3.05 External Recruitment
____________________________________________________________
Chapter 05: External Recruitment
_____________________________________________________________
Sample Answers for Ethical Issues
Issue 1
Many organizations adopt a targeted recruitment strategy. For example, Home Depot has targeted workers 50 and above in its recruitment efforts, which include advertising specifically in media outlets frequented by older individuals. Other organizations target recruitment messages at women, minorities, or those with desired skills. Do you think targeted recruitment systems are fair? Why or why not?
The fairness of a targeted recruitment message depends to a large extent on the ways in which targeting occurs. If targeted recruitment means adding …show more content…
advertising to publications or other media outlets more likely to reach certain populations, most individuals would consider it fair. However, if certain groups are targeted exclusively, the system can be quite unfair because it denies equal opportunity to those groups that do not have an opportunity to see the recruitment message.
Issue 2
Most organizations have in place job boards on their web page where applicants can apply for jobs online. What ethical obligations, if any, do you think organizations have to individuals who apply for jobs online?
Individuals who apply for jobs online are entitled, at the very least, to the same confidentiality that an organization extends to those who apply using paper and pencil format applications. Data from online applications should be kept in a secure server. Applicants should be asked to indicate if they agree to having their current or former employers contacted for the purposes of gathering background information. In general, all applications should be considered at some level, although the sheer number of applications received through electronic sources may mean that applications will need to be screened through software. It might be advisable for an organization to notify employees if their applications will be kept on file or if an individual is simply not qualified for the organization so that the applicant can conduct his or her subsequent job search more efficiently.
Sample Answers to Discussion Questions
1. List and briefly describe each of the administrative issues that needs to be addressed in the planning stage of external recruiting.
Sample Answer: One administrative issue is the requisition process. The act of preparing and issuing a requisition is the step that identifies the specifications for the hire (in terms of KSAOs, salary and other details of the hire) and requests top management to proceed with the hire. The recruitment specialist then determines the number of contacts to be made, which can be estimated from yield ratios if proper records have been kept so that ratios can be calculated based on past history. It is also necessary to determine the types of contacts that will have to be made. This involves identifying the qualifications needed to perform the job, which can be taken from the job requirements matrix. Type of contacts also involves deciding how job applicants search for the focal position and how the organization should proceed to make contact with potential applicants. As with all administrative functions, recruitment has costs, so the recruitment process should be conducted within the guidelines of a recruitment budget. The budget can be established by a top-down method, whereby top management sets the budget on the basis of the business plan for the organization and on the basis of projected revenues. Alternatively, a bottom-up approach can be used. This is a method that starts by costing out the budget based on the specific needs of each business unit. At this point in the process, the recruiters are selected. They are trained and provided with an appropriate reward system. A highly useful management tool for recruitment is the recruitment guide, which is a formal document that details the process to be followed, based on the organization’s staffing flowcharts. The guide clarifies expectations and operational-steps for the recruiter, and the requesting department, and is essential for controlling costs, ensuring legal compliance, and conducting efficient management of the recruitment process.
2.
List ten sources of applicants that organizations turn to when recruiting. For each source, identify needs specific to the source, as well as pros and cons of using the source for recruitment.
Sample Answer: One source of applicants is the outplacement offices within larger organizations that are experiencing downsizing. This can be an excellent source for employees who have experience and critical KSAOs. A disadvantage of this source is that it is not reliable concerning either the quantity or quality of the employees it can provide. This is so because this source is completely dependent on downsizing activity, which is hard to predict and is often a one-time or sporadic event.
Co-ops and internships are excellent for acquiring and training future management employees. These arrangements are made between the company and colleges, universities, community colleges and vocational schools. Their main disadvantage is the cost and management time involved. Someone has to manage the program, supervise the training of the participants, and adjust the work environment to accommodate the trainees. There are also costs associated with the constant flow of temporary employees in and out of the organization. It is vital that actual hires and high retention rates result from the programs in order for them to be
cost-justifiable.
Contingent workers (i.e., temporaries, leased employees, and independent contractors) are a logical supplement for an organization’s work force to fill needs caused by short-term production spurts, or any other needs that are special or temporary in nature and make the addition of full-time employees uneconomical. Such employees, however, may not share the values and commitment of full-time employees.
