Tough economic times have led to many job cuts in various industries across the United States. People who are talented at their profession are very uncomfortable working in today’s workforce. Most businesses are feeling confident in the layoffs they are conducting because they have strong human resource departments. The economy’s fluctuation has companies using internal and external recruiting to get the employees they need at the salaries the employer can afford. Understanding how human resource departments recruit can allow people employed or unemployed to put themselves in the best position to get the job they are looking for or the promotion they desire.
Internal recruiting is the process of looking inside the organization for existing qualified employees that can be promoted to higher positions. Internally recruiting talented members of the current staff can motivate others in the organization to be more productive. When lower level employees are promoted to higher positions, employees begin to believe through hard work they can find the same fate. Now upper management has promoted an employee with something to prove, with a small salary increase, and has raised aspirations of other employees in the company. Continually using this method will create a ripple effect that will allow people with great knowledge of the company to move up the corporate ladder quickly and increase their value over a short period of time. Managers in this environment need to be careful not to train their replacement. Use interns and assistants to work on pieces of projects but handle the bulk of the work yourself. Middle and low level employees in an organization that practices internal recruiting need to show versatility and determination to excel. By taking on various projects and working with different departments you are constantly on management’s radar and in the spotlight. Unemployed professionals should aim to work for organizations that practice a heavy amount of internal recruiting. Getting your foot in the door can be the start of a beautiful career that prospers to many different areas of a business that will eventually bounce back from a tough market.
One disadvantage of the internal recruiting approach is it can foster stagnation. Once a person is with an organization and starts to grow from within they stick with what works. If a person was able to move up the corporate ladder by using certain ideas and actions, they will continue to use those same tactics and never grow as an individual. Another disadvantage of the internal recruiting method, which is an advantage as well, is the ripple effect. If a business strictly uses the internal approach, they will eventually promote an employee that cannot handle their new roles or responsibilities. Businesses need to be strong from the ground up to outlast competitors and become stable in the market. If an employer is able to use the strategy of internal recruiting to get the right individuals into management positions, sacrifices will often be compromised on the organization chart in middle and low income areas.
External recruiting includes looking to sources outside the organization for prospective employees. The unemployment pool grows everyday giving firms the opportunity to pick from numerous qualified professionals looking to get back into the workforce. The great part of external recruiting is being able to bring in new talent with fresh ideas on how to get tasks completed. Since there are a large number of people who have not been employed for quite some time, these people are willing to work for less than their true value. External recruiting also eliminates the ripple effect by replacing certain employees with outside talent. Employers are then able to plug fresh individuals into a position at a usually lower salary. Managers in this environment are rarely let go without prior knowledge. It is usually tough to plug a manager or high level executive into a new environment without allowing a long grace period. Middle and low level employees in an environment that practices external recruiting are in the worst position. Using little or no training middle and low level employees can be replaced by more capable and more sophisticated individuals rather quickly. People in these positions need to show their value by displaying leadership and proving that they are willing to go the extra mile for the business. This can be done by taking the lead on projects, working extra hours to get work done in a timely fashion, and displaying a great attitude in the work place. Unemployed professionals have the best chance of obtaining a position with these firms. A great interview and proof of great work experience can land you a job anywhere on the corporate ladder. People in this category must not settle for a salary below their worth because a raise is usually in the distant future and a replacement can be around the corner.
Contrary to internal recruiting external recruiting can be upsetting to those already in the work place. Employees who are not promoted from within often feel that they are not working hard enough and have trouble gelling with new management or co-workers. The employees brought into the organization may also have a tough time adapting to the culture of the business and creating a system that works. Tough adaptation can lead to new employees to lose confidence and have their co-workers doubt the new employee’s abilities. External can prove to be more innovative but it does not always work for the business.
Many organizations rely on both external and internal recruiting strategies. The combined approach allows employers to use the advantages and disadvantages of each recruiting method to be successful. Employed professionals need to study the structure of their firm to be in position to excel and become valuable within the organization. Unemployed professionals need to find the firm that caters to their work style and puts them in the best position to succeed at the best salary.
