Recruitment in the U.S Army essay

Recruitmentin the U.S Army

Recruitmentis an essential function of the management of human resources. Theprocess involves the activities of sourcing, selecting and assigningsuitable candidates for positions within an organization (Wilton,2016). It is an important function as it determines the type of staffhired by an institution which, in turn, determines its success. (Kim&amp Sung-Choon, 2013) Recruitment may prove to be a difficultprocess depending on the characteristics of the positions to befilled by the potential employees. As such, the human resourcedepartment is often faced with several challenges in the recruitmentprocess. These problems are dependent on the competency andcommitment of the recruiting staff as well as the appeal of thecompany to the recruits (Marie &amp Derous, 2016) (Stone &ampDeadrick, 2015). Moreover, the quality of the staff being sourced mayalso present challenges as it demands the development of appropriatestrategies (Richardson, 2009). This paper aims to explore recruitmentas a human resource issue while focusing on the recruitment issueswithin the army of the United States.

Background

Similarto other organizations, the United States army follows its owndistinct process of recruitment. This is so given that allinstitutions have its own distinct qualities and qualifications thatit requires potential recruits to possess (Stariņeca, 2015) (Bouton,2016). The process and procedures of recruitment that are employed bythe United States army, its advantages as well as the challengesexperienced during the process are described below.

Sourcing

Giventhe sensitivity of the tasks carried out by the U.S army, a lot ofregards is always given to the process of attracting potentialrecruits. This involves the use of a veteran staff as qualifiedrecruitment agents and organizations in order to identify potentialcandidates for the positions (Mankikar, 2012). As such, the use ofvarious media platforms and leveraging of the veteran networks areessential in the process of publicizing the job opportunities (Davis,2016). Social and brand tailored methods of creating an appeal forthe organization among the right candidates is also a useful tool inthe process of recruitment (Khalid &amp Tariq, 2015) (Van Hoye etal., 2016). This ensures that the candidates that move on to theselection stage of the military have developed passion as well as therequired competencies of serving in the army (Kraichy &amp Chapman,2013) (Catanzaro et al., 2010).

Screeningand selection

Multipletests and assessments are necessary for the recruitment process asthey ensure that only the best available candidates are hired(Nikolaou et al., 2012). In the United States army, psychologicaltests are often used to gauge the literacy of the candidates. Inaddition, there are numerous assessments which the recruits undergoto measure their psychological abilities. Furthermore, psychometrictests make use of special software to measure multiple skills arealso used in the selection process to filter candidates (Dattner,2016). This process is rigorous and facilitates the credibility andcompetency of the candidates selected to join the army (Whitelegg,2016) (Shackleton, 2015).

Advantagesof the US army recruitment systems

Eachinstitution possesses a unique recruitment system. The arrangementsare developed based on the competencies that are required of thepotential recruits as well as the job characteristics (HRCOUNCIL,2016). As such, US army employs an effective and well-developedrecruitment system which ensures that only the best candidates areselected into the army. The advantages of the recruitment system ofthe US army are described below.

Rigoroustraining

Aspart of the recruitment process, the United States army makes use ofspecialized physical and endurance assessments. The potentialrecruits are taken through a series of Mission Essential Fitnessexercises during which some of the participants are eliminated fromthe selection process (Heinrich et al., 2012). The training that isconducted during the selection process is usually meant to introducethe recruits to some of the activities that they will engage in oncethey are hired (Cook, 2015) (Spiering et al., 2012). This form ofrecruitment is effective as the human resource department is able toconduct the selection process on the basis of aptitude and ability asset by the organization (Chen &amp Hung 2010) (Jørgensen &ampBecker, 2015). The level of transparency also increases the fairnessand performance of the candidates during the process (Jacksch &ampKlehe, 2016).

