IV. RECRUITING FROM WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION
Current employees are generally the largest source of recruits.
Advantages of internal recruitment are:
employees see reward for competence; enhances commitment, morale, and performance.
insiders may be more committed to company’s goals and less likely to leave.
managers are provided with a longer-term perspective when making business decisions.
firm is likely to have a more accurate assessment of the person’s skills
inside candidates require less orientation than outsiders.
Disadvantages of internal recruitment are:
unsuccessful employees may become discontented, especially if feedback is not provided
managersmay be required to post all job openings and interview all inside candidates, wasting considerable time and creating false hopes on the part of those employees not genuinely being considered.
employees may not accept a boss appointed from within their own ranks
newly chosen leaders may have difficulty adjusting to no longer being “one of the gang.”
increases the possibility of “inbreeding.”; tendency to make decisions “by the book” and to maintain the status quo, even when a new and innovative direction is needed.
1. Internal Recruitment Methods
Recruiting from within can be accomplished by using job posting, human resources records, and skills inventories.
a. Job Posting is a process of notifying current employees about vacant positions via designated bulletin boards, employee publications, special-announcement handouts, the company’s intranet, or a 24-hour telephone number. Content of job postings includes job title, duties, qualifications, hours of work, pay range, posting date, and closing date (see Fig. 6.4, p. 153). As illustrated in Figure 5.3 (p. 154), there are advantages and disadvantages to using job postings.
b. Human Resources Records – Human resources records are often consulted to ensure that qualified individuals are notified, in person, of vacant positions. An examination of employee files may uncover: employees who are working in jobs below their education or skill levels; people who already have the requisite KSAs; or persons with the potential to move into the vacant position if given some additional training.
c. Skills Inventories – Skills inventories are an even better reference tool. Whether computerized or manual, referring to such inventories ensures that qualified internal candidates are identified and considered for transfer or promotion when opportunities arise.
Teaching Tip: Some of the traditional job posting methods may seem out of date in a smartphone enabled world. Have students discuss the use of smartphone technology (mobile apps) for job postings but also why low tech methods are also necessary or useful.
2. Limitations of Recruiting from Within
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Besides the disadvantages previously identified, there are a few other limitations in regards to internal recruiting. One is an insufficient number of qualified internal candidates, especially for non-entry level and specialized positions. It may be quicker to bring in an external candidate if a job is vacated unexpectedly or if the organization wants to acquire new knowledge/expertise, gain new ideas, and revitalize the department or organization
V. RECRUITING FROM OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION
In contrast to internal recruitment, the advantages of external recruitment include:
Generation of a larger pool of qualified candidates, impacts quality of the selection decision.
Availability of a more diverse applicant pool, which can assist in meeting employment equity goals and timetables.
Acquisition of skills or knowledge not currently available within the organization and/or new ideas and creative problem-solving techniques.
Elimination of rivalry and competition caused by employees jockeying for transfers and promotions, which can hinder interpersonal and interdepartmental cooperation.
Potential cost savings resulting from hiring individuals who already have the skills, rather than providing extensive training.
1. Planning External Recruitment
Several factors should be considered including type of job, and effectiveness of the external recruitment method. Effectiveness can be measured using yield ratios (see Fig. 6.6, p. 155) and time-lapse data (timefrom initiation of recruitment activity to first day of work by successful candidate).
2. External Recruitment Methods
Organizations use many methods for external recruiting. Studies have found that traditional networking (employee referrals, former employees, concentrated job fairs at educational institutions, professional and trade associations, labour organizations, and military personnel ) followed by online job boards (traditional, corporate websites, government initiated boards) tend to be the most successful ways to find a job (see Fig. 6.7, p. 156). Each method has its advantages and disadvantages.
