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Global Journal of Current Research Vol. 6 No. 1. 2018. Pp. 21-30
©Copyright by CRDEEP. All Rights Reserved.

Full Length Research Paper

Challenges of Recruitment and Selection of Employees and its Effect on
Organizational Performance: The Case of Education Strategy Center
Azeb Kitila; Seid Mohammed and Serawit Handiso*
Education Strategy Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Article history Abstract
Received: 27-02-2018 The key purpose of the study was to examine the breakneck challenges and practices of recruitment
Revised: 05-03-2018 and selection process in education strategy center. It also tried to assess the effect of recruitment and
Accepted: 15-03-2018 selection process on organizational performance. The study employed case study and descriptive
survey method and was conducted in education strategy center. Descriptive survey method was
Corresponding Author: supported by qualitative study that was employed to study the problem. To collect the relevant data
Serawit Handiso questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion and document analysis were conducted. The result
Education Strategy Center, indicated that employees have little awareness on recruitment and selection policy. Even if the
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. employees believed that they are aware of the recruitment and selection policy, their awareness level is
dependent on informal discussion. The human resource department mainly focused on interview in
selecting individuals to recruit. Vacancies in the center were occurred for internal recruitment and
selection. There is no any incentive mechanism in the organization. The performance of the center is
highly influenced by recruitment and selection process. The center provided all job positions with job
descriptions before advertisement. Vacancies were publicizing through newsletter, posting the
vacancies at places which large number of people can reach it easily. The center is not using
recruitment and selection system through agents. The basic challenge that the center faced is
turnover of employees. This is caused basically due to unsatisfactory of salaries. To overcome these
concerns and challenges, the center should provide training for all of the employees. The center should
use any other method of selection method other than interview. The center should also design a
system of motivating and encouraging employees who performed better than the others in order to
reduce turnover. It is strongly advisable to recruit employees through agents-which are legally
registered. Basically the center should develop a new organizational structure with new salary scale.
The center should revise its recruitment and selection policy.

Key words: Challenges, Employee, Recruitment, Selection, Policy.

Introduction
Better recruitment and selection strategies result in improved organizational outcomes. The more effectively organizations recruit and
select candidates, the more likely they are to hire and retain competent employees. In addition, the effectiveness of an organization’s
selection system can influence bottom-line business outcomes, such as productivity and financial performance (Keep and James,
2010). The challenge for many researchers then have been to demonstrate how scientifically derived recruitment and selecting
practices add value to organization’s performance. Recruitment and selecting staff is expensive both in terms of time and money, and
it is therefore important that the process is carried out smoothly and efficiently and results in the placement of a person who fits the
job. Through efficient and effective recruitment and selection and quality of work can be achieved to meet those goals. Education
strategy center is service giving center therefore, through developing human skill that it can operate smoothly and efficiently to
achieve its goals.

Priyanath (2006) argue that a major challenge face by organizations is the difficulty in recruiting and selecting employees with the
correct qualification to help achieve goals of the organization. He explained further that this problem is compounded by the lack of
systematic method for recruiting and selecting employees. A systematic recruitment process involves indentifying vacancies, job
analysis, job description, person specification, advertisement. While a systematic selection process involves the recruiting process,
gathering information about qualified applicants, evaluating the qualification of each applicant and making decision about
employment.

The success of organizations environment depends on the talent of the manpower that steers the day to day affairs of the organizations.
The process of recruiting and selecting all categories has been a matter of concern to many and needs attention. Human resources are
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well managed and developed in alignment with the organizational goals and strategies. Any organization to achieve its stated
objectives and goals there is the need for management to put in place policies or strategies that will help attract the best of employees
to strive towards the achievement of organizational objectives. The researcher observed that selecting and recruiting of employees in
ESC is a major problem that faced the human resource department of the center. One problem is that it is difficult to get candidate that
is highly qualified and skillful. There is also high turnover of manpower that observed in ESC. In association to this taking the cost
and time of the selection and recruitments process, all this affects the effectiveness of the organizations. Without having qualified
number of employees it is difficult to achieve the goal and vision of the organization. So the study is trying to identify the gap between
the recruitment and selection practices as well as the procedures that the human resource department follows on implementing the
rules and the regulations of Civil Service Agency.

