Recruitment

The internet has become one of the worlds most popular mediums for organisations to do their recruiting on due to a number of different reasons which will be disucussed later in this blog. One of the most popular and well established on-line recruitment websites is www.fish4jobs.co.uk. At first glance the layout of the home page seems slightly chaotic however after a closer look it becomes apparent that the accessibility of information on the website is fairly easy, convenient and well thought out. There are a number of different options of ways which users can search for jobs. For example the ability to browse by job title, location, or sector means that the website is catered to different preferences. They take their service to the next level by providing people with help and tips on how to write a good CV, as well as ensuring that your CV is circulated to all of their recruiters who are looking for people with your particular skills. Also found on the home page is a brief section listing the most recent available jobs, a feature which is useful as it enables candidates to be informed about the latest jobs in their area allowing them to stay up to date with their job hunt.

Advantages of on-line recruitment:

· One of the most obvious advantages of recruiting on-line is the sheer number of people that use and depend on the internet every day, meaning that on-line recruitment campaigns reach significantly higher numbers of people than traditional recruitment methods. The internet therefore provides a very wide range of potential candidates from all walks of life, thus increasing the chances of a successful and efficient selection process.

· As well as being beneficial for those managers who are doing the recruiting, the on-line method is also advantageous for candidates as it provides them with an easy to use and fast recruitment process. The technological aspects of on-line recruitment also mean that there is clear and prompt communication between candidates and the organization, which improves efficiency of time and avoids any unnecessary delays.

· Storing the information of all candidates is a lot less painstaking if done electronically as opposed to on paperwork. Paperwork can take up unnecessary space and be easily misplaced or lost, not to mention the time that would be wasted on endlessly searching through papers to process applications. Technology can make life a lot easier for those doing the recruiting.

· On line recruitment can also be more cost efficient as it saves money which would have been wasted on things such as advertising in local newspapers and printing costs for other traditional methods.

· A computer is found in nearly every household across the country now as people rely on the internet more to get things done.

Disadvantages of on-line recruitment:

· Although the internet can speed things up, it generates more interest and therefore more applications need to be processed which can result in too many applications. Therefore this creates a greater workload for those who must recruit the candidates.

· There is no effective way of directing a recruitment campaign at a specific minority of people which means that people with completely irrelevant skills may end up applying, this can be time wasting for those who have to process applications.

· Technical difficulties have the potential to create serious problems.

· According to eHow (2010), ‘Because of the distance involved, there might be a tendency to perform interviews by telephone instead of in person. While this might be better than relying on only a resume, the employer still may not get a good read on the candidate's personality or attitude without one-on-one interaction.’

· Despite the popularity of the internet, some candidates may prefer more traditional methods of recruitment. Therefore if a company decides to recruit solely online it may be missing out on some of the best candidates.

Identify a recruitment campaign that has really cuaght your interest. Explain why you feel the campaign has caught your interest.

In the summer of last year a new ‘Lidl’ supermarket opened in my local area of Greenford. Its recruitment campaign caught my interest due to its eye catching posters and banners which advertised that they were recruiting new staff in the weeks leading up their launch. The fact that they advertised their recruitment campaign in big bold letters meant that it was difficult to miss it, especially due to its busy location which has a very high footfall. I feel that the combination of eye catching advertising and prime location created a lot of interest as I began to hear through word of mouth that many friends of mine had applied or were thinking of applying there.

Go on to the CIPD website and read and explain what you understand by the psychological contract.

Due to the fact that recruitment is a continuous process it is important for both candidates and managers to stay up to date with what is happening and changing in regards to recruitment. According to CIPD (2010) the term “psychological contract” gained its popularity after the economic downturn in the early 1990’s. ‘It has been defined as the perceptions of the two parties, employee and employer, of what their mutual obligations are towards each other.’ (CIPD, 2010). In order to maintain this psychological contract, a great deal of trust is required between co workers. If the psychological contract is broken this can also break down trust and lead to employees feeling unenthusiastic about their work which results in a de motivated workforce. As a result the organization can suffer as employees performance are negatively impacted.

References:

CIPD, (2009). The psychological contract [online] Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/psycntrct/psycontr.htm [Accessed 24 April 2010]

eHow, (2010). The Disadvantages of Online Recruitment [online] Available from: http://www.ehow.com/about_5384653_disadvantages-online-recruitment.html [Accessed 24 April 2010]