Hiring vs Recruitment: Difference and Comparison

When a company employs potential employees, the terms hiring and recruitment are used colloquially. The problem is that the terms are not interchangeable. They have a lot in common, but they also have a lot of differences.

As a result, to resolve the existing ambiguity between the two terms, we will devote this article to defining the terms hiring and recruitment.

Key Takeaways

1. Hiring involves selecting a candidate for a specific job, while recruitment encompasses attracting, screening, and selecting candidates.
2. Hiring is the final step in recruitment, resulting in a job offer to the chosen candidate.
3. Recruitment focuses on attracting qualified applicants, while hiring aims to identify the best fit for the position and company.

Hiring vs Recruitment

Recruitment refers to the process of finding, attracting and selecting qualified candidates for a job vacancy. Hiring is the process of actually offering the job to the selected candidate and bringing them on board as an employee, including negotiating the terms of employment, such as salary.

Hiring is the process of appointing someone to a specific role or position. When it comes to hiring, qualifications are limited to specific criteria based on the position.

If you have a vacancy for a specific position in your company and need to hire someone to fill it, you hire someone based on the criteria that must be met to justify the specific role.

On the other hand, recruitment is a broad selection process to find suitable candidates.

Even if you don’t have a specific vacancy, you select individuals who have the potential to fulfil the goals of your company, recruit them, and then hire them for a specific role in the future based on the workforce.

Comparison Table

Parameters of comparison	Hiring	Recruitment
Definition	It is the process of hiring someone for a specific job, either temporarily or permanently.	It is the procedure for bringing in new potential employees to a company.
Is the job specified before employing?	Yes	No
Is it the initial step for employing candidates?	No	Yes
Is it the final step for employing candidates?	Yes	No
Length of the process	When a vacancy arises, the hiring process begins immediately.	It is the process of selecting the best among the rest. Thus it is a time-consuming and effective process.

What is Hiring?

With the increased workload and the addition of a new workforce, we need to hire new talent and come up with new ideas. And to do so, we must be clear about the company’s purpose and goal.

As a result, hiring and recruitment are critical in determining the company’s desired output. To do so, one must understand the basic rules of hiring and recruitment.

Hiring is similar to filling a void, assuming your company has a vacant position and needs someone to fill it. As a result, the selected department hires someone based on the set criteria.

Hiring is more akin to filling a vacancy in your company’s inbound department. The exact definition and expectation of skills and qualifications you are looking for in an individual are things you must keep in mind while hiring.

So be specific and selective about the qualifications you require in the person you intend to hire.

So the main distinction between hiring and recruitment is that in hiring, the job or position is pre-defined, and people who believe they meet the minimum requirements can apply for the job.

Also, when hiring, mentioning your company’s core values and beliefs is a better way to list the type of person you’re looking for perfectly.

What is Recruitment?

On the other hand, recruitment is an ongoing process that takes place throughout the year. It’s as if you’re making an effective connection and informing people about your company’s mission and value.

As a result, if your recruitment strategy is to engage, retain, and attract the best employees, you’ll need to perform the recruitment process daily to find the company’s best people.

So, by recruiting, you’re starting an initial bonding, a conversation about your company with people who might be interested in working for you.

People with the skills and values you’re looking for come across your company, and you can hire them for a specific role in the future.

It’s similar to announcing to let people know that you’re looking for people with specific qualities, and it’s an effective long-term process that allows you to hire the best people for the job.

Recruiting is more of a team effort, so it is a continuous process of finding new talent. You can promote your work while recruiting because people are more likely to fit into a job that appears to have a purpose that aligns with their interests.

Overall, it’s a never-ending search for people who have the potential to add value to your company.

Main Differences Between Hiring and Recruitment

1. Hiring refers to the process of hiring someone for a specific job, either temporarily or permanently, whereas recruitment refers to the process of bringing in new potential employees to a company.
2. The position you will be hired for is set in hiring, whereas in recruitment, it is not.
3. Hiring is not the first step in the recruitment process.
4. Hiring takes place when a position becomes available, whereas recruitment is a prolonged continuous process.
5. Hiring is a step in the recruitment process.

References

1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0002764294037007009
2. https://www.shrm.org/certification/educators/Documents/Recruitment%20and%20Selection%20IM.pdf

Last Updated : 25 February, 2024