Page 638 - Business Principles and Management

Chapter 23 • Managing Human Resources

large number of employees or they must fill an opening quickly. For longer-term
needs or more specialized jobs, companies may place advertising in industry mag-
azines or other specialized publications. Human resources employees carefully
write employment advertisements to attract only qualified applicants rather than
large numbers of unqualified people.
The Internet has become a popular resource for recruiting personnel. Web sites
such as monster.com and careerbuilder.com provide thousands of job listings that
job seekers can search by job category, location, company, or salary expectations.
Most of the top employment sites on the Web also allow people seeking employ-
ment to post their résumés. Some sites provide services such as help in résumé
preparation and tips for a successful job search. Most major Internet employment
sites make it possible for applicants to submit their résumés to prospective employ-
ers online. Today, companies that regularly hire employees place a link to employ-
ment opportunities on their home page so that prospective employees can obtain
an up-to-date listing of available jobs.

PROCESSING APPLICATIONS
Most job seekers fill out an application form, which must ask only for informa-
tion necessary to make the best selection for the job. The form must not ask for
inappropriate, illegal, or discriminatory information. Then, a number of steps
are followed to complete the selection process and choose the best candidate
for the job:

1. Human resources employees review the applications to eliminate the people
who do not meet minimum qualifications. Those qualifications would typi-
cally include level of education, specific training, certifications, or licenses.
Applicants are often eliminated at this stage because they filled out the
application form incorrectly, did not fully complete the application, or
had very poor written communication skills.
2. A human resources employee interviews the remaining applicants to con-
firm information on the application, to gather information on oral com-
munication and human relations skills, and to provide more information
to the applicants about the company and the job.
3. A human resources employee checks the information supplied on the appli-
cation form and through the interview for accuracy by contacting schools
attended, previous employers, and listed references. Careful questioning of
a reference can often reveal important information about an applicant’s
strengths, work habits, and human relations skills.
4. Human resources employees administer tests to the applicants remaining
in the pool to determine if they have the needed knowledge and skills for
the specific job. To be legal, the tests must measure only characteristics
important for success on the job. facts
5. The manager or a work team of the department that has the opening inter- &
views the top applicants. The interview allows more specific questioning
related to the duties and qualifications for the job, can offer applicants figures
detailed information about the job and the department, and gives applicants
the opportunity to ask questions. By understanding the job and its require-
ments, applicants are in a better position to determine if the job would The Small Business Administra-
satisfy them. tion reports that for every $1
6. The final selection is made by comparing information gathered with the an employer invests in screen-
job requirements. The decision should be made carefully and objectively. ing new employees, the busi-
Many businesses require prospective employees to pass a physical exam, ness saves $5 to $16 in reduced
including drug screening. They also check for a possible criminal record. absenteeism, turnover, insur-
Some companies require drug screening and a criminal background check ance, and employer liability.

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