The study focused on the assessment of the significant challenges that Education Strategy Center faced in recruiting and selecting of
employees. The main concern of the study is also to assess the degree to which the environment of the organization is conducive to
work there. It also points out the effect of recruiting and selecting of employees on the performance of the center, and to find out the
measures that should be taken in order to alleviate the problems in enhancing organization`s performance.

Materials and methods

The Research Method
The research method that the researcher used is descriptive method and case study. It is used to describe the major challenges and
problems that human resource management faced during recruit and select employees for a certain positions. In addition, it also
described the way how they resolve these challenges that have direct influence on organizational performance. It is a case study that
was done only on ESC and don’t use for generalization.

Sources of Data
Both primary and secondary data were used as a source of data. The primary data gathered through interview, questionnaire and focus
group discussion, and the secondary data (written materials which are available) were very important for the accurate data gathering
method.

The following is a brief explanation how the researcher used the primary data sources.
A. Interview:- information was gathered from two human resource officers, five experts, and three higher officials through
interview.
B. Focus Group Discussion:- discussion was made on the issues with those who are said to be main participants (nine in number)
like officers, team leaders and employees
C. Questionnaire: - data were collected through questionnaire from 29 recruiters, human resource department, employees and other
relevant respondents.

The researcher also used secondary sources as to have some background information about the issues. Related documents were
revised. Documents like magazines, books, journals, research papers, published and unpublished materials and manuals were
examined not only to help to establish the review of related literature, but also to come up with sufficient information and rules for
recruitment process.

Procedures of the Study

Questionnaire was set and distributed to be filled by human resource management, experts and employees. Interview was made with
human resource officers, department heads and high officials. Focus group discussion was another means to collect information about
the main challenges that human resource management faced during recruitment process.
After that the gathered and collected data was analyzed, presented and interpreted quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Finally the
study came up with conclusion and recommendations.

Sampling Techniques
The investigator took Education Strategy Center as a study area. All the human resource officers, team leaders and officials of the
center were part of the study purposively because the above stated bodies are the key informants that are expected to give valuable
information to the study. As it is a case study, all the employees of the center (32 in number) were included as respondents to respond
their ideas for the relevance of the study.

Data Collection Instruments

Information was obtained through various ways. First, data was gathered through questionnaire. Open and close ended questionnaire
were set by the investigator and responded by human resource officers, department heads and employees. There was interview
conducted with experts, officers, department heads and high officials. Focus group discussion was also made with key informants -
respondents that are expected to give concrete information relevant to the study.

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Method of Data Analysis
The gathered data was also analyzed through the mean scores tested by high level statistical analyses, using t-test. It enables to test
data on the ‘statistical significance of a relationship’, by examining the ratio of between-group variance/within-group variance, and
give an F-score (O`Sullias, 1995:469). This tool is preferred because it enables to test for means, focuses on analyzing the variance
within and across the sample at a=0.5

Result
3.1 Formal Policy and Structured Recruitment and Selection Practice
Human Resource Policies have a number of uses including; the HR Policy Manual is a standard reference for consistently
implementing, creating and reviewing policies. Policies will provide employees with a source of information about the organization
and their role in it. A policy sets guidelines and rules for employees, so they can meet management’s expectations. A policy also
provides standards for managers to direct their employees’ activities.

Table 1: Organizational Formal Policy and Structured Recruitment and Selection Practice
Respondents Sig.
No Item/Practice Weighted T-obt (2-
HRM Other
mean tailed
Employees
)
mean Std mean Std
1. There is formal policy for the recruitment and 5.0 0.0 3.84 1.07 4.00 2.140 0.042
selection of employees in the organization

2. You are aware of any formal policy for the 5.0 0.0 3.68 0.99 3.86 2.631 0.014
recruitment and selection of employees

3. The policy is workable for the recruitment 4.0 0.82 3.8 0.91 3.83 0.411 0.684
process
4. The organization has structured recruitment and 3.5 1.73 3.36 1.29 3.38 0.193 0.848
selection practices in place for new employees
Average mean 4.38 3.67 3.77
(Note that significance level is 0.05, df=27, t-critical is 1.9735; Source: - Survey Questionnaire)