Recruitmentbased on competency

Inthe case of internal recruitment, individual may be selected from theexisting employees of the institution (Maurer, 2016). In this case,potential candidates that are to be hired into new positions areselected on the basis of competency (Shafique, 2012). This type ofrecruitment is very common in the U.S army, especially duringpromotions. As such, making use of the candidate’s professionalexperience as the standards of assessment through the selection andscreening process is an efficient practice as it produces bona fideand validated candidates (Russell, 2016)). Given the sensitivity ofthe positions, this form of recruitment evidences a well-articulatedand effective recruitment system.

Challengesof the recruitment process of US army

Thereare several challenges that the recruitment system of the UnitedStates army faces during the process of hiring. First, given therigorous nature of the recruitment system employed by the army,sustaining such a systems require massive investments of both timeand effort. More so, the system requires constant review and updatein order to reflect the current requirements. As such, constant jobanalysis is mandatory so as to modify the knowledge, abilities,skills as well as other characteristics that are required to beattained by the potential recruits (Bal et al., 2015).

Anothermajor challenge faced by the army during the recruitment process isthe shortage of people with the high-tech abilities that it requiresfor the future (Alexander, 2016). As a result, the army is unable torecruit a large number of adequately skilled candidates to the army.Statistics suggest that over half of those that are eligible to jointhe army are unable to pass the examination entry while the otherhalf fail to prove their competency in terms of physical fitness andcharacter standards that have been set by the institution. Thispossess serious implications on the army’s recruit system as theyare unable to acquire the best available personnel to fill theposition given the sensitive nature of the institution.

Conclusion

Inconclusion, it is evident that the importance of the recruitmentfunction in human resource management cannot be undermined. This isbecause the process determines the quality of staff that is hired tofill the available positions within the organization (Johnston,2016). Owing to this, institutions such as the U.S army havedeveloped efficient and well-articulated recruitment systems to aidin this process. It makes use of various media platforms to sourcefor potential recruits and thereafter conducts a series assessmentsand multiple tests, both physical and psychological, in order toidentify the best candidates to join the army. Such thoroughrecruitment strategies ensure that the institution hires theindividuals based on their aptitudes in performance rather thancredentials alone.

References

Alexander,D. (2016). U.S. defense chief sees military recruitment challengesahead. Reuters. Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttp://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-defense- recruiting-idUSKBN0MQ1LI20150330

Bouton,K. (2016). Recruiting for cultural fit. HarvardBusiness Review.Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttps://hbr.org/2015/07/recruiting-for-cultural-fit

Bal,Y., Bozkurt, S., &amp Ertemsir, E. (2015). A study on determiningthe relationship between strategic HRM practices and creatinginnovation in organizations. International Journal of ContemporaryManagement, 13(2).

Catanzaro,D., Moore, H., &amp Marshall, T. R. (2010). The impact oforganizational culture on attraction and recruitment of jobapplicants. Journal of business and psychology, 25(4), 649-662.

Chen,H. M., &amp Hung, S. T. (2010). Systematic linking of organizationalstrategy, HR strategy and training strategy across OLC.

Cook,B. S. (2015). Getting it right: revamping Army talent management(Doctoral dissertation, Monterey, California: Naval PostgraduateSchool).

Davis,S. (2016). Recruitment strategies &amp methods.Smallbusiness.chron.com. Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttp://smallbusiness.chron.com/recruitment-strategies-methods- 10441.html

Dattner,B. (2016). How to use psychometric testing in hiring. Harvardbusiness review. Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttps://hbr.org/2013/09/how-to-use-psychometric- testing

Heinrich,K. M., Spencer, V., Fehl, N., &amp Carlos Poston, W. S. (2012).Mission essential fitness: comparison of functional circuit trainingto traditional Army physical training for active duty military.Military medicine, 177(10), 1125-1130

HRCOUNCIL.(2016). Recruitment | Getting the Right People | HR Toolkit |hrcouncil.ca. Hrcouncil.ca. Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttp://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/right- people-recruitment.cfm

Jacksch,V. &amp Klehe, U. (2016). Unintended consequences of transparencyduring personnel selection: Benefitting some candidates, but harmingothers?. International Journal Of Selection And Assessment, 24(1),4-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12124

Johnston,K. (2016). Importance of Effective Recruitment &amp Selection. Smallbusiness.chron.com.Retrieved 29 October 2016, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-effective-recruitment-selection-55782.html

Jørgensen,F., &amp Becker, K. (2015). Balancing organizational andprofessional commitments in professional service firms: the HRpractices that matter. The International Journal of Human ResourceManagement, 26(1), 23-41

Kim,H., &amp Sung-Choon, K. (2013). Strategic HR functions and firmperformance: The moderating effects of high-involvement workpractices. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 30(1), 91-113.

