UNIT 7

Selection
The previous chapter dealt with recruitment. Once a decision is taken on the source of recruitment whether it is internal or external, the next step is to proceed with the selection process.

Definition
According to Dale Yoder, Selection is the process in which candidates for employment are divided into two classes, those who are to be offered employment and those who are not to be.

Stages Involved in Selection of Candidates

The process of selection of candidates for the jobs involves the following stages: 1. Receiving Application Forms 2. Scrutiny 3. Preliminary Interview 4. Tests 5. Final Interview 6. Checking References 7. Medical Examination 8. Appointment 9. Probation 10. Confirmation of Service Each of these has been explained below:

Receiving Application Forms The first step in the selection of candidates is to receive application forms from all eligible candidates. The candidates may be asked to submit their applications together with their bio data on a plain paper. Sometimes, the organisation itself may make available printed applications. These applications may be given either free of cost or for a fee payable by post by sending a self-addressed and stamped envelope. The printed applications contain the details desired by the employer from the candidate with sufficient space for the candidate to furnish the particulars. These applications are also known as Application Blanks. The format of the application may also be published in all leading newspapers and the candidates may be required to use it as it is or adopt such a format. The contemporary employers make available the application format on their websites and the eligible candidates are advised to download the same. The usual format of an application blank is given below: 1. Name of the Candidate (in bold letters):

2. Date of birth:.. 3. Sex:

4 Mother tongue: .5. Religion:.

6 Community: (i) OC (ii) BC (iii) MBC (iv) sc (v) ST

Nationality: .

8 Address for Communication:.

9 Educational Qualification: .

Course/Degree Name of School/College Board/University Class obtained

10. proficiency in Sports:

11. Previous Work Experience:

Name of the Employer Nature of Work Period of Word

12. Referred by: (give the names and addresses of two persons who can certify your candidature) Declaration: I declare that the particulars given are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Date:

SIGNATURE

Figure 9.1 Specimen of an Application Blank After obtaining the application, the candidate has to carefully fill up all the particulars and forward it to the employer on or before on or before the stipulated data.

Scrutiny Once the applications have been received from the eligible candidates, the next step is to scrutinise the same. To scrutinise the application means to check all the particulars given by the candidates to ensure that they are correct. Those applications that are incomplete will not be considered. If, from the application, the employer comes to know that a candidate does not fulfil the eligibility criteria, he may set aside such an application. Whether or not candidate fulfils the eligibility for the job can be ensured by checking the following particulars in the application: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Age of the candidate Sex The community to which he belongs (if reservation norms are followed) Educational Qualification, and Experience. Scrutiny of applications, thus, helps to eliminate those applications whose applications are incomplete and who do not fulfil the eligibility norms. Preliminary Interview All those applications, whose applications have been considered by the employer, may be called for a preliminary interview. The object of preliminary interview is to see the candidate personally to ensure whether he is physically and mentally suitable for the job. During the preliminary interview the employer may ask the candidate certain basic questions about his educational qualification, pervious work experience, areas of interest, etc. It gives the employers an opportunity to talk the candidate directly and judge his ability to put forth his ideas. Candidates, who are found to be unsuitable by the employer, may not be considered for appointment. Such of those candidates who are successful in the preliminary interview may be called for certain tests.

Tests A test is a sample measurement of a candidates ability and interest for the job. Different types of tests are usually conducted for the purpose. These are: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Aptitude Test Intelligence Test Proficiency Test Interest Test and Personality Test

These various tests have been explained below:

DIFFERENT TYPES OF TESTS Aptitude Test

An aptitude test is conducted to know whether the candidate has the potentials to learn the skill necessary to the work to be assigned to him. A candidate who is going to be employed as a salesman cannot be judged by his academic achievements. His potentials will be judged by his ability to communicate effectively and answer questions.

Intelligence Test
The object of conducting intelligence test is to test the mental capacity of the candidates. A persons intelligence is measured by what is called Intelligence Quotient (IQ). The IQ of a person is judged by his ability to answer a certain number of questions within a stipulated time.

Proficiency Test
A proficiency test is conducted to measure a persons skill to do his job. For certain jobs the skill of the individual is more important than his IQ or aptitude. A typists performance, for example, will be judged by his or her ability to type with maximum speed and without committing mistakes.

Interest Test
The purpose of interest test is to measure a candidates interest in a particular type of work. For example, office work consists of maintenance of records and files, receiving and sending mail, managing cash, etc. if the candidate shows preference for records management, he can be considered for such a job. Interest test enables the employer to assign the job for which the candidate has greater interest so that he can derive maximum job satisfaction. Personality Test Personality test helps to judge the personal traits of a candidate. It brings out such qualities of an individual as his courage, values, initiative, curiosity, temperament, judgement, likes and dislikes. Personality test is necessary to select executives for an organisation. Characteristics of a Good Test The following are the essentials of a good test: 1. The test should help to measure what it is intended to measure. 2. The test should not produce different results each time it is conducted. It should produce consistent results. In other words, there should not be a vast different in the candidates score each time he is subject to the test. 3. The method of conducting the test and measuring performance should be a standardised one. 4. The test should be in tune with the competence level of the candidate to whom it is to be given. Benefits of Test The following are the advantages of a test: 1. It helps to measure the suitability of a candidate for a particular job. 2. A test further helps to ascertain whether the claims made by the candidate in respect of his skills, experience, qualification etc., are right.

3. It is possible to measure the capacity of a candidate objectively through a test. This removes bias in selection of candidates.