As shown on table 1 there is formal policy for the recruitment and selection of employees in the organization as responded by both
human resource management and other employees of the center (X= 4.00). But both group agreed that their level of awareness on
policies for recruitment and selection of employees, the workability of the policy for recruitment and selection and the availability of
structured recruitment and selection practice is moderately found in the center with a mean value of 3.86, 3.83 and 3.38 respectively.
So the presence, and workability of formal policy, the level of employees’ awareness on recruitment and selection policy and
availability of structured recruitment and selection practice is moderately found in the center (X=3.77). The response on item 1 and 2
(There is formal policy for the recruitment and selection of employees in the organization, where the respondents were aware of any
formal policy for the recruitment and selection of employees) shows that there is statistically significance difference observed between
the two groups of respondents. The t-value for item 1 and 2 is 2.140 and 2.631 respectively which is much higher than the t-obtained
value of 1.9735. From this we can consolidate that either HRM overestimates the presence of formal policy in the center, or their level
of awareness on policy is exactly excellent (Ẍ=5.00) or employees underestimates the HRM effort. But there is no significance
difference observed between HRM and other employees’ response on item 3 and 4, with t-value of 0.411 and 0.193 which is smaller
than the t-critical value of 1.9735. So the two groups have similar response on the workability of recruitment policy and the
availability of structured recruitment and selection practice. This shows that there is no sufficient statistical evidence that shows the
mean difference between the groups of respondents at a significance level of 0.05. This implies, both groups perceive the items
similarly and the policy is workable for the recruitment process. They also believed moderately that the organization has structured
recruitment and selection practice in place for new employees. The weighted mean for each item reflects that HRM rated relatively
higher than other employees and experts of the center. So the average mean of HRM (Ẍ=4.38) is rated higher than the mean value of
other employees (Ẍ=3.67) which implies that HRM perceived their current practice is effective.

Based on the document analysis that the researcher observed in the organization, there is a recruitment and selection policy of the
government. More or less they used the policy as they can. But still some issues need improvement in recruitment process, because in
some cases there are principles simply left by the human resource department of the center. This is occurred due to the inconvenience
of the policy with the existed situation of the center. Even if the respondents believed that they are aware of the recruitment and
selection policy, the awareness level of employees is found in a poor level as information is gathered through focus group discussion.
Their main source of awareness is informal discussion between themselves. There is no any formal procedure (system) that made the

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employees to be aware of the policy. One reflection of this is that, the response of employees on affirmative action for women
candidates, some raise there is additional 3%, 5%, 10% added for woman candidates and the response of others is there is only
advantage for those who scored equal to men candidates and should be elected based on the affirmative action for woman given by
civil service agency. Most issues included in the policy are workable but it needs further improvement as the researcher observed
during interview session with HRM of the center.

Relevance, Competent, Qualified and Skilled Candidates

The performance and of any organization is reliant on the presence of adequate number of relevant, competent, qualified and skilled
workforce. For Jovanovic (2004), recruitment is a process of attracting a pool of high quality applicants so as to select the best among
them. For this reason, top performing companies devoted considerable resources and energy to creating high quality selection systems.
Effective recruitment practices and policies enable boards to find the best candidate for their organization.

Table 2: Human Resource Department Practice in order to get Relevance, Competent, Qualified and Skilled Employees for a certain
Position
Respondents Sig.
No Item/Practice HRM Other Weight T-obt (2-
employees mean tailed)
mean Std mean Std

1. The recruitment and selection practices have 4.0 0.82 3.88 1.13 3.90 0.203 0.841
led to the employment of competent staff
2 The recruitment and selection practices are 3.5 1.29 3.96 0.98 3.89 -0.839 0.409
able to give the needed and qualified
candidates to fill the vacancies
3 Selection criteria or skills required are 4.75 0.50 4.12 0.78 4.21 1.550 0.133
necessary, non-discriminatory and relevant
to the job
Average mean 4.08 3.99 4.00
(Note that significance level is 0.05, df=27, t-critical is 1.9735; Source:- Survey of Questionnaire)

