Recruitment and Selection: A Competency Approach

Citation

Fellows, H. (1999), "Recruitment and Selection: A Competency Approach", Library Review, Vol. 48 No. 6, pp. 49-50. https://doi.org/10.1108/lr.1999.48.6.49.8

This is a detailed and exceedingly thorough look at the process of recruitment and selection of staff, from the drawing up of the initial specification, through to the making of offers, induction of new employees, and beyond. Chapters detailing this process are prefaced by an introductory section which describes the current context of the recruitment process. This includes a useful look at changes to the labour market and the consequences for the recruiter. Equal opportunities are also addressed in some detail and the pitfalls of direct and indirect discrimination in the various areas such as gender, race, and age, are clearly set out, together with practical steps which should be taken to avoid discriminatory practice.

The main body of the book focuses on the recruitment process, starting with devising a specification. This may be based on either the person approach or the competency approach, both of which are described at some length ‐‐ the author′s preference, not surprising given the title of the book, being the latter. The next area under consideration is that of advertising and attracting candidates, and includes sections on market research, positioning, and a variety of different forms of advertising from in‐house bulletins to media advertisements. A wealth of different methods to be employed in the selection of candidates is discussed including screening, psychological testing, and the interview in both its structured and unstructured form. An interesting point is made that the most acceptable methods of selection from the point of view of the practitioner are the application form and the interview. However, these methods are generally regarded by the academics in the field as far less effective than the ability test in its various guises, which in turn is viewed with suspicion by practitioners.

The process draws to a close with sections concerned with evaluating the evidence available and making a decision. References and legal checks are considered, including the recently introduced requirement to check eligibility to work in the UK following the 1996 Asylum and Immigration Act. The concluding section covers induction and development, and last but not least, measurement and evaluation containing a serious dose of statistics.

This book is undoubtedly comprehensive. It is described as a practical guide, but owing to the scope of information contained, which ranges from fairly basic to quite technically complex, it is difficult to gauge the level of management at which it is aimed. Students pursuing human resources studies will no doubt find the book invaluable.