CAIE A-Level Business 2.1.3 Recruitment & selection
Practise analysing recruitment routes, selection methods and documents, then judging their suitability for specific vacancies.
- Syllabus
- 2026–2028
- Course
- Business 9609
- Level
- AS
Practise analysing recruitment routes, selection methods and documents, then judging their suitability for specific vacancies.
Post Scent (PS)
PS is a private limited company operating in country H . It sells perfume for men and women using its own website. PS purchases the perfume in large quantities from various manufacturers and then sells it in smaller quantities to its customers. Most of the perfumes are sold in glass bottles.
PS has two main ways in which it sells perfume:
- A website where customers can purchase a range of perfumes. The perfumes are priced to be lower than high street competitors.
- A subscription service where customers pay a monthly fee for a mystery perfume to be delivered each month.
All of PS's products are delivered to customers' homes using the postal service. The packages can be left in a mailbox or in a safe place outside of the home. PS has an aim to improve the sustainability of its operations.
PS uses incremental budgeting. Table 1.1 shows the budgeted and actual cost and revenue data for 2023.

Table 1.1 Budgeted and actual cost and revenue data for 2023 (\$000)
The directors of PS have decided that the business needs a Marketing Manager. The role
The directors have shortlisted five suitable applicants and plan to invite them all to an assessment centre as part of the recruitment process.
Analyse one advantage and one disadvantage to PS of using an assessment centre when selecting a Marketing Manager.
AO1 Knowledge and understanding 2 marks
AO2 Application 2 marks
AO3 Analysis 4 marks
2
3-4 marks
Developed analysis
- Developed analysis that identifies connections between causes, impacts and/or consequences of two points.
- Developed analysis that identifies connections between causes, impacts and/or consequences of one point.
1
1-2 marks
- Knowledge of two relevant points is used to answer the question.
- Knowledge of one relevant point is used to answer the question.
1-2 marks
- Application of two relevant points to a business context.
- Application of one relevant point to a business context.
1-2 marks
Limited analysis
- Limited analysis that identifies connections between causes, impacts and/or consequences of two points.
- Limited analysis that identifies connections between causes, impacts and/or consequences of one point.
0
0 marks
No creditable response.
0 marks
No creditable response.
0 marks
No creditable response.
1(c)
Indicative content
AO1 Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge of an assessment centre (max 1 mark if no knowledge of advantage or disadvantage), including:
- a combination of tasks and activities that test suitability for the job
- chance to demonstrate a wider range of skills than during a traditional face-to-face interview.
- hosted over anything from an afternoon to two days
- often the final stage of the selection process
- a group of candidates usually attend together.
Knowledge of an advantage □ (max 1 mark - annotate on left) may include:
- More suitable/knowledgeable/skilled recruit
- Wider skilled recruit / more skills tested
- More detailed process
- Useful as final stage of recruitment
- Allows direct comparison with other candidates
- Less time involved
Knowledge of a disadvantage (max 1 mark - annotate on right) may include:
- Takes more time
- Cost of an assessment centre
- Not realistic / not linked to specific employment / may assess unnecessary skills / knowledge
AO2 Application
Context applied to an advantage □ (max 1 mark) and disadvantage (max 1 mark) of using an assessment centre, including:
- To plan the recruitment and training of a new sales team.
- To organise the production of digital promotions.
- To advise the board of directors on changes to the PS product portfolio.
- To do tasks relating to the marketing of PS (e.g. perfume, website sales, subscription sales, importance of packaging).
- Five shortlisted applicants.
- Use of Table 1.1
PUBLISHED
1(c)
AO3 Analysis
Limited analysis - - candidate shows one link in the chain of analysis.
Developed analysis 踾 candidate shows two or more links in the chain of analysis or a two-sided analysis.
Advantages may include:
- More suitable recruit
- lower costs of marketing - increase profitability
- higher sales - increase profits
- Wider skilled recruit
- lower costs of marketing - increase profitability
- higher sales - increase profits
- Longer process than an interview; more likely to find a better candidate - increase sales and growth of PS.
- Final stage of recruitment; may be a suitable way to distinguish between qualified and similar candidates - increase chances of getting the best candidate.
- Allows direct comparison with other candidates - increases probability of finding the best candidate who can improve the marketing of PS .
- Disadvantages may include:
- Takes more time; increase costs - reduces profitability.
- May assess unnecessary skills and provides an unrealistic image of the candidates and increases the probability of choosing the wrong candidate - increases costs in the long run (more recruitment needed).
- Cost of an assessment centre; significantly more expensive than an interview - decreased profitability.
Accept all valid responses.
1(c)
Exemplars and annotations