a. Employee referrals – low cost, but can result in systemic discrimination, inbreeding, and problems associated with nepotism (hiring or not hiring of relatives)
b. Former employees – may be interested in rejoining “boomerangs”’, know the organization, organization knows them
c. Educational institutions – good for jobs needing education but not as much experience; process can start via co-op, field placement and internship opportunities; schools have career centres to promote opportunities and help prepare students to interact with recruiters
d. Open houses and job fairs – attracts large number of applicants, allows face-to-face promotion of organization and pre-screening, can also be done online
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e. Professional and trade associations – actively engaged in trying to place their members, have newsletters, magazines, websites and sometimes online, searchable databases; may attract active job seekers as well as those who had not considered a job change (passive job seekers)
f. Labour organizations – have union hiring halls (physical and virtual); maintain roster of available members; fill requests from recruiters
g. Military personnel – Canadian Forces Liaison Council CFLC) responsible for promoting hiring of reservists by civilian employers. REAP program provides access to more than 30300 military units at no charge
h. Online recruiting – used by majority of companies and job seekers; provides large audience for postings; provides access to online job seeker databases. Types include internet job boards (e.g. Workopolis and Monster.ca) and corporate websites. Downside is sheer volume of applications and number of unqualified applicants who have to be screened.
Best practices for career websites on organizational websites:
Include candid information about company culture, career paths and business prospects
Include third-party sources of company information (e.g. awards, rankings)
Customize for different types of job seekers (e.g. students, part-time workers)
Have direct link from homepage to career page
Have job search tool (location, job category, and so on)
Have standardized application or résumé builder for easy screening
Use “email to a friend” to increase visitor referrals
i. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) – runs “Job Bank” largest, web-based network of job posting available to Canadian employers at no charge; helps unemployed find work and firms hire unemployed workers through government programs and tools such as “Job Match”
j. Executive search firms –fee-based service used to fill critical positions (middle to seniorlevel professional and managerial); often specialize in particular type of talent, know and understand market, have many contacts, adept at contacting currently employed candidates “headhunting”; expensive but worth the money, highly dependent on accurate and complete information, can sometimes engage in game playing; CPC designation signifies education, testing and recruiter commitment to best practices
k. Private employment agencies – assist with fee-based searches for clerical staff, functional specialists, and technical employees; solicit job seekers through job boards, advertising, walk-ins and write-ins; useful when hiring firm does not have HR department, has been unsuccessful in past recruiting, job needs to be filled quickly, need to attract larger number of designated group members, desire to reach out to currently employed
l. Cold calls: - walk-ins (go in person without referral or invitation) and write-ins (submit unsolicited résumés); inexpensive, documents can be scanned and stored
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m. Online networking sites (social media) – e.g. Facebook and other social media, firms create company profiles, virtual recruitment booths, low cost access to large number of job seekers
Teaching Tip: Organizations are increasingly using social media not just to find but also to prescreen candidates and are requiring candidates to provide social media passwords. Use the Ethical Dilemma on p. 162 to discuss all of the ways organizations can use social media to find out about you and what is and isn’t acceptable to students. Would students even consider finding a job through Facebook, let alone being pre-screened?
n. Print advertising – still very common method (e.g. newspapers local and national, technical journals, billboards); decide on want ad or blind ad; use four-point AIDA guide (Attract attention, develop Interest, create Desire, instigate Action)
3. Recruiting Non-permanent Staff
In recent years, many companies have increased their use of contingent workers (term, seasonal, casual, contract) to attain labour flexibility and acquire employees with special skills on an as needed basis. Two common sources are:
a. Temporary help agencies e.g. Kelly Services, Office Overload; workers remain employees of the agency and are reassigned as needed; benefits include – lower cost, immediate substitution/replacement, tend to be highly motivated
b. Contract workers – develop work relationships directly with the employer for a specific type of work or period of time, often professionals with specialized skills, many prefer selfemployment, others have been downsized and are unable to find full-time permanent employment
Teaching Tip: Given that a number of contract workers would prefer permanent employment, see what students have to say in regards to the Ethical Dilemma on p. 164.
VI. RECRUTING A MORE DIVERSE WORKFORCE
1. Attracting Older Workers – tend to have high job satisfaction, loyal and committed to organization, strong work ethic, good people skills, willingness to work in variety of roles; recruiters need to deal with stereotypes of older workers held by other employees, ensure HR policies do not discourage recruitment of older workers, develop flexible work arrangements, redesign jobs as necessary, and specifically target mature workers
2. Attracting Younger Employees – bring energy, enthusiasm and physical strength, often mirror customer base; want to work independently and have work-life balance; recruiters need to promote variety of experiences available, social responsibility, diversity, and creativity
Teaching Tip: Consider using Strategic HR Discussion Box “Attracting the Younger Generation”, (p. 166) and have students critique job ads that are supposedly aimed at them.
