AQA · GCSE · Business

    Course version: 8132 · Version from Sept 2017

    Methods of recruitment and selection of employees

    Full specification wording

    Recruitment and selection of employees: Methods of recruitment and selection of employees

    Recruitment is the process of attracting candidates to fill a vacancy; selection is choosing the best candidate.

    Checked against the AQA 8132 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 2 of 8
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    Recruitment is the process of attracting candidates to fill a vacancy; selection is choosing the best candidate. Methods include internal recruitment (promotion, transfer) and external recruitment (job centres, agencies, advertising, online). Selection methods include application forms, CVs, cover letters, interviews, tests, and references. Internal recruitment is cheaper and faster but limits new ideas; external recruitment brings fresh talent but costs more and takes longer. Selection aims to match the person to the job specification and person specification. For example, a small business might use a job centre to find a sales assistant, then interview shortlisted candidates. The method chosen affects cost, time, and quality of hire.

    What earns the marks

    • Define recruitment as attracting candidates and selection as choosing the best candidate.
    • Distinguish internal recruitment (e.g., promotion, transfer) from external recruitment (e.g., job centres, agencies, advertising).
    • Explain at least two selection methods, such as interviews, application forms, CVs, tests, or references.
    • Discuss advantages and disadvantages of internal versus external recruitment, e.g., cost, time, fresh ideas.
    • Apply recruitment and selection methods to a business context, showing how they meet the job and person specifications.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Confusing recruitment with selection.

      Put it right: Clearly separate the two stages.

    • Assuming internal recruitment is always best.

      Put it right: Weigh advantages against disadvantages.

    • Ignoring the person specification.

      Put it right: Link selection methods to the person specification.

    Exam tips

    • Use business-specific examples, such as a local shop using a job centre or an online advert.
    • When evaluating, consider cost, time, and quality of hire for each method.
    • Structure answers to show clear understanding of both recruitment and selection, not just one.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Recruitment and selection of employees: Methods of recruitment and selection of employees lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    Which method of recruitment involves a business advertising a vacancy on its own website so that anyone visiting the site can see it?

    Listen

    Recruitment is the process of attracting candidates to fill a vacancy; selection is choosing the best candidate. Methods include internal recruitment (promotion, transfer) and external recruitment (job centres, agencies, advertising, online). Selection methods include application forms, CVs, cover letters, interviews, tests, and references. Internal recruitment is cheaper and faster but limits new ideas; external recruitment brings fresh talent but costs more and takes longer. Selection aims to match the person to the job specification and person specification. For example, a small business might use a job centre to find a sales assistant, then interview shortlisted candidates. The method chosen affects cost, time, and quality of hire. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Define recruitment as attracting candidates and selection as choosing the best candidate. Distinguish internal recruitment (e.g., promotion, transfer) from external recruitment (e.g., job centres, agencies, advertising). Explain at least two selection methods, such as interviews, application forms, CVs, tests, or references. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of internal versus external recruitment, e.g., cost, time, fresh ideas. A common slip: Confusing recruitment with selection: recruitment is attracting applicants; selection is choosing among them. Instead, clearly separate the two stages. Exam tip: Use business-specific examples, such as a local shop using a job centre or an online advert.

    See it

    A top-down flowchart. It starts with a node labelled Vacancy, which leads to Recruitment: attract candidates. This splits into two branches: Internal recruitment, leading to Promotion, transfer; and External recruitment, leading to Job centres, agencies, advertising, online. Both branches then join at Selection: choose best candidate. Selection splits into two branches: Application forms, CVs, cover letters; and Interviews, tests, references. Both of these lead to a final node labelled Match to job and person specification.
    It shows the two stages of recruitment (internal and external methods) and selection (selection methods) leading to matching the candidate to the job and person specification.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Recruitment process

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Selection methods

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Internal vs external recruitment

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Cost and time implications

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Recruitment process
    The process of attracting candidates to fill a vacancy.
    Selection methods
    Choosing the best candidate, using methods such as application forms, CVs, cover letters, interviews, tests, and references.
    Internal vs external recruitment
    Internal recruitment includes promotion and transfer, while external recruitment includes job centres, agencies, advertising, and online.
    Cost and time implications
    Internal recruitment is cheaper and faster but limits new ideas, while external recruitment brings fresh talent but costs more and takes longer.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart. It starts with a node labelled Vacancy, which leads to Recruitment: attract candidates. This splits into two branches: Internal recruitment, leading to Promotion, transfer; and External recruitment, leading to Job centres, agencies, advertising, online. Both branches then join at Selection: choose best candidate. Selection splits into two branches: Application forms, CVs, cover letters; and Interviews, tests, references. Both of these lead to a final node labelled Match to job and person specification.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

    There is more to this lesson

    The full lesson goes on to check your understanding and help you earn the marks. Create a free account to carry on, with your progress saved.

    Carry on with the full lesson

    A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge

    Test your understanding of Recruitment and selection of employees: Methods of recruitment and selection of employees

    Active recall beats re-reading. Take an instant quiz now to test what you’ve learned and lock it into long-term memory.

    Take topic quiz

    A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge

    Start free

    Cookies on MasteryMind

    Essential cookies keep you signed in.

    Analytics and advertising cookies stay off unless you accept.

    Read our Privacy Policy.