Disadvantages of Test
The following are some of the demerits of a test: 1. Test alone cannot reveal the capabilities of an individual. 2. The success of test, as a tool of selection of candidates, depends largely on the level of honesty of the person conducting it. 3. Some candidates may not like the very idea of test although they may be capable and efficient. Such people may not submit themselves for the test. This only deprives the organisation of suitable candidates. 4. The candidates who belong to the socially and economically backward sections the society may not perform as much as those belonging to the privileged sections. All those candidates who have been successful in the test may be called for a final interview.

Interview
An interview is a face-to-face oral examination of a candidate by an employer. Interview may be held at two stages-preliminary stage and final stage. The need for a preliminary interview has been explained already. The final interview enables the employer to examine the candidate thoroughly. It must be remembered that a candidate, to reach the final interview level, must have proved himself in the earlier stages.

Guidelines for making the interview successful

The following steps may be taken by the employer/interviewer for making the interview a success: 1. All the eligible candidate must be well informed of the date, correct time and place of interview.

2. The interview should start at the right time and there should not be any undue delay. 3. The physical environment for the interview should be conducive. There should not be unnecessary interruption of any kind during the interview. The interview hall must have proper lighting and ventilation. 4. The interviewer must maintain a proper record of the credentials of all the interviewees. 5. Generally, the interviewees appear tensed up. The interviewer may, therefore, do his mite to make them feel at home. This he cab do by beginning the conversation informally. 6. The questions asked by the interviewer must be relevant. Unnecessary and unwanted questions should be avoided. The candidate must have the conviction, from the questions asked, that the interviewer is genuinely interested in selecting the deserving candidates. 7. The interviewer must listen to the answers given by the candidate with rapt attention. He must not interrupt every now and then by his remarks. 8. The interviewer can record his remarks on the performance of the candidates and as each candidate leaves the hall after the interviewer, the interviewer must record his impressions immediately. 9. The interviewer must utilise the opportunity to build a good rapport between the candidates and the organisation although not all the candidates may get selected. The candidate must be happy that he has attended the interview. Types of Interview Interview may be of different types as given below: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) structure Interview Unstructured interviewer Depth Interview Stress interview Board Interview and Group Interview

Let us now discuss each one. Structure Interview In a structure interview the interviewer has a list of questions with answers prepared well in advance. The candidates interviewed are asked questions only from the prepared list. Marks may be awarded to the candidates based on the answers they give and thereby their suitability for the job may be assessed. Unstructured Interviewed In this case the interviewer does not keep any list f questions. He can ask any question that he thinks is relevant and see how the interviewee responds. Sometimes for, the interviewer may ask the candidate to express his views on the job he has applied for the he did earlier, the organisations he serve earlier, the present organisation and so on. The interviewer, in this kind of an interviews patient listener. He does not interrupt the interviewee nor does he dive his opinions on what is stated. Depth Interview As the very name suggest depth interview attempts to know the in-depth knowledge of the candidate in his chosen field of activity. This type of interview is necessary where the candidates are expected to be experts in performing the job to be assigned to them. For example, a person who is going to be appointed as the office manager must be well versed in all aspects of office work. Similarly, a person who is going to be employed as the labour welfare officer must be sound n labour laws, human relations and so on. Stress Interview This kind of interview is necessary to select candidates for job that require tremendous amount of patience, the capacity to overcome resistance or protest and the mental courage to overcome stress and strain. Candidates, who are interviewed for such jobs as those of sales representatives, receptionists, public relations officers etc., need to be subjected to a stress interview.

In a stress interview the interviewer ma react sharply to the views of the candidate, criticise him or even try to provoke him. This he does deliberately to see whether the candidates exercise patience and is able to overcome resistance or protest. If the candidate fails to perform to the expected level, he may not be considered for the post. Board or Interview: In this kind of an interview the candidate is interviewed simultaneously by a panel of experts. Such an interview is necessary where the employer desires the assessment of the candidate by a group or a team of experts is required. Each member of the board or panel may ask questions from certain specific areas. One interviewer may ask questions pertaining to the candidates field of work, another person regarding his interests and so on. The selection of the candidate will depend on the assessment of all the board members. Group Interview In this case a group of candidates will be interviewed simultaneously. Such an approach is normally used for the selection of management trainers. A practical problem is given to them and each one is asked to discuss it to find a solution. The performance of each individual in the group discussion will decide whether he will be selected or not. On completion of interview process, the employer will have a list of provisionally selected candidates. The final selection is done only after checking references and subjecting the candidates to medical examination. Checking References The candidate would have already been required to mention in his application the names and addresses of a few persons known to him. At this stage the employer may contact such persons and get information regarding the conduct and character of the candidate.

Medical Examination It is important that a person selected for a job must also be medically fit to perform it. The candidate, therefore, will be asked to undergo medical examination to prove his/her physical fitness. A report on his/her eyesight, height, weight and a certificate on his/her physical fitness from a doctor may have to be submitted to the employer Appointment If the employer is satisfied with the medical reports of the candidate, he may appoint him in his concern. The candidate is then given the appointment order. The appointment order states the date of appointment, the nature of the job, the salary and other allowances payable, the period of probation etc. On receiving the appointment order the candidate has to report for duty. Probation Probation is the initial testing period of the candidate during which his performance will be watched. The period of probation may vary from organisation to organization. In certain organisation it may be 6 months while in others it may extend upto 2 years. Confirmation of Service Only on successful completion of the period of probation the candidates appointment will be confirmed. It is only after getting the confirmation order the candidate becomes eligible to contribute to provident fund and such other schemes. Some concerns pay only consolidated pay to the candidate during his or probation. He will be put on scale of pay only on completing his probation. The scale of pay shows the break ups of an employees salary, i.e., his Basic Pay Dearness Allowance payable. A candidate who has not performed satisfactorily during the period of probation will not be retained. He will be issued the termination order.