Selection is the process of picking individuals (out of the pool of job applicants) with
requisite qualifications and competence to fill jobs in the organisation. A formal definition
of selection is:
It is the process of differentiating between applicants in order to identify (and hire)
those with a greater likelihood of success in a job.
Although, some selection methods can be used within an organisation for promotion or
transfer, this chapter focuses on selecting applicants from outside the organisation.
Recruitment and selection are the two crucial steps in the HR process and are often used
interchangeably. There is, however, a fine distinction between the two steps. While
recruitment refers to the process of identifying and encouraging prospective employees to
apply for jobs, selection is concerned with picking the right candidates from a pool of
applicants. Recruitment is said to be positive in its approach as it seeks to attract as many
candidates as possible. Selection, on the other hand, is negative in its application in as much
as it seeks to eliminate as many unqualified applicants as possible in order to identify the
right candidates.
According to Dale Yoder, “Selection is the process in which candidates for employment
are divided into two classes those who are to be offered employment and those are not.”
Selection means a process by which qualified personnel may be choosen from the
applicants as possible in order to identify the right candidates.
PURPOSE OF SELECTION
The purpose of selection is to pick up the most suitable candidate who would meet the
requirements of the job and the organization best, to find out which job applicant will
be successful, if hired. To meet this goal, the company obtains and assesses information
about the applicants in terms of age, qualifications, skills, experience, etc. The needs of
the job are matched with the profile of candidates. The most suitable person is then
picked up after eliminating the unsuitable applicants through successive stages of
selection process. How well an employee is matched to a job is very important because it
directly affects the amount and quality of employees work. Any mismatch in this
regard can cost an organization a great deal of money time and trouble, especially, in
terms of training and operating costs. In course of time the employee may find the job
distasteful and leave in frustration. He may even circulate 'hot news' and juicy bits of
negative information about the company, causing incalculable harm in the long run.
Effective selection, therefore, demands constant monitoring of the ‘fit’ between people
and the job.
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