Human resource planning is when a company settles on the number of employees they are looking to hire and the skill sets they require of these employees. The company must then compare their needs to the expected number of qualified candidates in the labor market. The recruitment phase of the hiring process takes place when the company tries to reach a pool of candidates through job postings, job referrals, advertisements, college campus recruitment, etc. Candidates who respond to these measures then come in for interviews and other methods of assessment. Employers may check the background of prospective employees, as well as check references. Employee selection is the process by which an employer evaluates information about the pool of applicants generated during the recruitment phase. After assessing the candidates, the company decides which applicant will be offered the position.