Although widely used, the terms “recruitment” and “selection” are sometimes used synonymously, they are in fact two different stages of a complete recruitment and selection process. In this article, we describe what each of these terms corresponds to.
A good recruitment and selection process is one of the most important aspects of human resources management. On the one hand, recruitment studies the needs of the position and encourages the right people to apply for a vacancy; while selection measures the likelihood that the candidate will meet those previously identified needs. Recruitment involves identifying the needs of the position and encouraging candidates to apply for it, while selection involves a wide range of steps from the pre-selection of candidates to their appointment.
Both processes are essential to the success of the company, but they are not synonymous; and, as many people tend to confuse the two terms and even think that they are interchangeable, we decided to compile a list of the differences that exist between these two terms.
Let’s start with the first phase in the journey of hiring the perfect candidate for our company, recruitment. This is the process that involves a series of activities that begins with the needs analysis and ends with the invitation to interview, which is followed by the selection. Recruitment drives people to participate in personnel selection and its main purpose is to reach out to all potential candidates and encourage them to apply for a job in our company. Here are some of the main characteristics of this process:
- It has two important aspects, knowing the number of vacancies to be notified of and contacting potential candidates to participate in the selection process.
- It is a bridging activity that brings together those looking for personnel and those looking for jobs.
- Generally, it is a positive process that encourages potential candidates to apply for the job.
- It does not represent as many expenses as the selection process, since recruitment only involves advertising costs.
- It is a simple process, it does not require the help of experts.
On the other hand, the selection process has as its main purpose to identify which candidates are qualified to meet the company’s needs, this is measured through the application of various techniques such as interviews, tests, etc. In addition, it is known to be “negative” in nature, since it involves the rejection of candidates who do not meet the desired profile. Below are some of the main characteristics of this process:
- The main objective of this process is to find the right candidate for the vacant position in our company.
- Candidates must go through a series of steps or stages that allow the employer to choose the right candidate.
- It is a rather costly process, considering that it involves expenses in different types of tests, interviews, experts’ fees, etc.
- The process is carried out by the department that has the vacant position.
- Unlike the recruitment process, the selection is a complex process that requires the help of experts to be carried out successfully.
In conclusion, although these terms are not interchangeable, they are equally important in the search for the perfect candidate. If the recruitment process is not done correctly, the efforts in performing a good selection process would be worthless, then the work would be affected and would involve significant expenses.
It is important to remember that the success of any company depends on its employees; if the employee is really good at their job, then the whole company will enjoy the benefits of their success. Recruitment and selection will help us choose the right candidate for the right job.