In order to successfully run a business, you have to create a solid workforce. As they say, employees are the best asset. For effective results, you need to go for the right applicants and choose the best out of them.
Credit in point, this is where you have to understand the main difference between recruitment and selection. Which one is related to sourcing? Which one involves the process of searching for the right candidates as per their resumes?
These are some of the probable questions that might come into your mind. There are stark difference between recruitment and selection and we would be talking about the same.
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Key Difference between Recruitment and Selection
Recruitment is basically the process of hunting for suitable candidates and pursuing them to apply for the said position. On the other hand, selection refers to the process of choosing the right one for the vacant position in the company.
There is a thin line between both of them. In order to understand, you need to dig deep into them. Let us try to explain.
Recruitment is basically the process where potential employees are searched for via portals or various sites like LinkedIn. They are then contacted and encouraged to apply for the said position. Once the process gets started, various applicants apply for the same position. Selection is choosing the right one based on attributes amongst a pool of people and offering him/her the job.
If you manage to choose the right candidate, he or she will be able to add so much value to your organization. This is the reason why there is a separate department dedicated to recruiting candidates.
As we all know, hiring is not a walk in the park. Even if you end up liking an applicant, he or she might deny the offer at the last minute due to some other opportunity, unsatisfactory perks, etc. You have to scrutinize his or her profile and also ask the right questions in order to see if there is any chance that he or she might not necessarily join your company.
You must pay attention to both stages of the hiring process. But the problem is that both these words are used as a replacement for each other, thus leading to confusion.
Recruitment
It is stimulating prospective employees for a vacant position and finding the right people for the job. It attracts a number of people for one or two positions. This involves creating options for the employers to choose from a set of people for selection.
This basically creates the path for the next step, which is selection. This is the major link between recruitment and selection. This process involves various steps like going through resumes, posting jobs, analyzing the job requirements, attracting candidates for the vacancy, managing responses, shortlisting candidates who are eligible to sit for the interview, etc. It is a tedious process.
These chores are typically done by HR executives. Sometimes, companies have in-house teams, and sometimes, they give the task to third-party agencies. It takes place both internally or externally.
Internal recruitment can be done via promotion, transfers, contacts of current staff, retired staff, etc.
External recruitment on the other hand is generally made through advertisement, internet recruitment, campus recruitment, portals, recruitment through agencies, et al.
Selection
Notably, the selection is the process of going through the applications and going for the right candidate. In this step, HR executives or personnel discard the unsuitable applications so that it is easier for the selection panel.
Only the eligible CVs are chosen on the basis of job experience, skills, educational background, age, etc. Some of the steps of this process are screening, canceling unsuitable applications, conducting interviews, etc.
| Points | Recruitment | Selection |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Searching for the suitable candidates and encouraging them | Zeroing down on a particular candidate based on his or her skills, resume, etc. |
| Factor | Advertising or posting the job | Brining the candidate on board |
| Objective | Finding more people to apply for the job | Rejecting unsuitable CVs; finding the best candidate |
| Sequence | First | Second |
| Budget | Economical | Costly |
| Contractual relation | There is no contractual relationship in this | It leads to a contractual relation between the employer and the candidate |
Recruitment is a positive process as it brings in a pool of candidates. It involves contacting various sources of labor. In this stage, candidates do not have to face much issues.
However, the selection is not as it involves rejecting applications. It screens the candidatures that are not suitable for the profile. In this stage, candidates have to put in effort so that they are selected for the job.
Recruitment is way simpler than the process of selection. Selection is done based on the profiles. Experts need to notice every minute detail so that they can settle for the best.
The recruitment process is time-consuming but affordable; however, the same is different in the case of selection. Selection is expensive as well as lengthy. Also, the selection process is challenging for both the employers and the employees. While one has to choose the best of a crowd, others have to try hard to get the job.
Communication in recruitment is done through the internet, or the newspaper, etc. In the selection process, communication involves stages of evaluation, such as interviews, written tests.
Similarities between recruitment and selection include the fact that both are aimed at hiring suitable candidates.
Conclusion
The appointment of a candidate can create a huge difference in your business. You can gain traction from his or her skills, training, etc. This is the reason why you must pay heed to the process of recruitment and selection. We can say both the processes are dependent on each other.
Choosing the right candidates can help your business bloom.
All the best.
