth raw material supply.

3 Product costing to assure optimal production levels.

4 Troubleshooting of the system for an efficient operation.

5 Monitor the duplication of processes and find solutions accordingly.

6 Process payment vouchers and assist in invoicing.

7 Monitor the stock movements to ensure a high inventory turnover.

23
Person specification for a marketing coordinator

 Minimum 2+ years of experience in a marketing role.

 Qualified in A/L, technical college diploma or a degree in marketing.
 English proficiency to handle international suppliers.
 IT literacy in MS office and other applications.
 Keen attention to detail with a commitment to solving complex problems.
 Strong written and verbal communication skills.
 Outgoing and service-oriented attitude.
 PR to coordinate with all stakeholders.
 Willingness to work independently and as part of a team.

Person Specification for an Administrative Executive

 Minimum 2 years’ experience as an administrative executive assistant.

 Full knowledge of office management systems and procedures.
 Proficiency in English.
 Qualified in A/L and a degree in business management.
 Knowledge of inventory control and management.
 IT literacy in MS Office and other applications.
 Ability to multitask and time management skills.
 Good verbal and written communications skills.
 Quick learner and a team player.

23
P5 Apply different recruitment and selection methods for effective
talent resourcing and planning
With the job descriptions and the person specifications created, it is needed to decide
the best place and the most suitable method to advertise a role and attract candidates.

Internal recruitment

When it comes to recruitment, priority should be given to internal candidates. In

addition, former employees can be persuaded to come back or referrals from existing
employees can be obtained. Talent banks of candidates that are managed electronically
can also be referred at this stage. If any of these approaches do not work, companies
do not have any other option but to look into external sources of candidates.

Online recruitment

In online or e-recruitment, companies use the internet to post vacancies and provide
information related to the jobs. This facilitates the communication between the
employers and the prospective candidates via e-mail. Similarly, organizations use social
networking sites such as Facebook and Linkedin to search for recruits. The main types
of online recruitment sites are:

Corporate websites

Corporate websites basically list vacancies and contact details on a website area
dedicated specifically to provide details about person specifications, benefits and how to
apply for jobs. Such a website area is linked to the organization’s home page so that
others may have easy access to them and an intranet link is available for internal
candidates.

Job boards

Online job boards contain large databanks of vacancies where the companies pay to
have the jobs listed on the sites. This method is useful for organizations that do not
have a strong employer brand to attract candidates to their own corporate website.

Agency sites

These sites run by recruitment agencies let candidates register online but may have to
discuss details in person before those are forwarded to a prospective employer.

23
Advertising

Advertising is one of the most traditionally used methods where an advertisement is

posted on specialist/trade journals, national and local newspapers to attract candidates.

Recruitment agencies

Private sector agencies provide temporary and permanent placements but most
agencies deal with secretarial and office staff who are registered with them.

Job centers

These centers operated by the Government serve as the ultimate option to attract
manual and clerical workers and sales or call center assistants.

Recruitment consultants

Recruitment consultants advertise, interview and produce a shortlist on behalf of the

organization.

Executive search consultants

Executive search consultants or ‘head hunters’ are employed to get a direct lead for
senior jobs where there are only a limited number of suitable people. Search
consultants would first approach their own contacts in the industry and some even have
their own data bank. When a number of potentially suitable people have been decided,
an informal meeting will take place and the consultants will forward a shortlist to the
employers.

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO)

In recruitment process outsourcing, the organization commissions a provider to take all

responsibilities of the recruitment process. This includes cooperating with the hiring
managers to decide on the requirements and the best ways to attract candidates,
processing applications and finally facilitating the interviews.

Educational and training establishments

The main source of recruits for training schemes is from universities and colleges. It is
an annual exercise for some companies.

23
The aim of selection is to assess candidates on their suitability to carry out a role
successfully. To ensure fair and efficient selection, insights from several selection
methods should be used in the decision making process.

Interviewing

Interviews are the most familiar method of selection. It involves a one-to-one basis face-
to-face discussion. But a second interviewer is used to avoid a biased or superficial
decision. Another alternative is a selection board or panel which is commonly practiced
in the public sector.

Unstructured interviews

In an unstructured interview, the interviewer generally discusses and asks a few

relevant questions with no specific aim. The questions are random and the candidates
are judged on the general impression they make.

