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Saturday, February 27, 2010

Project : Human Resource Management


Which are the points will you keep in mind for recruiting new personnel into your organization if you are the HR Manager of a footwear manufacturing company?

One of the most important HRM function is the appropriate recruitment and selection of suitable staff. If I will be the HR Manager of a reputed footwear company, I will surely look into many aspects to get the best suitable person for my company. Thus my selection process will be based on the following objectives,

1. Hire the right person.

2. Conduct a wide and extensive search of the potential position candidates.

3. Recruit staff members who are compatible with the college or university environment and culture.

4. Hire individuals by using a model that focuses on student learning and education of the whole person.

5. Place individuals in positions with responsibilities that will enhance their personal development.

Effective recruitment and selection procedures are critical components of an organization’s human resource management process. Having determined its staff requirements, the organization next has to ensure that it has systems in place to attract and select candidates of the right caliber. This can be done by,

1. Alternative sources of potential recruits are known and used and there is a process for tapping these sources.

2. There are systems in place that enable candidates to be assessed effectively and to ensure that vacancies are filled by the most appropriate people and in the most cost effective manner.

3. Any selection processes in use treat existing employees and potential recruits fairly and honestly, meet legal obligations and provide equality of opportunity.

4. All administrative procedures, such as obtaining references, preparing a contract of employment etc are handled efficiently.

The Recruitment Process

The various stages in the recruitment process include,

Identifying the need to recruit.
Identifying the job requirements.
Deciding the source of potential recruits.
Deciding the selection method.
Short listing candidates.
Selecting the successful

1. IDENTIFYING THE NEED TO RECRUIT

When a vacancy occurs, the first issue to consider is whether there is a need to fill it. There is also the question of whether it is the same job that needs to be filled. This should be based on the following alternatives,

A. Reorganization
It may be possible to reorganize the job in a particular function

so that the same work can be done by fewer people. This will reduce staff members and will increase productivity. When is business is tight this is easier to achieve, as people will be less willing to put their jobs at risk and may consequently be prepared to work harder for lower rewards. However, in the longer term such an approach may lead to resentment on the part of employees.

B. Flexible Working
More flexible working arrangements may achieve the same productivity with having to increase or maintain staff members. At the simplest level, increased overtime can compensate for a short–fall in staff members, although this clearly lacks a certain degree of flexibility. Flexible working hours and annual hours agreements can be particularly valuable mechanisms for covering longer daytime working hours. Teleworking can enable people to be highly productive from a home base without having to spend time and money commuting.

C. Using Part-Time or Casual Staff
Part-time staffs are actually employed on a regular basis for a set of number of hours, whereas casual staffs are hired as and when the need arises. The latter arrangement is obviously a more flexible but it needs to be remembered that casual staff can acquire the rights of permanent employees in certain circumstances. An alternative is to employ agency staffs, who are available to cover a range of functions.

C. Using Contractors
Contractors are commercial providers of services for which the organization has to pay. It makes sense to use contractors whenever the organization has a periodic rather than a permanent need for a particular service. Also there is an increasing trend of

interim executives. These are experienced executives who will generally have senior level experiences of an area which they may be brought into cover. They can be employed for a period of months to cover for short term absences or to cope with peak workloads.

D. Staff Transfer or Promotion
A post can be filled by internal promotions or staff transfer rather than by seeking to fill it from outside the organization. This can have obvious benefits from the point of view of motivation and morale.

E. Job Sharing
Job sharing has some obvious benefits for those with other commitments. It opens jobs to people who might not otherwise have been able to consider applying.

F. Computerization
Computerization has been producing more information rather than trying to reduce staff efforts. This could reduce staff effort and staff costs.

These points will give solution for recruiting new staffs.

IDENTIFYING THE JOB REQUIREMENTS
There should be clear job description – and the need to a vacancy is an ideal opportunity to review any existing job description to ensure that it still meets the organization’s requirements.

Content of the Personnel or Person Specification
This can be explained by Alex Rodger’s Seven Point Plan and Munro Fraser’s Five Fold Grading System.



Seven Point Plan

1. Physical Make – up
Health, Appearance, Bearing and Speech
2. Attainments
Education, Qualifications, Experience
3. General Intelligence
Intellectual Capacity
4. Special Aptitudes
Mechanical, Manual Dexterity, Facility in use of words and figures
5. Interests
Intellectual, Practical, Constructional, Physically Active, Social, Artistic
6. Disposition
Acceptability, Influence over Others, Steadiness, Dependability, Self Reliance.
7. Circumstances
Any special demands of the job, such as ability to work unsocial hours, travel abroad etc.