Several other sources that can be brought to bear are: computerized resume services, alumni associations, unemployed youth services, religious organizations, and interest groups. Each of these sources is likely to provide a rather limited number of applicants, and applicants of a narrow type. They can be useful if there is a close match between the type of employee within the source and the type of employee being sought. Realtors are sometimes a source of “trailing partners;” that is, individuals relocating with their spouses. This voice can locate employees with high-level KSAOs, but the source is sporadic in its utility. Various direct methods such as direct mail, door hangers, and point-of-sale messages are also used. Such methods must be highly targeted or they quickly become cost-prohibitive. Direct methods probably work best when production employees are needed in large numbers, and such potential employees are concentrated within a geographic area, so that direct methods can achieve high contact rates that justify their use.
3. In designing the communication message to be used in external recruiting, what kinds of information should be included?
Sample Answer: Designing the communication message will require developing a message that is effective from a marketing standpoint in attracting applicants, targeted from the organization’s perspective in attracting applicants with the right KSAOs, and constructed well from a legal perspective so that no violation or employment laws and regulations occurs. The message should reflect the content of the job requirements and job rewards matrices. It should have a style that reflects the level and availability of the focal job. For example, realistic messages may be appropriate when supply of the employees being sought is great. An attractive message might be more advisable when labor supply is tight. It is recommended that, if the organization has access to legal counsel, the message receive a legal review before being used. EEO/AA statements are required for many publicly funded organizations and the assistance of legal counsel in developing the exact wording of such statements is needed to ensure compliance with laws a and regulations.
4. What are the advantages of conveying a realistic recruitment message as opposed to one portraying the job in a way that the organization thinks that job applicants want to hear?
Sample Answer: The realistic message contains a fair amount of detail regarding both the negative and the positive aspects of the job, and many HR specialists feel this is the optimal type of message for a number of reasons. The realistic message conveys the most detailed and accurate information about the actual nature of the job, which greatly increases the amount of self-selection that will occur on the part of the potential applicants. Even for applicants who continue through the recruitment process are likely to have expectations more in line with what actual job conditions are likely to be. This will enhance retention and long-term commitment, and reduce the potential for legal problems that might occur because an employees feels the “real” job is not as advertised. Effective self-selection saves the organization money because time and funds are not expended on applicants who would not truly be satisfied with the environment or the conditions of the focal job. In today’s litigious society, where individuals are also putting more emphasis on their own values and personal life styles, advertisements that portray the job in a way that the organization “thinks that job applicants want to hear” are probably dangerous from a legal point-of-view, and wasteful in terms of the poor hires that result from such an approach. The best advertisement will use professional marketing techniques in writing ad copy so that the following occur: 1. the ad presents the positive attributes of the job in an attractive way; 2. negative attributes appear later in the ad and are presented in a straightforward and honest fashion; 3. the ad is written to match the KSAOs and motivation required by the organization to a personality and skill profile of the type of applicants the organization hopes to attract. As an example of how to handle a negative attribute, consider the negative attribute of extensive travel. An advertisement should not contain this attribute in the headline. It would probably appear in the middle of the body of the ad, or second or third among a list of job attributes. It might also be combined with positive attributes. For example, in advertising position for direct sales personnel, the advertisement might read: “Since extensive overnight travel is required for this position, Organization XYZ seeks experienced sales professionals who are able to work independently and are skilled in self-organization and time management.” This statement identifies the negative attribute, but it also solicits applicants with positive characteristics for the job of sales.
5. What strategies are organizations using to ensure that they are able to attract women and underrepresented racioethnic groups?
Sample Answer: Organizational strategies to improve the diversity of the workforce include methods of search, communication messages, and media. Organizations that seek to improve diversity first and foremost ensure that all recruiting materials are distributed to a wide variety of applicants. Recruiting practices might emphasize universities that have diverse student bodies. Organizations might seek to advertise in publications that are directed toward certain audiences, especially in media sources that are more likely to be viewed by women and minorities. Advertising materials should explicitly mention the organization’s commitment to diversity. Moreover, such advertising should demonstrate that women and minorities can achieve positions of leadership within the organization.