Structured interviews

Structured interviews are based on a definite framework where all the candidates are
asked the same questions and the answers are scored through a rating system.

Competency based interviews

Competency based interviews are structured interviews where the candidates are
assessed on the behavioral competencies as set in the person specifications.

Assessment centres

In assessment centres, a group of candidates are assembled and a range of

assessment techniques are used over a defined time period to assess the candidates in
the most comprehensive and balanced way. Different exercises such as role plays and
group interviews are used and the performance is measured on several dimensions in
terms of the competencies required. Several candidates are assessed together to
maximize interaction and trained assessors are used to increase the objectivity.

23
Selection testing

Intelligence tests

In intelligence tests, the mental abilities are measured through a variety of intellectual
tasks based on abstract thinking and reasoning. The intelligence tests can be used to
assess a single individual or a group and can also be completed online.

Ability tests

These tests are used to establish the content knowledge of the candidates. The
capacity of verbal, spatial, numerical and mechanical reasoning are assessed using
ability tests.

Personality tests

Personality tests can be used to assess the personality traits of the candidates and to
make predictions about the likely behavior of the individuals in a role.

Aptitude tests

In aptitude tests, the candidates are assessed on the extent to which people can do the
job. Work sample tests are used only when the candidates have prior experience or
training.
(Armstrong, 2012)

23
M3 Evaluate how effective different processes and methods of recruitment
and selection are for talent resourcing

Normally major companies have sizable advertising and recruiting budgets as they
assume that the bigger the applicant pool is, the better the hiring would be. But today,
due to the weak economy, the recruiting budgets are being slashed and the company
has to manage with fewer resources. The Saratoga Institute says that the average cost
of hiring from outside the company is 1.7 times greater than an internal hire. Research
also shows that 40% and 60% of external hires aren’t successful when compared to just
25% of internal hires. Therefore, internal recruitment is cost effective as companies can
save money on both recruiting and training. Similarly, the opportunity cost of not having
the position filled and the money spent on advertising as well as travel can be saved
from internal recruiting efforts. The entire process of recruiting, from producing job
descriptions to advertising and actually hiring someone normally takes months for
external hires. For an internal hire, the process can be done within a few weeks. Within
the corporate culture, the performance reviews are already accounted for. Hiring from
an external source could be risky as it’s difficult to predict how well a candidate will fit
into the corporate culture. On the other hand, promoting internal employees and
acknowledging that there’s opportunity to progress further can serve as a retention
strategy for the company’s talent. A study by the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton
School also suggests that internal candidates peak perform faster than externals and
that they need less infrastructure and support to be successful (Schawbel, 2012).

In online recruitment, a wider range of prospective applicants can be reached without

having to pay extra or alter the recruitment strategy. 46% of the world’s population uses
the internet and if the company’s recruitment strategy is to hire younger recruits, the
most efficient method is online recruitment as almost 100% of the 18-29 age group are
daily internet users. Similarly, social networking sites such as Linkedin are effective as it
ensures a global reach for talent resourcing. It is also cheaper as most platforms allow
job openings to be posted for free. Not only is it cost effective, it is quicker as well
allowing the employers to attract more and a different set of candidates reducing the
number of hours spent on screening and informing job applicants. On the other hand,
the company’s corporate website and online job boards are accessible to many
individuals at the same time and online job ads can be shared on multiple platforms.
Posting jobs online and in social media allow the employer to create dynamic content to
be appealing to job seekers and even help attract a definite type of candidate. The
internet allows more flexibility as well as longevity than traditional forms of advertising.
Finally, this results in a shortened hiring process of not having to wait for a group of
candidates to build up but will have access to a large amount of applicants leading to
hiring a capable, talented individual sooner (Phoraris, 2016).

23
Advertising has been one of the traditional methods of attracting candidates. It is
effective when it comes to attracting ‘passing trade’ i.e. people who are not looking for a
job or who were not considering moving (Armstrong, 2012).

However, there’s more success in contacting applicants and the cost is lower per
eligible applicant. Advertising offers fixed costs but will soon become irrelevant. Many
publications offer print package so it becomes cost effective in that context. Similarly,
trade publications allow targeting candidates with specific skills or expertise (Jennifer
Anderson, 2015).