Five Fold Grading System
1. Impact on Others
Physical Make-up, Appearance, Speech and Manner
2. Acquired Qualifications
Education, Vocational Training, Work Experience
3. Innate Abilities
Quickness of Comprehension and Aptitude for Learning
4. Motivation
Individual Goals, Consistency and Determination in following them up, Success Rate

5. Adjustment
Emotional stability, Ability to stand up to stress and Ability to get on with people

MSL / McBer Competency Cluster for Managerial Jobs

Integrated Competency Model
1. Understanding what needs to be done
A. Reasoning
B. Visioning
C. Know – how
D. Expertise

2. Influencing and gaining support
A. Communication
B. Interpersonal Skills
C. Personal Impact
D. Direct Influencing
E. Organizational Influencing

3. Producing the results
A. Directing
B. Motivating
C. Productivity

4. Achieving against the odds
A. Enterprise
B. Achievement
C. Confidence
D. Resilience

When a new or changed job is filled, there is likely to be a need to


consider the rate of pay or the grade and the conditions of employment to be attached to the job.

RECRUITMENT SOURCES
For an effective recruitment, we should keep in mind the sources of recruitment.

1. The Organization Itself
Internal recruitments can be of motivation, morale and development. This will decrease the staff costs, but too much internal recruitments can starve the organization of fresh ideas and approaches from external candidates.

2. Word of Mouth
Jobs may be often filled by existing employees letting their friends and acquaintances know of any vacancies. While this approach will save the cost of advertising and recruiting, appointing friends and relatives of existing employees can clearly have the effect of restricting employment opportunities to certain groups only. Also, this will attract the group formation in the organization.

3. Newspaper and Magazine Advertisements
A common way of advertising is through local or national newspapers and professional journals and magazines. Applicants recruited locally can be given in the local newspapers and senior posts can be advertised in the national newspapers. For particular types of professional or specialized posts, professional journals may be appropriate.

4. Jobcentres and Employment Agencies
Jobcentres will display job vacancies and refer possible recruits to

an organization. Agencies tend to specialize in one particular type of staff such as secretaries or accountants. Whereas the service provided by the jobcentres is free, agencies charge a fee if an appointment is made.

5. Selection Consultants
These people can bring considerable expertise to the selection process and can give advice on the kind of reward and benefit package. They can advertise vacancies, interview and shortlist candidates and provide assistance for the final selection. The main drawback is the high cost for these people.

6. Executive Search Consultants (Headhunters)
This can be utilized for the senior posts. In this case, the consultants will conduct a market search, targeting people in senior positions in other organizations or referring to their own database of candidates. The main drawback is that of high cost and will automatically exclude those outside the headhunter’s network.

7. Schools and Universities
The organization can recruit candidates from schools, colleges and universities, who can then be properly trained. This requires many interviews, but it is less I cost.

8. Internet
Through internet, the vacancies will be available to a number of people who can access international websites through the cheap cost a phone call. This way will increase the databank of both employees and candidates.

SELECTION METHODS
There are many kinds of selection methods,


1. Application Form or Curriculum Vitae
The candidates respond to an application form through a letter of application, application form or curriculum vitae. CV is mostly used for senior posts.

Advantages of Application Forms
1. As information is easily structured, it is easy to structure the candidates.
2. The organization gets information it wants.
3. The form can be used as the basis for the interview.
4. Standard of completion gives an indication of a candidate’s suitability.
5. It can form the part of personal file.
6. It reduces the likelihood of unfairness or discrimination.
7. Forms can be used to collect data for equal opportunities research purposes.
8. Information can more easily be computerized.
9. Forms can reinforce positive messages about the organization.

Disadvantages of Application Forms
1. Different forms may have to be prepared for different jobs.
2. There is little opportunity for the candidate to display creative flair.
3. Insufficient space is sometimes provided and additional pages have to be attached.
4. Badly designed forms could cause difficulties.

2. Letters of Application / CVs
Candidates respond to the advertisements through Letters of applications or CVs


Advantages of Letters of Applications or CVs
1. The standard of presentation will give some idea of the suitability of the applicant, although there are a number of companies who will prepare a professional CV for a fee.
2. There is no danger that the applicant will be discouraged by having to complete an application form.
3. Different aspects of background and experience can be covered as fully as the individual thinks fit.
4. Individual can prepare a standard CV that can be sent out very quickly.

Disadvantages of Letters of Applications or CVs
1. The fact they can be professionally produced can give a misleading impression of the applicant’s narrative skills.
2. The greater variability in the type and format of information provided make like for like comparisons more difficult.
3. The applicant will give the information that he or she wants to give, not necessarily what the organization wants.

3. Telephone
Inviting applications by telephone can produce a rapid response to an advertisement. This can can clearly save time& effort for both the organization & the applicant.

4. Interviews
A selection interview is a controlled conversation between an applicant for a job & the employer, or some one representing the employer, designed to test the suitability of the applicant for the job in question. In the selection process the specific aims of the interviewer are:
1. to find out as much job-relevant information as possible about
the applicant so that his or her suitability for the job can be

assessed against the pre-determined criteria for the effective job performance.
2. to give further information about the job & the organization.
3. to ensure that the process is as fair as possible& is perceived to be fair.

