Mixed recruitment: features, advantages and disadvantages

13 of March, 2025

A vacancy arises in the company, and the same old question pops up. Do we look outside the organization or do we go for internal talent? Fortunately, we’re not obliged to choose just one option. Mixed recruitment allows us to take the best from both.

Although the goal is always to find the right candidate for the vacancy, the staff selection process is not always correctly applied.

Let’s explore its characteristics, pros and cons, plus examples of mixed recruitment.

What is mixed recruitment?

As you may have deduced, mixed recruitment is the combination of external and internal recruitment in talent acquisition.

When we think about staff recruitment, the first thing that comes to mind is external search. However, often we have the talent within the organization. We just need to give it a chance.

Mixed recruitment aims to integrate both modalities. The result is more comprehensive selection processes, which ideally facilitate the selection of the right candidate.

Keep in mind, this type of recruitment can vary depending on the strategy. We even identify up to 3 types of mixed recruitment:

• External recruitment and then internal: external recruitment is prioritized, and if this doesn’t work, the search turns inwards to the company. One of the most common cases is the search for skilled personnel. The organization looks outside, and if it can’t find it, promotes its own workers, widening the pool of candidates.
• Internal recruitment and then external: in this case, the company prefers its own workers when filling vacancies. When the vacancy remains unfulfilled or if there is no suitable personnel, it looks outside. The same happens if the candidates do not quite fit the offered position.
• Simultaneous recruitment: we could say this is the most orthodox form of mixed recruitment. Both modalities are used at the same time, offering the same opportunities for both. Thus, a candidate who is currently working in the company starts on the same footing as an external one.

Depending on the modality, different internal and external recruitment means will be used. Among the former we have career plans, the publication of vacancies through internal communication systems, etc.

Among the latter, the company’s job website, job portals, referral programs… or knocking on the candidate’s door.

Examples

Before analyzing the pros and cons of mixed recruitment, let’s look at internal and external recruitment with examples. The succession of a manager by his subordinate would be an example of the former.

But if this one proposes a substitute person with no relation to the company or we hire another worker, it is external recruitment.

Benefits of mixed recruitment

The great advantage of mixed recruitment is that we get the best of external and internal recruitment.

For example, workers who come from outside bring a breath of fresh air. They can bring new ideas, a different and innovative perspective that always helps us grow. Especially if we’re looking for a change.

Among the advantages of internal recruitment that also apply to mixed recruitment is the motivation of the workers.

The fact of having career plans, of promoting within the company, or of seeing that their work is valued, is very motivating. This only reinforces their motivation and commitment to the company.

We can add to this that we avoid complacency in the workforce. It’s a way of stimulating workers to leave their comfort zone and seek continuous training.

The company can contribute to this, facilitating the training and development of the talent it has in its ranks.

Beyond job development, the organization knows the worker that it selects to fill a position.

It knows their strong points, aspects to improve, their skills, and way of working… and the worker knows the company and its professionals. This will facilitate the adaptation to the new position.

Well applied, this strategy gives us more effective and economical recruitment. One of the advantages of external recruitment is to access talent that we don’t have in the organization. Thus, we fill vacancies sooner, avoiding the economic losses of having them unfilled.

Disadvantages of mixed recruitment

Before applying mixed recruitment, it’s important to understand its limitations. For example, when we prioritize the internal recruitment process over the external one, we can meet with limited talent.

That’s why it’s advisable to also look beyond the organization for alternatives.

Another disadvantage of internal recruitment is the tendency towards inbreeding in talent. Thus, what should be a way to retain talent, can become a significant handicap if the organization discards external talent.

That’s why it’s important to combine both modalities.

We cannot disregard the danger of demotivation in the workforce. Plus, it’s a double danger. On the one hand, the selection of external workers can generate frustration or distrust among the workforce.

On the other hand, workers who do not get promoted can stagnate and end up leaving the organization.

Finally, it’s important to bear in mind that two and two do not always add up to four. A worker who performs in one position may not do so in another, no matter how prepared they are for it.

And when an internal worker is promoted, we have another vacancy to fill. If something goes wrong, placing the employee back in their previous position is not always possible.

Recruitment with Sesame HR

Fortunately, we have solutions like the HR software from Sesame HR to facilitate mixed recruitment.

You can use it as a job bank for candidates, both internal and external. But also to analyze the performance of your workforce, career plans, etc.

In the Sesame HR blog, we explain how to make the most of mixed recruitment, don’t miss our contents on the topic!

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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