Fundamentals of Human Resource Management

DeCenzo and Robbins

Chapter 7
Foundations of Selection

The selection process typically consists of eight steps:

1. 2.

3.
4. 5. 6.

7.
8.

initial screening interview completion of the application form employment tests comprehensive interview background investigation conditional job offer medical/physical exam permanent job offer

 Initial

Screening

Involves screening of inquiries and screening interviews. Job description information is shared along with a salary range.

Completing

the Application Form:

Key Issues

Gives a job-performance-related synopsis of what applicants have been doing, their skills and accomplishments.

Key Issues
Legal

considerations

Omit items which are not job-related; e.g., sex, religion, age, national origin, race, color, and disability.

Includes statement giving employer the right to dismiss an employee for falsifying information.
Asks for permission to check work references. Typically includes employment-at-will statement.

 Weighted

application forms

Individual items of information are validated against performance and turnover measures and given appropriate weights. Data must be collected for each job to determine how well a particular item (e.g., years of schooling, tenure on last job) predicts success on target job.

Key Issues Successful applications

Information collected on application forms can be highly predictive of successful job performance. Forms must be validated and continuously reviewed and updated.

Data should be verified through background investigations.

 Estimates

say 60% of all organizations use some type of employment tests.

Performance simulation tests: applicant engages in specific job behaviors necessary for doing the job successfully.

Work sampling: Job analysis is used to develop a

miniature replica of the job on which an applicant demonstrates his/her skills.

Assessment centers: A series of tests and exercises, including individual and group simulation tests, is used to assess managerial potential or other complex sets of skills.

Testing in a global arena: Selection practices must be adapted to cultures and regulations of host country.

Fundamentals of Human Resource Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins

 Other

types of employment tests include: Integrity tests:

Weeds out dishonest employees Drug testing and medical examinations: Ensures that candidates meet physical job requirements and will not be impaired on the job Cognitive ability tests: Designed to measure such mental abilities as: Verbal skills, quantitative skills, reasoning ability

Handwriting:

valid?

 Involve

a (face-to-face) meeting(s) with the Candidate to probe areas not addressed by the application form or tests. What other ways can interviews be done? Should reveal additional information above and beyond resumes & application forms Often the most widely used selection tool. Often are expensive, inefficient, and not job-related. Possible biases with decisions based on interviews include prior knowledge about the applicant, stereotypes etc.

 Impression

management, or the applicants desire to project the right image, may skew the interview results. memories:

Interviewers have short and inaccurate note-taking and videotaping may help. Structured

interviews use fixed questions designed to assess specific job-related attributes More reliable and valid than unstructured ones. Best for determining organizational fit, motivation and interpersonal skills. Especially useful for high-turnover jobs and less routine ones. 2 kinds: Behavior Description & Situational

 Behavioral

Interview/Behavior Description Interview (BDI)

Based on the premise that past behavior is a predictor of future behavior
Candidates are asked about what they have done in the past in a particular situation Examples:

Tell me about a time that you handled conflict? Tell me about a time that you were asked to do something you didnt approve of that your boss told you to dowhat did you do? How did you handle it?

based purely on job-related behaviors!

 Situational

Interview (SI)

Similar to BDI, but asks hypothetical questions Example

If you worked on a project, gave it to your boss, and later found out that she took the credit for your work, what would you do?

Both In

types have good validity

which situations would you use the SI over BDI?

 Or

RJPs

RJPs present unfavorable as well as favorable information about the job to applicants.
May include brochures, films, tours, work sampling, or verbal statements that realistically portray the job. RJPs reduce turnover without lowering acceptance rates. Not necessarily an interview: can be videos, demonstrations, etc.

 Verify

information from the application form information verified includes:

Typical

former employers previous job performance education legal status to work credit references criminal records

 Qualified

privilege

employers may discuss employees with prospective employers without fear of reprisal as long as the discussion is about job-related documented facts.

One-third

of all applicants exaggerate their backgrounds or experiences.

good predictor of future behavior is an individuals past behavior.

Premise of Behavior Description Interviews

Background Investigation Methods: Internal investigation: checks former employers, personal references and possibly credit sources.
External

investigation: Uses a reference-checking firm which may obtain more information, while complying with privacy rights. Documentation is important, including whom called, questions asked, information obtained/not obtained,
is important in case an employers hiring decision is later challenged.

 Offers

of employment made contingent upon successful completion of background check, physical/medical exam, drug test, etc. May only use job-related information to make a hiring decision.
Medical/Physical

Examination

Should be used only to determine if the individual can comply with the essential functions of the job. Americans with Disabilities Act requires that exams be given only after conditional job offer is made.

 Actual

hiring decision generally made by the department manager. not hired deserve the courtesy of prompt notification.

Candidates

Multiple-hurdle

model: gradually narrowing the pool of candidates for each job.

The Comprehensive/Compensatory Model Approach: puts applicants through all the steps in the selection process before making a decision. Assesses both strengths and weaknesses and is considered more realistic. Disadvantages? Costly!

Now Its Up to the Candidate The candidate now has to decide whether this is the job for him or her.
Applicants

who are not hired this time will still form an impression about the company. should assure the selection process leaves them with a favorable impression of the company.

Management

 If

teams are given management responsibilities, it makes sense for them to select their own members. members bring to the selection process varied experiences and backgrounds. members need training in selection and interviewing techniques.

Team

Team

 Reliability,

validity, and cut scores can all help predict which applicants will be successful on the job. The ability of the selection tool to measure an attribute consistently. The relationship between scores on a selection tool and a relevant criterion, such as job performance.

Reliability:

Validity:

 Validity

indicates how well a selection tool predicts job performance. Content, Construct, Criterion-related

Content validity: The degree to which the content of the test, as a sample, represents situations on the job.

Construct validity: The degree to which a particular scale/tool assesses the desired construct Used for abstract concepts: intelligence, personality

 Criterion-related

validity: The degree to which a particular selection device accurately predicts the important elements of work behavior. Predictive validity uses selection test scores of applicants to compare with their future job performance. Concurrent validity correlates the test scores of current employees with measures of their job performance.

*Face

validity: how valid does the tool appear to

the person involved in the process?

 Validity

Analysis: Correlation coefficients (validity coefficients) ranging from +1 to 1 summarize the statistical relationship between an individuals test score and his/her job performance.

Validity

Generalization: This is a situation where a test may be valid for screening applicants for a variety of jobs and performance factors across many occupations.

 Selection

criteria for international assignments goes beyond technical requirements to include

interest in working overseas ability to relate to different cultures and environments supportiveness of the candidates family

Do some homework on the company. Get a good nights rest the night before. Dress appropriately. Arrive for the interview a few minutes early. Use a firm handshake. Maintain good eye contact. Take the opportunity to have practice interviews. Thank the interviewer at the end of the interview and follow up with a thank you note.