3. Recruiting Designated Group Members – an employers’ commitment to diversity through recruitment that targets designated group members is often the first sign of their commitment
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to diversity and quality; recruiters should consider linkages with organizations and agencies, advertising in alternative publications, and participating in government programs
Teaching Tip: The Workforce Diversity Discussion Box (p. 168) illustrates a major challenge associated with recruiting the disabled. You can also use this as a launching pad for a more indepth discussion of other issues that face disabled job seekers
DISCUSSION BOXES
GLOBAL HRM: Recruiting European Candidates (p. 141)
This box discusses the benefits of recruiting new employees from Europe to help manage the talent shortage. Europeans bring abilities to interact and negotiate within multicultural environments and are motivated to relocate due to lack of career advancement opportunities in Europe. EBA Engineering Consultants of Edmonton have successfully recruited people in the UK to relocate to Western Canada by using a high-tech/high-touch promotional tool that communicates EBA’s employment brand.
STRATEGIC HR: Attracting the Younger Generation (p. 166)
This box highlights how to attract and retain Generation Y. They are looking for quality of friendships, feeling they can make a contribution on the job, and a feeling of safety. The Gen Ys also say that the top three ways to get their generation to join an organization are salary, casual work environment, and growth/development opportunities such as mentoring and training. Ads intended to attract them need to advertise the culture of the organization as it relates to the values of this generation.
WORKFORCE DIVERSITY: The Disconnect in Recruiting People with Disabilities (p. 168)
Employers want to hire people with disabilities, and qualified candidates are available, but bringing employers and jobseekers together requires improved coordination. This box describes the need for a new employment strategy that relies on partnerships to connect employers with vacancies, qualified candidates who happen to be disabled, and the service providers who help disabled individuals to enter the workforce.
ETHICAL DILEMMAS
Suppose a manager has already made up his or her mind about who will be selected for an internal position. But an internal job posting and subsequent interviews have shown another equally qualified candidate. Who should be offered the position? (p. 152)
This is not an uncommon situation as managers tend to have existing relationships with subordinates or employees in other areas of the company, and sometimes even guarantee or lead people to believe they have the job even before the selection process has even begun On one hand interviewing people to whom you are not going to offer the job may be perceived as a waste of their time and the money they spent in coming for the interview. However, the other side of the coin is that it is unethical and often illegal not to offer equal employment opportunity by
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shortcutting hiring processes. Whether they get the job or not, all candidates should feel that they were treated fairly, especially if they are members of one of the four designated groups In the case where candidates appear to be equally qualified the manager can take the risk of going with their preferred candidate or can extend the selection process by reviewing the job description and job specification to identify other valid predictors on which each candidate can be assessed. S/he can also ask a third party, possibly someone from HR to review each file and see if their assessment shows that one is superior, even a little to another.
Hopefully they have not guaranteed their preferred candidate the job in advance or they will find themselves in a very difficult situation if a more qualified candidate is found. Ethically and legally, the candidate who is most qualified, based on an objective set of valid predictors, should be the chosen one.
Is it ethical to use personal information on social networking sites to assess job candidates? (p. 162)
Many companies do this but it shouldn’t be the only way information is gathered. Job applicants and employees have a right to privacy when it comes to even job related information– this is why written consent must be made before checking references. Using social media has taken reference/background checking into a whole new domain and using personal information from Facebook, Twitter etc. increases the risk of bringing information that is not a valid predictor of job performance into the selection decision. Most people using social networking sites nowadays are aware that these sites will be checked and “clean up” their profiles before beginning a job search. However, companies are actually asking candidates to provide social media passwords – if you don’t then you are automatically out of the running, which is also unethical. A group of US senators is calling for a taskforce to investigate how employers are using social media in recruitment and selection.
Teaching Tip: This is actually a selection question, so you may choose to assign this as preparation for the next chapter.
