Recruitment is a powerful tool to equip the military in regard to the much-required human resource. However, with the current pandemic of Covid-19, the process of recruitment has been highly affected as normal recruitment has been replaced with new measures such as online recruitment. Based on this, one of the major challenges that face military recruitment and will continue to be a challenge is the inability to test the candidates’ skills accurately and fairly. With the current social distancing rules, the recruiters cannot assess both the physical abilities like it has been done earlier. The country needs more militants daily, and therefore, whether the pandemic continues or not, the military will continue hiring to staff the service. The reason why assessing the candidates’ skills need to be assessed in an accurate and fair manner is because the recruitment team doesn’t want to have incompetent personnel in the military. Besides, assessing the skills fairly and accurately is to help plan on the training of the recruits.
According to Robert Cialdini, there are six principles of influence that can be used to persuade others. However, in this case of assessing skills in an accurate and fair manner during this time of covid-19, three principles can apply. One of the principles includes authority in which it states that “People are more easily persuaded by individuals perceived to be legitimate authorities.” As a leader in the recruitment team, I have more authority to direct the course of action to be taken during the assessment of candidates’ skills. The second principle is social proof, which implies that “People often look to the behavior of similar others for direction about choices.” Based on this principle, we shall have to consider what other recruitment agencies are doing so that we can conform, to protect both the recruiters and candidates from being in danger of contracting the virus. Finally, liking is the third principle and states that People prefer to say yes to those they like.” Based on this, it is more likely that the recruiters will agree with the solution as they perceive me as one of them.
The three principles of liking, authority, and social proof will be of great benefit to the recruiting team in that it will help them in implementing a contactless assessment of the candidates through ensuring social distance both in recruitment and training, and this will prevent the risk of contracting the virus. The principle of authority will help in giving directions; social proof will acts as evidence enough that the measures have been adopted by other firms and have been successful and finally. Liking will enable them to perceive I as their leader as one of them and who have their best interest at heart, and this will help in persuading them. Besides, the recruitment team as well will be required to do the same for the candidates.