Having the right team in place in any organization is key to its success. But finding the right skills and talent is easier said than done. This is where recruitment comes to the fore as an essential Human Resources task. However, recruitment is not just about posting job ads. In fact, there are three primary types of recruitment that you should be aware of in order to meet your talent search needs. These are internal, external, and hybrid forms of recruitment. In this article, we will explore each of these types and cover their pros and cons as well as give examples of how they can be implemented. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look.

Internal recruitment

What is it?

Internal recruitment is the process of recruiting talent from an organization’s existing talent pool. This refers to current employees that already work for the company. In short, internal recruitment focuses on looking within the organization firsbefore branching out and hiring new talent from outside organization. Historically, this process has been the weakest type of recruitment for several reasons, among which include the fact that a new vacancy will inadvertently be created when the internal employee is hired and the fact that managers may not always want to part with their best performers who may go on to work in another department within the organization. 

How can it be done?

In order to carry out internal recruitment, the most common methods include the promotion of team members with greater levels of responsibility, transfers to different departments in the organization, and of course, re-hiring, which means taking on professionals that the organization has already worked with and whose skills and abilities are trusted. 

Another alternative to this is to consider internships where a candidate works at the organization for a certain period of time and may be offered a full-time position once the “test” period is over if they have met their performance metrics. 

Furthermore, with internal recruitment, organizations can post internal ads within the organization or even promote referrals with a view to reducing the time and cost of recruiting. Finally, there is the option to consult an organization’s talent pool databases where suitable candidates have previously applied but were not hired then.

Pros

Of course, internal recruitment comes with many benefits, among which include the following:

• The recruitment process is cheaper and quicker
• Existing employees already know the business and how it operates
• It can provide motivation as it provides opportunities for promotion
• The organization is already familiar with the candidates’ strengths and weaknesses

Cons

It must be noted that internal recruitment is not a silver bullet for all recruiting needs and because of this, this method comes with certain disadvantages, which include:

• A limitation in the number of potential applicants
• Limitations in the new ideas that can be generated from an outsider’s perspective
• Internal candidates may feel resentment if not promoted or appointed to the role
• Managers may find it hard to part with their best performers
• And of course, this method creates a new internal vacancy that will need to be filled

External recruitment

What is it?

External recruitment can be said to be the opposite of internal recruitment in that applicants or candidates from outside of the organization are sought to fill in vacant or newly-established positions in order to meet a talent gap.

How can it be done?

So, how can an organization carry out external recruitment? The answer is through recruitment agencies or job ads, which then culminate into collecting resumes, analyzing candidates, carrying out interviews, and finally, making the offer and hiring them after which the onboarding process begins. 

Examples of the ways in which external recruitment can be carried out include through advertisements using different types of media channels. Alternatives include posting job ads on job portals, attending job fairs, or reaching out to educational institutes or professional organizations/associations to source fresh talent. In addition to this, there is also word-of-mouth advertising, but this can be an even lengthier process that is harder to track and may take a while to see results. 

Pros

The benefits of external recruitment include:

• Outside talent can bring in new ideas
• There’s a much larger talent pool from which to find the best candidate
• External talent can have a broader range of experience

Cons

External recruitment doesn’t come without its challenges, though, which may include:

• A much longer process for finding the right talent
• The process is also more expensive due to paid adverts that will need to be placed
• The selection process may not be effective enough to reveal the best candidate
• Candidates have to go through the adaptation process to get to know the company better

Hybrid or mixed recruitment

What is it?

With a hybrid recruitment model, it’s possible to apply the principles of both internal and external recruiting at the same time in order to meet an organization’s talent needs. In such a case, the recruitment team will post the job vacancy both on internal job boards and they will advertise externally to find the right talent for the position in question. This type of process aims to be fair both to existing and prospective employees. 

How can it be done?

Hybrid recruitment brings together both internal and external recruitment at the same time. With this method, the recruitment process can be significantly sped up as both internal and external candidates can apply for the position, creating a more fair and balanced approach to filling the vacant job. 

Pros

Hybrid recruitment is essential for organizations that require fairness and equality to be a central part of the recruitment process, possibly in terms of regulatory or legal requirements.

Cons

Hybrid recruitment can be a lengthy process for sourcing talent and it may make existing employees feel overlooked if outside candidates are also being recruited at the same time.

In conclusion

Whether you use internal, external, or hybrid types of recruitment, one thing is certain – filling the talent gaps in your organization is essential for your business to thrive. For those who are struggling to find talent, StorsenDigital’s talent hub is an exceptional place where you can find the best talent at affordable prices. Simply browse through our selection of talent or get in touch with us to see how we can turn your recruitment vision into a reality.