This document proposes a mathematical model to help students predict their chances of getting jobs and help companies develop standardized hiring criteria.
The model considers factors like a student's technical and non-technical skills, performance in the recruitment process stages like application, evaluation and assessment, their performance on interviews and tests, and HR evaluation of soft skills.
It provides an example of how the model can be applied to calculate scores for two students applying for a web developer role, showing how the student with stronger non-technical skills may fare better despite less technical knowledge, as the company emphasizes both technical and non-technical criteria.
1. Recruitments:A Management Information System
Perspective
Shweta Shah1
,Parth Agrawal2
, Dhwani Desai3
Institute of Techonology,Nirma University
Ahmedabad,Gujarat,India
12bit51@nirmauni.ac.in , 12bit59@nirmauni.ac.in , 12bit63@nirmauni.ac.in
Abstract- In this paper, we aim to propose a generalized
solution to the dilemma of students as well as companies by
gathering the information about the tools they use for making their
hiring policies and work culture of some well-known companies
using tools like text mining and certain operations research
techniques and propose a generalized requirement criteria for
companies which in turn helps the students to identify the accurate
requirements of the companies so that he can predict whether he
has good chances of getting a job offer from the company. We will
then extend our solution with the help of customized graphical
representation by which company can map the employee criteria
which is easy to understand and making the process hassle free and
easy.
Keywords-Recruitment;TextMining;Operations
Research;Hiring Policies;Experimental Qualitative Analysis
Introduction
Placements are the major goals for most of the
students pursuing their education in any university. Most
students find it really difficult to prepare for the various tests,
interviews, etc[4]
The solution to this problem is discussed in
this paper. These tips and procedures not only helps a student
by giving a perspective of what a company actually wants but
also gives the company an idea about the selection of students
in their company. Recruitment and selection are two of the
most important functions of personnel management.
Recruitment precedes selection and helps in selecting a right
candidate. Staffing is one basic function of management. All
managers have responsibility of staffing function by selecting
the chief executive and even the foremen and supervisors have
a staffing responsibility when they select the rank and file
workers. However, the personnel manager and his personnel
department is mainly concerned with the staffing function.
Every organization needs to look after recruitment and
selection in the initial period and Thereafter as and when
additional manpower is required due to expansion and
development of business activities. Right person for the right
job‟ is the basic principle in recruitment and selection. Every
business organization/unit needs manpower for carrying
different business activities smoothly and efficiently and for
this recruitment and selection of suitable candidates are
essential. Human resource management in an organization will
not be possible if unsuitable persons are selected and
employment in a business unit.
I. RECRUITMENT PROCESS
It can be divided into 4 stages.[10]
1) APPLICATION
Apply for the position or for the company which
you are interested in.
Resume or a CV and a cover letter( its
optional)[6]
.
Skip the things that are outdated or irrelevant.
Highlighting your technical and soft skills.Job-
related questions and skills: information about
degree, any placements, areas of interest,
volunteer work,extracurricular work and
eligibility to work for the given job or company
Show progression
2) EVALUATION[10]
Once your application is submitted, it will be
reviewed against the requirements of the position.
3) ASSESSMENT:
The assessment process may include written exercises
and interviews with the hiring manager, Human Resource
Services, and/or other panel members as appropriate.
The recruitment drive follows the initial telephone
interview. Exercises typically include (in no particular order):
Face-to-Face interview
Presentation
Group task
Written test
2. A Job Interview is an official meeting in which one or more
Interviewer Interrogate, consult, or judges another person. An
interview is a last step to get selected in any job. It may be
screening, panel, Group, Telephone, Video conferencing, one
on one Interview. Qualified for giving interview means that the
candidates have right ability and knowledge for the job, he has
required knowledge about the subject.
