Recruitment, selection, employment) from the perspective of the job applicant

by | Jun 4, 2025 | Essays

 

Why is it important for the organization to view all components of staffing (recruitment, selection, employment) from the perspective of the job applicant?
Would it be desirable to hire people only according to the person/organization match, ignoring the person/job match? Why or why not?
How have expectations about employment changed over time in response to social and economic events? How might they change in the future?
Assume that you’re the staffing manager in a company that informally, but strongly, discourages you and managers from hiring people with disabilities. The company’s rationale is that people with disabilities are unlike to be high performers or long term employees, and are costly to train, insure, and integrate into the work unit. What is your ethical assessment of the company’s stance; do you have an ethical obligation to try to change the stance, and if so, how might you go about that?
Assume the company you work for practices strict adherence to the law in its relationships with employees and job applicants. The company calls it “staffing by the book.” But beyond that, it seems that anything goes in terms of tolerated staffing practices. What is your assessment of this approach?

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Why is it important for the organization to view all components of staffing (recruitment, selection, employment) from the perspective of the job applicant?

It is crucial for an organization to view all components of staffing from the job applicant’s perspective for several strategic and ethical reasons:

  • Enhances Employer Brand and Reputation: The “candidate experience” is a significant factor in how applicants perceive an organization. A positive experience, characterized by clear communication, respect, efficiency, and transparency, can significantly enhance the company’s employer brand. Conversely, a poor experience (e.g., slow responses, unclear processes, disrespectful treatment) can lead to negative reviews, discourage future applicants, and even impact consumer perception of the brand. Studies show a significant percentage of candidates are willing to boycott a brand after a bad recruitment experience.

Why is it important for the organization to view all components of staffing (recruitment, selection, employment) from the perspective of the job applicant?

It is crucial for an organization to view all components of staffing from the job applicant’s perspective for several strategic and ethical reasons:

  • Enhances Employer Brand and Reputation: The “candidate experience” is a significant factor in how applicants perceive an organization. A positive experience, characterized by clear communication, respect, efficiency, and transparency, can significantly enhance the company’s employer brand. Conversely, a poor experience (e.g., slow responses, unclear processes, disrespectful treatment) can lead to negative reviews, discourage future applicants, and even impact consumer perception of the brand. Studies show a significant percentage of candidates are willing to boycott a brand after a bad recruitment experience.
  • Attracts Top Talent: In a competitive talent market, job seekers, especially highly skilled ones, have choices. If a company’s recruitment process is cumbersome, confusing, or dehumanizing, top candidates may disengage and opt for organizations that offer a more professional and positive experience. By understanding their needs and frustrations, organizations can streamline processes, provide relevant information, and make the application journey appealing.
  • Improves Candidate Engagement and Conversion: A well-designed candidate journey that considers the applicant’s perspective keeps them engaged throughout the process. This leads to higher completion rates for applications and a greater likelihood of accepting job offers. Candidates who feel valued and respected are more likely to commit to the company.
  • Fosters Realistic Job Previews: By providing clear, honest, and realistic information about the job and the company culture from the applicant’s viewpoint, organizations can ensure a better fit. This reduces turnover later on, as new hires have a clearer understanding of what to expect, minimizing disillusionment.
  • Promotes Diversity and Inclusion: An applicant-centric approach requires ensuring accessibility and fairness in the recruitment process for all individuals, including those with disabilities or from diverse backgrounds. This involves considering how different groups might experience the application process and proactively removing barriers.
  • Legal Compliance and Risk Mitigation: Being applicant-centric often means being more transparent and fair, which naturally aligns with anti-discrimination laws and other employment regulations. Neglecting the applicant’s perspective can inadvertently lead to practices that are discriminatory or create legal vulnerabilities.
  • Long-Term Employee Relations: The experience a new hire has during recruitment and selection sets the tone for their entire employment relationship. A positive start can lead to higher job satisfaction, engagement, and retention, as employees feel respected from day one.