Application #1: Improving a College Recruitment Program
1. What topics should be covered in the training program?
Job requirements and job rewards matrices
An Overview of the recruiting process and its objectives including a timetable
Legal issues
Interviewing techniques/skills
Strengths/weaknesses of different selection tools
Evaluation of applicants
Career and professional opportunities at the company
2. What materials and training aids will be needed for the program?
Job requirements/rewards matrices
Structured interview questions
Company brochures
Job descriptions
Interviewee evaluation form
Legal guidelines for college recruiting
3. What skills should the trainees actually practice during the training?
How to make a good impression (interpersonal skills)
How to conduct an interview
How to evaluate interviewees
4. Who should conduct the training?
Marianne, who needs to be play an integral role in the process this year. In addition, an external trainer could also be hired to bring in a more objective and a broader range of relevant experience.
5. What other changes might have to be made to ensure that the training has a strong impact on the managers and that they are motivated to use what they learned during the recruitment process?
Provide resources and support for managers who are recruiting. Get managers’ commitment to the recruiting process. Make recruiting part of each manager's performance appraisal. Alter reward system to reward managers who do a good job of recruiting.
Application #2: Internet Recruiting
Sample Report - Evaluation of Corporate Recruiting Web Sites
To:
Selma Williams
From:
HR Intern
Subject:
Evaluation of Corporate Recruiting Web Sites
1. Evaluation of Corporate Recruiting Web Sites
Corporate Web Site
Features
Strengths
Weaknesses
XTC Technologies
Description of career opportunities
Contact information for sending resume
Convenience of being able to submit resume online
Attractive graphics
Limited information about specific career opportunities
US International Airlines
Description of career opportunities
Specific job listings for all locations
Contact information for sending resume
List of related career links
Profiles of employees and why they like working for the company
Online self-assessment tools for determining fit between person and culture of the organization
E-mail updates containing relevant job opportunities can be sent to users
Full-featured web site
Self-assessment tools are very beneficial for helping potential candidates to assess if they should apply for a job with the company
Attractive graphics
Listing of specific job openings at various locations
Convenience of submitting resume online
Difficult to navigate through various parts of the web site
Some position listings and information listed are outdated
Some career links are not working (dead)
AmeriBank
Description of general career opportunities
Description of company's employment philosophy
Contact information for sending resume.
The description of the company's employment philosophy really helps to understand how they treat their employees.
The site is very easy to use and to navigate through.
The visual appearance of the site is lacking.
The site could use some additional, more innovative features to provide additional assistance to job candidates.
2. Interviews with Student Users of Recruiting Areas in Corporate Web Sites
Student
Likes
Dislikes
Mindy Jones
Convenience - I can access the information any time and apply for a job anytime.
Lots of information about job and career issues.
It helps me to identify job opportunities outside of the companies that recruit on-campus at my college.
It's very time consuming to research opportunities and keep up to date.
I cannot interact with company officials or ask any questions about issues of concern to me.
Student
Likes
Dislikes
Nate Barry
Convenience - I can do it any time.
I can research jobs at the companies I am interested in.
I can research job opportunities with international companies and in other countries.
It's free.
Takes a lot of time.
Some of the jobs that are listed as being open are actually not open.
I cannot get help when I have a question.
Andrea Kahn
Convenience.
Expanding the number of job opportunities available to me in a specific location or part of the country.
Information overload!! Sometimes I get more confused after looking at these sites.
3. Recommendations for the Recruiting Area of the MMH Web Site
Use an attractive graphics interface for users.
Make it as user-friendly as possible in terms of navigation.
Integrate self-assessment tools that will help users to better understand what types of jobs might be of interest to them and whether there is a good fit between their work styles and the culture of MMH.
Post and maintain a comprehensive listing of job opportunities at MMH. Be sure to include a search engine that will enable users to look for specific job openings.
Integrate an Online MMH Recruiter who students can e-mail questions to about job and career issues.
Display a statement about the employment values and philosophy of the company from the CEO on the home page of the recruitment area.
Enable users to receive job opening announcement via e-mail subscriptions.
