There are basically two different employee recruitment methods for which an employer can hire for a position. One of these is internal recruitment, and the other is external. Internal recruitment means that you are hiring from within the company – like a promotion or transfer. External recruitment involves hiring someone from outside who would be brand new to the company.
Internal Recruitment
Hiring from within your company can be a positive choice for a variety of reasons. First of all, it is much less expensive to hire within the company as you do not buy advertising. Hiring internally is also to a company’s advantage because the company already knows what this employee’s strengths and weaknesses are. The employee also knows how the company operates, and can be more efficient more quickly than perhaps a new employee could.
Disadvantages of Internal Recruitment
There are disadvantages also involved with hiring internally. You are limiting the number of potential applicants. You are also not allowing new people and new ideas to be introduced to the company. Hiring/promoting internally may cause hurt feelings or resentment among those not appointed. Hiring from within also has another flaw. When you hire someone away from their old position, you create a new vacancy which needs to be filled.
External Recruitment
Hiring externally has a good deal of advantages. This employee recruitment method allows for a fresh perspective to enter the company. With the new employee comes new ideas and different experiences. You can use word of mouth and job centers as free or less expensive ways to hire externally. In hiring from outside, you will also have a much larger pool to select from than had you only considered those within the company. Many employers choose to hire externally for these benefits.
Disadvantages of External Recruitment
External recruitment has a fair share of downsides as well, however. Hiring in this manner takes much longer and is more expensive due to advertisements and interviews. Job interviews take time and money. Keeping track of and dealing with a plethora of applicants is also time consuming and requires effort. If you hire an outside recruiter, this is expensive as well. Also, depending upon your selection process, you may or may not find the best candidate for the job.
Of the two employee recruitment methods, there are various pros and cons to each. There is no definitive best way to recruit employees. The positives and negatives must be weighed for each individual situation. If your company is tight on cash, hiring internally might be the best option. Then again, if you feel the need for some fresh blood to inspire more creativity, hiring externally is probably the best choice.
Really, the correct recruitment method is whichever is best suited for your company at that particular moment. Needs change, and what works well for your company on a given day might not work for another company, or even for your own on a different day. With a little research you can choose the best option for your company and see great results from the method which you select.
