How businesses find the right people — internal vs external recruitment, job descriptions, person specifications, and selection methods.
Recruiting the right people is one of the most important decisions a business makes. Hiring the wrong person is expensive — it wastes time and money on training, may damage customer relationships, and could require the whole process to be repeated. Getting it right reduces turnover and builds a motivated, productive workforce.
| Step | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Identify the vacancy | A role becomes available — through growth, resignation, or a new project |
| 2. Write a job description | Sets out the duties, responsibilities, and conditions of the role |
| 3. Write a person specification | Sets out the skills, qualifications, and experience required |
| 4. Advertise the role | Internally or externally — on job boards, social media, recruitment agencies |
| 5. Application / shortlisting | CVs and application forms reviewed; unsuitable candidates filtered out |
| 6. Selection | Interviews, tests, or assessment centres used to choose the best candidate |
| 7. Job offer | Offer made; references checked; contract signed |
Describes the role itself:
• Job title and department
• Main duties and responsibilities
• Hours and location
• Reporting structure (who they report to)
• Pay and benefits
Describes the ideal candidate:
• Qualifications (essential vs desirable)
• Skills and experience required
• Personal qualities (e.g. communication, teamwork)
• Physical requirements (if applicable)
When a vacancy arises, a business must decide whether to recruit from within (promote or redeploy existing staff) or from outside (advertise to the public).
Promoting or transferring existing employees into the role.
✅ Benefits: Cheaper and faster. Candidate already knows the business. Motivates other staff — shows career progression is possible. Less induction training needed.
❌ Drawbacks: Smaller pool of candidates. Creates another vacancy to fill. No fresh ideas or perspectives. Could cause resentment if others wanted the role.
Advertising the role to people outside the business.
✅ Benefits: Larger pool of applicants. Brings in new skills, ideas, and experience. Doesn't create another vacancy internally.
❌ Drawbacks: More expensive (advertising, agency fees). Slower process. New employee takes time to settle in. Risk of hiring someone who turns out to be unsuitable.
| Method | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Job boards (Indeed, Reed) | Online listings visible to thousands | Most roles — wide reach |
| Company website | Vacancy page on the business's own site | Brand-aware applicants |
| Social media (LinkedIn) | Professional networking platform | Professional and managerial roles |
| Recruitment agencies | Agency finds and screens candidates | Specialist or senior roles |
| Local press / notice boards | Print or community advertising | Local, part-time, or entry-level roles |
| Internal notice board / email | Advertised only to existing staff | Internal recruitment |
Once applications are received, the business must select the best candidate. Different methods suit different roles.
First filter — the candidate describes their experience, skills, and qualifications. Used to create a shortlist for interview.
Most common selection method. Face-to-face or video. Assesses communication, personality, and fit with the role. Can be one-to-one or panel. Relatively cheap but subjective.
Psychometric tests (personality), aptitude tests (skills), or knowledge tests. Useful for technical roles. More objective than interviews.
Candidates complete tasks, role plays, group exercises, and presentations over a day. Very thorough but expensive and time-consuming. Used for graduate or management roles.
Candidate works for a short period to demonstrate their ability. Very effective but not always practical.
Previous employer provides a written account of the candidate's work. Used to verify claims made in the application and interview.
| Role | Most Appropriate Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarket checkout | Short interview + trial period | Simple tasks; on-the-job performance matters most |
| Software developer | Technical test + interview | Skills must be verified objectively |
| Graduate management scheme | Assessment centre | Tests a wide range of competencies thoroughly |
| Sales manager | Panel interview + psychometric test | Communication and personality are critical factors |
Businesses must follow the Equality Act 2010, which makes it illegal to discriminate against applicants based on protected characteristics including age, gender, race, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. Job advertisements and interview questions must not unlawfully discriminate.
Click a term on the left, then its definition on the right.