1.      Introduction

 

One of the most critical functions in an organization is Human Resource Management. Subsequently the only live resource in an organization is human being, it is very difficult to dealing with people.  A key determinant of performance and stability of an organization is the internal customers. Human resource has many features that the other resources do not possess. Key function of any scale organization all over the world is the managing human resources.

Recruitment and selection process  

‘The process of attracting individuals on a timely basis, in sufficient numbers and with appropriate qualifications, to apply for jobs with an organization’ (Gusdorf, 2008, P.171)

 If HR planning indicates the need for addition labor, there are number of choices to make. The first step would be recruitment and selection process and sometimes hiring additional employees is not the good t method to obtain additional labor. Organization can consider alternatives to recruiting, such as outsourcing or contingent labor, instead of hiring regular employees (Dessler 2011) Part-time labor or overtime by existing employees would be solutions for a temporary fluctuation in work volume and it would be the simple solution. Hiring new employees should happen only after careful consideration and only when the organization anticipates a long-term need for additional labor (John ,2009)

Estimates on the cost to replace supervisory, technical and management employees run from 50 percent to several hundred percent of employee salaries. To accurate forecasting of future labor needs, carefully HR planning must consider the overall growth prospects of the organization. Promotion from within your organization’s promotion policy will have a significant effect on the recruitment process.

The most common method used to find qualified applicants from inside the organization is job posting (John ,2009) JOB POSTING: The procedure to inform employees that job openings exist.It may be appropriate to promote someone already working for the organization, if the open position is above entry level. A reward for good work or longevity with the organization, organization use promotion as a motivation tool (Amstrong,2010). Employees become more aware of their own career opportunities, when they see their co-workers being promoted. Promotion is very important in current environment where employee have little chance of improving their lot by changing organizations.by having improvement within their current organization, employee have opportunity for career growth and increased income. When organization promote the exsistine employee, employee will be comfortable with the corporate culture, knows organization policies and will likely get up to speed much faster than a person new to the organization(Kaur ,2013)

 “The problem with promotion from within is that the promoted person leaves a staffing gap in his or her so there is still a position to be filled  and  “That gap is likely to be at a lower, less-skilled position, and therefore it may be an easier position to fill” (Gusdorf, 2008, p 171)

Advantages of internal recruitment

The advantages of internal recruitment and selection are as follows (Daft ,2009)

• ·         It's quicker
• ·         It's easier
• ·         It’s less risky
• ·         It’s improve employee brand
• ·         It’s boost employee engagement

Disadvantages of internal recruitment and selection

The Disadvantages of internal recruitment and selection are as follows (Daft ,2009)

• Cons it could cause internal conflict
• They may not be respected by others
• External recruitment is the evaluation of open of job candidates, other than existing staff, to check whether there are any enough talented or able to fill requirement and perform existing employment opportunities (Dessler ,2011)

Advantages of External recruitment and selection

The advantages of external recruitment and selection are as follows (Daft R L ,2009)

• ·         Increased chances
• ·         Fresher skill and input
• ·         Qualified candidates
• ·         Better competition
• ·         Lesser internal politics
• 
  
• 
  
• Advantages of External recruitment and selection

The Disadvantages of external recruitment and selection are as follows (Daft ,2009)

• ·         A limited understanding about the company
• ·         Higher risk
• ·         Time consuming
• ·         High costs
• ·         Internal disputes with existing employees

The strength of the economy and labor market conditions will significantly affect the organization’s ability to attract and retain top-level employees. Organization has to compete with other employers for a limited number of skilled employees, as the economy is strong and with little unemployment (Khanna,2014). To attract quality applicants organization require increased compensation or benefits incentives (Khanna,2014).

The best way to avoid the trauma and expense of a lawsuit is to simply not discriminate (Kayode,2013) Focus   recruitment and hiring decisions on job skills and qualifications, endeavoring to find the best person for the job (Kayode, 2013)

 Background of the organization

The Bank which I work for is a leading commercial Bank in Sri Lanka since 1999 Bank has emerged as a top of the range Human Resource solutions provider to customers around the globe servicing companies of all sizes and diverse industries. The Bank has over 100 branches all over island wide.

Providing on-premise and cloud-based HRIS as well as Outsourcing services  into both HR and IT, Bank enables companies to work more effectively and to achieve better results in terms of both Human Resource Management and overall performance of the organization. The success at Bank lies with a dedicated team of professionals geared towards one common goal of providing quality Human Resource solutions.

