Each reply must be 250-300 words, APA format, and include at least 1 scholarly reference.

Reply 1

A successful targeted recruitment strategy will encourage diversity in the workplace by seeking out and attracting individuals that may be underrepresented within the work environment.  There are a variety of items that can attract a potential candidate to an employer.  An applicant can be attracted to an employer based on its community involvement, its displayed values, the job description, or even something as basic as the pay.  A targeted recruitment strategy can help the employer develop its brand and build an internal organization that shares its values and mission (Casper, Wayne, & Manegold, 2013).   

Organizations that embrace diversity and inclusion can help attract individuals despite their differences.  In order to interest the applicant, the recruitment strategy must appeal to his or her needs.  A targeted recruitment strategy can be effective because it helps the firm appeal to applicants that match its strategy and can improve the organization's performance.  In order for organizations to retain a competitive advantage, they must consider the selection process of their applicants.  It can be difficult to target and attract qualified employees but a specialized recruitment strategy can enable an organization capitalize on individual differences that may lead to the organization's overall success (McEntire & Greene-Shortridge, 2011).  An organization that wants to hire a diversified group of individuals must ensure that their recruitment strategy attracts the attention of the demographic that it is seeking.  Firms must showcase their values in order to build a strong culture and captivate the desired audience. 

In order to be effective, the targeted strategy should consider the organization's goals and values and then weigh them against the selected applicant's ability to contribute to the organization.  Additionally, if the strategy also considers the applicant's desires and needs and then displays the organization's ability to meet the applicant's needs, the targeted recruitment strategy can be very successful (Casper et al., 2013).  Job seekers look for positions that meet their skillset but they also seek to join an organization that has the ability to foster and develop their professional and even personal growth. 

As I recruiter, I believe that a targeted recruitment system is not only fair, it is necessary in order to ensure that I receive applications from individuals who will meet the job qualifications and requirements as well as ensure that these individuals will aid in the company's success.  My recruitment strategy not only targets individuals based on skillset but when it comes to the interview process, I also consider how the applicant will fit into the corporate culture.  As long as the targeted recruitment process does not disqualify or discourage any protected class and as long as it does not violate any federal, state, or local laws, then a targeted recruitment strategy is not only successful, it should be encouraged.

Reply 2

There are generally two types of external recruitment strategies that organizations utilize depending on the types of positions that it needs to fill. An open recruitment strategy allows all applicants the opportunity to apply, and every applicant has an equal chance at being considered for the job (Heneman, Judge, & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2015).  This type of strategy works best when an organizations needs to hire a significant number of candidates or for jobs that don't require specific qualifications or certain skills. On the other hand, an organization uses a targeted recruitment strategy when it needs to focus recruitment efforts on targeting a specific segment of the population (Heneman et al., 2015). A targeted recruitment strategy seeks to attract only the most qualified applicants. Thus, this type of recruitment strategy significantly reducing the number of prospective candidates, and is often utilized when an organization is seeking to hire individuals who possess special skills or specific qualifications (Williams, Kilanski, & Muller, 2014).  

Some might question whether a targeted recruitment strategy is fair, since this type of approach strictly targets specific individuals and seemingly discriminates against others. However, in some instances, using a targeted recruitment approach would likely save an HR professional the tremendous amount of time that it would take to sort through all of the unqualified candidates that would have applied through an open recruitment strategy approach. In addition, if specific skills or qualifications are required for the position, then using the targeted approach would not necessarily be discriminatory. In this case, using the target recruitment approach would be the most efficient way to attract the right individuals to the organization. Taking into consideration the current and future needs of the organization can help ensure that the HR professional uses the most appropriate recruitment strategy possible, when looking to fill those needs with the ideal candidates. 

Targeted recruitment strategies can also be used to manage diversity within an organization, by advertising to a clearly defined group or groups within the population.  Many diversity management programs often use targeted recruitment strategies to attract women and minorities to the organization.  This recruitment approach has to be appealing and creative in reaching out to the individuals, who might not otherwise apply for these positions, and specifically encouraging them to apply for the job. Thus, targeted recruitment strategies can help increase diversity, by increasing those individuals who are typically underrepresented in the workplace (Williams et al, 2014).

When analyzing this topic from a Biblical perspective, one could find insight in the Bible in 1 Corinthians 12: 4. This verse discusses the fact that God gives different gifts and talents to each and every person as He sees fit. In the workplace, this creates an opportunity for each individual to bring their unique gifts and knowledge together with that of others, in order to accomplish the common goals of the organization.  Thus, it is important to recruit and retain the right individuals to ensure the success of the organization.