The weighted mean of items 1 and 2 was less than 4.0 which is the bench mark of moderate performance and high value (Table 2).
Only their response is relatively high on selection criteria or skills required are necessary, non-discriminatory and relevant for the job.
The weighted mean of HRM and employees almost shows that the current practice of the center on the recruitment process is suitable
to filter out competent, skilled and qualified employees. The group respondents agree that the selection criteria skills required in the
center are necessary, non-discriminatory and relevant for the required job with a weighted mean value of 4.21. But the leading of
recruitment practice to competent staff and the ability of the recruitment practice to get qualified candidates is found moderately. The
response of HRM shows they believed highly that their current practice on recruitment and selection process have led to the
employment of competent staff and relevant, non-discriminatory and necessary. It can simply be observed from the findings that there
is no significance difference between the two group respondents on all items. But in some to extent a slight difference is observed on
the necessity of required skills and its relevance. This shows that the response of the two groups is more or less similar on HRM
practice in order to get relevance, competent, qualified and skilled candidates for a certain position. There is no any problem on the
selection criteria and skills required for a certain position, but what a problem occurred in the employment of those criteria and skills
required for that specific job. It is difficult to say that all the employees of the center are able, skilled and qualified enough as required
from them for their current position. This is the result of recruitment and selection process. So what the researcher gathered
information through interview and FGD is that the HRM is not efficient and effective by matching the job specified with the
employees’ qualification, skills and ability to work. The most critical factors considered for recruitment and selection of employees
are experience, interview and qualification; especially interview is done with all candidates of certain positions. In some cases
interview was conducted only to select the best individual from the given candidates. To the contrary in some positions, test (exam,
practical exam) was set and given but there is no any test or exam given for other positions. As the result of interview the researcher
consolidated with the fact that there are some employees recruited in the center without taking exam and test. Simply they were
recruited only through interview. This means that interview is the only method of selection in the organization.

Internal Recruitment and Promotion Practice

Recruitment may be conducted internally through the promotion and transfer of existing personnel or through referrals, by current
staff members. Where internal recruitment is the chosen method of filling vacancies, job openings can be advertised by job posting,
that is, a strategy of placing notices on manual and electronic bulletin boards, in company newsletters and through office memoranda.

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Table 3: Internal Recruitment and Selection, Promotion and Employees’ Performance Appraisal
Respondents Sig.
No Item/Practice Weighted T-obt (2-
HRM Other
mean tailed)
employees
mean Std mean Std
1. When vacancies occur, existing employees 5.0 0.0 4.40 0.71 4.48 1.671 0.106
are taken into consideration
2 Promotion/ transfer of employees from one 4.5 0.58 3.92 0.91 4.00 1.226 0.231
position/ unit to another position/ unit is
possible
3 Employees are promoted based on 2.5 1.29 3.12 1.23 3.03 -0.927 0.362
performance evaluation
Average mean 4.0 3.81 3.84
(Note that significance level is 0.05, df=27, t-critical is 1.9735; Source:- Survey of Questionnaire)

When a certain vacancy occurred in the organization, the first activity taken by HRM is posting the position for internal vacancy as
shown on table 3, especially the HRM strongly agree than employees. So we can say that the organization highly believed and
practiced on posting positions for internal vacancy before any other activity. In this case it is not difficult to transfer/ promote from
one position/ unit to another for employees of education strategy center. Employees’ response for item 2 is moderate but HRM highly
agreed on the stated statement of item 2. Even if promotion is possible for internal employees, it is not currently practiced based on the
performance of employees. HRM themselves do not agree their practice is dependent on employees’ performance evaluation. When
we see the response of employees and experts they moderately believed that it is done based on their performance evaluation. This is
true that the researcher observed internal computation is simply done as a formality because there are no large numbers of candidates
who compete for the existed certain position.

By the same token, the HRM were not doing their tasks (promoting employees for another positions) based on the performance
evaluation of employees. From the weighted mean the current activity of ESC HRM on internal vacancy and promotion is good but it
is occurred based on their performance is found in moderate way. There is no also a significance difference between the two groups on
the three items. More or less the response of HRM is similar to that of the response of employees and experts of the center. It is true
that existing employees are always taken into consideration when a certain vacancy occurs. Vacancy was not publicizing externally
before assessing the internal recruitment and selection process. Due to this opportunity, the researcher doesn’t find that employees’
promotion/ transfer from one position/ unit to another is difficult. The researcher simply observed that employees were promoted and
transferred to another positions or units without any restriction. The problem here existed is because the limited number of employees
in the center, there may be only one employee who applied to promote to a certain position. So this promotion was not done based on
the performance evaluation of the employees.

