Recruitment is the process of finding and attracting people to apply for a job; selection is choosing the best candidate from those applicants.
Why this matters Hiring the right person raises productivity and morale, while a poor choice wastes money on wages and training and may harm the team. Careful recruitment is worth the effort.
Internal versus external recruitment
Internal recruitment fills a post with someone already employed by the business.
- Cheaper and quicker; the person is already known.
- Motivates staff who see a chance of promotion.
- But it brings in no fresh ideas and leaves another vacancy.
External recruitment hires from outside the business.
- Brings new skills and fresh ideas.
- A wider choice of applicants.
- But it is slower, costs more and the person is less well known.
Job description and person specification
Before advertising, the business prepares two documents:
- A job description lists the title, duties and responsibilities of the role – what the job involves.
- A person specification lists the skills, qualifications and qualities the ideal candidate should have – who is needed.
Together they guide the advert and help judge applicants fairly against the same standards.
The selection process
Once applications arrive, a typical process is:
- Applicants send a CV or application form.
- The business shortlists the strongest candidates.
- Shortlisted people attend an interview, sometimes with tests or a practical task.
- References are checked and the best candidate is offered the job.
Selection should be fair and based on ability, treating all applicants honestly regardless of background. Fair, honest hiring builds trust and a stronger workforce.
Put these steps of the selection process in order:
- Applicants send a CV or application form
- The business shortlists the strongest candidates
- Shortlisted candidates attend an interview or complete tests
- References are checked and the best candidate is offered the job
Common exam mistake: mixing up the job description and the person specification. The job description covers the job itself (title, duties, responsibilities); the person specification covers the ideal candidate (skills, qualifications, qualities). A question asking to "write two lines for a person specification" wants candidate qualities, not job duties.
Exam technique: for "should this business recruit internally or externally?" questions, give one specific benefit and one specific drawback tied to the scenario — e.g. a small family bakery may value the speed and trust of internal recruitment, but risks missing the fresh skills an external hire would bring.