Recruitment strategies for small versus large organizations

Recruitment and Selection Strategies

Principles and strategies of recruitment

Every company has different needs and this must be reflected in every organization's recruitment and development strategies. Although it is generally true that all organizations want 'the best' employees, beyond that first impulse companies must also be sensitive to the specific types of workers necessary for the size and atmosphere of their organization. This paper will provide a brief comparison of the recruitment techniques of a small company vs. A larger, internationally-based organization.

A small business in Austin, Texas

For a small business located in Austin, Texas, drawing upon the city's resources of talented young people is essential. A close-knit family environment is likely to be a draw for the population pool available for this company, and creating an orientation program that capitalizes upon youth, exuberance, and enthusiasm would be useful. "Austin leads a list of seven Texas metros that rank among the 10 areas expected to have the fastest job growth through 2015…Austin's employment is expected to increase 4% annually" (Badenhausen 2013). In a market this competitive, focusing on salary alone will not be enough to recruit top candidates. The organization must also communicate the extent to which it can offer opportunities to new hires, such as the prospects of promotion or the ability to engage in participatory leadership through a mentorship program with an older employee. "People are flocking to Austin to take advantage of companies hiring and the city's cool reputation" (Badenhausen 2013). The company can pay homage to this 'cool' reputation as well -- for example, giving flexible hours or other amenities (such as fun socializing opportunities outside of work) as a way of attracting young people.

Diversity is characteristic of Austin and fostering respect for diversity is also an important component of enabling the company to succeed. "The metro boasts a net migration rate that is the third fastest in the country over the past five years… A strong infrastructure and a thriving energy market helped Texas rank as the top exporting state in the U.S.…Many of the jobs added in Austin and Fort Worth will carry six-figure incomes" (Badenhausen 2013). Using a recruitment dynamic which emphasizes a 'Theory Y' leadership style will be more useful.

Theory X / Theory Y leadership approach is a theory developed by the management theorist Douglas McGregor who suggested there are two basic approaches a manager can take: on one hand, he or she can emphasize transactional relationships with employees, stressing the exchange of pay and promotions for performance and using a succession of carrots and sticks to motivate the individual (Theory X). "This assumes that employees are naturally unmotivated and dislike working, and this encourages an authoritarian style of management" ("Theory X and Theory Y," 2014). Or managers can take a Theory Y approach using the excitement of additional responsibilities, creativity, and growth potential to motivate workers. The type of demographic drawn to the Austin area suggests a Theory Y approach would be more useful. Theory Y approaches have been increasingly embraced by companies such as Google and Facebook, which offer flexible workplaces and the ability to pursue independent projects in a collegial work environment as their greatest draw in attracting young and talented workers. Theory X "assumes that employees are happy to work, are self-motivated and creative, and enjoy working with greater responsibility" ("Theory X and Theory Y," 2014).

Case 2: A large business recruiting internationally

Recruiting low-cost labor from the developing world with an emphasis on highly technically literate employees from nations such as India has been extremely helpful for many companies to cut costs while improve quality. Casting a wide recruitment net is essential to use this strategy, however. Recruiters must familiarize themselves with the culture and common recruitment channels manifested in India and their differences vs. A U.S. context. Going to top technical schools to recruit employees directly is one way to establish an immediate connection with a core group of individuals looking for a job. "Although pay in India is considerably lower than in Western countries (and even some developing nations), shortages of skilled workers (especially in IT) have led to dramatic pay inflation. Salaries in some sectors of the economy climbed at a staggering 40% annually during the mid-1990s" (Gross 2014). Finding a match between needed skills and employee abilities is essential given that cost savings on labor, while still considerable, might not be as substantial as expected.