Tips:-
Keywords:- Planning, Searching/Reading About, Preparation,
Dressing, First Impression, At Interview, Follow up/Closing
the Interview
Interview
Achieving the most from your placement: Good start,
Be clear about what the expectations are , Have
realistic expectations, critically[7]
Getting constructive feedback: Learning to deal
constructively with feedback is a really important
aspect of any workplace and especially on
What can you do :Listen actively, regular feedback
,Work hard to avoid becoming defensive/
personalizing, Acknowledge feedback
Tips from supervisors[7]
Tips from students[7]
Strategies: Maintain good health, get regular sleep, eat
well and drink plenty of water, get some exercise,
maintain your social life[7]
Doing Your Homework[6]
Rehearse Your Stories[9]
Practice Interview Questions very well[9]
Prepare Questions for You to Ask[9]
Admit Mistakes[9]
Be Fearless.[9]
Telephone interviews
The telephone interview is competency-based and assesses
candidates‟ general and soft skills, with less focus on technical
knowledge.
Applicants should be prepared to provide examples of times
when they have shown the key competences company is
looking for, such as teamwork, customer focus and a positive
outlook. You can find competencies for the graduate scheme in
question on the job description.
For example, past candidates have been asked questions such
as:
Why have you applied for a role at the company?
Who are company‟s main competitors?
What are company‟s objectives for the coming year?
Face-to-face graduate interviews
Previous candidates report that face-to-face interviews have
included:
More questions about competencies and past
experiences
Some technical questions
Questions about strengths and weaknesses
Group task:
Previous candidates have mentioned tasks such as a „bank
heist‟ exercise in which they had to plan out the robbery,
allocating certain tasks to team members with different skills
and experience, all within a strict time limit.
Written-tests:
These are usually standard numerical or verbal reasoning
tests, which can be practiced online before the day.
Preparing for aptitude test
1) Prepare a Time- Table and follow it.
2) Importance of Revision
3) Self Preparatory Notes
4) Expert Guidance during the exam time
Carefully read and follow all the instruction given in
the exam paper.
Don't overestimate and don't underestimate the exam
paper, always remember that every candidate get the
same exam paper. If the exam paper is easy then it is
easy for everyone and if it is difficult then it is
difficult for everyone.
Don't stick to any question for long period of time. If
you became confused and stuck in between then leave
that question and jump to another question.
Always attempt your strongest section or the type of
question in which you are strong.
Always believe in your preparation and yourself and
have faith that you can crack the paper.
3. Presentation:
Candidates are required to give a presentation lasting
around 15 minutes, and will usually be contacted beforehand to
discuss the topic.
Basic Tips:
Dress smartly: don't let your appearance distract
from what you are saying.
Smile. Don't hunch up and shuffle your feet. Have an
upright posture. Try to appear confident and
enthusiastic.
Say hello and smile when you greet the audience:
your audience will probably look at you and smile
back: an instinctive reaction.
Speak clearly, firmly and confidently as this makes
you sound in control. Don't speak too quickly: you are
likely to speed up and raise the pitch of your voice
when nervous. Give the audience time to absorb each
point. Don't talk in a monotone the whole time. Lift
your head up and address your words to someone near
the back of audience. If you think people at the back
can't hear, ask them.
Use silence to emphasize points. Before you make a
key point pause: this tells the audience that something
important is coming. It's also the hallmark of a
confident speaker as only these are happy with
silences. Nervous speakers tend to gabble on trying to
fill every little gap.
Keep within the allotted time for your talk.
Eye contact is crucial to holding the attention of your
audience. Look at everyone in the audience from time
to time, not just at your notes or at the PowerPoint
slides. Try to involve everyone, not just those directly
in front of you.
Walk around a little and gesture with your hands. Bad
presenters keep their hands on the podium.
Don't read out your talk, as this sounds boring and
stilted, but refer to brief notes jotted down on small
(postcard sized) pieces of card. You should not
continuously read from the postcards either.
It‟s OK to use humor, in moderation, but better to use
anecdotes than to rattle off a string of jokes.
It's normal to be a little nervous. This is a good thing
as it will make you more energized.
Build variety into the talk and break it up into
sections: apparently, the average person has a three
minute attention span!
Consider the following questions:
Who are the audience?
What points do I want to get across?
How much time have I got?
The Middle should outline your argument or develop your
story.
Conclusion - Briefly summarize everything.
The most common mistakes in public speaking
1)Using small scale
movements and gestures
2)Speaking with low energy
3)Playing it safe
4)Preparing too much
material
5)Rushing
6)Data centric presentations
Group Discussion
Normally groups of 8-10 candidates are formed into a
leaderless group, and are given a specific situation to analyze
and discuss within a given time limit. The group may be given
a Case Study and asked to come out with a solution for a
problem.
