Lesson 3.1.1

3.1.1 Methods of Recruitment Quiz: NCFE Business & Enterprise, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

In partnership with Revision Ninja

This lesson compares recruiting from inside a business with recruiting from outside. It covers the strengths and weaknesses of each route, plus the ways a vacancy can be advertised or filled, such as intranets, trade journals, agencies and headhunting. It also touches on the reasons firms choose different contract types when filling a post.

Key points

  • Internal recruitment fills a vacancy from existing staff, who already know the firm's systems and culture and so need little induction.
  • A weakness of internal recruitment is a small pool of candidates, so the business may miss a stronger applicant from outside.
  • External recruitment brings fresh ideas and new skills, but it costs more to advertise, select and interview.
  • External recruitment is most worthwhile when nobody already employed has the skills the job needs.
  • An intranet is a private network that only staff can use, so posting a vacancy there is internal recruitment.
  • Trade journals reach people already working in an industry, while agencies and headhunting save time by searching for suitable candidates directly.
  • Giving a promotion to an outsider can leave existing staff feeling overlooked, lowering morale and raising labour turnover.

Key terms

Internal recruitment
Filling a vacancy with someone who already works for the business.
External recruitment
Filling a vacancy with someone from outside the business.
Headhunting
Approaching a skilled person directly and persuading them to move, instead of advertising the job.
Intranet
A private network that only employees can log in to, used to share information such as vacancies.
Trade journal
A publication read mainly by people in one industry, useful for reaching qualified applicants.
Recruitment agency
A firm paid a fee to search for, screen and shortlist candidates for an employer.
Labour turnover
The rate at which employees leave a business and have to be replaced.

Host it live on the board and students join with a game code on their own devices, or revise alone with Free Play. The answers are revealed in the game.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is a major advantage of recruiting a job applicant internally?

    • Zero training needs
    • Wider applicant pool
    • Fresh outside ideas
    • Existing firm knowledge

  2. What is the main drawback of advertising a job vacancy only to existing staff?

    • High advertising costs
    • Small candidate pool
    • Unknown past conduct
    • Lengthy visa checks

  3. What recruitment method involves directly approaching a skilled worker at another firm?

    • Internal promotion
    • Job rotation
    • Headhunting
    • Job sharing

  4. What is a major benefit of recruiting a manager from a rival firm?

    • Rewarded loyalty
    • Quicker induction
    • Lower advertising costs
    • Fresh ideas

  5. What is a key drawback of filling a vacancy from outside the business?

    • Limited applicant pool
    • Internal friction
    • Higher recruitment costs
    • Reduced staff morale

  6. When is external recruitment clearly the better choice for a business?

    • Lacking internal skills
    • Lowering advertising costs
    • Rewarding staff loyalty
    • Filling vacancies faster

  7. What term describes a private staff network used for internal job adverts?

    • A public domain
    • An extranet
    • An intranet
    • The internet

  8. Why would an engineering firm advertise a vacancy in a trade journal?

    • Cheaper advertising rates
    • Targeted industry reach
    • Faster response times
    • Wider public exposure

  9. Why might a busy restaurant chain pay a recruitment agency to find chefs?

    • Lowering salary costs
    • Faster contract signing
    • Handling candidate shortlisting
    • Saving advertising money

  10. How is giving a supervisor job to an outsider likely to affect existing staff?

    • Feeling overlooked
    • Higher job security
    • Increased motivation
    • Improved teamwork

  11. What key feature distinguishes a fixed-term contract from a permanent one?

    • Notice period length
    • Hourly pay rate
    • Holiday entitlement
    • Agreed finish date

  12. Why might a shop ask candidates to roleplay serving a difficult customer?

    • Testing IT speed
    • Testing pressure handling
    • Checking writing skills
    • Assessing numeracy

  13. What is the main drawback for a worker on a zero-hour contract?

    • Unpredictable income
    • Fixed working hours
    • Mandatory overtime
    • Restricted holiday

  14. Why does an employer contact a candidate's previous manager for a reference?

    • Confirming bank details
    • Verifying application claims
    • Negotiating starting salary
    • Checking credit history

  15. What weekly hours does a business usually mean by full-time work in the UK?

    • 35 or more
    • 25 to 34
    • Under 16
    • 16 to 24

  16. What does a person specification set out for a job vacancy?

    • Daily duties
    • Working hours
    • Required skills
    • Line manager

  17. A café needs extra help but cannot say how long for. Which type of contract fits best?

    • A freelance contract
    • A permanent contract
    • A fixed-term contract
    • A temporary contract

  18. Why wait until a preferred candidate accepts before rejecting other applicants?

    • Extending closing dates
    • Avoiding agency fees
    • Reducing interview costs
    • Protection against rejection

  19. What document does an employer issue immediately after a job offer is accepted?

    • Employment contract
    • Person specification
    • Job description
    • Application form

  20. Why do employers view zero-hours contracts as cheap to run?

    • Lower hourly rates
    • Fixed annual salaries
    • Variable wage costs
    • No holiday pay

All NCFE Business & Enterprise quizzes