Chapter 6 | Selection

Introduction to Selection

• Definition of Selection:

  • Process of identifying the best talent who fits both the role and the organization.

  • Focuses on predicting a candidate’s job performance and organizational fit.

• Selection as the Final Stage of Recruitment:

  • Follows after attracting and shortlisting candidates.

  • Helps organizations get to know potential hires better before making a decision.

• Selection as a Two-Way Process:

  • Employers assess candidates, but candidates also evaluate the organization.

  • A positive recruitment experience enhances an organization’s reputation.

• Impact of Recruitment Experience on Employer Brand:

  • Poor candidate experience can deter applicants and harm employer branding.

  • Negative feedback, especially on social media, can impact future hiring efforts.

• Candidate Behavior and Professionalism:

  • Candidates should remain professional and avoid bad-mouthing organizations.

  • Employers should also strive for fairness and transparency in the selection process.

Factors That Affect Selection

• Role in the Organization:

  • Some roles require specific skill demonstrations (e.g., driving test for drivers, coding test for programmers).

  • Portfolios or work samples may be used for jobs like photography, writing, and web design.

  • Complex roles may require advanced assessment methods.

• Level of Position:

  • Lower-level positions often rely on testing or simulation exercises.

  • Higher-level roles require in-depth discussions about past work experience and professional growth.

• Special Requirements and Conditions:

  • Some roles require strong group dynamics, making team compatibility assessments important.

  • Unique conditions may necessitate customized selection methods.

• Key Decision Makers:

  • Availability, location, and preferences of decision-makers influence the selection strategy.

• Recruiter's Role:

  • Must integrate all these factors to create an effective selection plan.

Common Selection Methods

1. Résumé Screening

• Purpose:

  • Ensures the applicant meets the minimum job requirements before further assessment.

  • Conducted by the recruitment team in alignment with the hiring manager.

• Key Areas of Review:

  • Basic knowledge, skills, abilities, and other job-specific requirements.

  • Additional clues about organizational and role fit.

• Important Questions to Consider:

  • What is the applicant’s current and past role?

  • Which company is the applicant working for now? Where did they work before?

  • What were the applicant’s key responsibilities?

  • What achievements has the applicant made?

  • How long did the applicant stay in previous jobs?

  • Are there noticeable employment gaps?

  • How has the applicant’s career progressed?

• Technical Roles:

  • Recruiters must check for relevant qualifications and certifications.

• Goal:

  • Helps recruiters understand the applicant’s career history and determine if they have the required experience and skills for the role.

2. Assessment Tests

• Purpose:

  • Used for pre-employment evaluation to determine candidate suitability.

  • Includes intelligence tests, psychological tests, and job-related aptitude tests.

• Key Considerations for Choosing Assessment Tests:

  1. End Result Being Predicted:

     • Identify what the organization is looking for (e.g., intelligence, academic performance, or job-specific skills).

     • Determine if standardized tests or academic records (e.g., transcript of records) are sufficient.

  2. Organization’s Capability to Conduct Assessments:

     • Consider the number of candidates and allocated budget.

     • Psychometric testing is costly and requires qualified assessors.

     • Organizations with small recruitment teams may outsource psychometric testing.

     • Some companies develop customized tests tailored to their specific needs.

  3. Budget Constraints:

     • High costs may dictate when psychometric tests are introduced.

     • Some organizations conduct these tests at the final stage as a last check.

     • Large-scale recruiters may use them as an initial screening tool if they secure bulk testing deals.

  4. Timeliness of Results:

     • Online tests provide instant evaluation and reporting.

     • Paper-and-pen or skill-based tests require more time for administration, analysis, and reporting.

• Assessment Test Structure:

  • Typically a combination of multiple test types.

  • The right mix depends on objectives, capabilities, budget, and time constraints.

3. Interviews and Behavioral Interviewing

• Importance of Interviews in Selection:

  • The job interview is a crucial step in the selection process.

  • Provides deeper insight into the applicant beyond résumés and assessment tests.

  • Assesses oral communication skills, thought organization, and logical presentation.

• Behavior-Based Interviewing:

  • A structured interview method focused on identifying past behaviors.

  • Based on the principle that "past behavior predicts future behavior."

  • Questions are designed to have applicants describe past experiences demonstrating key competencies.

• Examples of Behavior-Based Interview Questions:

  • "Tell me about a time when you had to deal with conflict in a work team."

  • "Describe your experience delivering an output on short notice with multiple deadlines."