The Bank is providing a comprehensive, effective and efficient way to manage and develop Employees; the most valuable asset in an organization. This Bank provides a comprehensive set of functionalities to address Human Resource Management needs of any organization. Bank is a perfect platform for aligning your HR processes and achieving higher standards of human capital management as a web based application with features reflecting the latest developments in HR Management

Recruitment and selection

Recruitment and selection process in a series of  hurdles aimed at selecting the best candidate for the job ( Muhammad,  Hamad, Batool,2014) Recruitment and selection refers to the chain and sequence of activities pertaining to recruitment and selection of employable candidates and job seekers for an organization. Every organization has some well-defined employment and recruitment policies and hiring procedures( Muhammad, Hamad, Batool,2014).The HR department of large organizations, businesses, government offices and multilateral organizations are generally vested with the responsibilities of employee recruitment and selection (Piatkowski,2014).

Process of recruitment and selection

 (Source: Dessler and Varkkey, year 2011)

 In a process of recruitment and selection in first have to forecast on employment planning  and is build a pool of candidates.HR team will collect complete application forms from applicants and have to use selection tools like tests to screen out applicants. Finally throughout the supervision and interviews final candidates to be chosen final candidates

Employee selection is an important activity of HRM, and the benefits of effective recruitment and selection given below (Daft, 2009)

1.   Business goals and objectives are better achieved by selecting employees whom you feel will add value to your company.

2.      An incompetent employee is a liability to your business, they're also an additional expense and a burden that you don't need.

3.      Personnel requirements vary from job to job.

4.      People have varying degrees of intelligence, aptitudes and abilities.

5.      Labor Laws protect employees, thus making it difficult to fire incompetents and problem cases

6.      Individuals have different interests, goals, and objectives in life.

3.2.1        Selection of Graduate/ Management trainees of Bank

The number of step has been experienced by Bank to select graduate/ management trainees as it is very important to fulfill best person to junior software development. Bellow steps have taken to select best candidate from the pool.

·         Screening and short listing of application

• Preliminary interviews
• Tests (Technical Test/ Practical Test)
• Secondary interviews with HR and Final Interviews with the Director/ General Manager
• Selection decision

3.2.1.1        Screening and short listing of application

It is already decided to recruit graduate/ management trainees by properly analyzing job condition of Bank. Selection process is functioning under close review of HR department.

The CVs received from the universities and internal employees are screening and short listing under several criteria such as the specialization of the degree, period of training, projects experience.

Bank has recruited five to six Graduate/ Management trainees per year for six months training and 12 months training. After the training period the Trainees are evaluate by the department heads and direct supervisors and recruit selected trainees to permanent carder as Associate Software Engineer.

Table 3.1 explains the criteria and requirements which Bank take in to consideration to select best candidates from the pool.

3. 1 Table: Short Listing criteria, requirements and remarks

Criteria	Requirement	Looked at	Remarks
Qualifications	Degree	Degree with a Class or General Degree	Point scheme set to evaluate degree criteria, specialization etc.
	Membership of a recognized Professional Body	Membership Partial qualification	Points for membership, partial qualifications for relevant professional qualifications.
Experience	Industrial Experience	Project Experience and technical experience	Depending on the projects and Time worked applications will be sorted in to Management trainee and Graduate trainee criteria.
Criteria	Requirement	Looked at	Remarks
Personality	Permanent disability Other moral qualities	Disability will not cause rejection. Human skills	Special attention should be given to disabled candidates at the selection test (reserving special slots of time and venues) Extracurricular activities may show the human skills of candidates.

3.2.1.2 Preliminary interview

After screened out the applications the organization will call interview for selected applicants who enable to pass through screen unit. The Bank is conducting the structured interview to select the person.

Within the interview, the Bank mainly worried about the attitude, value, believes of the person rather than experience as graduate/ management trainee position is concerned. The Bank trusts the status of person and his knowledge and skills are directly affected to the performance of the organization.

1        Appearance	2        Drive & Initiative
3        Friendliness	4        Attitudes
5        Personality	6        Learning curve
7        Confidence	8        Experience
9        Conversational ability	10    Qualification
11    Attention to details	12    Computer Skills

The purpose of preliminary interviewing is to appoint the best person for the job based solely on merit and suitability. The Bank selection framework reaches this by using methods that are systematic, thorough, fair, unbiased and based on rational, objective, job related criteria.

The preliminary interview is doing by a technical person who is attached to software development such as Senior Manager. The interviewer is evaluating the candidate by considering following criteria.

