GCSEBusinessAQARevision NotesHuman ResourcesRecruitment & Selection of EmployeesThe Recruitment Process

The Recruitment Process (AQA GCSE Business): Revision Note

Exam code: 8132

Lisa Eades

Written by: Lisa Eades

Reviewed by: Steve Vorster

Updated on

The employee recruitment process

  • The recruitment and selection process details the steps a business takes when bringing new employees into a business

  • A manager or HR employee is usually nominated to manage the application process

    • This person (possibly together with others) will draw up a shortlist of candidates from the applications received

    • The shortlist is a list of candidates who are invited to interview or asked to complete an assessment task

Stages in the recruitment process

Flowchart depicting recruitment process: Define role, Source applicants, Advertise job, Receive applications, and Selection including interviews or tasks.
The recruitment process starts by defining the role the business wants applicants to apply for

Recruitment documentation

  • Job analysis is the initial part of the recruitment process

    • Vacancies that need to be filled are identified

    • The main tasks involved in each vacancy are determined

    • The characteristics and skills of the ideal candidates to fill the vacancies are defined

  • Businesses use a range of documents in the recruitment process

Recruitment documents

Flowchart titled "How Businesses Recruit People" showing steps: 1. Person Specification, 2. Job Description, 3. Application Form, 4. Curriculum Vitae (CV).
The job description, person specification and application form is written by the employer. The CV is written by the prospective employee

  • Recruitment documents are used throughout the process and play a very important part in helping the business choose the right candidate for the role

    • Without detailed recruitment documentation, prospective candidates may lack the appropriate skills or qualifications needed for the role, or be misinformed about what the role consists of

Job description and person specification

  • Before a business starts to look for new employees, it writes a person specification and a job description to determine the job role and ideal candidate to fill that role

Comparison of the person specification and job description 

Person specification

Job description

  • Details the essential and desirable characteristics of the person suitable for the job, including

    • Qualifications

    • Experience

    • Skills such as the ability to drive or IT capabilities

    • Personal characteristics and attributes

  • Details the features of the job, including

    • Duties

    • Hours and location of the job

    • Managerial or supervisory responsibilities

    • Pay and conditions

 

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Students often mix up job analysis and the job description.

Job analysis is used to establish recruitment needs and is used to help design job descriptions and person specifications.

Application form and curriculum vitae (CV)

  • Once a job is advertised, the business accepts applications from candidates via application form or Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Comparing application forms and CVs

Application form

Curriculum vitae (CV)

  • Application forms contain a series of standardised questions to which all candidates must respond

    • Name and contact details

    • Qualifications

    • Work experience

    • Positions of responsibility

    • Interests

    • A personal statement where the candidate explains why they would be suitable for the advertised role

    • The names and addresses of referees

  • Many application forms are now completed online

  • All applicants provide identical information in the same format so they are easy to compare

  • Limited information can be expressed by candidates so key desirable attributes may not be identified

  • A curriculum vitae is compiled by the applicant and may be standardised to apply for varied roles

  • CVs usually include similar information to that collected in an application form

  • Although it should be well laid-out and clear, there is no single acceptable format for CVs

  • An accompanying letter of application outlines

    • Why the applicant wants the job

    • Why they would be suitable for the advertised role

  • More applicants may apply because it is easier for candidates to prepare and adapt a standard CV

  • Comparing different formats and contents of CVs can take time and lengthen the recruitment process

Methods of recruitment

  • Internal recruitment involves the promotion or redeployment of existing staff

  • Businesses that opt to recruit externally have a range of options

Methods of external recruitment

Method

Explanation

Referrals / personal recommendations

  • Current employees may recommend a suitable candidate for a vacancy

  • Employees may be rewarded if a candidate is successfully appointed

Online advertising

  • Vacancies can be advertised on a businesses own website or on a specialist recruitment website such as Glassdoor or CharityJobs.com

  • This method is relatively low-costs with a wide reach

Newspaper advertising

  • Adverts to attract local candidates can be placed in district or regional newspapers

  • High-profile vacancies, such as public sector roles, may be advertised in national newspapers

  • Although relatively expensive, these adverts can be highly targeted

Specialist trade publications

  • Roles are advertised in magazines or newsletters commonly read by professionals in a particular industry

  • Example include fashion industry journal Drapers and education journal The Times Educational Supplement (TES)

Employment agencies

  • Specialist recruitment agents advertise roles on behalf of the business

  • Some also conduct interviews or other selection activities

  • A recruitment fee is charged when the business appoints a candidate

Headhunting

  • A headhunting agency makes attractive approaches to highly-qualified specialists in a particular industry/with desired skills, experience or knowledge

  • A significant fee is payable once a candidate is appointed

Job centres

  • Low level vacancies can be advertised free of charge in government-funded centres and increasingly online

Careers fairs

  • Events often hosted by universities or industry bodies to promote available opportunities

  • Attract significant numbers of highly-qualified, interested candidates

Examiner Tips and Tricks

It is important to acknowledge that the recruitment method chosen by a business will depend on the finance available, and the timescale for recruitment. There is often a trade-off between these two factors.

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    Author
    Reviewer
    Lisa Eades

    Author: Lisa Eades

    Expertise: Business Content Creator

    Lisa has taught A Level, GCSE, BTEC and IBDP Business for over 20 years and is a senior Examiner for Edexcel. Lisa has been a successful Head of Department in Kent and has offered private Business tuition to students across the UK. Lisa loves to create imaginative and accessible resources which engage learners and build their passion for the subject.

    Steve Vorster

    Reviewer: Steve Vorster

    Expertise: Economics & Business Subject Lead

    Steve has taught A Level, GCSE, IGCSE Business and Economics - as well as IBDP Economics and Business Management. He is an IBDP Examiner and IGCSE textbook author. His students regularly achieve 90-100% in their final exams. Steve has been the Assistant Head of Sixth Form for a school in Devon, and Head of Economics at the world's largest International school in Singapore. He loves to create resources which speed up student learning and are easily accessible by all.