Kraichy,D. &amp Chapman, D. (2013). Tailoring web-based recruiting messages:individual differences in the persuasiveness of affective andcognitive messages. J Bus Psychol, 29(2), 253-268.http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10869-013-9311-z

Mankikar,D. (2012). A critical study on recruitment and selection withreference to HR consulting firms. PARIPEX, 3(3), 108-111. http://dx.doi.org/10.15373/22501991/mar2014/38

MarieRyan, A. &amp Derous, E. (2016). Highlighting tensions inrecruitment and selection research and practice. InternationalJournal of Selection and Assessment, 24(1), 54-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12129

Maurer,R. (2016). Internal recruitment critical to hiring, retention. SHRM.Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttps://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent- acquisition/pages/internal-recruitment-critical-hiring-retention.aspx

Khalid,S., &amp Tariq, S. (2015). Impact of employer brand on selection andrecruitment process. Pakistan Economic and Social Review, 53(2),351.

Nikolaou,I., Anderson, N., &amp Salgado, J. (2012). Advances in selection andassessment in europe. International Journal of Selection andAssessment, 20(4), 383-384. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12000

Richardson,М. (2009). Recruitment strategies. Managing/Effecting theRecruitment Process. RTT.

Russell,K. (2016). Internal recruitment: right or wrong? Hrmagazine.co.uk.Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttp://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-details/internal-recruitment- right-or-wrong

Shackleton,V. (2015). Recruitment and selection. Elements of Applied Psychology,153.

Shafique,O. (2012). Recruitment in the 21st Century. Interdisciplinary Journalof Contemporary Research in Business, 4(2), 887-901.

Spiering,B. A., Walker, L. A., Hendrickson, N. R., Simpson, K., Harman, E. A.,Allison, S. C., &amp Sharp, M. A. (2012). Reliability ofmilitary-relevant tests designed to assess soldier readiness foroccupational and combat-related duties. Military medicine, 177(6),663- 668.

Stariņeca,O. (2015). Employer brand role in hr recruitment and selection.Economics and business, 27(1).http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/eb-2015-0009

Stone,D. L., &amp Deadrick, D. L. (2015). Challenges and opportunitiesaffecting the future of human resource management. Human ResourceManagement Review, 25(2), 139-145.

VanHoye, G., Weijters, B., Lievens, F., &amp Stockman, S. (2016).Social influences in recruitment: when is word‐of‐mouthmost effective? International Journal of Selection and Assessment,24(1), 42-53.

Whitelegg,D. (2016). Psychometric tests: are they beneficial to recruitment?. Agencycentral.co.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2016, from http://www.agencycentral.co.uk/articles/2016-09/are-psychometric-tests-beneficial-to- recruitment.htm

Wilton,N. (2016). An introduction to human resource management. Sage.

AnnotatedBibliography

Alexander,D. (2016). U.S. defense chief sees military recruitment challengesahead. Reuters. Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttp://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa -defense-recruiting-idUSKBN0MQ1LI20150330

Thisarticle highlights some of the challenges faced by the military inthe process of recruiting new soldiersaswell as way of dealing with the problems that may arise.Additionally, it discusses the measures that are being put in placeby the relevant authorities to ensure that solutions are identifiedand implemented effectively.

Bouton,K. (2016). Recruiting for Cultural Fit. Harvard Business Review.Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttps://hbr.org/2015/07/recruiting-for-cultural-fit

Thisarticle demonstrates the influence that the organizational culturehas on the recruitment process. It identifies the changing scope ofcultural beliefs in the recruitment of new soldiers. According toBouton (2016), the military forces are incorporating the changingcultural frameworks in the recruitment process.

