It’s a touchy issue all hiring managers and recruiters must face: whether to post a job opening as a promotional opportunity or an external recruitment.  As with any open position, it’s critical to tap the talent pool that will best meet the needs of the position and the company, but there are pros and cons to each recruitment method.  So which recruitment style is better under which circumstances?  It depends on the position, the available talent, and the company’s philosophy.

THE CASE FOR INTERNAL RECRUITMENT

Perhaps the biggest argument for hiring from within the company is familiarity.  An internal candidate is already familiar with the company, its goals, and its key players.  The company also knows what to expect from that employee based on past precedent; strengths and weaknesses are already known to managers and peers, and are documented via performance measures like annual reviews.  This familiarity reduces potentially negative variables in a new employee, such as whether that employee will be a good fit for the company.  This familiarity can also make for a faster recruitment process and a smoother transition into the new position.

Additional support for internal recruitment comes as increased employee loyalty and morale.  A company that promotes from within shows that it values its employees and rewards hard work.  Employees who see their peers moving up the ranks are encouraged to stay for the long haul, knowing their hard work could also be rewarded with a promotional opportunity.  High employee loyalty and morale leads to improved retention of key talent, which means fewer resources spent on future recruitments.

THE CASE FOR EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT

If familiarity is the best argument for internal recruitment, newness is the best argument for external recruitment.  This can be critical to a company that is trying to explore new angles and ideas for the future.  Internal candidates, though thoroughly competent, may be too close to the status quo to think beyond it.  So even in cases when a qualified internal candidate is available, sometimes an outside candidate is preferred.  Outside candidates can bring fresh philosophies to steer the company in a different and exciting direction.  They might generate ways to run the company more efficiently, to earn larger profits, or to get an edge on the competition.  Although they come with a set of unknown variables, outside candidates serve as new talent, which can be just as good if not better for the company than its existing talent.

Neither philosophy is right or wrong in a given situation—the better choice depends on the direction the company wants to take and the candidate that will best lead it there.

Ready to pump up your talent acquisition to the next level?  Just say YES! to the professional Human Resources consultants at YES! Your Human Resources Solution.  With our recruitment and retention guidance, YES! will optimize your search for today’s hottest talent and will evaluate ways to keep top performers on board.  We’ll work to expand your applicant pool with diverse and innovative sources—talent in places you never thought to look for it (and where your competitors aren’t looking, either).  Let YES! help steer your Human Resources strategies, so you can focus on driving business results!  Visit our website or contact us today for a free consultation.