Enable users to submit their resumes online.
Chapter 05: External Recruitment
_____________________________________________________________
Sample Answers for Ethical Issues
Issue 1
Many organizations adopt a targeted recruitment strategy. For example, Home Depot has targeted workers 50 and above in its recruitment efforts, which include advertising specifically in media outlets frequented by older individuals. Other organizations target recruitment messages at women, minorities, or those with desired skills. Do you think targeted recruitment systems are fair? Why or why not?
The fairness of a targeted recruitment message depends to a large extent on the ways in which targeting occurs. If targeted recruitment means adding …show more content…
advertising to publications or other media outlets more likely to reach certain populations, most individuals would consider it fair. However, if certain groups are targeted exclusively, the system can be quite unfair because it denies equal opportunity to those groups that do not have an opportunity to see the recruitment message.
Issue 2
Most organizations have in place job boards on their web page where applicants can apply for jobs online. What ethical obligations, if any, do you think organizations have to individuals who apply for jobs online?
Individuals who apply for jobs online are entitled, at the very least, to the same confidentiality that an organization extends to those who apply using paper and pencil format applications. Data from online applications should be kept in a secure server. Applicants should be asked to indicate if they agree to having their current or former employers contacted for the purposes of gathering background information. In general, all applications should be considered at some level, although the sheer number of applications received through electronic sources may mean that applications will need to be screened through software. It might be advisable for an organization to notify employees if their applications will be kept on file or if an individual is simply not qualified for the organization so that the applicant can conduct his or her subsequent job search more efficiently.
Sample Answers to Discussion Questions
1. List and briefly describe each of the administrative issues that needs to be addressed in the planning stage of external recruiting.
Sample Answer: One administrative issue is the requisition process. The act of preparing and issuing a requisition is the step that identifies the specifications for the hire (in terms of KSAOs, salary and other details of the hire) and requests top management to proceed with the hire. The recruitment specialist then determines the number of contacts to be made, which can be estimated from yield ratios if proper records have been kept so that ratios can be calculated based on past history. It is also necessary to determine the types of contacts that will have to be made. This involves identifying the qualifications needed to perform the job, which can be taken from the job requirements matrix. Type of contacts also involves deciding how job applicants search for the focal position and how the organization should proceed to make contact with potential applicants. As with all administrative functions, recruitment has costs, so the recruitment process should be conducted within the guidelines of a recruitment budget. The budget can be established by a top-down method, whereby top management sets the budget on the basis of the business plan for the organization and on the basis of projected revenues. Alternatively, a bottom-up approach can be used. This is a method that starts by costing out the budget based on the specific needs of each business unit. At this point in the process, the recruiters are selected. They are trained and provided with an appropriate reward system. A highly useful management tool for recruitment is the recruitment guide, which is a formal document that details the process to be followed, based on the organization’s staffing flowcharts. The guide clarifies expectations and operational-steps for the recruiter, and the requesting department, and is essential for controlling costs, ensuring legal compliance, and conducting efficient management of the recruitment process.
2.
List ten sources of applicants that organizations turn to when recruiting. For each source, identify needs specific to the source, as well as pros and cons of using the source for recruitment.
Sample Answer: One source of applicants is the outplacement offices within larger organizations that are experiencing downsizing. This can be an excellent source for employees who have experience and critical KSAOs. A disadvantage of this source is that it is not reliable concerning either the quantity or quality of the employees it can provide. This is so because this source is completely dependent on downsizing activity, which is hard to predict and is often a one-time or sporadic event.
Co-ops and internships are excellent for acquiring and training future management employees. These arrangements are made between the company and colleges, universities, community colleges and vocational schools. Their main disadvantage is the cost and management time involved. Someone has to manage the program, supervise the training of the participants, and adjust the work environment to accommodate the trainees. There are also costs associated with the constant flow of temporary employees in and out of the organization. It is vital that actual hires and high retention rates result from the programs in order for them to be
cost-justifiable.
Contingent workers (i.e., temporaries, leased employees, and independent contractors) are a logical supplement for an organization’s work force to fill needs caused by short-term production spurts, or any other needs that are special or temporary in nature and make the addition of full-time employees uneconomical. Such employees, however, may not share the values and commitment of full-time employees.