Bal,Y., Bozkurt, S., &amp Ertemsir, E. (2015). A Study on Determiningthe Relationship between Strategic HRM Practices and CreatingInnovation in Organizations. International Journal of ContemporaryManagement, 13(2).

Thisarticle emphasizes the need for constant innovation in therecruitment and training procedure in order for new recruits to beable to handle contemporary issues depending on the organization.Just like all most business organization, the military is respondingthe changing environment by being innovative in the recruitmentprocess. This is to ensure that they dynamic and adjust to theexisting needs of human resource management.

Catanzaro,D., Moore, H., &amp Marshall, T. R. (2010). The impact oforganizational culture on attraction and recruitment of jobapplicants. Journal of business and psychology, 25(4), 649-662.

Thisarticle analyses how the beliefs of an institution shapes anindividual perception of the organization during the process ofrecruitment. It divulges further into the recruitment process byidentifying the fundamental role being played by cultural practicesin the recruitment process. According to the authors, theorganizational structures are also felt in within the militaryoperations.

Chen,H. M., &amp Hung, S. T. (2010). Systematic linking of organizationalstrategy, HR strategy and training strategy across OLC.

Thisarticle analyses the importance of liking the human resourcestrategies to the training strategies during recruitment ofpersonnel. It highlights the importance of coordination in therecruitment process of new soldiers. Since the military is composedof officers of various ranks, it is necessary to ensure that alllevels of power work together in achieving the expected outcomes.

Cook,B. S. (2015). Getting it right: revamping Army talent management(Doctoral dissertation, Monterey, California: Naval PostgraduateSchool).

Thissource documents some of the methods through which the skills andabilities in the army are managed. It also identifies the trends thatare emerging within the security apparatus. Over the years, the armyhas been incorporated changes in its structures in order to be keptabreast with regards to the changing scopes of conflict. This hasnecessitated the development of extensive strategies to deal with thedynamic scenarios that are likely to occur.

Davis,S. (2016). Recruitment Strategies &amp Methods.Smallbusiness.chron.com. Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttp://smallbusiness.chron.com/recruitment-strategies -methods-10441.html

Thisarticle highlight a number of recruitment strategies while focusingon the method’s through which organizations source for new recruitsfor their organizations. The author discusses the new methods andrecruitment strategies that have been utilized in the past. Davisprovides a detailed analysis of the variety of methods that arecurrently being used in the recruitment and selection processes.

Dattner,B. (2016). How to Use Psychometric Testing in Hiring. HarvardBusiness Review. Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttps://hbr.org/2013/09/how-to-use-psychometric- testing

Thisarticle discusses the use of Psychometric Testing in the process ofhiring and the type of skills that it measures. It identifies newmethods that are put in place to ensure that the army recruits themost qualified personnel. Another important inclusion is the documentis the benefit of using that type of testing compared to other testssuch as personality evaluation.

Heinrich,K. M., Spencer, V., Fehl, N., &amp Carlos Poston, W. S. (2012).Mission essential fitness: comparison of functional circuittraining to traditional Army physical training for active dutymilitary. Military medicine, 177(10), 1125-1130

Thisarticle outlines the types of training which the recruits in the armyare guided through before they are put on active duty. It includesfactors that are being put in place to ensure fitness levels withinthe army. With the development of sports science, new measures havebeen developed to ensure the fitness of the recruits. The documenttherefore, compares the traditional practices and the new ones.

HRCOUNCIL.(2016). Recruitment | Getting the Right People | HR Toolkit |hrcouncil.ca. Hrcouncil.ca. Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttp://hrcouncil.ca/hr-toolkit/right- people-recruitment.cfm

Thisarticle outlines the elements that organizations consider whendeveloping their recruitments systems so as to attract the rightpeople. It also involves adherence to specific recruitmentlegislations. The HRCOUNCIL further discusses the changing frameworkof the workforce around the globe.

