Selection

Process of choosing from group of applicants the individual best suited for a particular position and the organization

Goal is to properly match people with jobs and organization Top performers contribute from 5-22 times more value to companies than midlevel or low performers

Environmental Factors Affecting the Selection Process

Legal considerations Decision making speed Organizational hierarchy Type of organization

Selection Ratio
Number of people hired for a particular job compared to number of individuals in the applicant pool Selection ratio of 0.10 indicates that there were 10 qualified applicants for an open position

The Selection Process

External Environment Internal Environment

Recruited Candidate Preliminary Interview Rejected Applicants Review of Applications and Rsums Selection Tests Employment Interviews Pre-Employment Screening: Background and Reference Checks Selection Decision Physical Examination New Employee

Preliminary Interview: Telephone Interview

Removes unqualified candidates Narrow pool of applicants before having formal faceto-face interview

Not possible to observe nonverbal cues

Types of Employment Tests

Cognitive aptitude Psychomotor abilities Job Knowledge Work-sample (simulation) Vocational Interest Personality Test
It can be expensive to develop a test to measure different characteristics. Many employers purchase existing tests from a variety of sources. There are literally hundreds of published tests from which to choose and some of the more useful tests cost as little as $ 1 per applicant.

Cognitive Aptitude Tests

Measures individuals ability to learn, as well as to perform a job. Two best known cognitive abilities are Maths and verbal.These form the basis for tests such as SAT & GRE Scholastic Aptitude Test & Graduate Record Examination

 Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale:

It is a comprehensive paper and pencil test of 14 sections grouped into two scores. The verbal score includes general information, arithmetic ,similarities, vocabulary and other items.

Wonderlic Personnel Test :

Uses a variety of perceptual, verbal and arithmetical items that provide a total score.

California Test of Mental Maturity:

In this mental ability test sores are developed from a series of short tests on spatial relationships, verbal concepts, logic and reasoning, numerical reasoning ,memory and others. The scores are converted to IQ equivalents and profiles are developed for analysing performance.

Minnesota Clerical Test

Clerical aptitude is another cognitive ability that has proved useful in selecting people for a wide variety of jobs. This test requires applicants to rapidly check numbers and names for accuracy.The ability to rapidly compare entries is a good predictor of many types of job performance especially in secretarial and clerical jobs.

Minnesota Clerical Test

(formerly Minnesota vocational test for clerical workers)
Name -----------------Name ------------------

Test 1- Number Comparison Number Right ------------------Number Wrong -------------------Score = R W Percentile Rating -----------------

Test 2- Name Comparison Name Right ----------------Name Wrong ---------------Score = R W Percentile Rating -----------------

INSTRUCTIONS
On the inside pages there are two tests. One of the tests consists of pairs of names and the other of pairs of numbers. If the two names or the two numbers of a pair are exactly the same make a check mark ( ) on the line between them: if they are different, make no mark on that line. When the examiner says Stop draw a line under the last pair at which you have looked.

 Samples done correctly of pairs of Numbers 79542 _________ 79452 1234567 ________ 1234567

Samples done correctly of pairs of Names John C.Linder ________ John C. Lender Investors Syndicate ________ Investors Syndicate

This is a test for speed and accuracy. Work as fast as you can without making mistakes. Do not turn this page until you are told to begin.

Psychomotor Abilities Tests

Limb movement Strength Coordination Finger Dexterity These tests used for positions with high manual requirements such as assembling radio or T.V components and watches

Job Knowledge Tests

Measure candidate's knowledge of duties of position for which he or she is applying These are paper and pencil test Are commercially available

Work-Sample Test
Tests requiring applicant to perform task or set of tasks representative of job. Applicants are asked to run the machines they would run if they got the job. Then the quantity and quality of their work are systematically graded and compared with the work of other applicants.

 1.Programming test for computer programmers.

2.Standard driving course for delivery persons 3.Standardised typing ,word processing or spreadsheet applicants problems for secretarial and clerical help.

4.Auditions used by a symphony orchestra or ballet company.