Incentive Practice of the Organization

The incentive mechanism that the center uses in order to reduce turnover and in order to encourage those employees who performs
better than the others is very low. There is no any situation that can attract the employees in order to stay for a long time in the
organization.

Table 4: Incentive Practice of the Center

Respondents Sig.
No Item/Practice HRM Other Weighted T-obt (2-
employees mean tailed)
mean Std mean Std
1. Incentives are given to employees in order 2.0 0.82 2.44 1.47 2.38 -0.577 0.569
to reduce turnover
2 Incentives are given to employees who 2.0 0.82 2.44 1.19 2.38 -0.706 0.486
performs better
Average mean 2.0 2.44 2.38
(Note that significance level is 0.05, df=27, t-critical is 1.9735; Source:- Survey of Questionnaire)

Both the human resource management and employees responded poorly an incentive system of the center (Table 4). Incentives are not
given to employees in order to reduce turnover and are not given to employees who performs better than the others as responded by
HRM and other employees of the center (x=2.0 and 2.44 respectively). The t-test tells us that there is no significance difference
between the response of the HRM and other employees (where t-critical value is 1.9735, significance level is 0.05 and df=27). The
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result of interview and FGD shows that there are two kinds of incentives given mainly for core staff of the center. As a higher
education institution one scale salary more than the same position in civil service sectors and opportunity for second degree education.
In practice there are individuals who had the opportunity to get scholarship for second degree in Addis Ababa University including the
researcher. It is also true that like Higher education institution there is one salary scale increment than the same position of civil
service sectors.

In fact the above measures were not put intentionally to reduce turnover and to recognize the one who performs better than the others,
because further education is not given based on the performance of the employees. The researcher also observed that there are a
number of employees who left the center due to the passion of better incentives. In addition there is no transportation facility, the
social service is not well organized, and no transparent PhDs scholarship opportunities among the staff, in which the researcher
observed as a result of interview and FGD session.

Fairness, Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Practice in Recruitment and Selection
The expectation is that, this equity approach should be implemented in a way to promote the organization by making it a desirable
workplace for all future employees. This implies an appropriate application of the diversity policies. The Chartered Institute of
Personnel and Development - CIPD (2011) factsheet on Good Employment Practices and diversity management in the workplace
argues that, organizations should ensure that recruitment and selection processes are fair.

Table 5: The Current Practice of HRM in Fairness, Equality and Affirmative Action
Respondents Sig.
No Item/Practice Weighted T-obt (2-tailed)
HRM Other
mean
employees
mean Std mean Std

1. Your impression about the recruitment and 4.25 0.96 3.80 0.91 3.86 0.910 0.371
selection practices is fair
2 There are equal opportunities for all would-be 4.25 0.50 3.80 0.87 3.86 1.003 0.325
(potential) employees to your organization
3 There is affirmative action given to female 4.5 0.58 4.00 0.76 4.07 1.246 0.224
candidates in recruitment

4 Both male and female are being promoted in 4.0 1.41 3.48 1.33 3.55 0.722 0.476
different departments based on their performance

Average mean 4.25 3.77 3.84

(Note that significance level is 0.05, df=27, t-critical is 1.9735; Source:- Survey of Questionnaire)

As shown in table 5, HRM and employees of the center responded on the current practice of fairness, equity and affirmative action of
employees during recruitment as high (X=4.25) and moderate (X=3.77) respectively. Both groups highly argued that there is an
affirmative action given to female candidates during selection. So in recruitment and selection process, if there are female candidates,
affirmative action was given for them. Employees’ impression about the recruitment and selection practice is fair as responded by
HRM and employees with a mean value of 4.25 and 3.80 respectively. It is also true that there are equal opportunities for all would be
(potential) employees to the center as HRM agree on it but the response of other employees is moderately found. Human resource
management highly believed than other employees about females’ appointment in different departments are based on their
performance.