Is it ethical to keep extending the contracts of contract workers, rather than hiring them as permanent employees, in order to avoid the cost of employee benefits? (p. 164)
It is not ethical to take advantage of long-term workers who are basically doing the same work as someone who is a permanent employee, just to save money. On the other hand, managers do have a duty to shareholders and lenders to maintain profitability. If the work is truly variable, then extending contracts because the future is uncertain is a prudent tactic Where it is evident that there will be a continued need for the specific skills and knowledge of a particular contract worker bringing that person on as a permanent employee can lead to higher levels of commitment and performance that offset the additional cost. If the only reason is to simply avoid paying benefits then the employer should be aware that this might affect their organization’s reputation and make it more difficult to attract and keep candidates in the future. If the reason is to avoid taxes by treating the worker as an independent contractor, then the employer should be aware that the courts are cracking down on this practice. If the employer provides tools/equipment and dictates how the work is to be done then the person is deemed to be an employee and the organization may be fined and have to pay retroactive benefits or make other restitution.
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Chapter 6 – Recruitment 6-10
KEY TERMS
biographical information blank (BIB) A detailed job application form requesting biographical data found to be predictive of success on the job, pertaining to background, experiences, and preferences. Responses are scored. (p. 148)
blind ad A recruitment ad in which the identity and address of the employer are omitted. (p. 163)
contract workers Employees who develop work relationships directly with the employer for a specific type of work or period of time. (p. 164)
employer branding The image or impression of an organization as an employer based on the benefits of being employed by the organization (p. 144)
job posting The process of notifying current employees about vacant positions. (p. 152)
nepotism A preference for hiring relatives of current employees. (p. 156)
recruiter A specialist in recruitment, whose job it is to find and attract capable candidates. (p. 144)
recruitment The process of searching out and attracting qualified job applicants, which begins with the identification of a position that requires staffing and is completed when résumés or completed application forms are received from an adequate number of applicants. (p. 144)
want ad A recruitment ad describing the job and its specifications, the compensation package, and the hiring employer. The address to which applications and/or résumés should be submitted is also provided. (p. 163)
yield ratio The percentage of applicants that proceed to the next stage of the selection process. (p. 155)
REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (p.
169)
1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of recruiting from within the organization. Identify and describe the three tools that are used in this process. (p. 151 – 152, 154)
Filling open positions with inside candidates has several advantages:
employees see that competence is rewarded, thus enhancing commitment, morale, and performance.
having already been with the firm for some time, insiders may be more committed to company’s goals and less likely to leave.
managers are provided with a longer-term perspective when making business decisions.
it is generally safer to promote from within, since the firm is likely to have a more accurate assessment of the person’s skills than would otherwise be the case.
inside candidates require less orientation than outsiders.
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Disadvantages associated with recruiting within the organization include:
employees who apply for jobs and don’t get them may become discontented.
managers may be required to post all job openings and interview all inside candidates, even when they already know whom they wish to hire, thus wasting considerable time and creating false hope on the part of those employees not genuinely being considered.
employees may be less satisfied and accepting of a boss appointed from within their own ranks than a newcomer.
it is sometimes difficult for a newly chosen leader to adjust to no longer being “one of the gang.”
there is a possibility of “inbreeding” reflected in a tendency to make decisions “by the book” and to maintain the status quo, even when a new and innovative direction is needed.
The three tools most frequently used are job postings, HR records and Skills inventories
Job Posting is a process of notifying current employees about vacant positions via designated bulletin boards, employee publications, special-announcement handouts, the company’s intranet, or a 24-hour telephone number. Content of job postings includes job title, duties, qualifications, hours of work, pay range, posting date, and closing date (see Fig. 6.4, p. 153). As illustrated in Figure 5.3 (p. 154), there are advantages and disadvantages to using job postings.
Human resources records are often consulted to ensure that qualified individuals are notified, in person, of vacant positions. An examination of employee files may uncover: employees who are working in jobs below their education or skill levels; people who already have the requisite KSAs or persons with the potential to move into the vacant position if given some additional training.
Skills inventories are an even better reference tool. Whether computerized or manual, referring to such inventories ensures that qualified internal candidates are identified and considered for transfer or promotion when opportunities arise.