Vocational Interests
Indicates occupation in which person is most interested and most likely to receive satisfaction from Primary used in counseling and vocational guidance

2008 by Prentice Hall

6-16

Personality Tests
Traits Temperaments Dispositions

A)Objective Test B)Projective Test C)Situation Test

Polygraph Test
Called Lie detector test.The polygraph is an instrument that records changes in breathing, blood pressure, pulse and skin response associated with sweating of palms and then plots these reactions on paper.The person being tested with a polygraph is asked a series of questions.Some are neutral to achieve a normal response; others are stressful to indicate a response made under pressure.

Applicant may be asked: Is your name Smith? Have you ever stolen from an employer? Objections have been raised to the use of polygraph in personnel selection.Therefore, govt made it illegal for most private organisations to use polygraph as a selection device.

Graphoanalysis
(Handwriting Analysis)
Many people view handwriting analysis in same context as astrology In Europe, many employers use graphoanalysis to help screen and place job applicants.

Exchange Bank in California, Fike Corporation in Blue Springs & Missouri use profiles based on handwriting samples to design follow up interviews.

Characteristics of Properly Designed Selection Tests

Standardization Test should be administered under standard conditions to a representative sample of persons. Objectivity A test must be constructed in such a way that two or more persons can score the response in the same way. Weightage: Each test should be assigned a weightage in the slection process . Supplement: used as supplements rather then on stand alone basis. Competent Persons

 Reliability Ability of a test to give consistent results

Validity Degree to which a test measures what it is

supposed to measure (Basic Requirement)

RELIABILITY
Reliability refers to how stable or repeatable a measurement is over a variety of testing conditions. Test- retest reliability: To assess reliability, give the same test to applicants on 2 different occasions and correlate the scores. Inter-rater reliability: The extent to which 2 or more interviewers assessments are consistent with each other.

VALIDITY
For a selection test to be useful, it is not sufficient for it to be repeatable or stable.. The measures it gives must also be valid. Validity addresses the question of what a test measures and how well it has measured it. In selection, the primary concern is whether the assessment technique results in accurate predictions about the future success or failure of an applicant.

 CONTENT VALIDITY: Degree to which contents of a test are related to job requirements The degree to which a test, interview or performance evaluation measures the skill, knowledge or ability to perform the job, is called content validity. Content validity is not appropriate for more abstract job behavior, such as leadership potential, leadership style or work ethics.

CONSTRUCT VALIDITY: Extent to which a test measures psychological qualities such as introversion ,leadership etc When selection procedure involve the use of tests to measure leadership characteristics or personality, construct validity rather than content validity is appropriate. A construct is a trait that is not typically observable. Eg V cant see leadership, v can only assume that it exists from the behavior someone displays.

 A test therefore, has construct validity when it actually measures the unobservable trait that it claims to measure. Because traits cannot be directly observed, however, construct validity cannot be established in a single study but can be assumed to exist only on the basis of large body of empirical work yielding consistent results.
CRITERION RELATED VALIDITY: The extent to which selection technique can accurately predict one or more important elements of job behavior is called ----. Scores on a test or performance in some simulated exercise are correlated with measures of actual on the job performance. The test is called a predictor, the performance score is referred to as a criterion.

 Criteria relevant to personnel selection include measures such as quality or quantity of output, supervisory ratings, absenteeism ,accidents, sales. Org must exercise care in choosing a measure that best reflects the actual contributions of employees to its effectiveness.Not all criterion can be predicted equally well from any particular type of selection tool.

TWO TYPE OF CRITERION RELATED VALIDITY

PREDICTIVE VALIDITY: Degree to which test scores determine future job behavior of a candidate. It is determined by using the scores obtained from a sample of applicants for a job. The steps in a predictive validity study for a given test are:

1.Administer the test to a large no. of applicants 2.Select individuals for the job.It is actually preferable if the test whose validity is being measured is not used in hiring decisions.

 3. Wait an appropriate amt of time and then collect measures of job performance 4. assess the strength of predictor criterion relationship

Drawback: Employer first must wait until it has hired a large no. of ppl for whom it has predictor scores and then until it can obtain meaningful measures of job performance for the ppl who were hired.

CONCURRENT VALIDITY:
Extent to which there is positive corelation between job performance and test scores of present employees. It is used to determine whether a selection test can predict job performance. In this, first step is to administer the tests to present employees performing the job. At the same time perf. Measures for these emps are also collected.

The test scores are then correlated with the perf measures. If the test is significantly related to perf. , it would be a candidate for future use with applicants in the selection process.