Several other sources that can be brought to bear are: computerized resume services, alumni associations, unemployed youth services, religious organizations, and interest groups. Each of these sources is likely to provide a rather limited number of applicants, and applicants of a narrow type. They can be useful if there is a close match between the type of employee within the source and the type of employee being sought. Realtors are sometimes a source of “trailing partners;” that is, individuals relocating with their spouses. This voice can locate employees with high-level KSAOs, but the source is sporadic in its utility. Various direct methods such as direct mail, door hangers, and point-of-sale messages are also used. Such methods must be highly targeted or they quickly become cost-prohibitive. Direct methods probably work best when production employees are needed in large numbers, and such potential employees are concentrated within a geographic area, so that direct methods can achieve high contact rates that justify their use.
3. In designing the communication message to be used in external recruiting, what kinds of information should be included?
Sample Answer: Designing the communication message will require developing a message that is effective from a marketing standpoint in attracting applicants, targeted from the organization’s perspective in attracting applicants with the right KSAOs, and constructed well from a legal perspective so that no violation or employment laws and regulations occurs. The message should reflect the content of the job requirements and job rewards matrices. It should have a style that reflects the level and availability of the focal job. For example, realistic messages may be appropriate when supply of the employees being sought is great. An attractive message might be more advisable when labor supply is tight. It is recommended that, if the organization has access to legal counsel, the message receive a legal review before being used. EEO/AA statements are required for many publicly funded organizations and the assistance of legal counsel in developing the exact wording of such statements is needed to ensure compliance with laws a and regulations.
4. What are the advantages of conveying a realistic recruitment message as opposed to one portraying the job in a way that the organization thinks that job applicants want to hear?
Sample Answer: The realistic message contains a fair amount of detail regarding both the negative and the positive aspects of the job, and many HR specialists feel this is the optimal type of message for a number of reasons. The realistic message conveys the most detailed and accurate information about the actual nature of the job, which greatly increases the amount of self-selection that will occur on the part of the potential applicants. Even for applicants who continue through the recruitment process are likely to have expectations more in line with what actual job conditions are likely to be. This will enhance retention and long-term commitment, and reduce the potential for legal problems that might occur because an employees feels the “real” job is not as advertised. Effective self-selection saves the organization money because time and funds are not expended on applicants who would not truly be satisfied with the environment or the conditions of the focal job. In today’s litigious society, where individuals are also putting more emphasis on their own values and personal life styles, advertisements that portray the job in a way that the organization “thinks that job applicants want to hear” are probably dangerous from a legal point-of-view, and wasteful in terms of the poor hires that result from such an approach. The best advertisement will use professional marketing techniques in writing ad copy so that the following occur: 1. the ad presents the positive attributes of the job in an attractive way; 2. negative attributes appear later in the ad and are presented in a straightforward and honest fashion; 3. the ad is written to match the KSAOs and motivation required by the organization to a personality and skill profile of the type of applicants the organization hopes to attract. As an example of how to handle a negative attribute, consider the negative attribute of extensive travel. An advertisement should not contain this attribute in the headline. It would probably appear in the middle of the body of the ad, or second or third among a list of job attributes. It might also be combined with positive attributes. For example, in advertising position for direct sales personnel, the advertisement might read: “Since extensive overnight travel is required for this position, Organization XYZ seeks experienced sales professionals who are able to work independently and are skilled in self-organization and time management.” This statement identifies the negative attribute, but it also solicits applicants with positive characteristics for the job of sales.
5. What strategies are organizations using to ensure that they are able to attract women and underrepresented racioethnic groups?
Sample Answer: Organizational strategies to improve the diversity of the workforce include methods of search, communication messages, and media. Organizations that seek to improve diversity first and foremost ensure that all recruiting materials are distributed to a wide variety of applicants. Recruiting practices might emphasize universities that have diverse student bodies. Organizations might seek to advertise in publications that are directed toward certain audiences, especially in media sources that are more likely to be viewed by women and minorities. Advertising materials should explicitly mention the organization’s commitment to diversity. Moreover, such advertising should demonstrate that women and minorities can achieve positions of leadership within the organization.
