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Recruitment
3.1 Definition and Process
Recruitment is the process of discovering potential candidates for actual or anticipated organisational vacancies. It ends when application forms are received — selection then begins.
Recruitment process:
- Job Analysis → produces Job Description (duties, responsibilities, working conditions) and Job Specification (qualifications, skills, experience required)
- Vacancy identification — through HRP or ad hoc
- Source selection — internal vs. external
- Advertisement / Outreach
- Application collection
3.2 Internal vs. External Recruitment
| Aspect | Internal Recruitment | External Recruitment |
|---|---|---|
| Methods | Promotion, transfer, employee referrals, internal job posting | Job portals, campus recruitment, headhunting, agencies |
| Advantages | Motivates staff, faster, lower cost, known candidate | Fresh perspectives, larger talent pool, specific skills |
| Disadvantages | Creates another vacancy, inbreeding of ideas | Higher cost, longer process, onboarding needed |
| Best for | Leadership/specialised roles needing institutional knowledge | New functions, rapid expansion |
India-specific recruitment channels:
- Naukri.com (Info Edge India) — 80M+ registered CVs; dominant for white-collar IT, finance, marketing
- LinkedIn India — 120M+ users; primary platform for professional networking and passive candidate outreach
- Campus placement (IIT/IIM/NIT placement seasons): Average IIT Bombay 2023 placement — highest package ₹3.67 crore/year; median ₹28 lakh/year
- UPSC / State PSCs — Government recruitment; UPSC CSE 2023 attracted 11.4 lakh applicants for ~1,100 IAS/IPS/IFS seats
- Gig platforms: Swiggy, Zomato, Urban Company recruit gig workers; India has 7.7 million gig workers (NITI Aayog 2022, projected 23.5 million by 2030)
3.3 E-Recruitment and AI in Hiring
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Software that screens, sorts, and manages job applications. Used by 75%+ of Fortune 500 companies. Candidates must keyword-optimise their CVs to pass ATS filters.
AI-assisted recruitment: Tools like HireVue (video interview AI), Pymetrics (neuroscience-based game assessments), and LinkedIn Recruiter AI analyse candidatefit. However, algorithmic bias (e.g., Amazon's scrapped AI recruiting tool 2018 — penalised women's CVs) raises ethical concerns.