2. Brainstorm the advantages of external recruitment. Discuss the risks associated with external recruiting. (p. 154 - 163)
The advantages of external recruitment include:
generation of a larger pool of qualified candidates, which may have a positive impact on the quality of the selection decision.
availability of a more diverse applicant pool, which can assist in meeting employment equity goals and timetables.
acquisition of skills or knowledge not currently available within the organization and/or new ideas and creative problem-solving techniques.
elimination of rivalry and competition caused by employees jockeying for transfers and promotions, which can hinder interpersonal and interdepartmental cooperation.
potential cost savings resulting from hiring individuals who already have the skills, rather than providing extensive training.
The risks associated with external recruiting are having to deal with a high volume of applicants, many of whom are unqualified, dealing with candidates who are “testing the market” but are not serious about taking the job if offered, and having to deal with dissatisfied internal candidates who believe that they should receive preference in hiring. HRIS, especially applicant tracking software can help to make the process more efficient. Organizations should ensure they have sound reasons for external recruiting and be open to discussing employee concerns about limited career
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opportunities. By definition outsiders are less known to the organization so verifying information is critical; candidates are motivated to display themselves in the best possible light and may not reveal all information and in some cases will openly misrepresent their qualifications.
3. Explain the difference between an Internet job board and a corporate career Web site. (p. 159)
A job board (e.g. Workopolis.com, Monster.ca, HRSDC Job Bank) is open to all employers and employees seeking to fill a position. A candidate can post his or her resume online, and employers can access this database and search for the best match. Typically, employers pay a fee to post their positions.
The corporate Web site is specific to that corporation. The positions posted are open positions within that organization and have been approved by the HR department to be posted. Potential candidates can view the possible positions online and apply. Many firms use applicant-tracking systems to power their Web sites. Combined with resume databases, corporate Web sites can help companies create a pool of candidates who have already expressed interest in the organization. Some jobs on corporate career websites are only open to current employees.
4. Under what circumstances should a private employment agency be used? (p. 161)
Private employment agencies are often called upon to provide assistance to employers seeking intermediate- to senior-level clerical staff, and professional, technical, or managerial employees. Such agencies take an employer’s request for recruits and then solicit job seekers, relying primarily on advertising and walk-ins/write-ins. They serve two basic functions: expanding the applicant pool and performing preliminary interviewing and screening. To match the employer’s job specifications with the abilities and interests of potential applicants, agencies may perform a range of functions, including: advertising; testing for skills, aptitudes, and interests; interviewing; and reference checking. It should be noted, though, that the amount of service provided varies widely, as does the level of professionalism and the calibre of staff.
5. Describe the advantages of using online application forms or résumé repositories as part of the recruitment process. (p. 147 – 151)
Whether print or online there are several advantages to application forms.
Candidate comparison is facilitated by having information in a uniform manner
Résumés may not contain all of the desired information
Résumés may have been prepared by someone other than the candidate
Forms include necessary written authorization for reference checking
Forms include written acknowledgement by candidate that they have provide true and accurate information
Allows for collection of employment equity information (see Fig. 6.2, p. 149)
Having application forms completed online with storage of candidate résumés in an online repository has a number of other advantages including reduced risk of lost applications, increase exposure level of the job to potential candidates in many different locations, reduced likelihood of biases, and it allows candidates to complete and review their application 24/7.
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS (p. 170)
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1. What potential problems may result if the employer branding value proposition presented during the recruitment process is not reinforced once the new recruit is working for the organization? What could organizations do to avoid this situation? (p. 144)
An employee’s psychological contract (set of expectations of what will happen/what they will get) forms during the recruitment and selection process. If this contract is breached because value was misrepresented then this may create disenchanted employees who may leave and badmouth the organization or stay and create a negative environment for their co-workers. This has a financial impact by costing the company money for wasted hiring costs or lowered productivity The company should make sure that all policies and practices are clearly aligned, with everyone walking the talk
2. What potential problems could be created by offering referral bonuses to existing employees? (p. 156)
Some of the potential problems associated with employee referrals include the potential of inbreeding and nepotism to cause morale problems, and dissatisfaction of employees whose referral is not hired. Perhaps the biggest drawback, however, is that this method may result in systemic discrimination in workplaces that are not diverse, since employees tend to recommend individuals who have backgrounds similar to their own, in terms of race, ethnicity, religion. In addition, employees may put forward candidates who don’t work out once on the job, especially if the bonus is paid for the referral and not for the performance of the candidate in the months immediately after hiring.
