What is recruitment planning?

• Recruitment planning 

Recruitment is a part of the acquisition component of HRM. It is concerned with finding the right man for the right post at the right time to attract and facilitate the effective selection of candidates for fulfilling the HR needs of an organization. 

It is a process to discover the sources of the workforce to meet the requirements of the staffing schedule and apply effective measures for attracting that workforce in adequate numbers to facilitate the effective selection.

Recruitment has been regarded as the most important function of HR management because unless the right type of people is hired, even the best plans and control systems will not produce a good result.

According to Bayers and Rue, " Recruitment is the process of seeking and attracting a pool of people from which qualified candidates for job vacancies can be chosen."

On the basis of the above definition and discussion, the following conclusions can be derived:

• The most important function of HR management. 

• It is a likely activity bringing together those with jobs and seeking jobs

• Searching and motivating provable candidates to apply for the vacant post.

• Helping tool to choose the best available candidate.

Recruitment planning comprises the activities and time allocated to complete the total recruitment process and procedures. Normally, it includes an understanding of the recruitment process, assigning responsibility for recruitment, and implementation of recruitment policies. 

Selection process

The selection process consists of a series of hurdles process through which the successful candidate must pass and cross upon.

The steps for selection of officers may differ from organization to organization as some organizations only interview, the candidate, whereas others use written test plus interview.

The good practice selection process consists of the following steps:

1. Evaluation of Application Form:

The recruitment process generates a sufficiently large number of filled in application forms from prospective candidates. 

Such forms consist of information about personal background information, qualifications, work experience, expected salary, and references. All the application forms are evaluated, and the forms of candidates not meeting job specifications and providing false information are rejected. 

2 Screening interview:

A screening interview is held for initial screening out of candidates. During the process of screening unqualified, unsuitable and misfit candidates are phased out.

The candidates are provided a better opportunity to know about the organization, and even they can voluntarily withdraw their application. 

3. Selection Tests:

The standardized written tests are administered to the candidates passing the preliminary interviews. They assess the suitability of candidates for the job.

They provide objective information about the candidate.

4. Selection Interview:

The selection interview is face to face observation and appraisal of the candidate's suitability for the job. It proves the areas that cannot be addressed by the application form or selection tests. 

It is based on in-depth conversion to evaluate the candidate's acceptability. The selection interview is related to the job description and job specifications. 

It assesses the candidate's ability to do the job, degree of motivation, personality, and interpersonal skills, and career goals of the candidate.

5. Reference Checks: 

The information relating to the background and character of the candidate is checked from referees listed in the application form.

The responses from the listed reference can be checked by mail, email, telephone, or personal visit.