The recruiter must understand why people take jobs with organizations "(Human Resources Management - Recruiting / Staffing ). In other words, the recruiter as well as the placement officer must have a certain degree of psychological expertise in order to make correct decisions about employee selections. Coupled with this is a growing awareness and ethos in the arena of human resources as well as in the business world in general of the importance of the individual in the company. As one critic puts it, " More than ever before, organizations are of the belief that their people are a significant differentiator -- that they are the business" (Human Resources Management - Recruiting / Staffing ).

The recruitment philosophy in a business or organization can also involve many aspects and offer numerous possibilities and choices. For example, the policy decision about recruiting internally or externally. This refers to the decision whether to hire from outside the organization or promote vacant positions from within the organization (Sims, 2002, p. 111). Many organizations prefer to recruit 'proven talent' from within the organization who are well acquainted with the running of the organization or business. Another aspect that is related to the 'philosophy' of recruitment is the question of "…hiring for long-term careers or merely filling vacancies" (Sims, 2002, p, 111). In other words, should the emphasis be on filling necessary vacancies as quickly and effectively as possible to ensure the running of the company or should be more long-term view be adopted? A long-term may be more costly and time- consuming but more care would be taken to ensure that the best individuals were recruited for the job.

There are also ethical and more wide-ranging issues that should be considered in the recruitment and placement process; for example, the issue of diversity in the workplace. As Sims states;

Some organizations are still at the EEO/affirmative action stage of mere compliance with the law, whereas others have graduated to valuing diversity as a central principle of organizational life. Their recruiting practices, both internal and external, actively encourage participation by all… ( Sims, 2002, p. 111)

Conclusion

In essence, the selection and recruitment of staff as well as their correct placement is a central function of the human resources manager or officer in any organization. "Selection and placement procedures provide the essence of an organization -- its human resources" (Sims, 2002, p. 139). There has been a...

Furthermore, recruitment is linked to overall human resources planning and job analysis. This "… goes hand in hand with the selection process & #8230; by which organizations evaluate the suitability of candidates for various jobs" (Sims, 2002, p. 108).
The discussion in this paper covers only some of the central aspect that can be included under the topic of recruitments and placement. What the paper has attempted to show is the complexity and the variety of situations and aspects that can be related to the recruitment and placement process. What also becomes clear from the literature on this topic is that there is no single or normative method or view of recruitment. There are many variables and factors to consider, such as the particular needs of the company or organization at various times.

However, a number of central and common points are evident in the literature. The first is the role of the recruitment and placement officer or officers; which is to fill posts effectively with the appropriate candidates who will advance the needs and requirements of the company or organization. The second is the attitude or philosophy of the company or organization, which will determine the methods and processes used in the recruitment and placement.