Jacksch,V. &amp Klehe, U. (2016). Unintended Consequences of TransparencyDuring Personnel Selection: Benefitting some candidates, butharming others?. International Journal Of Selection AndAssessment, 24(1), 4-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12124

Thisarticle highlights some of the advantages of conducting therecruitment and selection process in a transparent manner. Ithighlights the impact of transparency in the selection process aswell as the steps that are taken by the recruiters to ensurefairness. This article also discusses some of the laws regulatingemployment.

Johnston,K. (2016). Importance of Effective Recruitment &amp Selection. Smallbusiness.chron.com. Retrieved 29 October 2016, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-effective-recruitment-selection -55782.html

Thisarticle explains the benefits that are obtained from conducting aneffective recruitment process in an organization. According to theauthor, it is necessary to ensure that efficient frameworks are putin place to ensure that the selection process achieves the desirableobjectives.

Thisarticle discusses the need to induce specialized knowledge amongrecruits so as to enable them to be at par with the organizationalstandards. It entails the role of professional recruitment firms inthe selection process. In conclusion, the authors highlight the needto strike the right balance between organizational and professionalcommitments.

Kim,H., &amp Sung-Choon, K. (2013). Strategic HR functions and firmperformance: The moderating effects of high-involvement workpractices. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 30(1), 91-113

Thisarticle emphasizes the value of using strategic human resourceactivities to increase the overall performance of the institution.The authors provide an in-depth analysis of the human resourcefunctions that are achieved by firms. The authors indicate the needfor organizations to align their human resource functions with theestablished standards of operation.

Kraichy,D. &amp Chapman, D. (2013). Tailoring Web-Based Recruiting Messages:Individual Differences in the Persuasiveness of Affective andCognitive Messages. J Bus Psychol, 29(2), 253-268.http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10869-013-9311-z

Thisarticle explores how message style tailoring such as the cognitiveand affective recruitment messages affects the perceptions of theparticipants in the process of selection. This article incorporatesthe role of technology in the recruitment process as well as the roleof web-based recruiting messages.

Mankikar,D. (2012). A Critical Study on Recruitment and Selection WithReference to HR Consulting Firms. PARIPEX, 3(3), 108-111. http://dx.doi.org/10.15373/22501991/mar2014/38

Thisarticle analyses the common practices that are used by organizationsto recruit and select the best candidates to their organizations andhow it affects the organization as well. This article discusses therole of recruitment firm and their role in ensuring that staffingfunctions of the management are complete.

MarieRyan, A. &amp Derous, E. (2016). Highlighting Tensions inRecruitment and Selection Research and Practice. InternationalJournal of Selection and Assessment, 24(1),54 -62.http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12129

Thisarticle highlights some of the major problems that organizationsoften face when looking to conduct the process of recruitment andselections. The challenges in the recruitment and selection processare considered to be the major limiting factors in the recruitmentprocess. It also discusses the solutions to such problems.

Maurer,R. (2016). Internal Recruitment Critical to Hiring, Retention. SHRM.Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttps://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent- acquisition/pages/internal-recruitment-critical-hiring-retention.aspx

Thisarticle highlights some of the major recruitment practices and theirbenefits. In some instances, it becomes necessary to recruitinternally. This may arise in cases whereby the new positions requireindividuals with extensive experience within the same line of work.The management can therefore decide to recruit from among the membersof personnel.

Khalid,S., &amp Tariq, S. (2015). Impact of Employer Brand on Selection andRecruitment Process. Pakistan Economic and Social Review, 53(2),351.

Thisarticle explores the impacts that the use of the organization’sbrand to create appeal among the potential candidates has in theprocess of recruitment. Employers require the personnel to promotetheir brand and as such seek for those that will further that willpromote their ideals.

Nikolaou,I., Anderson, N., &amp Salgado, J. (2012). Advances in Selection andAssessment in Europe. International Journal of Selection andAssessment, 20(4), 383-384. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijsa.12000

Thisarticle explores some of the new and effective technique that haveproved useful in the process of recruitment and selection. Theauthors focus on the selection process by identifying on the uniquefeatures of the procedure in Europe. They also identify cases thatare only applicable to the European continent.

