Recruitment Methods - Internal and External Approaches

Covering Assessment Criterion 2.3 of 5HR02, this video examines both internal and external recruitment methods, weighing the distinct strengths and weaknesses of each to support critical evaluation in your CIPD assessment. Internal recruitment — drawing on the existing workforce to fill vacancies — is considered alongside its implications for succession planning, organisational culture, workforce engagement, and the transparency of selection processes. The video also addresses the risk of insularity and internal politics that can arise when promotion from within is the default approach rather than a deliberate strategic choice.

On the external side, the video covers a range of formal and informal methods, including recruitment agencies, job boards, general and niche career websites, educational liaison with universities and colleges, professional networking, and word-of-mouth approaches. Each method is assessed against criteria such as cost, reach, candidate quality, administrative burden, and the degree of control an organisation retains over the recruitment experience. The discussion of informal networking is placed in direct tension with diversity objectives, since reliance on existing professional networks can inadvertently narrow the candidate pool and reproduce homogeneity within a workforce.

The role of advertising medium is treated as a substantive factor in its own right, with social media platforms, including LinkedIn, and company career websites considered in terms of employer brand, targeting capability, and the unpredictability of platform algorithms. The video draws together internal and external, formal and informal approaches on a single evaluative spectrum, positioning the selection of recruitment methods as a strategic decision shaped by role requirements, organisational context, and commitments to fair access and diversity — all themes directly relevant to AC 2.3.