Differences between recruitment and staff selection

4 of March, 2025

One of the keys to success in HR is to understand our functions and missions. In this sense, the difference between recruitment and personnel selection is not always clear. And among the possible consequences of this confusion, we have problems in the search for new workers.

Any professional in the sector should know the difference between recruiting and selecting. They are two similar terms, which are often used interchangeably.

However, they are part of a whole. We could say that they are two different stages of the same process. That’s where the difference lies.

Difference between recruiting and selecting: recruitment

By recruitment we mean the identification of the needs of the position and the stimulation of candidates to apply. As we can see, it has two parts.

Recruitment is the part that allows us to access the ideal candidate to fill a vacancy. And it implies a series of steps:

• Analysis of the existing vacancy and its needs
• Definition of the suitable profile for the vacancy (education, experience, competencies, skills)
• Publication of an attractive job offer
• Search for a candidate through different channels (internal and external recruitment, referral program, job portals, social networks…)
• Attraction of candidates. Encourage them to apply for a position in our company

This could be said to be the “easy” part of the process. Easy in the sense that we will find it easy to attract a good number of candidates to our ranks.

The labor market is in constant movement, there is always a demand for employment. Another thing is whether it meets expectations.

At this point, the recruiter’s mission is to capture as much talent as possible according to the company’s needs. For this, the first step is crucial.

Difference between recruitment and personnel selection: the selection phase

At this point, resumes pile up on the HR desk. We have an overflowing employment portal, but not all candidates meet the expectations. It’s time to separate the wheat from the chaff. And we move on to the personnel selection process.

Selecting is nothing other than sifting through resumes to stay with the best candidates. With the most prepared profiles, those who on paper best fit what we are looking for. Actually, this initial stage of the selection is just a preselection of candidates.

It is a much more complex phase than recruitment, but if recruitment is good, selection will be easier. It is evident that we will first discard the candidates who do not meet our requirements.

We will still have a good range of candidates who meet these requirements. Then it’s time for the job interviews and tests to determine if they are the candidate we are looking for.

We come conditioned by recruitment, but succeeding here will make the difference between success or failure.

As the selection process progresses, we discard candidates. This is a significant difference between recruitment and personnel selection, as the first does not imply rejections.

The ideal is to have support from the department where the vacancy is located to select the best candidate.

We have seen that recruitment ends with the arrival of resumes in the company. Well, selection ends with the hiring of the new worker and his appointment.

Recruitment and selection: differences

The simple definition of the processes allows us to establish the difference between recruitment and personnel selection. But there are other elements that we have seen superficially and that help us understand the difference better. For example, the integrated nature of personnel selection in a company.

Recruitment is something individual. A simple action, specific. A good job offer. And by good we mean that it helps us attract talent, but also the selection team.

Moreover, we can find occasional candidates. If so, recruitment works on its own.

On the other hand, personnel selection is an integrated and planned process. It is necessary to have the coordination of the different departments of the company. When a team detects a vacancy, management must approve it.

But also administration and finance teams. Several members of the company will participate in interviews or personnel selection.

It is not unusual for many people to confuse both concepts. However, the difference between recruitment and personnel selection is important and we should not use them interchangeably. Each concept must be used correctly.

It is fundamental to stress that if the recruitment is not good, the selection won’t be either. If the definition of the profile and the requirements is not clear, the selection will be of no value. In that case, the work will be poor, and it will have a significant cost for the organization.

At the end of the day, they are two parts of the same process. And one of the best solutions to coordinate both is to count on an HR software like Sesame HR.

On the one hand, it allows us to define the position. The skills of the workers who perform those functions best, education, experience.

On the other hand, we can use it in personnel selection. It allows us to score each candidate based on their characteristics, filter resumes.

You can even create a talent pool with spontaneous applicants or from other selection processes.

If you want to know more about recruitment and selection differences, we invite you to visit the Sesame HR blog

Cristina Martin

People and Talent Director | LinkedIn | | Web | +post

Professional with over 20 years of extensive experience in various areas of Human Resources (Recruitment, Training, Occupational Risk Prevention, and Personnel Management). Experience in the Management Department: Broad understanding of the company and HR.

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