Using a recruitment agency is the best way to access wider range of highly skilled
workers for large organizations. A recruitment agent saves time as they deal with sifting
through applications, scheduling interviews and all related administrative issues
allowing the company’s HR to focus more on value creating activities. It is also highly
efficient in various other contexts. The recruiter collates the applicants’ queries so that
dealing with them is made easy. Similarly, such agencies have specialist market
insights which become vital when acquiring talent. They will also manage the processes
smoothly when compared to in-house staff. As the agency already have access to a
pool of potential candidates, contract or temporary hires can be done at short notice.
Hiring a recruitment agency is cost effective as well. It removes cost of having to
advertize and reduces the impact on existing employees. It also reduces the likelihood
of hiring someone that doesn’t fit into the corporate culture well. On the other hand, it
saves money as well as time in the long run as the same recruitment agency already
has knowledge about the organization and what they need. Certain agencies offer the
candidates the opportunity to hone their talents and learn field specific abilities therefore
eliminating the need to train them once they arrive (Why use a recruitment agency?,
2017).

Recruitment consultants usually possess a large database of potential candidates for

any possible role that needs to be filled. The cost of getting a wrong hire is twice than
that of the candidate’s total employment costs. Therefore, getting the expertise of a
recruitment consultant will give the company access to a wider range of good quality;
high performing candidates thus reducing the risk of hiring someone wrong. As they
possess a range of recruitment tools, the recruitment consultants identify and acquire
the best people for the job than just applicants who are actively seeking for a job.
These recruitment consultants have a better reach than in-house staff. Certain
consultants help in selecting candidates as well while speeding up the process thus
saving the effort and hassle. Similarly, consultants have a better knowledge about the
company and the industry well, so they provide faster, simpler and better advice on
who to select. They also can provide insight to the hiring team on what’s happening in
the market and advice on alternative solutions if the company’s struggling to find talent.
They also can sell the company to the best candidates and increase the chances of
hiring the best performers.

23
 Although the main concern of using a recruitment consultant is cost, it should be
compared with the value they bring. Access to better candidates and careful selection
means the battle is halfway won in the war for talent (Alexander Cane, 2016).

Sourcing, hiring and retaining talent for executive positions requires a lot of work.
Executive search consultants can be of assistance in this context. As the hiring volume
is increasing, the competition for talent will continue to grow further. Today’s job market
is crowded heavily and according to LinkedIn, only 30% of workers are actively looking
for a job but 87% of them are open to new opportunities. Therefore, the challenge today
is not only to make good executive hires but to retain them. “3.89% of talent will accept
a job offer faster if they are contacted by a recruiter”. Working with a recruiter is an
acknowledgement for the talented executive candidates that you’re being considered
for a high level role. Similarly, this statistic shows that the recruiters are efficient in their
jobs. They quicken the hiring process and increase productivity faster than in-house
staff. As more and more organizations hunt for good talent and also compete to retain
them, hiring an executive search consultant will guarantee that the next executive hire
will stand the test of time (Hoyt, 2017).

When companies outsource recruiting to a RPO, the cost per hire and the overall costs
through shared risks and streamlined processes are reduced. It eliminates the
employment of unnecessary staff or the possibility of a shortage of staff when the
business expands. Similarly, recruitment process outsourcing allows the employers to
focus on core business activities and find the talent they need without any distractions.
With the global job market being competitive than ever before and skills shortage being
an ongoing issue, outsourcing recruitment will enable the employers to reach more
candidates and access passive candidates. On the other hand, if the company’s
experiencing a high turnover rate, outsourcing is the quickest and cheapest way to stop
employee turnover. A recruiting firm can help small or new businesses build key staff
by quickly and efficiently finding top talent (Greenberg, 2013).

When it comes to selection methods such as interviews, interviewing allows face-to-

face discussions with potential candidates providing the opportunity to assess the
candidates as to whether they would fit into their corporate culture. Similarly, the
employers can ask probing questions to analyze the candidate’s experience and
compare the competencies determined in job description against those of the
candidate. These become important when resourcing for talent (Armstrong, 2012).

According to research by employment review, more than nine out of ten employers
believe that assessment centres are 47% or 48% effective when it comes to recruiting
staff. A survey done by HR professionals in 91 countries suggested that the
considerable costs of such centres can be justified. (Crail, 2007).