Employment Interview
Goal-oriented conversation where interviewer and applicant exchange information.It continues to be primary method used to evaluate applicants Content of Interview: Occupational experience Academic achievement Interpersonal skills Personal qualities Organizational fit

Types of Interviews
Unstructured (nondirective)

Structured (directive or patterned)

Unstructured (Nondirective) Interview

Asks probing, open-ended questions Encourages applicant to do much of the talking Often time-consuming

Unstructured Interview Examples :

Tell me about yourself? What is your greatest strength? What is your greatest weakness? How will our company benefit by having you as an employee?

Structured (Directive or Patterned) Interview

Series of job-related questions asked of each applicant for particular job Increases reliability and accuracy by reducing subjectivity and inconsistency of unstructured interviews Situational questions Job knowledge questions Job-sample simulation questions Worker requirements questions

Methods of Interviewing
One-on-one interview - Applicant meets one-on-one with interviewer Group interview - Several applicants interact in presence of one or more company representatives Board interview - Several firm representatives interview candidate at same time

Multiple Interviews - Applicants are interviewed by peers, subordinates, and supervisors Stress interview - Anxiety is intentionally created

Potential Interviewing Problems: Inappropriate Questions

Most basic interviewing rule is this: Ask only job-related questions Interview is a test subject to the same validity requirements as any other step in the selection process Historically, the interview has been more vulnerable to charges of discrimination than any other tool used in the selection process 6-35

Potential Interviewing Problems: Premature Judgments

Interviewers often make judgments about candidates in the first few minutes of the interview Some interviewers believe their ability to read a candidate is superior When this occurs, a great deal of potentially valuable information is not considered
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Potential Interviewing Problems: Interviewer Domination

Relevant information must flow both ways Interviewers must learn to be good listeners as well as suppliers of information

6-37

Potential Interviewing Problems: Permitting Non-Job Related Information

If a candidate begins volunteering personal information that is not job related, the interviewer should steer the conversation back on course Whereas engaging in friendly chitchat with candidates might be pleasant, in our society, it may be the most dangerous thing an interviewer can do
6-38

Potential Interviewing Problems: Contrast Effects

An error in judgment may occur when an interviewer meets with several poorly qualified applicants and then confronts a mediocre candidate Last applicant may appear to be better qualified than he or she actually is Opposite can also occur
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Potential Interviewing Problems: Lack of Training

Interview is much more than carrying on a conversation with another person Expense of training employees in interviewing skills can be easily justified What does Tell me about yourself mean to a trained interviewer
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Potential Interviewing Problems: Nonverbal Communication

Body language is the nonverbal communication method in which physical actions such as motions, gestures, and facial expressions convey thoughts and emotions Interviewers should make a conscious effort to view themselves as applicants do to avoid sending inappropriate or unintended nonverbal signals
2008 by Prentice Hall 6-41

Concluding the Interview

When the interviewer has obtained the necessary information and answered the applicants questions, he or she should conclude the interview Management must then determine whether the candidate is suitable for the open position and organization Tell the applicant that he or she will be 2008 by Prentice Hall 6-42 notified of the selection decision shortly

Pre-Employment Screening: Background Investigations

Determine accuracy of information submitted or to determine if vital information was not submitted

Objective is to hire better workers

Information from individuals who know the applicant provide additional insight into the information furnished by the applicant and verification of its accuracy Possible flaw - Virtually everyone can name three or four individuals willing to make favorable statements

Elements to Verify

Previous employment Education verification Criminal history Civil litigation Workers compensation history

Selection Decision:
Person whose qualifications most closely conform to requirements of position and organization should be selected

Medical Examination:
Determines whether applicant physically capable of performing the work

Useful for physical requirements and for insurance purposes related to pre-existing conditions.

Notification to Candidates
Results should be made known to candidates as soon as possible Delay may result in firm losing prime candidate Unsuccessful candidates promptly notified should also be

Metrics for Evaluating Recruitment/Selection Effectiveness

Recruiting Costs Cost per hire may be determined by dividing recruiting expenses by number of recruits hired
Selection Rate Number of applicants hired from candidates expressed as percentage

group

of

Acceptance Rate Percent of those who accepted job from number who were offered the job