SELECTION

Definition of Selection

Selection is the process of selecting the individuals who have the relevant qualification to fill existing or projected job openings. Selection can also be defined as the systematic process of deciding which applicants to hire. In broad terms selection is to maximize hits and avoid misses. Hits are accurate predictions and misses are inaccurate predictions. Ex: Infosys, TCS

Selection Tests

Characteristics of a good test Reliability Validity Legality Utility Generalizability

Characteristics of a Good Test

Reliability: A reliable test is one that yields consistent scores when a person takes two alternate forms of the test or when he or she takes the same test on two or more different occasions. Types of Reliability Test-retest reliability Inner-rater reliability Alternate forms or parallel form method

Characteristics of a Good Test (Contd)

Validity: validity refers to the extent to which the instrument measures what it intends to measure. Types of Validity Content validity is the degree to which content of the test represents actual work situation Construct Validity: Refers to the extent to which a selection tool measures a theoretical construct or trait. Criterion Related validity: the extent to which a selection tool predicts or significantly correlates with important elements of work behavior. Two types of criterion related validity are concurrent and predictive validity.

Characteristics of a Good Test (Contd)

Concurrent validity refers to the extent to which test scores match criterion data obtained at about the same time from current employees. Predictive validity refers to the extent to which applicants test scores match criterion data obtained from those applicants or employees after they have been on the job for some indefinite period.

Types of Tests

Cognitive tests include tests of general reasoning ability and tests of specific mental abilities like memory and inductive reasoning. Intelligence tests ( WISC, WAIS) Aptitude tests indicate whether or not individuals have the ability to learn a given job quickly and efficiently. Ex: Test of mechanical comprehension

Motor and Physical Ability Tests

Motor tests measure motor abilities like finger dexterity, manual dexterity and reaction time . Ex: Reaction Time instrument Crawford small parts dexterity test. Physical ability tests test the static strength and body coordination.

Personality Tests

Personality test are used to measure basic aspects of an applicants personality such as motivation, emotional balance, self-confidence, interpersonal behavior and introversion. Ex: Hewlett and Packard Some of the personality tests include: Projective tests Ex:( TAT, MMPI, 16 PF, Big Five) Interest tests Ex:( Thurstone Interest Inventory) Preferences

Types of Tests

Achievement Tests: They measure what a person has learned. Ex: Purdue's Test for Machinists Work Samples: This tries to predict job performance by requiring job candidates to perform one or more samples of the jobs basic tasks. Management assessment centers: They are extended work samples and includes a two or three day simulation in which 10-12 candidates perform realistic management tasks under the observation of experts who appraise each candidates leadership potential. Ex: Cheese cake factory. Ex: Honda

Typical Simulation Exercises

In-Basket exercises Group discussions Management Games Individual presentations Interview

Back Ground Investigations And Reference Checks

Background investigation may be conducted by organizations or investigative services firm hired by the employer. Commonly verified data include : Legal eligibility for employment, dates of proir employment, education, identification. Ex: Fresh Direct CEOs also indulge in malpractices Ex: James Minder from Smith &Wesson, David Edmondson from Radio Shack Even sophisticated companies fall prey to criminal employees Employers use telephone , mail, social networking sites and commercial credit rating companies to procure information.

Types of Tests

Polygraph or lie detector is a device that measures changes in breathing, blood pressure and pulse of a person who is being questioned. Employee Polygraph Protection Act 1988 prohibits the usage of lie detectors Graphology: It refers to the use of handwriting analysis to determine the writers basis personality traits. Ex: Fike corporation , Korean Exchange Bank

Interview

Interview is a procedure designed to obtain information from a person through oral responses to oral inquiries. Types of Interviews Structures Interview Situational Interview Behavioral Interview Unstructured Interview Panel Interview Stress Interview

Structured Interview

In structured Interview the interviewer asks the same kind of questions to all the applicants. Ex: Weyerhaeuser, U.S Department of Homeland Security Situational Interview: In this approach the applicant is confronted with a hypothetical incident and asked how he or she would respond to it. Ex: General Electric, J.P Morgan Behavioral Interview: In Behavioral interview interviewees are asked to describe how they reacted to actual situations in the past. Ex: Citizen Banking Corporation, Hartford

Types of Interviews

Stress Interview:
The interviewer attempts to ask a series of questions that are embarrassing, stress eliciting and insulting in nature and examine the applicants reaction to it. Puzzle questions are also posed by the recruiter Ex: Microsoft

Conducting Effective Interviews

Basic questions on Job duties Train interviewer Conduct structured interviews Use descriptive rating scales Take brief, unobtrusive notes during the interview Dont monopolize the interview Establish rapport Appropriate body language Close the interview with a positive note