Introduction to the selection process

Defining the selection process

The selection process can be regarded separately to the recruitment process, in that having obtained a good pool of applicants, which will have been the result of an effective recruitment process, the task of shortlisting candidates takes place, and concludes when an applicant has been selected and an offer of employment has been accepted.

There is sometimes an eagerness to just appoint as quickly as possible, particularly where the absence of a role has a detrimental effect on existing operations or staff. However, whilst an efficient process is the goal, time should not be a deterrent to finding the right candidate. Rather than rushing an appointment which may be regretted at a later date, when either the employee leaves as they were not a good fit for the role or organisation or where the employee performs poorly.