Richardson,М. (2009). Recruitment strategies. Managing/Effecting theRecruitment Process. RTT.

Thisarticle outlines some of the recruitment strategies used by firms andtheir effectiveness in getting the appropriate candidates. Accordingto Richardson (2009), there are various strategies that ensureeffectiveness of the recruitment process. He provides an array offactors that should be taken into consideration.

Russell,K. (2016). Internal recruitment: right or wrong? Hrmagazine.co.uk.Retrieved 29 October 2016, fromhttp://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/article-details/internal -recruitment-right-or-wrong

Thisarticle examines the appropriateness of the use of internalrecruitment as one of the human resources practices. Additionally, itidentifies the advantages and disadvantages of internal recruitment.In each case, the author identifies the mitigating actions thatshould be implemented.

Shackleton,V. (2015). Recruitment and selection. Elements of Applied Psychology,153.

Thisbook describes the elements of applied psychology that playsignificant roles in the recruitment process. The document provides astep-by-step process of identifying potential employees and selectingthem for the organization. The decision-making instruments are alsoincluded in the study.

Shafique,O. (2012). Recruitment in the 21st Century. Interdisciplinary Journalof Contemporary Research in Business, 4(2), 887-901.

Thisarticle documents a variety hiring techniques that are commonly usedin the 21^stcentury as well as their effectiveness.

Thisarticle highlights the importance of the rigorous tests that therecruits in the army undergo before they can join the force. In thiscase, a comparison analysis is conducted between recruitment in thearmy and other forms of employment. The effectiveness of themilitary-relevant tests are also highlighted in the article.

Stariņeca,O. (2015). Employer Brand Role in HR Recruitment and Selection.Economics and Business, 27(1).http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/eb-2015-0009

Thisarticles discusses the role that the company brand plays in theprocess of selecting potential employees to join their organization.This document also discusses the importance of a company’s brand inthe selection process. It identifies the important components in thedecision making process.

Stone,D. L., &amp Deadrick, D. L. (2015). Challenges and opportunitiesaffecting the future of human resource management. Human ResourceManagement Review, 25(2), 139 -145.

Thisbook discusses some of the challenge are faced by institution in theprocess of conducting recruitments. There are numerous problems thathuman resource managers are likely to face in their quest to attractthe most appropriate employee. The authors identify the problems aswell as the corresponding opportunities that a company can derivefrom the recruitment process.

VanHoye, G., Weijters, B., Lievens, F., &amp Stockman, S. (2016).Social Influences in Recruitment: When is word‐of‐mouthmost effective? International Journal of Selection and Assessment,24(1), 42-53.

Thisarticle explores the effectiveness of social influences in theprocess of recruiting new employees. The social factors alsoincorporates the culture of the employees and how this is likely toaffect the recruitment process. It also involves verbal and oraltechniques that are deemed to be appropriate for the recruitmentprocess.

Whitelegg,D. (2016). Psychometric Tests: Are They Beneficial to Recruitment?. Agencycentral.co.uk. Retrieved 29 October 2016, from http://www.agencycentral.co.uk/articles/2016-09/are-psychometric-tests -beneficial-to-recruitment.htm

Thisarticle documents the advantage of using Psychometric Tests in theprocess of recruitment. In the recruitment process, there are severaltests that are conducted depending on the employee specificcapabilities. This document focuses specifically on the role ofpsychometric tests in the selection process within an organization.

Wilton,N. (2016). An introduction to human resource management. Sage.

Thisbook provides an exploration of the collective functions that areundertaken in the process of managing human resource. It discussesvarious components of human resources management such as thequalifications of the management team and other labor laws that mustadhered to in all organizations.

Appendix

ProjectPlan

Recruitment of the US Army
Background
Sourcing in the US army
Screening and selection in the US army
Advantages of the US army recruitment systems
Challenges of the recruitment process of US army
Conclusion