Recruitment

Recruitment is the process of identifying, attracting and selecting candidates to fill job vacancies within an organization. It sets the foundation for workforce capability and compliance.

What is Recruitment?

Recruitment covers activities from creating job descriptions to sourcing applicants and screening candidates. It is distinct from but complementary to talent acquisition and focuses on filling specific roles efficiently.

How does it work?

Recruitment typically follows steps: define the vacancy, advertise or source candidates, review applications, interview and assess, and extend offers. Employers may use internal promotion, external advertising, employee referrals or recruiting technology to scale each step.

Practical usage in HR

Where and why recruitment is used in organizations:

• Hiring for critical roles during growth to meet business targets.
• Backfilling positions after turnover to maintain operations.
• Campus recruitment to build entry level talent pipelines.

Examples

HR uses recruitment to fill a sales manager vacancy, hire seasonal staff for peak periods, or recruit specialized engineers with compliance clearance.

Related HR concepts: Recruitment is closely related to talent acquisition, onboarding, workforce planning, selection, employer branding and succession planning. These terms work together to create effective hiring and retention strategies.