What is Selection?

Selection is the process of picking or choosing the right candidate, who is most suitable for a vacant job position in an organization. In others words, selection can also be explained as the process of interviewing the candidates and evaluating their qualities, which are required for a specific job and then choosing the suitable candidate for the position.

The selection of a right applicant for a vacant position will be an asset to the organization, which will be helping the organization in reaching its objectives.

Different authors define Selection in different ways. Here is a list of some of the definitions −

• Employee selection is a process of putting a right applicant on a right job.

• Selection of an employee is a process of choosing the applicants, who have the qualifications to fill the vacant job in an organization.

• Selection is a process of identifying and hiring the applicants for filling the vacancies in an organization.

• Employee selection is a process of matching organization’s requirements with the skills and the qualifications of individuals.

A good selection process will ensure that the organization gets the right set of employees with the right attitude.

Difference between Recruitment and Selection

The major differences between Recruitment and Selection are as follows −

Both recruitment and selection work hand in hand and both play a vital role in the overall growth of an organization.

Importance of Selection

Selection is an important process because hiring good resources can help increase the overall performance of the organization. In contrast, if there is bad hire with a bad selection process, then the work will be affected and the cost incurred for replacing that bad resource will be high.

The purpose of selection is to choose the most suitable candidate, who can meet the requirements of the jobs in an organization, who will be a successful applicant. For meeting the goals of the organization, it is important to evaluate various attributes of each candidate such as their qualifications, skills, experiences, overall attitude, etc. In this process, the most suitable candidate is picked after the elimination of the candidates, who are not suitable for the vacant job.

The organization has to follow a proper selection process or procedure, as a huge amount of money is spent for hiring a right candidate for a position. If a selection is wrong, then the cost incurred in induction and training the wrong candidate will be a huge loss to the employer in terms of money, effort, and also time. Hence, selection is very important and the process should be perfect for the betterment of the organization.

Advantages of Selection

A good selection process offers the following advantages−

• It is cost-effective and reduces a lot of time and effort.

• It helps avoid any biasing while recruiting the right candidate.

• It helps eliminate the candidates who are lacking in knowledge, ability, and proficiency.

• It provides a guideline to evaluate the candidates further through strict verification and reference-checking.

• It helps in comparing the different candidates in terms of their capabilities, knowledge, skills, experience, work attitude, etc.

A good selection process helps in selecting the best candidate for the requirement of a vacant position in an organization.

Selection Process and Steps

As we have discussed that Selection is very important for any organization for minimizing the losses and maximizing the profits. Hence the selection procedure should be perfect. A good selection process should comprise the following steps −

• Employment Interview − Employment interview is a process in which one-on-one session in conducted with the applicant to know a candidate better. It helps the interviewer to discover the inner qualities of the applicant and helps in taking a right decision.

• Checking References − Reference checking is a process of verifying the applicant’s qualifications and experiences with the references provided by him. These reference checks help the interviewer understand the conduct, the attitude, and the behavior of the candidate as an individual and also as a professional.

• Medical Examination − Medical examination is a process, in which the physical and the mental fitness of the applicants are checked to ensure that the candidates are capable of performing a job or not. This examination helps the organization in choosing the right candidates who are physically and mentally fit.

• Final Selection − The final selection is the final process which proves that the applicant has qualified in all the rounds of the selection process and will be issued an appointment letter.

A selection process with the above steps will help any organization in choosing and selecting the right candidates for the right job.