Job notices

Scope

When a company has an open position to fill, recruiters can look at a variety of methods to recruit for that position. They may look at sources both from outside their company and from within their company for viable candidates.

Regulatory citations

• None

Key definitions

• None

Summary of requirements

When a company has an open position to fill, recruiters can look at a variety of methods to recruit for that position. They may look at sources both from outside their company and from within their company for viable candidates. These external and internal resources are often approached with different recruiting methods:

• External resources. For example, to approach external sources, a recruiter may place ads in local newspapers, industry publications, or on their internet site, or they may go through local colleges or job fairs.
• Internal resources. To attract candidates from inside a company, a recruiter may post an opening on a company bulletin board. At least making the position available for employees to apply can help if your selection is challenged on EEO grounds. A failure to apply generally precludes such a challenge.

Whether to use an internal or external source may depend upon a number of factors, including the company policies, the position in question, the cost of recruiting efforts, and perhaps the demographics of the area (for EEO considerations). Often, companies will begin their recruiting efforts within the company, and if no viable candidates emerge, they will turn their attention to external sources.

Job notices. The notice should be designed to attract the most qualified candidates for the position, but the notice should not be discriminatory in nature. It should not favor younger workers over older workers, or one gender, ethnic group, or racial group to the exclusion of others.

Recruiters should be careful about the language they use; it could subject their company to liability if it is discriminatory. Statements or specifications in job notices or advertisements of age preference and limitations are prohibited under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). An age limit may only be specified in the rare circumstance where age has been proven to be a bona fide occupational qualification.

The following are examples of the types of phrases that should not be placed in job notices:

• “Recent college graduate” — potential ADEA violation;
• “0-1 years of experience” — potential ADEA violation;
• “Young, energetic” — potential ADEA violation;
• “Hostess” or “waitress” — potential Title VII violation;
• “Christian carpenter wanted” — potential Title VII violation.

This list provides only a few examples, and is not intended to be comprehensive.

Job posting. When recruiters refer to job posting, they generally refer to recruiting efforts focused within their company. Recruiters should consider some positive and some negative factors with job postings.

Positive factors include the following:

• Low cost — it costs virtually nothing compared to advertising costs.
• Employee morale — employees are rewarded for their good work and may see the opportunity as a chance at promotion.
• Known performance of candidate — information on an internal candidate’s professional performance is already at hand.
• Less time in orientation — candidate does not need to get to know the company.

Negative factors include the following:

• Lack of fresh ideas — internal candidates may not bring new ideas to the mix.
• Increased need for training — internal candidates may require more extensive training to fulfill the job requirements.
• May impinge upon EEO goals — if the employee population consists of non-minorities or men, the diversity of the population may not expand if the recruiting efforts focus on internal candidates.

Job bidding. As opposed to job posting, which is a notification of an open position, job bidding is a system of giving the job to one of the bidding applicants on the basis of fixed criteria such as seniority. Not all employers are open to job bidding, or have applicable formal procedures. Job bidding is often found in companies that operate with a union environment.