Recruitment and training.

Question 1

What is recruitment?

Answer 1

The process of finding and hiring someone for a job role that needs filling.

Question 2

Recruitment involves many stages, what are they?

Answer 2

Identifying a vacancy, writing job description, advertising job, processing applications, shortlist and assess most suitable candidates, hire most suitable candidate.

Question 3

What is a job description, what does it entail?

Answer 3

A job description is a document which includes the job title, main roles and responsibilities of said job, the salary and other elements that are less relevant.
It will also include the job specification, which entail the qualities and qualifications required for the job.

Question 4

What would a business do before advertising a job?

Answer 4

They would decide on whether they want to recruit internally or externally.

Question 5

Once advertised, how do candidates apply for a role?

Answer 5

This will be specified in the job advert, but usually entails an application form, writing a cover letter and providing a CV. The business can then begin the selection process.

Question 6

What are common ways in which a business can assess their candidates in order to make a more informed decision?

Answer 6

Interviews, assessment days and in tray activities (put in a realistic scenario someone who would do the job sufficiently could handle).

Question 7

How are interviews used?

Answer 7

The most common selection process, candidates are typically interviewed one on one by a panel of interviewers, specific questions will be asked by the interviewers with the intention of assessing how suitable a candidate is based on their answers.

Question 8

How are assessment days used?

Answer 8

Some organisations will put their candidates through a range of activities to test candidates, such as psychometric training, aptitude tests and group activities to test a candidates capabilities to work with others - vital in most jobs.

Question 9

What key aspects might a business be looking for? (BREIF)

Answer 9

Good attitude, skills and ideally both.

Question 10

Why are employees with good attitudes wanted by businesses.

Answer 10

More motivated/productive - more susceptible to learn new skills quicker, better team work theoretically.

Question 11

Why is it beneficial for a business to hire someone who is already highly skilled?

Answer 11

Save training costs and easily adaptable, however would still be looking for the correct attitude and team working capabilities to keep others motivated.

Question 12

Even if a candidate is less skilled yet has a better attitude than another candidate, why might they be preferred.

Answer 12

Ultimately, a business is looking to hire people with good attitudes and skills, however if both cannot be found in one person, it is easier to train the latter than improve the former.

Question 13

What is internal/ex recruitment?

Answer 13

When a business hires someone already within the business - external outside the business.

Question 14

Pros and cons of internal recruitment.

Answer 14

Both mutually know eachother and employee knows the culture, which can be hard to adapt to.
- Short and cheap process.
Motivates workers to work for promotion.

Cons - Vacancy somewhere else.
- Can cause clashes with other colleagues who were not selected.
- May not be able to bring any new aspects.

Question 15

Pros and cons of external recruitment.

Answer 15

Pros - New ideas and experience.
Bigger applicant pool.

Cons - Longer and more costly
- Longer induction process.
-Might not have seen true personality of candidate.
Might not fit the culture.

Question 16

What costs do recruitment bring?

Answer 16

Advertising - specialist sites can be expensive, but necessary to attract the right people - LinkedIn can be used, but very expensive often.
A business may use a specialist recruitment agency to find specialist staff. Usually for a unique or more senior role; the agency will shortlist candidates and sometimes interview and choose on behalf of the business.
- The shortlisting and assessing candidate process means people will not be doing their normal jobs which can cost capital - especially with more senior staff.
- Could be other expenses such as providing travel and service for candidates, or sending reps to recruitment fairs.

Question 17

Once a candidate is chosen, what other aspect occurs which can be costly? Why is it important it is done correctly?

Answer 17

Training; there are a myriad of ways to do this, but it costs money for someone to train a new candidate, e.g. off the job training. It is vital this training is effective as it is expensive and someone who is not trained sufficiently may leave increasing labour turnover - when this is high it is costly as the process of recruitment and training is expensive.

Question 18

What is induction training?

Answer 18

Once employed, a new employee will start induction training to introduce them to the workplace and their new role, this usually begins with explaining a businesses background, history and a familiarisation with the culture and key policies. A employee will be provided with more detail on their job, the extent to which this occurs depends on the business and nature of the job.

Question 19

Why is it important to fully support a new employee?

Answer 19

To ensure they do not make many mistakes or become overwhelmed, demotivated and unable to work effectively.

Question 20

What is on the job training? Where is it most suitable? Pros and cons?

Answer 20

This is where a new worker is trained by an experienced internal worker, this is also not exclusive to new employees, as established ones can receive this training to develop skills. It is most suitable where practical skills are being taught.
Pros - Easy to organise, lower cost and job specific, help to understand the business culture more.
Cons - Not fully productive during training as own work can get in the way, bad habits passed on and no innovation brought in.

Question 21

What is off the job training? Where is it most suitable? Pros and cons?

Answer 21

Where training is done by an external organisation for the business. It is most appropriate when the employee requires general info about the business, or when the employee is learning new skills that may be difficult to do so in the work environment ie managing people.

Pros - Trainers are often specialists, new ideas brought in and no job distractions during training.

Cons - Expensive, no benefit to the business during training and may not be specific for the day to day of the job, also does not help as much with assimilation.