The human resources are the most important assets of an organization.

The success or failure of an organization is largely dependent on the caliber of the people working therein. Without positive and creative contributionsfrom people, organizations cannot progress and prosper. In order to achievethe goals or the activities of an organization, therefore, they need to recruit people with requisite skills, qualifications and experience. While doing so, t h e y h a v e t o k e e p t h e p r e s e n t a s w e l l a s t h e f u t u r e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e organization in mind.R e c r u i t m e n t i s d i s t i n c t f r o m E m p l o y m e n t and Selection. Once ther e q u i r e d n u m b e r a n d k i n d o f h u m a n r e s o u r c e s a r e d e t e r m i n e d , t h e m a n a g e m e n t h a s t o f i n d t h e p l a c e s w h e r e t h e r e q u i r e d h u m a n r e s o u r c e s are/will be available and also find the means of attracting them towards theorganization before selecting suitable candidates for jobs. All this process isgenerally known as recruitment. Some people use the term Recruitmentfor employment. These two are not one and the same. Recruitment is only one of the steps in the entire employment process. Some others use the termr e c r u i t m e n t f o r s e l e c t i o n . T h e s e a r e n o t t h e s a m e e i t h e r . T e c h n i c a l l y spea king, the function of recruitment precedes the selection function and itincludes only finding, developing the sources of prospective employees andattracting them to apply for jobs in an organization, whereas the selection

isthe process of finding out the most suitable candidate to the job out of thecandidates attracted (i.e., recruited).Formal definition of recruitment wouldgive clear cut idea about the function of recruitment. DEFINITIONS Recruitment is defined as, a process to discover the sourc e s o f manpower to meet the requirements of the staffing schedule and to employe f f e c t i ve me a s u r e s f o r a t t r a c t i n g t h a t ma n p o w e r i n a d e q u a t e n u mb e r s t o f a c i l i t a t e e f f e c t i v e s e l e c t i o n o f a n e f f i c i e n t wo r k f o r c e . Ed wi n B . F l i p p o defined recruitment as the process of searching for prospective employeesand stimulating them to apply for jobs in the organization. Recruitment is alinking function-joining together those with jobs to fill and those seeking jobs. It is a joining process in that it tries to bring together job seekers andemployer with a view to encourage the former to apply for a job with thelatter.I n o r d e r t o a t t r a c t p e o p l e f o r t h e j o b s , t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n m u s t communicate the position in such a way that job seekers respond. To be costeffective, the recruitment process should attract qualified applicants and provide enough information for unqualified persons to self-select themselvesout.Thus, the recruitment process begins when new recruits are soughta n d e n d s wh e n t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n s a r e s u b mi t t e d . Th e r e s u l t i s a p o o l o f applicants from which new employees are selected. PURPOSES AND IMPORTANCE T h e g e n e r a l p u r p o s e o f r e c r u i t me n t i s t o p r o v i d e a p o o l o f p o t e n t i a l l y qualified job candidates. Specifically, the purposes are to:

 Determine the present and future requirements of the organization inconjunction with its personnel-planning and job-analysis activities. Increase the pool of job candidates at minimum cost. Help increase the success rate of the selection process by reducing thenumber of visibly, under qualified or overqualified job applicants. Help reduce the probability that job applicants, once recruited andselected, will leave the organization only after a short period of time. Begin identifying and preparing potential job applicants who will beappropriate candidates. Induct outsiders with a new perspective to lead the company. Infuse fresh blood at all levels of the organization. Develop an organizational culture that attracts competent people to the company. Search or head hunt/head pouch people whose skills fit the companysvalues. Devise methodologies for assessing psychological traits. Search for talent globally and not just within the company. Design entry pay that competes on quality but not on quantum. Anticipate and find people for positions that do not exist yet.