Recruitment is the process of finding the right and suitable candidate for a job. It can be defined as the process of finding and hiring rightly qualified candidates for a job either internally or externally by an organization. Recruitment is the process through which prospective employees are searched and stimulated to apply for the job offered by the organization. When there is more application, the chance of hiring the best employee is possible.

Recruitment is the linkage between those who have the job and those who jobs and those who are seeking jobs. Recruitment can also be regarded as the process of analyzing job requirements, advertising the job, receiving an application for the job, screening and short listing applications, hiring and integrating the new employee in the organization. In short, recruitment can be said as identifying the sources from where potential job candidates are available and persuading them to apply for the advertised job.

Process of Recruitment

As mentioned earlier recruitment is a process of identifying and attracting candidates to a job. The process of recruitment has been mentioned as below:

Step 1: Creating a Recruitment Plan

The first step in the recruitment process is planning. Planning here means drafting a job description and job specification. All the major and minor responsibilities of the job are outlined clearly. Similarly, the qualities and qualifications required for the job are noted down.  This step is concerned with planning pay for the employee, starting date of the job, permanent or temporary status etc.

Step 2: Strategy Development

After knowing the number, quality and qualification of the candidate, the next step is to develop a strategy for recruitment. Strategies regarding issues such as which method to follow, either internal or external source, preferred geographical location for a searching candidate etc. are developed and proceed ahead for recruitment.

Step 3: Talent Search

This step is concerned with searching candidates for the job. Such job seekers are attracted and stimulated to apply for the job. Candidates from both internal and external sources are highly encouraged to apply. Different modes, mediums and ways are used to search for such talents, This is done considering the fact that more applicants mean more chance of hiring a competent person for the job.

Step 4: Screening and Short Listing

After receiving an application from candidates, the next step is screening and shortlisting of received applications. Screening means reviewing and filtering unqualified or irrelevant applications. In this step, all the received resumes and CVs are reviewed properly and telephone or video interview is taken (if required) of the candidates. After doing so, top candidates are identified and short-listed.

Step 5: Evaluation and Offer of Employment

This is the final step in the recruitment process. It is important to evaluate the credibility of shortlisted or chosen candidates. The job offering organization must check out all the professional references and experience letters that are credible and reliable. After such evaluation, the employment contract or offer letter is drafted. While drafting such an offer letter or contract, details such as salary, working condition, compensation etc. must be mentioned clearly and specifically.

Sources/Methods of Recruitment

There are different sources from where recruitment can be done. Mainly, there are two sources of recruitment. They are internal sources and external sources. Internal sources exist within the organization and external sources are outside of the organization.  These sources have been explained below:

Internal Sources

1. Promotion: This is one of the easiest methods for recruitment. Those employees working for the organization having skills and abilities for the needed job can be promoted. This is a motivating tool for an existing employee. However, to make fair and favoritism free promotion is required to recruit the most suitable candidate for the needed job. 
2. Retired or Retiring Employees: An organization can offer a job to its retired or retiring soon employees. This is done with higher pay and for a short period of time. Experience and expert skill for the job of such employees is used unless their replacement is hired. This mostly prevails in colleges and universities. 
3. Transfer: This is another way of internal recruitment. Under this, the capable employee believed to have sufficient skills and competencies to do the vacant job is permanently transferred to the concerned department, section, or unit.  This is transferring the right person for fulfilling the suitable job vacancy.
4. Referrals: An existing employee refers another existing employee for the vacant job. Generally, superiors minutely observing the performance of their subordinates refer the eligible ones for the job. However, the chance of nepotism and favoritism exists in referrals made. 
5. Job Rotation: This is another internal method of recruitment. Under this, an employee having similar skills to perform the vacant job is posted on a temporary basis. This helps in removing the monotony of the existing job. If the performance is satisfactory, the employee can be posted to the job permanently too. 
6. Internal Noticeboard: This is notifying internal employees about the job vacancy before the external advertisement. The notice of the vacancy is displayed on the internal noticeboard so that eligible employees currently working can apply for the job. It is an internal advertisement of the job vacancy before it is advertised outside of the organization.
7. Previous Applicants: An organization have a record of previous applicants for the same or similar job. Out of these previous applicants, the most suitable ones are considered for the current vacant job. This is acknowledging those talents who despite being deserving could not get the job last time they applied for.

External Sources

1. Press Advertisement: This is the most commonly used method for external recruitment. Under this, the job vacancy is advertised in newspapers, magazines and dedicated employment journals. With this, the vacancy of job reaches to a wider geographical area, a large number of people and broader pool of talents. By such means, the application is received from a wide range of talents scattered in different locations, classes, age groups and cultures.
2. Campus Placement: This is one of the widely used methods for recruitment. Under this, the officials of the company went to colleges in search of fresh talents for jobs they have to offer. This is an easy and economical method for the hiring company as freshers can be hired at a lower cost than hiring experienced candidates. The job-seeking student also easily gets the job without market struggles and competition after completing their academic course. Similarly, colleges can use it as their marketing tool.
3. Employment Agencies: These are those agencies acting as a bridge between job providers and job seekers. They ask job seekers to get registered with them. Later whenever the job is on offer, they notify the job seekers about the job. Similarly, such agencies provide the list of eligible candidates registered with them which the job-providing company can use to search right talents. At times, depending upon the understanding of the job provider, these agencies also conduct preliminary tests and interview to provide a list of short-listed candidates for final selection. 
4. Walk-in-Interview: This is a specific type of recruitment technique. Under this method, a specific time, date and venue are announced for a job. Interested and eligible candidates can directly walk-in the interview as per the announcement. An interview is taken and the best eligible ones are selected. This method is used for construction and contractual jobs.
5. E-Recruitment: This is the most recent trend in recruitment. This is recruitment through digital and online platforms. Different websites and digital media is used to recruit people. Such websites and digital media act as recruitment sources with or without pre-registration of potential candidates for the job. These are specially designed and developed as a digital noticeboard and online application submission portal for different advertised jobs. 
6. Competitors: There could be a number of qualified, experienced and competent employees working for competitors. Such employees are offered better financial and non-financial packages to join the job offered to quit the job they hold at business competitors. The best talent available at competitors’ firms is hunted and hired through higher and better offerings.

Importance of Recruitment

Recruitment is one of the fundamental functions of human resource management. If the recruitment is done in the right manner, the right people get the job. This ensures employee happiness, a good working environment, great job worthiness and reduces employee turnover and absenteeism. Hence, recruitment is regarded as highly important for an organization. Moreover, the importance of recruitment can be outlined as below:

1. It is easy to identify current and future job requirements
2. It identifies the right source for the job and encourages candidates to apply for the job
3. It links potential employers and employees
4. It supports the selection process and makes it more fairly accurate
5. Effective recruitment process helps in increasing pool of talents for a job at minimum cost
6. A proper recruitment process increases the chance of selecting the right candidate who best suits the job
7. A fair and correct recruitment process ensures a selection of likely committed employees and hence reduces the fast employee turnover
8. It helps in fulfilling legal requirements regarding recruitment and work place environment
9. The data and information obtained during recruitment can be used for human resource researches