Concerning significance difference between the responses of the two groups on the three items, the researcher can’t find it as
significant. The response of both groups on the practice of fairness, equity and affirmative action is the same with a t-critical value of
0.371, 0.325, 0.224 and 0.476 respectively (table 5). There is no any discrimination observed in recruitment and selection process.
Both sexes are equally acceptable and are able to compute for or to be appointed for a certain position. Affirmative action is possibly
applied for females and marginalized group of people in order to bring them to be competent. So in regarding equality and fairness the
organization performs better and is said to be model for others.

Effect of Recruitment and Selection on Organizational Performance and Effectiveness

Performance appraisal is necessary to measure the performance of employees and the organization to check the progress towards the
desired goals. Recruitment and selection also has an important role to play in ensuring worker performance and positive organizational
outcomes.

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Table 6: HRM Practice on Organizational Performance and Effectiveness
Respondents
No Item/Practice Weighted T-obt Sig.
HRM Other
mean (2-tailed)
employees
mean Std mean Std

1. The recruitment and selection practices of 3.50 1.73 2.96 1.17 2.97 0.804 0.428
the organization affects your performance
2 The recruitment and selection practices are 4.00 1.15 3.76 1.23 3.79 0.364 0.721
effective in your organization
Average mean 3.75 3.36 3.38
(Note that significance level is 0.05, df=27, t-critical is 1.9735; Source:- Survey of Questionnaire )

The recruitment and selection practice of the center affects the organization performance is moderately accepted by HRM and poorly
accepted by other employees with the mean value of 3.50 and 2.96 respectively. Table 5 clearly shows that there was no an effect
occurred on organizational performance resulted from recruitment and selection of employees (weighted mean is 2.97). It means
employees of the center believed that the recruitment and selection process in the center has no much effect on their performance. The
performance of the employees is not highly influenced by the recruitment and selection process if the center. When we come to the
effectiveness of recruitment and selection process, HRM responded at high level and other employees responded at moderate level
with mean value of 4.00 and 3.76 respectively. There is no significance difference observed between the two groups of respondents on
the two items. That means that both groups have the same level of agreement on the effect of recruitment and selection practice on the
organization. Both groups also believed that the recruitment and selection practices are effective. The FGD and interview results show
the performance of the center is influenced by recruitment and selection process. Some of the effects were poor individual and team
performance, turnover and reluctant staff.

Job Descriptions and Advertisement of Positions

Effective and meaningful job descriptions are essential to any human resource development system. Job descriptions act as the
blueprint in terms of what needs to be done and the type of person needed for the job. Job descriptions also form the basis for many
other elements of the system including recruitment and selection, performance evaluation and training and development and
Advertisement is a popular method of seeking recruits, as many recruiters prefer advertisements because of their wide reach.

Table 7: Current Practice of HRM on Job Descriptions and Advertisement of a certain Position
Respondents Sig.
No Item/Practice Weighted T-obt (2-
HRM Other
mean tailed)
employees
mean Std mean Std

1. There is job description of all positions (i.e. 3.75 1.26 3.72 1.10 3.72 0.050 0.961
duties, responsibilities, skills etc required for
a particular job)
2 All job description are set and ready for a 4.00 1.41 3.48 1.12 3.55 0.833 0.412
certain position before advertising vacancies
for employment
3 Job vacancies are made open to the general 4.00 1.41 4.40 0.76 4.34 -0.863 0.396
public always

Average mean 3.92 3.87 3.87

(Note that significance level is 0.05, df=27, t-critical is 1.9735; Source:- Survey of Questionnaire)

