Recruitment Methods

Exam code: 7115

Written by: Ashika|Reviewed by: Caroline Carroll|Updated 2 July 2026

An introduction to recruitment and selection

Recruitment is the process of attracting and identifying potential job candidates who are suitable for a particular role
- Recruitment activities include job advertising, job fairs, social media outreach and referrals from current employees
- The goal of recruitment is to create a pool of qualified candidates who can be considered for the role
Selection is the process of choosing the best candidate from applications received
- The goal of selection is to hire the most suitable candidate for the job
A business will need to recruit and select a new employee(s) when a vacancy arises within the business

During periods of business growth more employees are needed as the business expands its operations
When an employee leaves their job and needs replacing
Businesses often reorganise their organisational structure which may result in the need for additional staff
A new business start-up needs to recruit workers for the first time
Businesses can choose to use a recruitment agency to carry out the recruitment and selection process on their behalf
- New employees may be found quickly from its pool of available talent
- Management time can be saved
- Recruitment agencies usually charge a finding fee for their specialist services

Internal recruitment involves promoting or redeploying employees that already work for the business
External recruitment involves appointing an employee from outside of the business

Advantages of internal	Disadvantages of internal
The member of staff is already familiar with the business culture and working practices The business is aware of the employee's strengths and weaknesses There is no need for induction training Expensive advertising is not needed Employees can be ready to start their new role immediately	When an employee moves to a new role their old job needs to be filled There may be resentment amongst employees who are overlooked No new ideas or experience come into the business which could limit creativity and innovation
Advantages of external	Disadvantages of external
A large number of applicants may be attracted New recruits are usually highly motivated and keen to impress New ideas and experience are brought into the business	New employees may need support from colleagues and induction training, which slows down productivity initially Advertising for external staff can be expensive and take a long time A candidate who performs well at interview may be unsuitable for the job when they start work