Teaching Tip: Survey students to find out who would refer a friend or family member if a referral bonus was offered, first without a performance condition and second with a performance condition. Students can also discuss how much money would motivate them to refer people from their social network, especially in terms of posting a job opportunity via Twitter or Facebook.
3. Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of traditional and virtual career fairs. (p. 158)
At traditional job fairs, recruiters share information about the organization and job opportunities with those attending in an informal relaxed setting. Virtual job fairs online connect with a wider geographical audience. For job seekers, the virtual fair is more efficient in considering a number of organizations while more time may be needed to attend traditional ones. On the other hand, there are potential benefits to the face-to-face aspect of a traditional job fair, including a sense of the type of people in the organization as well as the possibility of making direct contact (networking) with the employers or their representatives.
4. As the labour supply gets tighter and tighter, would you be in favour of loosening requirements of foreign-trained professionals (for example, doctors, professors, accountants, engineers) to become immediately qualified in Canada? Why or why not? Identify the underlying assumptions in the position you took. (p. 146 - 147)
Among the issues to be considered are the diversity of qualification internationally and the need to maintain or meet professional standards in Canada. Consideration of alternatives could include an across-the-board loosening of requirements versus a more differentiated approach. Foreigntrained professionals could sit a “challenge” examination to demonstrate their skills and abilities that could bring them into the labour force rapidly. Otherwise, the initiative of Manitoba supported
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by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists provides a viable alternative. Students may raise issues in regards to their own future career prospects versus the immediate and urgent need to fill professional positions e.g. family doctors.
5. What are some ofthespecific reservationsthat a 30-year-old candidate might have about applying for a job that requires managing a workforce that is on average ten years older than he or she is? (p. 165)
Discrepancy in age and experience may lead to unsubstantiated perceptions that older workers will be out of date, resistant to change, and “coasting” towards retirement In fact older workers are highly motivated, have a strong work ethic, good people skills and a willingness to work in a variety of roles. Many older workers have chosen not to take on managerial responsibilities, so the age difference is irrelevant as long as the manager shows that s/he knows what they are doing and can earn their trust and respect. The key to managing a multigenerational team is to integrate new skills and knowledge while showing respect for proven abilities.
6. Assume you are the HR manager in a highly homogenous company that now wants to better reflect the diversity of the target client group in its employee population. What must you consider as you think about implementing your new recruitment strategy? (p. 166167)
Considerations include assessing why current recruitment strategies have not produced a diverse workforce to date and identifying alternate sources and methods for outreach that encourage a broader range of candidates. Working in partnership with organizations and associations may be more effective and efficient than trying to go it alone as they have the contacts, channels and expertise in communicating with their members. At the same time, you must be aware of a possible backlash from current employees who believe they or their family members will have limited opportunities in the future, especially if nepotism has been part of the corporate culture in the past.
You should closely monitor results from different external recruitment methods by using yield ratios to see which methods are most effective in making your workforce more diverse and are cost-effective (time and money) at the same time.
Last, but not least, you should not go so far as to open up the organization to claims of discrimination by members of designated groups or on prohibited grounds. Transition to a more diverse workforce is likely to be a gradual process; unless you have to satisfy federal government targets.
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Chapter 6 – Recruitment 6-15
EXPERIENTIAL EXERCISES (p. 170)
1. Go to your university’s or college’s career centre and gather information on all the services they provide. How many companies come to recruit students through the centre each year? What services does the centre provide to employers seeking to hire graduating students? Employers seeking to hire summer students? Employers seeking to hire students for internships?
Many students never use campus career centres, relying on other sources for information for their job search, so this will be an eye-opening exercise for many. Debrief their findings and discuss what new information they have learned about support for students looking for work. Generate a discussion about why they do and don’t use campus career services.