As shown on table 7, the average mean of HRM and employees on job description of all positions and vacancy announcement for a
particular job is 3.92 and 3.87 respectively which is founded at a moderate level. The weighed mean also consolidated the above
agreement as a total average weighed mean of 3.87 is found in the medium performance. Both HRM and other employees moderately
agreed that there is job description of all positions (i.e. duties, responsibilities, skills required for a particular job) of the center with a
mean value of 3.75 and 3.72 respectively. HRM are in high degree of agreement on readiness of job description of a certain position
before advertising vacancies for employment. But the response of other employees lay down on moderate level of current practice
with a mean value of 4.00 and 3.48 respectively. To the contrary the response of employees is much greater than HRM on openness of
vacancies to the general public is high with a mean value of 4.40 and 4.00 respectively. On the other hand the two groups perceives
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and reflects item 1, 2 & 3 in the same way with a t-obtained value of 0.050, 0.833 and -0.863 respectively. Subsequently, the finding
implied that both also have the same way of sensing the items and there is no significance difference between them. The method of
recruitment and selection on vacant advertisement that the center used was basically focused on newspaper. Addis Zemen is the most
popular newspaper that most governmental organizations used for vacancy advertisement. All positions in the center have job
descriptions that show duties, responsibilities, and skills. But what the researcher observed through FGD is that, there are some
employees who are not familiarized with their specific duties and responsibilities. This shows that these employees have not their
duties and responsibilities in written form. The duties and responsibilities of a certain position in the center seems to be found in
written form simply for the purpose of recruitment and selection process rather than for effective implementation by the respected
employee.

Policy Implementation, Reference and Recruitment Practice through Agent

In spite of their low validity and reliability, reference checks were used by the case organization. The organization usually goes
through a step ahead and verified the candidate’s background and credentials in addition to the references, making the process more
valid. Current practice of the center on policy implementation, using internal and external reference and recruitment practice through
agent is found in a poor level as responded.

Table 8: Current Practice of the Center on Policy Implementation, Reference and Recruitment Practice through Agent
Respondents Weighted Sig.
No Item/Practice mean T-obt (2-
HRM Other
tailed)
employees
mean Std mean Std

1. All units at the organization use the same 4.5 1.00 3.48 1.19 3.62 1.613 0.118
recruitment and selection policy
2 The organization use both internal and external 2.0 0.82 2.89 1.27 2.77 -1.332 0.194
reference equally during recruitment
3 Recruitment and selection of employees for your 1.00 0.00 2.36 1.44 2.17 -1.860 0.074
organization is done through agents
4 Policies on recruitment and selection of employees 3.75 0.96 3.92 0.99 3.90 -0.318 0.753
are applied during the process
Average mean 2.81 3.16 3.12
(Note that significance level is 0.05, df=27, t-critical is 1.9735; Source: - Survey of Questionnaire)

According to table 8, HRM and other employees responded with an average mean value of 2.81 and 3.16 respectively. Especially the
HRM themselves believed that totally they are not using agents for recruitment and selection process and is true that they are not
using both internal and external references equally doing recruitment process with a mean value of 1.00 and 2.00 respectively. Both
groups similarly agreed that the practice of HRM on using internal as well as external reference and using of agents for recruitment
purpose is found on a very low performance that need further attention by the center. Concerning the average weighted mean the
response of both groups on agreed that on the lower margin of the medium performance. Based on the interview made with HRM
clearly shows that the center was not using internal and external references during recruitment and selection process. But they believed
that using references have a positive impact for selecting the best candidates for the position. When we see the implementation of
recruitment policy, most of the time, the HRM believed that they are capable of adequate knowledge in recruitment and selection
process. So as the interview session, the investigator consolidated their implementation process of the recruitment process is found in
a moderate level. Both the HRM and employees believed recruitment through external agent is very important for the center.
Outsourcing the recruitment process is not adaptable in most of governmental organizations as they believed, but everyone is not in
the way of denying its importance. There is an agreement between HRM and employees of the center that the center was not using
external agent for recruiting employees.

Major Challenges in Recruitment and Selection Process

There are a large number of challenges in the recruitment and selection system that can easily affect the effectiveness of the
organization. These challenges may critically face human resource management and affect their performance; and can negatively
influence the whole organizational system. Currently there is a method of selecting those major challenges and the way of finding the
best solution for them.

