AN EVALUATION OF PERSONNEL RECRUITMENT POLICY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE A CASE STUDY OF RIVERS STATE CIVIL SERVICE

AN EVALUATION OF PERSONNEL RECRUITMENT POLICY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE A CASE STUDY OF RIVERS STATE CIVIL SERVICE

CHAPTER 1

1.1           BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

 

The term recruitment simply means, “Securing the right people for particular jobs, and it maytake the form of advertising for large groups of employees or tracking out a lightly skilledindividual for specific work” . This in essence means that not any person with paperqualification is eligible for recruitment into the service. A choice has to be made on who isthe right candidate for the post; a person with maturity, high sense of belonging, skills andgood moral attitude. This is very much paramount due to the fact that it is through thisprocess that the government or an organization can achieve its sets of goals and objectives.However, even when those that are eligible are attracted and they applied; care should betaken and select only those that have the zeal and enthusiasm to make contributions to the organization . “Recruitment is a process of attracting individuals on a timely basis, insufficient numbers and with appropriate qualifications, developing their interest in anorganization and encouraging them to apply for jobs within it.” This is a clear indication thatthe exercise is not conducted all year round but at a designated time when the need arise.The need arises as a result of vacant position created by those who left the service as aresult of either retirement, withdrawal from the service or other reasons. During this process,efforts are made to inform the applicants fully about the selection criteria of the requiredcompetencies that will lead to effective performance, as well as career opportunities theorganization can provide the employee. Clear knowledge of the job help the potentialemployees to put in their best when employed because it is only when you know what youare going to do that you can understand not only how to do it but how to do it best. indicates that “the process of recruitment has two important purposes. Firstly,recruitment should focus on both attraction and retention of the interest of applicants suitablefor a given job. Secondly, it should create a positive image of the organization in the eyes ofpeople who come in contact with it”. The first purpose implies that recruiters shouldemphasize on retaining the qualified candidates and this can be done by first giving them thejob and then motivate them. This is very much necessary because the issue of justemploying the right candidate without proper motivation can lead to brain drain and as suchthe overall aim of recruitment is defeated. Apart from this the organization, department orministry in question that is recruiting the candidates should try as much as possible toportray its good image by demonstrating high sense of fairness at the very time of selectingcandidates. The candidates should be given equal, fair and even treatment irrespective ofethnic background, religious differences and other sentimental issues. This will definitelygive the candidates a feeling that they make the right choice and will try as much as possibleto put in their best in achieving the stated aims, goals and objectives. One of the reasonsthat most employees fail on the job is the fact that they are not fairly treated. Openness,fairness and equity should therefore serve as one of the guiding criteria for recruitingcandidates.

Recruitment and selection of personnel into the service is often conducted through series ofstages known as the resourcing cycle. The resourcing cycle begins with the identification ofa vacancy and ends when the successful candidate is performing the job to an acceptablestandard.

The research therefore seek to profer an evaluation of    personnel recruitment policies in the public service.with a case study of the Rivers state civil service.

1.2           STAEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The nature of the process of recruitment into the public service in Nigeria has consistently been levelledas been

Unfair, unjust,fraudulent and ethnic baised and unacceptable.

The Nigerianization of the civil service was coated with the perpetuated problems of

sectionalism; nepotism and tribalism which according to scholars such as could be traced

from the rationalization and popular purges which gave birth to competitions among

ethnicities in the country who want to favor their ethnic clans. These issues ever since then

became very critical and never left the Nigerian public service.However the articulation and implementation of adequate and functional recruitment

policy to address this lapses is fundamental . Therefore the problem confronting the research is to profer an evaluation of  personnel recruitment

policy in the public service with a case study of the Rivers state civil service.

1.3       RESEARCH      QUESTION

1      What is the nature of personnel recruitment policy in the public service.

2      What is the significance

1            what is the nature and significance of personnel recruitment policy in the Rivers state civil service

1.4       OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1   To determine the nature  and significance of   personnel recruitment policy in the public service

2   To determine   the nature and significance of personnel recruitment policy in the Rivers state civil

Service

1.5    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH

The study shall attempt to profer possible measures towards addressing the numerous problems confronting

The recruitment policy in the Nigerian public service

It shall also serve as a useful source of information to managers and institution in the public service

1.6    STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS

1    Ho   Recruitment in rivers state civil service is low

Hi    Recruitment in rivers state civil service is high

2    Ho    Recruitment policy  in rivers state civil service is not effective

Hi     Recruitment policy  in rivers state civil service is  effective

3   Ho    Impact of recruitment policy in rivers state civil service is low

Hi   Impact of recruitment policy in rivers state civil service is high

1.7        SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The   study focuses on the evaluation of personnel recruitment policy in the public service.

With a case study of the Rivers state civil service.

1.8      DEFINITION OF TERMS

RECRUITMENT DEFINED;

Recruitment is a process of attracting individuals on a timely basis, in sufficient numbers and with appropriate qualifications, developing their interest in an organization and encouraging them to apply for jobs within it.” This is a clear indication that the exercise is not conducted all year round but at a designated time when the need arise.The need arises as a result of vacant position created by those who left the service as a result of either retirement, withdrawal from the service or other reasons.

PERMANENCE DEFINED

“Permanence”. The Public service is often defined

as a permanent body of officials that carryout government decisions. It is permanent and its

life is not tied to the life of any particular government

Application Blanks

An application blank is the form given to job applicants from which information about their

qualifications, experience and any other information that are related to an applicant’s ability

to perform well on the job is gotten. In summary, the application blanks request for

information that is job-related. Through the application blanks, the interviewer gets some

specific information about the applicant which will be useful in the main employment

interview. This helps to test the applicant’s reliability and accuracy of facts.

 Tests

Tests are seen as the most objective method of judging applicants provided they are well

exposed to the same test under the same condition. Tests are increasingly becoming an

integral part of the selection process because of its obvious advantages. There are different

types of tests and the one chosen by an organization depends on what that organization is

engaged in and the type of personnel it wants to employ.

SELECTION

Selection therefore, is the process of choosing from the

pool of applicants, those to be hired by the organization based on the specified

organizational requirements.

INTERVIEW

An interview is a formal exchange of facts, impression and view points between a

prospective employer and a prospective employee with a view to their mutual selection or

parting [20] . Interviews vary greatly in their content, but are often used to assess such things

as interpersonal skills, communication skills, and teamwork skills, and can be used to assess

job knowledge. Well-designed interviews typically use a standard set of questions to

evaluate knowledge, skills, abilities, and other qualities required for the job