REVIEW OF LITERATURE:

According to Costello (2006) recruitment is described as the set of activities and

processes used to legally obtain a sufficient number of qualified people at the right
place and time so that the people and the organization can select each other in their
own best short and long term interests.

Jovanovic (2004) said recruitment is a process of attracting a pool of high quality

applicants so as to select the best among them. For this reason, top performing
companies devoted considerable resources and energy to creating high quality
selection systems. Due to the fact that organizations are always fortified by
information technology to be more competitive, it is natural to also consider utilizing
this technology to re-organize the traditional recruitment and selection process
through proper decision techniques, with that both the effectiveness and the
efficiency of the processes can be increased and the quality of the recruitment and
selection decision improved.

Barber (1998) defines Employee recruitment as “practices and activities carried on

by an organization for the purpose of identifying and attracting potential employees”.
Many large corporations have employee recruitment plans that are designed to attract
potential employees that are not only capable of filling vacant positions but also add
to the organization’s culture.

According to Montgomery (1996) is on matching the capabilities and inclinations

of prospective candidates against the demands and rewards inherent in a given job.

Need of the Recruitment and Selection Process

Dessler, (2000) found in his study that the Recruitment and selection forms a core
part of the central activities underlying human resource management: namely, the
acquisition, development and reward of the workers. It frequently forms an
important part of the work of human resource managers – or designated specialists
within work organizations. However, and importantly, recruitment and selection

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decisions are often for good reason taken by non-specialists, by the line managers.
Recruitment and selection also have an important role to play in ensuring worker
performance and positive organizational outcomes. Recruitment and selection had
the capacity to form a key part of the process of managing and leading people as a
routine part of organizational life, it is suggested here that recruitment and selection
has become ever more important as organizations increasingly regard their
workforce as a source of competitive advantage. Of course, not all employers engage
with this proposition even at the rhetorical level. However, there is evidence of
increased interest in the utilization of employee selection methods which are valid,
reliable and fair. Dessler listing the essence of these in the following; build a pool of
candidates for the job, have the applicants fill out application forms, utilize various
selection techniques to identify viable job candidates, send one or more viable job
candidates to their supervisor, the candidate(s) go through selection interviews, and
determine to which candidate(s) an offer should be made.

Mullins (1999) indicated that to be a high performing organization, human resource

management must be able to assist the organization to place the right person in the
right job. The human resource management practices include recruitment, selection,
placement, evaluation, training and development, compensation and benefits, and
retention of the employees of an organization. Businesses have developed human
resource information systems that support: (i) recruitment, selection, and hiring, (ii)
job placement, (iii) performance appraisals, (iv) employee benefits analysis, (v)
training and development, and (vi) health, safety, and security.

Process of Recruitment

Miyake, (2002) indicated that while advertising is usual for job vacancies, applicants
were sometimes recruited by word of mouth, through existing employees. Besides
being cheaper, the “grapevine” finds employees who stay longer (low voluntary
turnover) and who are less likely to be dismissed (low involuntary turnover). People
recruited by word of mouth stay longer because they have a clearer idea of what the
job really involves. The study reviewed five studies in which average labor turnover

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of those recruited by advertising was 51 percent. The labor turnover for spontaneous
applicants was 37 per cent and turnover for applicants recommended by existing
employees was 30 percent. One hypothesis proposed to account for this was the
“best information” hypothesis. It was argued that people who were suggested by
other employees were better and more realistically informed about the job than those
who applied through newspapers and agencies. Thus, they were in a better position
to assess their own suitability. Better informed candidates are likely to have a more
realistic view of the job, culture of the organization and job prospects.

Kersley et al (1997) reiterated the anticipatory socialization stage for students

planning to enter professions, and in particular the effects of recruitment and
selection experiences on career expectations and orientation. They agreed that the
nature of students’ job search activity, the possession of relevant work experience,
and exposure to employers through recruitment and selection activities may form
part of the “evolving sequence of a person’s work experiences” which contributes to
anticipatory socialization. It has been argued that exposure to employers through
recruitment and selection is a social process where employers and potential
employees gradually perceive a match. Through job search activities and awareness
of employers’ recruitment literature and events, students gather information about
the organization’s goals, values, climate and work practices to guide their ultimate
decision. Exposure to selection procedures provides information about the culture
and attributes of an organization, and candidates form judgments from their
perceptions of the fairness of the selection methods used.