Application #1: Improving a College Recruitment Program
1. What topics should be covered in the training program?
Job requirements and job rewards matrices
An Overview of the recruiting process and its objectives including a timetable
Legal issues
Interviewing techniques/skills
Strengths/weaknesses of different selection tools
Evaluation of applicants
Career and professional opportunities at the company
2. What materials and training aids will be needed for the program?
Job requirements/rewards matrices
Structured interview questions
Company brochures
Job descriptions
Interviewee evaluation form
Legal guidelines for college recruiting
3. What skills should the trainees actually practice during the training?
How to make a good impression (interpersonal skills)
How to conduct an interview
How to evaluate interviewees
4. Who should conduct the training?
Marianne, who needs to be play an integral role in the process this year. In addition, an external trainer could also be hired to bring in a more objective and a broader range of relevant experience.
5. What other changes might have to be made to ensure that the training has a strong impact on the managers and that they are motivated to use what they learned during the recruitment process?
Provide resources and support for managers who are recruiting. Get managers’ commitment to the recruiting process. Make recruiting part of each manager's performance appraisal. Alter reward system to reward managers who do a good job of recruiting.
Application #2: Internet Recruiting
Sample Report - Evaluation of Corporate Recruiting Web Sites
To:
Selma Williams
From:
HR Intern
Subject:
Evaluation of Corporate Recruiting Web Sites
1. Evaluation of Corporate Recruiting Web Sites
Corporate Web Site
Features
Strengths
Weaknesses
XTC Technologies
Description of career opportunities
Contact information for sending resume
Convenience of being able to submit resume online
Attractive graphics
Limited information about specific career opportunities
US International Airlines
Description of career opportunities
Specific job listings for all locations
Contact information for sending resume
List of related career links
Profiles of employees and why they like working for the company
Online self-assessment tools for determining fit between person and culture of the organization
E-mail updates containing relevant job opportunities can be sent to users
Full-featured web site
Self-assessment tools are very beneficial for helping potential candidates to assess if they should apply for a job with the company
Attractive graphics
Listing of specific job openings at various locations
Convenience of submitting resume online
Difficult to navigate through various parts of the web site
Some position listings and information listed are outdated
Some career links are not working (dead)
AmeriBank
Description of general career opportunities
Description of company's employment philosophy
Contact information for sending resume.
The description of the company's employment philosophy really helps to understand how they treat their employees.
The site is very easy to use and to navigate through.
The visual appearance of the site is lacking.
The site could use some additional, more innovative features to provide additional assistance to job candidates.
2. Interviews with Student Users of Recruiting Areas in Corporate Web Sites
Student
Likes
Dislikes
Mindy Jones
Convenience - I can access the information any time and apply for a job anytime.
Lots of information about job and career issues.
It helps me to identify job opportunities outside of the companies that recruit on-campus at my college.
It's very time consuming to research opportunities and keep up to date.
I cannot interact with company officials or ask any questions about issues of concern to me.
Student
Likes
Dislikes
Nate Barry
Convenience - I can do it any time.
I can research jobs at the companies I am interested in.
I can research job opportunities with international companies and in other countries.
It's free.
Takes a lot of time.
Some of the jobs that are listed as being open are actually not open.
I cannot get help when I have a question.
Andrea Kahn
Convenience.
Expanding the number of job opportunities available to me in a specific location or part of the country.
Information overload!! Sometimes I get more confused after looking at these sites.
3. Recommendations for the Recruiting Area of the MMH Web Site
Use an attractive graphics interface for users.
Make it as user-friendly as possible in terms of navigation.
Integrate self-assessment tools that will help users to better understand what types of jobs might be of interest to them and whether there is a good fit between their work styles and the culture of MMH.
Post and maintain a comprehensive listing of job opportunities at MMH. Be sure to include a search engine that will enable users to look for specific job openings.
Integrate an Online MMH Recruiter who students can e-mail questions to about job and career issues.
Display a statement about the employment values and philosophy of the company from the CEO on the home page of the recruitment area.
Enable users to receive job opening announcement via e-mail subscriptions.
Enable users to submit their resumes online.