Avoid taking the role of - Aggressive participant, dominator,
attacker and patronizer.
Skills tested in Group Discussion :
Communication Skills, ability to work in a team and how you
interact with others, flexibility, listening skill, how you put
forward your views, leadership skills, your analysis skill and
subject knowledge, problem solving and critical thinking skill,
your attitude and confidence, decision making skills
Preparation
Reading
Watching News is a great way to prepare for GD.
Practice, practice and practice.
If you have not been able to initiate the discussion,
try to summaries and close it.
Make eye contact with all the members in the
group and be patient.
Do’s and Don’ts
Keep eye contact while speaking:
Initiate the GD:
Allow others to speak:
Speak clearly:
Make sure to bring the discussion on track:
Positive attitude:
4. Speak sensibly:
Listen carefully to others:
No need to go into much details:
Formal dressing:
4) SELECTION:
Once a position has been filled, all candidates interviewed
who were not selected will be notified. It is the goal of
company to hire the most qualified individual for each
opportunity.
II. IT SECTOR SCENARIO
The past scenario till 2006 is shown in this table.
Table 1:Primary Job Focus of Graduates Employed
in IT Areas
Job Focus in Different Areas Total*
Technical/end user support 34.6%
Computer programming 12.3%
Networking 10.6%
Database design/development 8.9%
Web design/development 6.7%
Information management 6.2%
System analysis/design 3.9%
Information security 2.2%
Information management and security 1.7%
E-commerce 0.6%
Other 12.3%
Based on Davis, Woodward, and Belle (2006)[1]
* refers to combining the results of surveys for graduates from
1999 to 2005[1]
The future predictions from surveys are predicted as follows:
Table 2: Projected Employment for Professional
IT workers in United States by Occupations for the
Period 2006-2016 (in thousands)[1]
SOC Major group1
:
Computer and
Mathematical Occupations
2006 2016 % of
change
Computer and Information
System manager
264 307 +16.36%
Computer specialists:
Computer and
information scientists,
research
25 31 +21.53%
Computer programmers 435 417 -4.14%
Computer software
engineers, applications*
507 733 +44.55%
Computer software
engineers, systems
software*
350 449 +28.18%
Computer support
specialists2
552 624 +12.88%
Computer systems
analysts*
504 650 +28.98%
Database
administrators*
119 154
+28.56%
Network and computer
systems administrators
309 393
+26.95%
Network systems and
data communications
analysts*
262 402
+53.41%
All other computer
specialists
136 157
+15.12%
Computer hardware
engineers
79
82 +4.6%
Total, all professional-
level IT occupations
3,543
4,395 +24.05%
Total, all occupations 150,620 166,220 +10.36%
Based on Dohm and Schniper (2007)[1]
1.The U.S. Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) is a
universal occupational classification system that is developed
by various federal agencies to allow for comparison of
occupational statistical data and to monitor evolution of
occupations
2. “Computer Support Specialists” includes technical support
specialists and help desk specialists
*: These occupations are among the 30 occupations that have
been projected to be the fastest growing with rates of at least
27% for the period 2006 to 2016
5. III. MATHEMATICAL MODEL
Problem Statement:-To find a generalized approach a student
can follow towards placements.
A non-linear, dynamic, implicit and stochastic model
It can be shown by the function: -
G = (S, θ, Σ, F)
Where S= {T, NT} // Skills=Technical/Non-Technical
θ= {Ap,Ev,As,Se } // Procedures
Σ= A // HR index= inclusive of
Leadership, Teamwork,
Handling pressure
All the abstract qualities
F=P //Performance factor
Key factors affecting the problem:-
1) T/NT ratio = Technical knowledge v/s non-technical
increases for a pure technical hiring jobprofile.
2) θ =Ap +Ev + As +Se
The recruitment process time is loosely based on the 4 sub-
processes and their duration.
3) A is the cumulative sum of all the qualities of HR
department seeks in a candidate and a proper index in
generated.
4) Performance Factor F is solely based on the candidate’s
performance interview and written tests.
