Selection

7 - Selection in Human Resources Management

7.1 Definition and Strategic Importance of Selection

• Selection Definition: The process of screening, evaluating, and assessing applicants to make hiring decisions.

• Strategic Importance:

  • Quality of employees impacts organizational strategic goals.

  • Selected employees implement strategic decisions effectively.

  • Candidate fit with organizational direction is essential.

  • Ineffective selection can lead to costly legal issues.

7.2 Preliminary Applicant Screening

• Process:

  • Conducted by HR department through application reviews.

  • Candidates who do not meet criteria are eliminated.

  • Remaining candidates are considered for further evaluation.

• Selection Ratios:

  • Defined as the ratio of hired applicants to total applicants.

  • A small ratio may indicate low applicant quality; a large ratio may suggest vague job descriptions or an attractive company.

• Use of Technology:

  • AI and data analytics improve screening processes by identifying successful candidate traits.

  • Crowdsourcing allows existing employees to review candidate information, enhancing community engagement.

7.3 Testing and Selection Techniques

• Reliability: Measure of consistency and dependability of selection tools.

  • Inter-rater reliability: Agreement among raters.

  • Internal consistency: Maintains reliability within the assessment tool.

• Validity: Measure of accuracy of a selection tool's predictive capabilities.

  • Differential validity: Ensures fairness across subgroups (e.g., gender, ethnicity).

  • Criterion-related validity: Correlates with work behavior.

  • Content validity: Adequately samples necessary knowledge and skills.

  • Construct validity: Measures relevant traits necessary for job success.

• Types of Tests:

  • Cognitive tests: Assess general intelligence and aptitude (e.g. IQ tests).

  • Job-specific tests: Include work sampling and achievement tests that ensure relevance to job roles.

  • Personality assessments: Measures traits that affect job performance, e.g., Myers-Briggs.

  • Medical examinations: Verify physical capacity for job demands without violating rights.

7.4 The Selection Interview

• Purpose of Interviews:

  • Assess qualifications, behavior, and communication skills.

  • Promote the organization to potential hires.

• Types of Interviews:

  • Structured: Follows a set sequence of questions.

  • Unstructured: Conversational; questions may vary.

  • Situational: Hypothetical scenarios to forecast future behavior.

  • Behavioral: Focuses on past job-related behaviors.

• Common Mistakes in Interviews:

  • Poor planning, snap judgments, negative emphasis, and biases that distort evaluation.

7.5 Background Investigation and Selection Decisions

• Need for Background Checks:

  • Many candidates provide inaccurate information regarding their experience or education.

  • Recommended to conduct thorough checks, including references and qualifications.

• Steps to Enhance Background Checks:

  • Require candidate consent for checks.

  • Use open-ended questions and seek multiple references for comprehensive insight.

• Realistic Job Previews: Provide candidates with both positive and negative job information to set appropriate expectations, increasing future job satisfaction and reducing turnover.

• Final Decision Making:

  • HR synthesizes information collected from various selection techniques.

  • Supervisors make final hiring decisions, ensuring transparency in the job offer process.