The corporate environment of the 21st century is highly changeable, as conditioned by rapid technological progress and intense globalization. In order to tackle considerable challenges faced by organizations, the entire structure should perform on par with the task. At the same time, the vital nature of human resources for contemporary organizations is recognized by today’s corporate philosophies. Accordingly, recruitment and selection have become a matter of pivotal importance.
The accuracy and success of the process determine the performance of the entire organization through direct professional expertise, as well as the morale-related aspect. Various strategies exist in terms of corporate recruitment and selection, all aiming at ensuring that the most fitting and capable candidates are chosen. However, a universal approach to recruitment management does not exist since each one demonstrates both flaws and advantages. The purpose of this essay is to review recruitment and selection methods in the 21st century.
Background
Today’s business landscape sees an immense impact from the growing globalization rate, as well as the surge in technological progress. Organizations have to maintain a stable level of performance in order to remain relevant in the context of their industries. Human resources play a vital role in this process, as they affect a company’s operations on multiple levels. Kianto et al. (2017) state that effective human resource management enables positive, multilateral development of an organization, contributing to its innovative potential, as well. In fact, innovation capacity is often considered to be one of the primary entrepreneurship competencies in the current environment (Rodríguez-López & Souto, 2020).
However, quality development requires a significant contribution on behalf of the employees of all levels. People working in an organization should be able to understand and accept the leadership’s strategies, improving each stage of the operations. Evidently, the process does of human resource management does not end with successful recruitment, as retaining employees is also critical in decreasing staff turnover (Abbasi, 2020). Nevertheless, selection procedures have acquired particular importance in the context of 21st-century corporate activities.
Recruitment and Selection in the Corporate Environment
Recruitment is a complex process comprising several important stages, and each of them is to be executed in a due manner. As a matter of fact, careful selection is said to be the cornerstone of effective human resource management, as it provides a valuable resource to manage in the first place (Goldstein et al., 2017). At this point, potential candidates for a range of positions, including management, are assessed based on their professional competencies, soft skills, and personal attributes. From the first stages, including creating the job description and advertising the position to applicants, the process is to be executed with precision (“Recruitment and selection,” n.d.).
The description should be informative and accurate in order to create the correct impression. As the recruitment proceeds to interviews, it is vital to prepare the right questions and observe the reaction of the candidate to ensure that their personal and professional qualities correspond to the company’s mission. Social characteristics are as important as professional competencies, meaning that recruiters are expected to possess certain psychological skills, as well.
Recruitment and Selection Strategies
Traditional Recruitment
The concept of recruitment per se is well-established, as it has existed for centuries. Its traditional model implies that an organization simply follows all stages of the recruitment cycle. Once a vacancy is created and described by Human Resource specialists, it is then published either online or through paperback, media to inform potential candidates. Next, preliminary selection results in a group of people who are invited to communicate in person.
Traditional recruitment comprises face-to-face interviews, questionnaire forms, and practical case examinations. In the end, the recruiters expect to acquire a full understanding of one’s ability to accomplish the task implied by the position. This approach is well-established and tested by centuries of experience. The HR field possesses multiple effective tactics for interviews, as well as effective questionnaire formats. Nevertheless, Chytiri et al. (2019) state that old-fashioned recruitment models do not correspond with the challenges imposed by the contemporary environment. Interviews are limited in terms of the timeframe, preventing HR specialists from acquiring a complete perception of one’s personality. In addition, it does not eliminate the mere possibility that someone may lie on the resume.
Technology-based Recruitment
In response to the rapid progress of the 21st century, many organizations adopt a technology-assisted approach to recruitment. The implementation of digital potential may be limited to utilizing online recruitment platforms. However, this strategy of selection comprises other instrumental aspects, as well. First, it is possible to optimize the time consumption of the selection process by holding interviews on the Internet.
In some cases, the entire recruitment is done remotely, which is particularly relevant in the work-from-home age of the Covid-19 pandemic (Nikolaou, 2021). Moreover, Albert (2019) states that the further development of Artificial Intelligence technologies will be able to enhance the capability of the selection process. At the same time, HR specialists often investigate the online media presence of a candidate. As mentioned before, people may lie easily on their resumes or during a short interview. The analysis of their social media profiles may help acquire a better understanding of their personality. However, this approach may be deemed unethical and subjective, as personal views and social media activity are not always pertinent to a particular position.
Outsourced Recruitment
It is natural for an organization to seek means of minimizing their expenses in order to allocate resources to matters of higher priority. In many cases, this idea leads to the decision to entrust the recruitment process with external firms specializing in the precise selection of candidates. Nadda et al. (2017) write that this model has proved its effectiveness for multinational corporations seeking to expand their operations globally. Internal human resource management may lack the cultural expertise required by the new location. On the contrary, local recruitment organizations are capable of providing expert insight into the reality of the place, providing the best candidates for the new business location. However, Hossain (2018) associates outsourced recruitment with poorer benefits and conditions for employees.
Fabel et al. (2020) suggest that outsourced recruitment should be limited to advice-seeking. Overall, this model is viable in the current environment, but external specialists may lack a full understanding of the company’s setting and mission.
Conclusion
In conclusion, recruitment and selection have become particularly important in the contemporary business environment. If this process is executed in a due manner, the selected candidates will be more likely to comply with the requirements of their positions. In addition, this stage facilitates the psychological evaluation of potential employees. This way, it possible to reduce the staff turnover and mitigate its adverse impact on the organization’s performance.
Modern HR practices comprise multiple approaches to selection and recruitment, ranging from traditional models to advanced, technology-assisted ones. Research reveals that each strategy has both positive and negative sides, the proportion of which differs depending on the context. Accordingly, the selection of the recruitment strategy is another critical objective of 21st-century management.
References
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Albert, E. T. (2019). AI in talent acquisition: a review of AI-applications used in recruitment and selection. Strategic HR View, 18(5), 215–221.
Chytiri, A. P., Filippaios, F., & Chytiris, S. (2018). Hotel recruitment and selection practices: The case of the Greek hotel industry. International Journal of Organizational Leadership, 7, 324–339.
Fabel, O., Hopp, C., & Speil, A. (2020). Advice‐seeking and advice‐utilization for hiring decisions: An investigation of a partially outsourced recruitment process for rank‐and‐file managers. Managerial and Decision Economics, 41(5), 784–799.
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