Delery and Doty (1996) argued that providing students with a greater awareness of
employment opportunities, and equipping them with the ability to be proactive in
approaching potential employers, will lead to more effective career self-management
and selection processes.

Smith et al. (1989) argue that the more effectively the recruitment stage is carried
out, the less important the actual selection process becomes. When an organization
makes the decision to fill an existing vacancy through recruitment, the first stage in
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the process involves conducting a comprehensive job analysis. This may already
have been conducted through the human resource planning process, particularly
where recruitment is a relatively frequent occurrence. Once a job analysis has been
conducted, the organization has a clear indication of the particular requirements of
the job, where that job fits into the overall organization structure, and can then begin
the process of recruitment to attract suitable candidates for the particular vacancy.

Burack, (1985) argues that recruitment sources are significantly linked to

differences in employee performance, turnover, satisfaction and organizational
commitment. In a survey of 201 large US companies, Burack asked respondents to
rate the effectiveness of nine recruitment sources in yielding high-quality, high-
performing employees. The three top ranked sources were employee referrals,
college recruiting and executive search firms. However, cautions that, while these
general results are useful, there is a need for greater internal analysis of the relative
quality of recruits yielded by different sources.

Odiorne (1984) indicated that the quality of new recruits depends upon an
organization's recruitment practice, and that the relative effectiveness of the selection
phase is inherently dependent upon the caliber of candidates attracted.

According to Odiorne, (1984) one result of effective recruitment and selection is

reduced labour turnover and good employee morale. Recruiting ineffectively is
costly, since poor recruits may perform badly and/or leave their employment, thus
requiring further recruitment. In a cross national study of recruitment practices,
suggests that, in

reality, recruitment practices involve little or no attempt to validate practices.

Personnel managers tend to rely on feedback from line managers and probationary
periods and disciplinary procedures to weed out mistakes. Firms with high quit rates
live with them and tend to build them into their recruitment practices and they do not
analyze the constitution of their labor turnover. A number of recent studies have
suggested that some recruitment methods are more effective than others in terms of
the value of the employees recruited.

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The Selection Decision

Miyake, (2002) In a comparison of personnel selection practices in seven European

countries explored the utilization of a range of established selection methods. They
reported a general trend towards structured interviews in all countries and, while the
general validity and acceptability of methods such as work samples, group exercises
and assessment centres were widely recognized, reported usage of these methods
was infrequent.
Burton (2001) in his study of recruitment and selection practices in the USA, found
that approximately 25 percent of respondent organizations conducted validation
studies on their selection methods. Furthermore, in a rating of various selection
methods, those perceived to be above average in their ability to predict employees'
job performance included work samples, references/recommendations, unstructured
interviews, structured interviews and assessment centres.

Cran (1995) suggests that developments in the realm of selection lend some support
to those who propound the HRM thesis, where a key feature has been the increase in
testing designed explicitly to assess behavioral and attitudinal characteristics. He
further indicates that the extent to which these more sophisticated and systematic
approaches can be, and are, deployed, depends to a large degree, on sectoral
circumstances and on the wider employment-management policies being pursued.

Gould, (1984) argues that most mistakes are caused by the fact that managers
generally give little thought to the critical nature of the decisions. Employers are
surprised and disappointed when an appointment fails, and often the person
appointed is blamed rather than recognizing the weaknesses in the process and
methodology, eventhe soundest of techniques and best practice (in selection) contain
scope for error. Some of this is due to the methods themselves, but the main source is
the frailty of the human decision makers. Selection tools available to organizations

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can be characterized along a continuum that ranges from the more traditional
methods of interviews, application forms and references, through to the more
sophisticated techniques that encapsulate
biographicaldata,aptitudetests,assessmentcentres,worksamples,psychological testing,
and so forth. Each method of selection has its advantages and disadvantages and
comparing their rival claims involves comparing each method's merit and
psychometric properties. The degree to which a selection technique is perceived as
effective and perhaps sophisticated is determined by its reliability and validity.