23
In psychometric tests, a set of particular skills are assessed to get a picture of an
individual’s psychology. In this way, the organizations are at an advantage of making
the right decisions with regards to selection and team development. According to the
Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychologists, psychometric tests are cost
effective in decision making and also save time as well as resources allocated. It also
allows employers to extract hard to get information from candidates which are not
normally possible during a face-to-face interview. Lastly, as standardized tests are used
in such tests, the candidates are treated equally and the results are more valid and
objective than mere judgements by the recruiters during a normal interview session.

Although these tests provide valuable insight, they do not guarantee on the best hiring
decision. There is no adequate definition of what should be measured and also provide
room for panic. Therefore, psychometric tests should be used only as part of the
recruitment process and if used the right way, it will be possible to increase the
accuracy and validity of the results (How effective are psychometric tests in
recruitment?, 2016).

23
D2 Make valid judgements and recommendations on how appropriate
documents and processes can be improved for effective recruitment and
selection

Today, organizations increasingly use technology to recruit with priority given to

professional and social networking sites. According to a survey done by CIPD (2017),
the most effective attraction method is the company’s own corporate website followed
by professional networking sites such as LinkedIn. More than half respondents prefer
recruitment consultants as the most effective method to attract applicants while two
fifths of the respondents chose social networking sites. When compared to the survey
done by CIPD in 2015, there is a major increase in the use of both professional as well
as social networking sites as tools for attracting candidates.

Studies suggest that the organizations in the public sector are more likely to use local
national papers online or in print as well as specialist journals/ trade prints as major
sources of attracting candidates. Manufacturing and production organizations cite
recruitment consultants than other sectors. Private sector organizations prefer online job
boards, professional networking sites and referral schemes as effective methods for
attracting applicants. Finally, social networking sites and their own corporate websites
are the major sources of recruitment for not-for-profit organizations. As indicated by
CIPD survey 2017, search and recruitment consultants are used as recruitment tools to
attract applicants for senior roles such as managers /directors and online job boards are
cited to attract all other employee groups.

As suggested by CIPD Survey 2017, competency based interviews is the most popular
method of selection in contrast to previously popular method of selection which is
interviews based on the contents of CV and application forms. The general methods of
selecting applicants follow a similar pattern as previous years with the competency
based interviews being followed by tests for specific skills and general ability tests. In
contrast to previous years, fewer organizations make use of literacy and/or numeracy
tests as selection tools. Usage of gamification and analytical algorithms to match
applicants to job roles is reduced to a very few organizations.

Selection methods such as assessment centres, literacy and/or numeracy tests, tests
focused on specific skills, online tests and pre interview references are preferably used
by organizations in the public sector than other sectors. “Private sector organizations
are more likely than the other sectors to use interviews following the contents of CV/
application forms for selection”. Finally, larger organizations use most of the selection
methods excluding interviews based on information mentioned in CV/application form
and tests for specific skills (CIPD, 2017).

23
Job analysis is the process by which data about job’s tasks and responsibilities are
gathered, examined and interpreted. Job analysis can be done either by observing the
employee performing his/her job or by interviewing the particular employee or by other
means such as benchmarking or maintaining a log entry. The major aim of a job
analysis is rather the evaluation of the job and not the individual doing the job. The final
outcome forms the basis for job descriptions as well as person specifications alike.
Since the job analysis plays an important role in defining the job descriptions and role
profiles, it is vital for it to be efficient for improved recruitment and selection (Job
Analysis: How do I conduct a job analysis to ensure the job description actually matches
the duties performed by the employee in the job?, 2012).

The following recommendations can be made to help improve the overall job analysis
process;

 All employees can be involved in filling out job analysis forms.

 Interview employees with specific questions and not leading questions related to
job duties and responsibilities.
 Maintain log entry sheets with information about each task and the time spent on
each task.
 Observe employees in their jobs at different days of the week and keep track of
what they do and the time duration.
 Interview the supervisors, managers as well as other employees and customers
the employee might interact with.
 Compare the job to other jobs in the department including the job family, job
grade and the pay structure it belongs to.
 Review the findings of the job analysis with the employees as well as supervisors
and managers alike.