At the interview, each candidate should be treated consistently. To achieve this panel should;

• ·     Ask the same initial questions of each candidate – self introduction
• ·  Supplement their understanding of the candidate’s responses by following up questions as appropriate.
• ·  Be consistent in allowing access to presentation material, notes and so on if necessary or request by interviewers.
• ·  Not allow any unfair questions, harassment, or any other conduct which breaches the Bank equal opportunities policy or code of conduct.
• ·   Secure that information gained throughout the selection process is treated as confidential and is known only to parties involved in the selection process.
• ·   Keep records of interviews and the reasons for decisions - returning this information to HR for filing. 
• · Panel members would be alert that it is their responsibility to ensure recruitment/interview documentation is stored securely and confidentially whilst in their possession.

33.2.1.3.  Selection tests

The Bank is conducting two selection tests for their candidates. Normally Bank used to give written exam and IQ test as a selection tool for Graduate/ Management trainees. If the candidate is got through the written exam he/ she have to do practical test. Examination consists of mainly two parts;

1. IQ - Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) – 1hour
2. General knowledge  – 1hour

IQ test and General knowledge  are marked by HR. Marks are released within 1 to 2 days and the candidates who got highest marks for two tests will be call for practical test (2 hours). Based on the written tests the HR and the Head of development will finalized the candidates for secondary interview.

Bank held responsibility about the validity and reliability of the tests and the confidentiality of marks.

3.2.1.4  Secondary and Final interviews

This in-depth interview will focus on niche and soft skills. The “Soft skills” of a candidate are gauged by with interview techniques. Technical skills are scrutinized by utilizing customized screening methods that will be identified throughout the initial meeting.

The HR department mostly HR manager or Senior HR Executive will do the secondary interview to evaluate the reality of the candidate profile in terms of human related skills and attitudes stated in the Curriculum vitae. Here looked at the culture of candidates at the level of organizational culture.

The selected candidates from the secondary interview will be call for final interview with the Director/ General Manager. The main purpose of the interview is to finalize the candidates for the vacant position.

3.2.1.5 Selection Decision

After implementation the all above filtering processes, Bank has to acquire approval from CEO and uncertainty he approved, the HR department will send the employee’s details to finance department in order to make the appointment letter and the contract for training. Once received the appointment letter and the contract from the finance, the HR department will call the candidates to signing the agreement. Here HR department will clarify all the terms and conditions of the agreements and ask them to sign each and every page of the agreement.

Conclusion and Recommendations

One of the most important functions of the HR department is Recruitment and selection. , selecting and recruiting should be accurate and qualified as the talents should come in to the Organization.

Organization should be focused on:

1. §  Recognize  basics of recruitment & selection process
2. §  Current trends in recruitment
3. §  Motivational issues that interests excellence employees.

References

Armstrong, M & Taylor, S (2014), Armstrong’s Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, Thirteenth edition, London, United Kingdom

Armstrong, M (2014), Armstrong’s Strategic Human Resource Management A Guide to Action, Fourth edition, London, United Kingdom

Armstrong, M.(2010) Armstrong's Essential :Human Resource Managewment Practice, Guide to People Management. London : Kogan Page Limited .

Benson S G and Dundis S P (2003) Understanding and motivating health care employees: integrating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, training and technology, Journal of Nursing Management, Vol 11, pp. 315–320

Chungyalpa W and Karishma T (2016), Best Practices and Emerging Trends in Recruitment and Selection, Journal of Entrepreneurship & Organization Management 2016

Daft, R., L., (2009) Principles of Management, New Delhi: Cengage Learning India (Pvt) Limited

Dessler, G.(2011). Human Resource Management, (12th Ed.). New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Private Limited.

Isenhour, L C, Lukaszewski K M, Stone, D L (2014), Organizational attraction factors: A technology perspective, Journal of Technology Research, Vol 5 

Kaur, A (2013) Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory : Applications and Criticisms, Global Journal of Management and Business Studies, Vol 3, No. 10, pp. 1061-1064

Kayode, O (2013) Application of Theory X & Y in Classroom Management, International Journal of Education and Research, Vol 1, No. 5

Khanna, P (2014) Recruitment & Selection - A need of the hour for organizational success, International Journal of Research in Management & Technology,Vol. 4, No.3, June 2014

Mohamed, R K M H & Nor, C S M, (2013), The Relationship between McGregor's X-Y Theory Management Style and Fulfillment of Psychological Contract: A Literature Review International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, May 2013, Vol. 3, No. 5

Muhammad, A, Hamad, N, Batool, A, (2014) Impact of Recruitment and selection of HR Department Practices, European Journal of Business and Management, Vol 6, pp No 31

Piatkowski, M (2004), People Selection Process for Implementing Lean Manufacturing, F.S.P. Consulting Inc.

 

Ployhart, R E (2006) Staffing in the 21st Century : New Challenges and Strategic Opportunities, Journal of Management

Robert, L., H., John, H., J., (2009) Human Resource Management,(13th Ed.). USA: South Western Cengage Learning