Issues and Challenges in the Recruitment and Selection of ...

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Overall, both official statistics and research findings in relation to immigrantworkers in Ireland indicate a high level of incorporation into employment butfrequently on unfavourable terms. There is also considerable diversity amongstimmigrants, based on legal status, ethnicity and gender 4 (Pillinger, 2006; ICI 2008;O’Connell and McGinnity, 2008).1.8 Overview of the ResearchThe Employers’ Diversity Network sought to explore issues around therecruitment and selection of immigrant workers by examining the experiences ofpeople from a range of immigrant communities seeking employment in Irelandand by identifying any particular challenges/barriers that they have encountered.The research aimed to examine the experiences and practices of a sample ofemployers (both Public and Private sector) in relation to the recruitment andselection of employees from immigrant communities.The terms of reference for the research were as follows:• To carry out quantitative and qualitative research with potentialcandidates/job seekers from the main immigrant communities in Irelandto collect information on the following:• Their experiences of seeking employment in Ireland and the keychallenges or difficulties encountered.• The methods/sources used by job seekers from immigrantcommunities when seeking employment.• The level of knowledge of people from different immigrantcommunities in relation to the job opportunities availablewithin various sectors in Ireland and their views of theattractiveness of opportunities in different sectors.• To collect information from a sample of employers across different sectorsto explore how they approach the issue of recruiting and selectingcandidates in general and specifically from immigrant communities.• To identify any challenges employers have experienced in attracting andselecting candidates from immigrant communities and to identifyexamples of innovation in responding to these challenges.4 This research sought to ensure a gender balance in focus group participation which wasbroadly achieved. Few gender specific issues came to light however.20Issues and Challenges in the Recruitment and Selection of Immigrant Workers in Ireland
1.9 MethodologyThe research focused on three groups of immigrants: East Europeans andespecially Polish; Asians and especially Chinese; and people from Africa. Over theperiod April to July 2008, the process of recruitment from the perspectives ofboth employers and immigrant workers was explored. In addition, the views oforganisations that support immigrants, labour market service providers in thepublic and private sectors and the Social Partners were sought. Given the shorttime frame, the focus was confined to employers and workers in the GreaterDublin area. The main elements of the methodology were as follows:1.9.1 Literature ReviewA literature review was undertaken which drew on:• Official statistics relating to immigrants’ engagement with the labourmarket and employment;• Irish research into the experiences of immigrants in the labour marketand at work;• Critiques of policy as well as related policy documentation concerningimmigrants in the labour market;• International best practice with a focus on those countries with anacknowledged track record in attracting and integrating migrant workers.1.9.2 Qualitative ResearchQualitative research involved consultation with key stake-holders, as follows.• Interviews with Representative GroupsFour semi-structured interviews with organisations representing and/ or working on behalf of ethnic minorities were carried out. Theseinterviews allowed the broader perspective, from the vantage point ofthe representative and migrant led organisations, to be included in andinform the subsequent stages of the research.• Interviews with Labour Market Service ProvidersEight interviews with labour market service providers in both thepublic and private sectors were undertaken to situate the experienceshighlighted by the subsequent focus groups within the broadercontemporary labour market processes and to identify any additional21
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as either a basis for determining e
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It is reasonable to assume that in
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Of more specific relevance to the c
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public sector employers) as well as
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BibliographyBarrett, A and Y McCart
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O’Connell, P and F McGinnity (200
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Public Appointments ServiceChapter
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