RECRUITMENT
Exercise 1
Read this text and translate the words in bold
The process of finding people for particular jobs is recruitment or, especially in American English, hiring. Someone who has been recruited is a recruit or, in American English, a hire. The company employs or hires them; they join the company. A company may recruit employees directly or use outside recruiters, recruitment agencies or employment agencies. Outside specialists called headhunters may be called on to headhunt people for very important jobs, persuading them to leave the organizations they already work for. This process is called headhunting.
Dagmar Schmidt is the head of recruitment at a German Telecommunications company. She talks about the selection process, the methods that the company uses to recruit people:
"We advertise in national newspapers. We look at the backgrounds of applicants: their experience of different jobs and their educational qualifications. We don`t ask for handwritten letters of application as people usually apply by email; handwriting analysis belongs to the 19th century.
We invite the most interesting candidates to a group discussion. Then we have individual interviews with each candidate. We also ask the candidates to do written psychometric tests to assess their intelligence and personality.
After this, we shortlist three or four candidates. We check their references by writing to their referees: previous employers or teachers that candidates have named in their applications. If the references are OK, we ask the candidates to come back for more interviews. Finally, we offer the job to someone, and if they turn it down we have to think again. If they accept it, we hire them. We only appoint someone if we find the right person."
Exercise 2
Exercise 3
1.Internal recruitment - the manager looks for a candidate from among the existing staff.
2. External recruitment - the manager seeks suitable applicants from outside the company.
Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. Let us first look at internal recruitment. This is cheaper and quicker since the candidate is already familiar with the company's business operations. Furthermore, it can be an incentive to staff as it provides opportunities for promotion. However, the number of applicants is limited and no new ideas will come from outside businesses. Internal candidates who feel qualified may become resentful if they are not selected.
If we look at external recruitment methods, we find that the manager has a wider choice of potential recruits with a wider range of experience Nevertheless, the selection process may not be effective enough to reveal the most appropriate candidate for the post. In addition, the selection process may take longer and turn out to be more expensive than originally planned.
The four most popular ways of recruiting externally are:
1. Job centres
These are subsidised by the government and are responsible for helping the unemployed find jobs or obtain training. They also provide a service for businesses needing to advertise a vacancy and are generally free to use. For example, many will offer a room to interview potential candidates; others will help draw up a short list based on your job specification.
2. Job advertisements
Advertisements are the most common form of external recruitment. They can be found in local and national newspapers and on the Internet, and are effective methods of reaching a large audience in a short space of time. A specific area or specialist profession can be targeted through a wide range of magazines and newspapers. Job advertisements are also displayed on noticeboards at recruitment fairs. Information presented in job advertisements should include the following: job title, location, job description, pay package, methods of application – either by letter or application form.
3. Recruitment agencies
These companies specialise wholly in recruitment and keep an up-to-date database of experienced potential employees. They provide employers with details of suitable candidates for a vacancy and are often referred to as ‘headhunters’. They save time on advertising, interviewing and selecting candidates, and can present a ready-made employee to fit the job specification. They work for a fee and often specialise in particular employment areas e.g. financial services, senior executives, medical and teaching staff.
4. Personal recommendation
This method, often referred to as ‘word of mouth’, could involve a recommendation from a colleague at work, a family member or acquaintance. On some occasions a manager employs or promotes a relative or acquaintance, (known as nepotism), rather than another more qualified candidate. Such an approach takes the cost element out of the process. On the other hand, it may cause some embarrassment should the new employee be found unsuitable and have to be dismissed. Thus, a full and fair assessment of the candidate is still necessary before hiring.
Exercise 4
Please read these dialogues and learn the words in bold
Choosing suppliers
A: How do you choose which companies to work with?
B: Well, there are lots of things to consider. Quality and delivery times are as important as price.We also take into consideration technical support and after-sales service. We look for companies with a good track record. We place a few trial orders and if everything goes well, we put them on our approved list. It`s important to choose companies you feel you can work closely with.
Guaranteed supply
A: Quality is very important to us. We work to very low tolerance levels. We need to have guaranteed supplies of consistently high quality raw materials. Over the years we`ve built up very good relationships with our suppliers.
B: Do you have many different suppliers?
A: Yes. There are about fifty names on our approved supplier list, but for raw materials we tend to deal with three local companies.
Extra staff
A: I was surprised to see how few people you have on-site. You provide a wide range of goods and services but have a very small workforce.
B: It depends on the time of year. At peak times we hire in casual workers to help with packing and dispatch. We also contract out certain services all year round, for example, cleaning. We run a very tight operation.
A: Do you handle the recruiting yourselves?
B: Sometimes we use a local employment agency. It depends on the job.
NOTES
We look for companies with a good track record.
Similar expressions; We only use suppliers with a good reputation.
All our suppliers have a good name.
We work to very low tolerance levels.
We could also say; We operate within very tight limits.
....we`ve built up very good relationships with our suppliers.
We`ve established good relations....... can also be used, but is more formal.
There are about fifty names on our approved supplier list, ...
Note the use of the adjective approved. The noun is approval.
The managing Director gave the project his approval.
The verb approve is followed by the preposition of:
I don`t approve of the new system.
.... we tend to deal with three local companies.
Note the preposition with after deal.
Similar expressions; We do most of our business with.....
We source most of our materials from .....
Tend to/have a tendency to means this is normally the case.
Look at the following example: Prices tend to go up at this time of year.
At peak times we hire in casual workers ...
peak times are busy periods
Traffic is very heavy during peak hours.
Instead of hire in we could also say bring in, take on or employ.
We`ve taken on a new Transport Manager.
We also contract out certain services ...
We could also say... We buy in certain services
A company or person providing a service over a period of time is called a sub-contractor or just a contractor
They always arrive within a couple of hours
Within means it will be a couple of hours at the most
There`s no call-out fee. It`s included in the annual service contract
A call-out fee is often charged in addition to the cost of repair.
Our usual supplier has let us down....
If you let someone down you don`t keep your promise or do as agreed.
How soon can you deliver?
We could also say; How quickly can you get the goods here?
.... by first thing tomorrow morning.
Note the use of by for a deadline.
We must have it by Monday.
first thing tomorrow morning means at the start of the working day.
There`ll be an extra charge for special delivery.
Extra charges are also called supplements or surcharges.
.... send them by courier.
Note the preposition by for types of transport: by airfreight; by rail; by road
NOTE
British American
We work to very low tolerance levels. We work to exacting standards.
We hire in casual workers. We hire temporary workers.
There`s no call-out fee. There`s no house-call/travel time/service call fee.
catalogue catalog
Managing Director Chief Executive Officer
We source most of our materials from .... We get/obtain/purchase/buy most of our materials from ..
Transport Manager Transportation Manager
Exercise 5