After undertaking job analysis, one of the outcomes is the job description. Just as an
employer’s first impression of an applicant is his/her resume, the employer’s first chance
for a positive impression is in the company’s job descriptions. A good job description will
encourage a prospective candidate to apply. Studies show that an average job seeker
spends less than 30 seconds in reviewing a job description and therefore, effective job
descriptions will ensure that you stand out from the rest and attract top talent.

23
The recommendations in compiling an effective job description are;

 Use searchable and relevant titles to avoid confusion and optimize the chances
of people veiwing it to attract a qualified candidate.
 Sell the role to peak someone’s interest and make the description concise yet
interesting.
 Include the company’s unique benefits, training programs and the company
culture to stand out from other competitors.
 Make the job descriptions easy to follow and ensure that the application process
has few steps possible.
 Proofread the job descriptions for typing, grammatical or incorrect information
and update the descriptions regularly (Besser, 2015).
 Avoid the usage of overused phrases and expressions used in other
descriptions.
 Communicate company’s key values and narrate the brand to candidates.
 Make it pleasant to read and engaging with accessible language that reflects
company culture and personality (Craig, 2016).

The person specification is derived from the job description and forms the basis for the
recruitment process. It is a description of the key result areas, accountabilities and
competencies for an individual to perform the job duties. The person specifications are
also used as a basis in selection decisions such as short-listing/testing and interview
stages.

The suggestions for a practical person specification are;

 Be specific to the job and not general and make sure it reflects the job
requirements.
 The criteria must be justifiable in relation to the job tasks and requirements.
 Must be fair, objective and relevant to the requirements expected.
 Avoid usage of discriminatory language or statements in relation to race, gender,
age, marital status or sexual orientation.
 Consider the measures that are necessary to assess candidates against the
criteria mentioned in the job specification (Soas.ac.uk, n.d.).
 Make it simple and easy to understand and measurable.
 Emphasize on the ‘essential’ as well the ‘desirable’ criteria in the person
specification.

23
Refined recruitment processes are efficient and productive and play a major role in
attracting and acquiring talent. Following are a few recommendations to improve the
recruiting process for effective recruitment;

 Craft clear and attractive advertisements by providing useful and related details
about the job roles, using specific job titles and clear language while promoting
one’s company.

 Boost candidate sourcing by sourcing on social media, attending industry events

and conferences, using Boolean search to discover resumes, employee referral
schemes and invest in sourcing tools.(e.g. People Search)

 Build talent pipelines by determining roles that require a pipeline, engaging past
candidates and former employees and using a combination of sourcing
techniques.

 Improve recruitment efficiency by using checklists for standard processes, email

templates and recruiting software to help manage hiring stages.

 Evaluate candidates effectively by evaluating work samples from candidates’

portfolios (Recruiting Resources: How to Recruit and Hire Better, n.d).

 Get the brief right by appropriate job descriptions and specifications.

 Review the remuneration package as to whether it is competitive in the market.

 Advertising effectively by deciding on the right places to attract such as social

media to attract both active and passive candidates.

 Build employer branding and present the employee value proposition to attract
top talent.

 Create company’s own talent warehouse which can reduce recruitment costs by
a significant margin.

 Mine new employees for future talent if there are gaps in the internal talent base.
(9 Ways to Improve Your In-House Recruitment Process, n.d.)

23
The quality of the selection processes has a significant impact on the quality of the
workforce. Here are few recommendations to improve the overall selection process;

 Anchor to hiring criteria and avoid common pitfalls such as the ‘halo’ effect,
‘cloning’ effect and how much you personally like the candidate.

 Take your time and avoid rushing the hiring decisions.

 Cross- verify whenever possible and try not to rely one source.

 Involve three to five decision makers to avoid bias in making the final hiring
decision (Half, 2017).

 Assess candidates by adding real problems to interviews.

 Make interviews more feasible by making interviewing hors and dates flexible for
the candidates. (Sullivan, 2011).

 Standardize the selection process to avoid unfair discrimination.

 Use the selection process as means of promoting one’s employer brand.

 Utilize effective assessments or maybe use a combination of assessment

methods.

 Minimize delays, communicate and empower the people during the whole
process.

 Review the recruitment and selection cycle to analyze the best methods to recruit
and select and streamline (Smit, 2016).

 Use structured interviews to evaluate the candidates effectively.

 Enhance candidate experience by shortening the application process, updating

career pages and by keeping candidates in the loop.

23
23