Case Scenario:
1) A 4th
year student pursuing B.Tech with Computer
Engineering wants to apply for a job profile of Web developer.
The student has basic knowledge of all the prevalent
languages in Web Designing but lacks confidence and has
never taken part in a cultural or co-curricular activity in
college.
So the placement drive starts. The company‟s evaluation
criterion is biased 50% on technical knowledge and 25%
technical knowledge and 25% creativity.
So when the student sits for the written exams and personal
interviews and all, according to out mathematical model,
S=1.20/2= 0.60 (0.80 for technical knowledge, 0.40 for non-
technical skills including creativity)
The process of hiring goes smoothly for him. His application
letter is good. His assessment based on GDs and personal
interview is mediocre as he has less credentials to support his
non-technical knowledge so his chances of selection drop
drastically.
So per process weightage in 0.25, 0.20 in application, 0.20 in
evaluation, 0.10 in assessment and 0.05 in selection
θ = 0.55
His HR interview goes normal where he is asked to work in
team and gives witty replies to their questions. Σ goes on the
scale from 0 to 0.5
Σ=0.3
His written test went well but interviews were not up to the
mark excluding HR.
F goes on the scale from 0 to 1. ( 0.5 for written test and 0.5
for interviews)
F=0.6 (0.4 plus 0.20)
So the cumulative score he generates on the basis of the model
is:
G= (0.6 + 0.55 + 0.3 + 0.6)/4 =0.5125
Now the company if follows our model and goes for a better
efficient employee, they can either set their benchmark
between 0.6 and 0.7 as that is a feasible and efficient balance
of all the things they require in the job profile.
So this student might miss out all because of his lack of less
non-technical skills and the company emphasizing more on
non-technical skill.
2) For the same company, his classmate who has been
working in a social club and has less knowledge about
languages than him, lets calculate how he fares in this process.
S=1.40/2= 0.70 (0.30 for technical knowledge, 0.90 for non-
technical skills including creativity).
Application letter good. Interviews good. Assessment is good
as he has a good co-curricular background.
So per process weightage in 0.25, 0.20 in application, 0.20 in
evaluation, 0.20 in assessment and 0.20 in selection.
θ = 0.80
His HR interview goes good because he has good experience
working with people.
Σ goes on the scale from 0 to 0.5
Σ=0.4
His written test went normal but interviews were great.
F goes on the scale from 0 to 1. ( 0.5 for written test and 0.5
for interviews)
F=0.60 (0.25 plus 0.45)
G= (0.7 + 0.80 + 0.4 + 0.6)/4 =0.625
So the second student edges out the first one because he
matches the company criteria.
6. V.MIS APPROACH(FOR COMPANIES)
Many recruiters think they know all the recruitment
strategies under the sun, but there are many different creative
ways to find great talent. Also, not all recruiting strategies are
best for every industry, so recruiters can always benefit from
trying new approach towards finding the best candidates.
Technologies Prevalent in today‟s market:-
1) An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a software
application that enables the electronic handling of recruitment
needs. An ATS can be implemented or accessed online on an
enterprise or small business level, depending on the needs of
the company. An ATS is very similar to customer relationship
management systems, but are designed for recruitment
tracking purposes. In many cases they filter applications
automatically based on given criteria such as keywords, skills,
former employers, years of experience and schools Applicant
tracking systems may also be referred to as talent management
systems (TMS) and are often provided via an application
service provider or software as a service (SaaS) model.
2) Use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and natural
language processing (NLP) to facilitate intelligent
guided semantic search capabilities offered through cloud
based platforms that allow companies to score and sort
resumes with better alignment to the job requirements and
descriptions.
3) Appending tech recruiting by having companies bid for
workers.
4) Most recruiting technology works by collecting a bunch
of potential recruits and chopping off those who don't meet
certain qualifications, or don't use certain buzzwords in their
resumes or cover letters. This sort of parsing generally isn't the
best way to make talent judgments.
The following are 3 hiring tech trends are the ones followed
more closely by each and every tech company:-
1)The Snowballing Supremacy of Simplicity in Staffing
Software
Consumerization of Staffing Software, which gives
the power back to the user by eliminating complications and
once again making staffing software easy to use through better
user interfaces and self explanatory, in-app guides.The most
progressive companies in the software industry are embracing
the notion that software should be a pleasure to use”.