Factors Affecting Recruitment and Selection Practice of the Organization

There are a number of problems that exist in the recruitment system and affect human resource management roles. Leaders do not
perform equally in different situation and in different organizations. This is true due to many reasons. Among those some are social
and political factors, candidates’ behavior, and the problem of limited human resource.
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Table 9: Challenges of Recruitment and Selection Practice of the Centers’ HRM
Respondents Sig.
No Item/Practice Weighted T-obt (2-
HRM Other
mean tailed)
employees
mean Std mean Std
1. Policies related to recruitment were not relevant (found) 2.75 1.50 2.80 1.04 2.79 -0.084 0.933
in the organization
2 The policies of recruitment and selection were not 2.25 1.26 2.76 1.13 2.59 -0.828 0.415
implemented properly
3 Advertisement were not enough to reach to candidates 2.75 1.50 2.40 1.08 2.45 0.573 0.571
(vacancies)
4. The working environment of the organization is not 2.25 1.26 2.88 1.17 2.79 -0.994 0.329
conducive
5. The salary is inadequate to live (not to be satisfied with 4.50 0.58 4.24 1.13 4.28 0.447 0.659
the salary)
6 The policies of the civil service agency is not applicable 2.25 0.50 3.12 1.30 3.00 -1.305 0.203

Average mean 2.79 3.03 2.98

(Note that significance level is 0.05, df=27, t-critical is 1.9735; Source: - Survey of Questionnaire)

As shown on table 9, the major challenges/ problems that faced the center relation to recruitment and selection are inadequacy of
salary to the workload of the position with a mean value 4.28. So it is the basic challenge that HRM and other employees agree as a
challenge they faced during and after recruitment process. The policy of civil service agency was not also applicable to implement
properly as shown on table with a mean value of 3.00. So it is found in a moderate level to be challenged. The conduciveness of the
working environment, publicizing of vacancies, implementation of recruitment and selection policy and relevance of recruitment
policy are found at a poor level to be rated as a challenge of the center with a mean value of 2.79, 2.45, 2.59 and 2.79 respectively.
One can say that the recruitment policy was relevant and implemented properly in the organization. Vacancies were publicized enough
externally in order to reach to candidates. The working environment of the organization is more or less conducive for employees that
enable them to work with stability and safely.

Conclusion
The workability of recruitment policy, the level of employees’ awareness on recruitment and selection policy, and the availability of
structured recruitment and selection practice in education strategy center are found in a moderate level. There is a formal policy for the
recruitment and selection of employees in the center. Even if the respondents believed that they are aware of the recruitment and
selection policy, their awareness level is dependent on informal discussion made by them. No one, other than human resource
department, can have the written document of the policy. So it is difficult to say that they are aware of the recruitment and selection
policy. But the relevance of the selection criteria or skills to a certain job is highly implemented by the center. The criterion is
nondiscriminatory and is important for job required in the center. Due to this the human resource department is expected to continue
its practice regarding to relevance, competent, qualified and skilled candidates.

Recommendations
 Internal promotion/transfer of employees is widely acceptable and implemented in the center. But this promotion is based on
only qualification and experience and it’s not considered on the performance evaluation of the employees. So the researcher
strongly recommended the internal promotion/transfer system of recruiting in the center should be based on the actual
performance of the employees.
 The motivation and incentive mechanism in the center is almost none. If there is no incentive system in the center, turnover
becomes one of the most challenging factors for the center. So the center should design a system of motivating and encouraging
employees who performed better than the others in order to reduce turnover.
 Now a day’s recruitment through agent is advisable to implement by all organizations. Education strategy center is one of those
organizations which do not use recruitment method through agent. If the organization uses this method; it saves time, human
power and enables to recruit qualified, competent and skilled candidates to the center. So it is strongly advisable to recruit
employees through agents-which are legally registered.

References
Ewart Keep and Susan James. (2010) Recruitment and Selection – the Great Neglected Topic, SKOPE Research Paper No. 88, Cardiff
University, SKOPE.
Jovanovic, Boyan (2004), Selection and the Evolution of Industry. Econometrica, 50(3):
Online version available at: www.crdeepjournal.org/gjcr 29
SJ IMPACT FACTOR: 2.912 CRDEEP Journals
Global Journal of Current Research Handiso et. al., Vol. 6 No. 1 ISSN: 2320-2920
Priyanath HMS (2006). Managerial Deficiencies in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka: An Empirical Evidence
of SMEs in the Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa University Journal, vol. 6, no. 1.

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