Chapter 6: Selecting Employees and Placing Them in Jobs

Personnel Selection: process through which organizations decide who will or will not be invited to join the organization

Applicant-tracking System: automates selection process of online applications

  • support job descriptions

  • provide ability to run background checks and store important documents and applicant info

  • allow the hiring manager, HR, and job candidate to coordinate interview schedules

  • set up to help identify applicants necessary KSAO

Successful Selection Method

  • provides reliable and valid info

    • Reliability: extent to which measurement is free from random error

    • Validity: extent to which performance on measure (test score) relates to what the measure is trying to assess (job performance)

      • Criterion-related validity: based on showing a substantial correlation between test scores and job performance scores

        • Predictive Validation: uses the test scores of all applicants and looks for a relationship between the scores and the future performance of those who were hired

        • Concurrent Validation: administers a test to people who currently hold a job, then compares their scores to existing measures of job performance

      • Content validity: consistency between test items and kinds of situations or problems that occur on the job

      • Construct validity: used for tests that measure abstract qualities or constructs

  • info can be generalized to apply to candidates

    • applies in other contexts other than the one in which it was developed

  • offers high utility (practicality value)

    • selection method should produce information that is actually beneficial to the company

    • testing interviewing should cost significantly less than benefit of hiring

    • Utility is when methods that provide economic value greater than the cost of using them

  • includes criteria that are legal

    • candidates’ privacy rights

    • Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986: Employers must verify and maintain records on applicant’s legal rights to work in U.S.

Application Forms: low-cost way to gather basic information

  • create a large volume of work for the organization

    1. contact info

    2. work experience

    3. educational background

    4. applicant’s signature

Resumes: submitted by applicant to introduce self

  • info is biased and sometimes inaccurate

References: applicant provide names and contact information of people who can vouch for abilities and past job performance

  • applicants choose people who will say positive things

Background Checks: verify that applicants are who they say they are

Aptitude tests: access how well a person can learn or acquire skills and abilities

Achievement tests: measure a person’s existing knowledge and skills

Physical Ability Tests: assess different aspects of physical ability including power, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination

Cognitive Ability Tests: designed to measure verbal skills, quantitative skills, and reasoning ability; sometimes called intelligence tests

Job Performance Tests and Work Samples: specialized skills needed for job may be tested; showing samples of work, completing a project, or an in-basket test; chance to showcase skills

Accessing personality traits

  1. Extroversion- sociable, gregarious, assertive, talkative, expressive

  2. Adjustment- emotionally stable, nondepressed, secure, content

  3. Agreeableness- courteous, trusting, good-natured, tolerant, cooperative, forgiving

  4. Conscientiousness- dependable, organized, persevering, thorough, achievement-oriented

  5. Inquisitiveness- curious, imaginative, artistically, sensitive, broad-minded, playful

Honesty Tests and Drug Tests: honest and safe

Medical Examinations: espec for physically demanding jobs

Interview Techniques:

Nondirective- open-ended questions

Structured- only ask questions that are on the list

Situational- had high validity, self explanatory

Behavioral- tends to have the highest validity, how did on handle something in the past

Panel- reduces bias, several members meet to interview each candidate

Standardized with prepared questions.

Comfortable for participant and conducted in quiet location.

Focused on job and the organization.

Enough time allotted for interviewer and applicant to discuss position and for both to ask questions.

Multiple-Hurdle Model: candidates eliminated at each stage of selection until only one remains

Compensatory Model: all applicants go through all stages in selection process

Communicating the Decision:

Offer should be given to chosen candidate.

•Job responsibilities.

•Work schedule.

•Rate of pay.

•Starting date.

•Other relevant details (for example, required testing and contingencies).

•Deadline to respond with acceptance or rejection.