What is the difference between recruitment and selection?

Recruitment and selection are two distinct but interconnected processes in the hiring chain. Recruitment refers to the activities involved in attracting and identifying potential candidates for a job position. This encompasses methods like advertising job openings, attending job fairs, and utilizing social media to generate interest among qualified individuals.

Selection, on the other hand, is the process of evaluating and choosing from the pool of candidates who have been attracted through recruitment efforts. This includes reviewing applications, conducting interviews, administering assessments, and ultimately making hiring decisions. The focus here is on identifying the best candidate who meets the job requirements and aligns with the organization's needs.

Understanding these definitions helps clarify that recruitment is fundamentally about generating a pool of candidates, while selection is about the decision-making process that follows to choose the most suitable candidate from that pool. This distinction is critical for HR professionals to effectively manage the hiring process and ensure that both attracting talent and making informed decisions are executed properly.