Selection Process

Carrying out a forecast of the Human Resources a company needs is a technique companies are using increasingly frequently and consists of determining the number and type of employees it will be necessary to take on in the short, medium and long term.

The selection process for a specific position begins when a vacancy occurs in the company, whether it be for an already established position or a newly created job.
If it is the latter, a job analysis is carried out in order to define the functions and responsibilities required of the person who is to fill it. This definition is carried out by the Human Resources Department along with the Director of the Department in which the new job will be, or alongside the Manager if it is a managerial position.

The recruitment sources companies use are very diverse. The vacancy might be filled internally or externally. If it is filled externally, the organization can use different sources: specialized job banks, the press, professional associations, selection companies, headhunters, etc. The aim is to receive CVs from the ideal candidates for the position to be covered.

Once the pre-selection of the CVs of those objectively speaking best suited to the position has been carried out, these candidates are contacted and asked to attend an initial interview, which can be carried out over the telephone or in person. The aim of this first contact, whichever form is chosen, is to detect as clearly and quickly as possible the candidate's most visible aspects and confirm whether they match the requirements of the vacancy to be filled. The interviewee is also informed of the functions and responsibilities this job involves.
If there is mutual interest, the company goes on to the next stage. From here on, these increasingly exhaustive steps in the selection process can vary, depending on the company: there can be second interviews and assessment centres and psychotechnical tests etc. might be used.

It is quite usual to carry out a second, selection interview. This interview, which is normally longer than the first, consists of a conversation between the selector and the candidate. It aims to obtain and provide more information, on the basis of which certain decisions can be made: mainly to determine whether the candidate should continue in the process and/or whether the candidate wishes to remain in the selection process.

This interview may be repeated by different selectors: Human Resources, the Director of the Department, the Manager, etc. The goal of this/these interview(s) is/are to discover whether the candidate is suited to the job and the company, by analyzing their professional experience, training and professional skills.
It is quite common for the selection process to include psychotechnical tests in order to assess the candidates' skills and potential and their abilities with regards what would be required of them in the position to be filled and to "diagnose" how they would progress in the company.

The final decision is the last part of the process. Normally, with the information that has been obtained over the course of the latter, the candidate who is considered to best meet the job's and the company's specific requirements is selected. In general, this final decision is made by the future employee's immediate boss, with the personnel department acting as an adviser. It is usual for a company to contact the candidates who are finally not selected in order to inform them that they have been unsuccessful.
However, this final decision is not always made by the company. After finalizing the process and, when the time comes for negotiation, the chosen candidate may decide not to accept the position.