Recruiting Sources/Methods

Kaplan and Norton (2004) found that the number of people who refused to provide
screening information tended to be higher by telephone than in person. However,
refusals over the telephone tend to be less likely than with mailed surveys (Kelly,
2006). It should be noted that telephone methods can be used not only for
recruitment, but also for data collection. Recent advances in telephone survey
methodology have made telephone recruitment and surveying an increasingly
attractive option in many researchfields.

Drucker (1999) has studied that Recruitment procedures need not be limited to one
method. It is possible and often desirable to combine methods to enhance the
recruitment success of a particular project. For example, use of focus groups and
pilot studies that involve the community and pre-recruitment, publicity can lead to
higher rates of consent.
From the above review of literature, it is observed that the sources of recruitment and
selection are through advertising, via the internet and so forth. However, recruitment
and selection are faced with lots of challenges.

Armstrong (1991) studied the issues to consider include the type of sample (random
or convenience), cost, ease, participant time demands (e.g., total time, days of the
week, and time of day), and efficiency (e.g., staff hours per recruited participant).
Researchers

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have a number of methods from which to choose, including advertising, direct mail,
and telephone.

French (1982) found that there are two options of recruitment. First, Institutions or
events (such as medical offices, schools, community sports organizations, health
fairs, community events, and churches) often are used as a setting for recruitment.
Schools present a promising avenue for the recruitment and assessment of youth.
Recruitment at schools may not be appropriate in studies having a family or
neighborhood context, requiring a greater dispersal of participants from a larger area,
or focusing on data collection in the home. Door-to-door recruitment is another
option. For large studies, this recruitment method can be costly in terms of staff time
and travel expenses, and it is difficult to assure that recruiters randomly sample
homes. Despite these concerns, door-to-door recruitment may be a necessary
recruitment strategy for certain potential participants (e.g., those who do not have a
residential phone.

Challenges of Recruitment and Selection

According to Kaplan and Norton, (2004) a common problem in recruitment and

selection is poor HR planning. Rigorous HR planning translates business strategies
into specific HRM policies and practices. This is particularly so with recruitment and
selection policies and practices. The key goal of HR planning is to get the right
number of people with the right skills, experience and competencies in the right jobs
at the right time at the right cost. Past research shows that the competency level of
HR managers has a major influence on recruitment and selection and experienced
HR experts within the HR department will not only shorten vacancy duration, but
also improve the quality of the applicants. Moreover, effective recruitment and
selection is possible only if there is a dedicated and competent HR team.

Whitmell Associates, (2004) observed that the extent of recruitment and selection
strategy integration can be gauged through four distinctive indicators. These

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indicators are: the timely supply of an adequately qualified workforce, effective job
analysis and descriptions, effective selection, and the involvement of line managers
in the recruitment and selection practices. A key source of uncertainty in the business
strategy implementation is whether there is a timely supply of adequately qualified
people, and to a great extent this uncertainty involves the quality of employees. An
organization can successfully eliminate this uncertainty if its recruitment and
selection policies and practices are strategically integrated with the business.
Dess and Jason, (2001) suggest that in business strategy implementation the
involvement of line managers in the entire staffing process (i.e., drafting of job

descriptions, setting selection criteria and being on the panel of recruitment) is vital
for ensuring recruitment and selection to meet business needs. In other words, the
line managers are the owner of the recruitment and selection process along with HR
playing a facilitator role.
Scholars have argued that other key issues and controversies run through analyses of
human resource management and recruitment and selection: efficiency, control, and
the difficulty of orienting practice towards social justice are often cited. The first two
problematic, as Burton, (2001) notes, have been central to the management of
people for as long as managers have been present in organizations. The latter is also
common across all organizations, but is a particular academic and policy concern for
smaller or growing organization.

Johnston, (1999) analyzed that for every job in the organization, a thorough job
analysis, which includes the job description and job specification, is necessary and
based on this, an appropriate selection criteria is vital. The job description provides
indications of the duties to be undertaken, and the job specification usually
prescribes relevant personal qualities and attitudes as well as skills and knowledge
required for the job.