The most important criticisms against interviews are as follows:
1. Interviewers make up their mind about a candidate within the first 3 or 4 minutes of the interview&spend the rest of the interview looking for evidence to confirm their original view.
2. Interviews seldom change the opinion formed from the original application & the candidate’s appearance.
3. There is a tendency to give more weight to unfavourable evidence than to that which is favourable.
4. When interviewers make up their minds early in the interview, their behaviour tends to convey this to the candidate.
5. One overriding characteristic, such as appearance or speech, can tend to overshadow other factors.
6. When there are a number of interviewers, there is frequently disagreement between them about candidates, sometimes leaving the way open for everyone’s second choice.
7. Interviewers tend to recruit in their own likeliness.

Despite of these drawbacks, the interview remains popular because:
1. it is perhaps the best way to assess the compatibility of the candidate with his or her colleagues or boss, which is probably one of the most crucial factors affecting the success of any employment relationship;
2. it is a flexible and quick way of gaining information about a candidate and of giving more information about the job and the organization.
3. as Torrington and Hall have identified, there is also a ritualistic

aspect to the interview-it is usually an expected and accepted part of the process.

Interviews can be formal or informal, be conducted by one individual or several, or follow one of a number of strategies or techniques.

A person has to follow a number of rules for a successful interview, like:

Before the Interview
1. Ensure that candidates are adequately briefed about the organization and the job.
2. Ensure that you prepare for the interview by reading through the relevant applications and have all the necessary documentations including the job descriptions and the personal specifications.
3. Arrange venue that is free from interruption and, if necessary, have telephone calls diverted.
4. Ensure that you, any other interviewers and the candidates know the time, date and venue.
5. Ensure that enough time is set aside for the interviews and allot time for discussing applicants and for a possible overrun.
6. Formulate some questions in advance and ensure that all important aspects are covered.
7. Where more than one interviewer is involved, decide who will chair the interview and who will ask the questions.
8. Try to ensure that all those involved in interviewing have been trained in the process.
9. Give some thought to the seating arrangements and to the kind of interview you wish to conduct.
10. Make appropriate arrangements for the reception of applicants in particular giving them somewhere to sit, ensuring that they are
told where the cloakroom facilities are and making sure that the reception staff know they are coming.

During the interview
1. Try to stick to the timetable.
2. Follow a clear structure during the interview so that there is an obvious beginning, middle and end.
3. Start by welcoming the candidate and try to put him or her at ease, perhaps by chatting about something in consequential.
4. Introduce yourself and any other interviewers.
5. State the purpose of the interview and describe how it is to be conducted.
6. Try to ask questions that are open ended and encourage discussions.
7. Ensure that you avoid questions that could be construed as discriminatory.
8. Avoid just going back over the application forms, repeating the information that is already there.
9. Do not hesitate to probe if the need arises.
10. Listen carefully to the replies remembering that most of the talking should be done by the candidate and try to read between the lines.
11. Ask the interviewee to supply examples of the kinds of things he or she has done to get a clear idea of current and past experiences.
12. Keep notes of what is said, if a number of candidates are being interviewed.
13. At the end of the interview, invite the candidate to ask any questions about the job or the organization.

After the Interview
1. Discuss and record your conclusion.

2. Notify the candidates of the outcome as soon as possible.
3. Negotiate the salary and terms of the employment with the successful candidate and prepare a contract of employment.
4. Undertake the follow – up research through interview or by using the organization’s performance, management process to check whether the selection predictions have approved accurate.

5. Selection Tests
The main selection tests are:

Psychometric Tests
This involves procedures to applicants in such a way that their response can be quantified. Any test should be,
1. A sensitive measuring instrument that discriminates between subjects.
2. Standardized, so that individual score can be related to others.
3. Reliable, in that it always measures the same thing.
4. Valid, in that the test measures what it is designed to measure.
5. Acceptable to the candidate
6. Non discriminatory.

Different types of Psychometric tests are,

1. Intelligence Tests
Intelligence test, the oldest kind of psychometric test have been designed by Binet &Simon in 1905.The scores are expressed in terms of Intelligence Quotient or IQ which is the ratio of mental age to the chronological age of the individual. The main problem with the intelligence test is that they are attempting to measure something which is very complex and about which there is much disagreement. They have limited application in the selection context.


2. Aptitude and Attainment Tests
These are designed to test particular aptitudes or abilities for the job. Aptitude test measure individual’s potential to develop whereas attainment these measure skills that have already been acquired. Some of the most common attainment tests are typing test, which are widely used and accepted.

3. Personality Tests.
Personality is the integration of all of an individual’s characteristics into a unique organization that determines and is modified by his attempts at adaptation to his continually changing environment. Personality test can take different form testing like
Individual traits or characteristics, interests or values. These tests include the 16PF, Myers-Briggs, the FIRO-B & Saville and Holdsworth’s OPQ.

Recruitment function can become easy if it is done with enough skill and talent. This can be made successful by good team work and with good ways to find the talented ones. Otherwise it will become a total headache to the HR manager. Good employees will work for the progress of the organization and so the growth of the organization rests upon the person who recruits the personnel necessary for the organization. I will surely use all methods possible for recruitment and selection process.

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