In essence, staffing is a two-way street. Organizations are “selling” a job and a culture to candidates, just as candidates are “selling” their skills and experience. Failing to consider the applicant’s perspective is akin to a business ignoring its customers – a sure path to diminished success.

2. Would it be desirable to hire people only according to the person/organization match, ignoring the person/job match? Why or why not?

It would be highly undesirable and detrimental to hire people only according to the person/organization (P-O) match while ignoring the person/job (P-J) match.

  • Person-Job (P-J) Fit: This refers to the extent to which an individual’s knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), and experience align with the specific requirements and demands of a particular job role. It focuses on the technical and functional competencies needed to perform the job effectively.
  • Person-Organization (P-O) Fit: This refers to the compatibility between an individual’s values, beliefs, personality, and goals with the values, culture, and mission of the organization. It focuses on how well an individual “fits in” with the company’s environment and ethical climate.

Why ignoring P-J fit is undesirable:

  1. Poor Performance and Productivity: If an individual lacks the fundamental KSAs required for a job, they simply won’t be able to perform effectively, regardless of how well they align with the company culture. This leads to low productivity, missed targets, errors, and ultimately, failure to meet organizational objectives.
  2. Increased Training Costs and Time: Hiring someone without the necessary job-specific skills means significant investment in training, which can be costly and time-consuming. Even with extensive training, some foundational skills may be difficult to acquire, leading to prolonged underperformance.
  3. Employee Frustration and Turnover: An employee who is a great cultural fit but consistently struggles with job tasks will likely experience high levels of frustration, stress, and inadequacy. This can lead to decreased job satisfaction, disengagement, and eventually, voluntary turnover, negating any benefits of a good P-O fit.
  4. Impact on Team Morale: When one team member consistently underperforms due to a lack of P-J fit, it can create a burden on other team members who have to pick up the slack. This can lead to resentment, decreased morale, and overall team inefficiency.
  5. Compromised Quality and Reputation: In many roles, a lack of specific job skills can directly impact the quality of products or services delivered, potentially harming the company’s reputation and customer satisfaction.

Why both fits are important:

While P-O fit is crucial for employee satisfaction, organizational commitment, and reduced turnover, it acts as a moderator for the effectiveness of P-J fit. An individual with excellent P-J fit but poor P-O fit might perform well initially but eventually become disengaged due to cultural clashes, leading to turnover. Conversely, an individual with excellent P-O fit but poor P-J fit will simply struggle to perform.

Therefore, a successful staffing strategy prioritizes both P-J fit (to ensure competence and performance) and P-O fit (to ensure engagement, satisfaction, and retention). The optimal hire is someone who possesses the necessary skills to excel in the role and whose values and personality align with the company’s culture. Neglecting either aspect leads to suboptimal outcomes for both the employee and the organization.

3. How have expectations about employment changed over time in response to social and economic events? How might they change in the future?

Employment expectations have dramatically shifted over time, largely shaped by significant social and economic events:

Historical Context & Evolution of Expectations:

  • Pre-Industrial/Early Industrial Era:
    • Expectations: Stability, lifelong employment (often with the same company or trade), strong union presence (in some industries), clear hierarchies, physical labor, company paternalism (company towns, pensions). Loyalty was largely a one-way street from employee to employer.
    • Events: Industrial Revolution, rise of large corporations, Great Depression (increased desire for security), world wars (mobilized workforce, women entering workforce).
  • Mid-20th Century (Post WWII to 1980s):
    • Expectations: The “social contract” of employment. Stable, long-term careers, clear career ladders, good benefits (health insurance, pensions), union protection (for many), work-life separation (work was at work, home was at home). Employees expected fair wages and job security in exchange for loyalty and hard work.
    • Events: Post-war economic boom, rise of the middle class, establishment of social security and benefits, growth of large stable corporations.

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