2. Given the importance of networking to recruitment success, organize the class around core jobs that students would like to have. In each group, brainstorm sources of networking. Poll the group to determine how many people in the group are taking advantage of each available network. Highlight reasons for low involvement and brainstorm ideas about how these challenges can be overcome.
Potential networking sources include employee referrals, former employees, concentrated job fairs at educational institutions, professional and trade associations, labour organizations, and military personnel. Challenges may include the fact that “networking” has negative connotations about being “pushy”, students may not know that they could be connected to these networks through other people that they know, and networking in recent years has come to mean social media. Many campus career centres offer networking opportunities with alumni and workshops on “how to network”. Students may procrastinate and figure that they’ll take advantage of these later on, but tomorrow never comes. It’s never too early to start networking!
3. Considering the current economic situation and using the following list of jobs, identify all of the sources that could be used to recruit qualified applicants:
Registered Nurses to work in the critical care unit of a new regional hospital
Carpenters to work on a new home building project
Chief Financial Officer for an international engineering firm with a head office located in Vancouver
Retail sales associates to work in an urban clothing chain
Customer service representatives to work in a bank branch
Bilingual administrative assistants for Canadian financial services company operating internationally
The purpose of this exercise is to have students brainstorm different ways to attract new talent. It can be done in small groups or as a large class discussion. Encourage students to think outside of the box.
This is an opportunity to discuss some of the different means of getting qualified workers such as: carpenters – if want licensed carpenter must go through the union, otherwise you can ask for referrals from people who have had someone do carpentry work in the past, for bank reps – could hire students part time and use social media to interact with potential applicants (page 150-158)
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RUNNING CASE: LearnInMotion.com (p. 171) Getting Better Applicants
1. Describe how the recruitment process (including all of the steps) outlined in Figure 6.1 will be of assistance to Jennifer and Pierre to solve their recruitment problems.
Recruitment is the process of searching out and attracting qualified job applicants. It begins with the identification of a position that requires staffing and is completed when resumes and/or completed application forms are received from an adequate number of applicants. Students should use the steps outlined in Figure 6.1 when answering this question. In a new business such as theirs they need to make sure they don’t’ waste precious time and moneyon low yield methods.
2. Draft a new job posting for each of the seven positions discussed in the case Then discuss how you put the job posting(s) together and why, using Figure 6.2 and Figure 6.3 as examples.
Students should refer to Figure 6.2 for the sample job posting in the text and then discuss the advantages and disadvantages of their job posting to explain how they pulled it together.
CASE INCIDENT: Solving a Potential Recruitment Dilemma (page 173)
1. Should Rachel utilize internal or external recruitment techniques to staff these 50 positions?
Students should discuss both internal and external recruitment techniques and recommend the best solution after discussing the advantages and disadvantages of all the techniques. External techniques include: online recruiting, social networking sites, print advertising, executive search firms, employee referrals, former employees, educational institutions, HRSDC, professional and trade associations, labour organizations, military personnel, open houses and job fairs. Internal techniques include: job postings, human resource records, skills inventories.
2. Rachel is hoping to recruit qualified candidates from a variety of diverse demographics. Will she have to use different recruitment techniques to do this, if so, what ones are the most effective to attract these candidates (i.e. older workers, designated group members, and so on)?
See the strategic HR box to attract younger workers, for older workers the recommended strategy is rehiring former employees and retirees, for designated group members (worklink is a good source for Canadians with disabilities, aboriginal inclusion network for aboriginal recruits, society for Canadian women in science and technology for female recruits and the Ontario ministry of community and social services is also a good link.
3. Rachel plans on hiring recruiters to assist her in staffing these 50 positions. Knowing the company will require the recruiters to adhere to the concept of employer branding, describe what steps Rachel should take to orient the new recruiters to the branding process?
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Employer branding is the image or impression of an organization as an employer based on the perceived benefits of being employed by the organization. Students should discuss the three steps listed in Chapter 6 and come up with practical suggestions on how to get new recruiters up to speed very quickly, so they sound as though they have been with the organization for a long time.
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Chapter 6 – Recruitment 6-18
