Recruitment - Selection

An interview is the most common form of selection and it serves a very useful purpose for both employer and job candidate:

For the Employer:

• Information that cannot be obtained on paper from a CV or application form
• Conversational ability- often known as people skills
• Natural enthusiasm or manner of applicant
• See how applicant reacts under pressure
• Queries or extra details missing from CV or application form

For the Candidate

• Whether job or business is right for them
• What the culture of company is like
• Exact details of job

There are though other forms of selection tests that can be used in addition to an interview to help select the best applicant. The basic interview can be unreliable as applicants can perform well at interview but not have the qualities or skills needed for the job.

Other selection tests can increase the chances of choosing the best applicant and so minimise the high costs of recruiting the wrong people. Examples of these tests are aptitude tests, intelligence tests and psychometric tests (to reveal the personality of a candidate).

Managers selecting candidates for a high level post in an organisation may even send applicants to an assessment centre. In such centres candidates undergo a variety of tests, role-plays and simulations for a number of days.

Once the best candidate has been selected and agreed to take up the post, the new employee must be given an employment contract. This is an important legal document that describes the obligations of the employee and employer to each other (terms and conditions) as well as the initial remuneration package and a number of other important details.