2) The Wild World Web
Firstly, search engines are trumping job boards as the
primary source of job searches, along with websites that
compile all available openings.
Secondly, Mobile as a Media for all sorts of
communication is becoming commonplace. Job seekers
receive invitations for applications on their mobile phones not
only through text messaging, but on a plethora of different
apps and websites, most of which are now accessible through
smart phones.
Thirdly, Social. Social Media has enabled employers
to have a more comprehensive view of prospective employees
It has also provided a platform for complaints and grievances
to be publicly paraded. Furthermore, it‟s made it a lot easier to
find candidates, by giving recruiters new ways to source
interested and qualified applicants.
3) I SEE YOU
Video interviewing saves recruiters costs, time and effort: the
loyalty-assuring trinity.
Video interviewing also eliminates the back-and-
forth of setting interview dates and times, which is especially
troublesome when you‟re trying to poach someone who is
already employed in a full time job and thus has little or no
time to travel halfway across the city at a moment‟s notice.
Based on the employer‟s availability, hierarchy of
hire and likelihood of technical issues, interviews can be
conducted face-to-face in real time (synchronous interviewing,
wherein the conversation is conducted through live streaming)
or video recordings can be submitted for evaluated and
feedback, to be viewed later (asynchronous interviewing).
The downsides of Video Interviewing are of course
present- from technical snags like a loss of connectivity,
distortion of audio or video, and interruption of other
applications, to evaluative shortcomings, like employers being
unable to comprehensively assess body language or changes in
conduct and reactions of candidates.
7. VI.COMPANY DILEMMA SOLUTIONS
1. Measuring Hiring Success
Most companies measure speed and cost to fill jobs, but that
only means they mostly mis-hire people … but they do it fast
and cheap
Estimate the percent high performers hired in recent
years.
Estimate the costs of a typical mis-hire
2. Create Job Scorecard
Job Scorecards include both the measurable
accountabilities and the minimum acceptable ratings on
competencies in order for someone to be deemed an a player
on the job.
A Job Scorecard would have nailed down measurable
accountabilities such as boosting global sales, boost domestic
sales, launch new products on time/on budget and maintain
profit margins.
3. Recruit From Networks
4. Check Candidate’s History Form
Resumes, as you well know, are too often full of
fiction. Studies show most resumes contain deliberate
falsehoods, and almost all resumes are incomplete and contain
significant hype. If ads are used, company can screen resumes
and just send the Career History Form to some candidates.
5. Conduct Telephone Screening Interviews
6. Conduct One-Hour Competency Interviews
7. Master Advanced Interviewing Techniques
8. Analyze All Data
9. Coach Your New Recruit
10. Measure Hiring Success Annually
VII.CONCLUSION
With these tips and procedures, we cannot assure a student‟s
placement. The reason being that placement companies hire
only a few and the students to apply for placements are in
hundreds. Hence this approach just gives a clearer view of
what a student needs to prepare for scoring in the aptitude
tests, interviews, etc. and also what a company actually
expects from students.
VIII.ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We really like to thank all the companies including Microsoft,
HP, Amazon for providing valuable informational data
through their company websites and we have extracted the key
points with the help of it.We also heartily thank our faculty,
Vivek Prasad Sir who gave us this opportunity and guided us
all the way throughout this paper.
IX.REFERENCES
1) http://www.jite.org/documents/Vol7/JITEv7p299-
314Yew366.pdf
2) https://www.recruiter.com/i/recruitment/
3) http://www.potknox.com/blog/recruiting-tech-trends/
4) http://www.techrepublic.com/article/hiredcom-upends-tech-
recruiting-by-having-companies-bid-for-workers/
5) http://topgrading.com/faq/12-topgrading-hiring-steps/
6) Microsoft careers
7) http://www.flinders.edu.au/current-
students/healthandcounselling/self-help/
8)http://careers.microsoft.com/careers/en/in/studentsandgrads.a
spx
9) 10 Secrets To Getting A Job At Apple, Google Or Microsoft
by Gayle Laakmann McDowell
10) http://www.hpadvancedsolutions.com/careers/application-
procedures.html