  • "Tell me about a decision you regretted."

  • "Describe a time when you delegated successfully."

• STAR Framework for Assessing Responses:

  • Situation: The context in which the behavior occurred.

  • Task: The specific challenge or responsibility.

  • Action: The steps taken to address the situation.

  • Result: The outcome of the actions taken.

  • Interviewers use follow-up questions to clarify responses.

4. Assessment Center

• Purpose & Application:

  • Used for recruiting senior-level roles and management trainee roles.

  • Involves multiple simulation activities to evaluate candidate competencies.

  • Selection period varies based on competencies assessed and methodologies used.

• Key Considerations for Using an Assessment Center:

  • Jobs must undergo a thorough job analysis to define required competencies.

  • Assessment centers should be chosen only if they are the best method for selection.

  • Planning is critical—job descriptions, required dimensions, and appropriate assessment tools must be clearly defined.

  • Candidates should be briefed on the process, objectives, and how results will be used.

  • Assessors must be qualified and properly trained.

• Typical Assessment Center Activities (Byham, 2005):

  • Group discussions

  • In-basket exercises (handling simulated correspondences requiring responses)

  • Interview simulations

  • Analysis or decision-making problems

  • Oral presentation exercises

  • Written communication exercises

• Methods of Assessing Applicants:

  • Live observation by trained assessors, followed by discussion and consensus.

  • Recorded sessions to allow assessments at a later time, increasing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

5. Other Pre-Employment Requirements

• Official Transcript of Records:

  • Provides insight into candidates' academic performance.

  • Helps assess knowledge and qualifications related to the job.

• Professional ID:

  • Indicates that the candidate has passed a rigorous assessment by a professional or industrial body.

  • Examples: Engineering board examination, CPA licensure, medical license.

• Reference Check:

  • Involves contacting individuals who can provide insights into the candidate's skills, work ethic, and attitude.

  • References may include:

    • Previous employers

    • Former coworkers

    • Community or church leaders

    • Teachers or mentors

  • Helps improve the accuracy of hiring decisions by validating candidate information.

How Are Selection Data Analyzed?

• Hurdle Method:

  • Each step of the assessment process is a hurdle that candidates must pass.

  • Candidates who fail a stage are eliminated, leaving only the best applicants for the final selection.

  • Suitable for positions with many applicants to systematically narrow down the pool.

• Cutoff Method:

  • All candidates go through the full assessment process.

  • A cutoff score is set for either the entire assessment or individual stages.

  • Candidates who meet the cutoff are shortlisted, and the top candidate is selected.

  • More appropriate when there are fewer applicants for a role.

• Combination Approach:

  • The hurdle method is used in the early stages when there are many applicants.

  • The cutoff method is applied in later stages when the applicant pool is smaller and manageable.

The Selection Process

1. Shortlisting of Candidates

• Marks the transition from recruitment to the selection process.

• Candidates who meet the minimum job requirements are selected for further screening.

• Serves as the starting point for the selection process.

• Applicants are screened based on the Job Description and other important considerations, such as cultural fit.

• Shortlisted candidates proceed to the next stage of assessment.

2. Assessment Tests and Interview

• The assessment stage may consist of multiple steps.

• The organization determines the number and type of assessment tools based on the role and key competencies.

• A combination of assessment methods is used to evaluate a candidate’s fit for the role and the organization.

• Example of assessments for a managerial role:

  1. Personality test – Evaluates behavioral traits and work style.

  2. HR interview – Assesses cultural fit and general qualifications.

  3. Hiring manager interview – Evaluates job-specific skills and experience.

  4. Department head interview – Assesses leadership potential and team compatibility.

  5. Regional department head interview – Ensures alignment with broader organizational goals.

3. Assessment Meeting

• Conducted either throughout the assessment process or at the end of all assessments.

• Aims to evaluate how well a candidate fits the role and the organization.

• Helps recruiters refine their screening process for better alignment.

• Facilitates discussions between recruiters and hiring managers to determine candidate progression.

• Aids in the final decision-making process for selecting the best candidate for the role.

4. Initial Selection

• Organizations typically select one to three top candidates (more if there is a strong applicant pool).

• Hiring managers evaluate and choose the best fit for the role.

• Selected candidates advance to the next stage of the selection process.

5. Reference Check

• A crucial yet often overlooked step in the selection process.

• The organization contacts references provided by the candidate.

• Short interviews are conducted to gather insights on:

  • Work experience with the candidate.

  • Strengths and weaknesses.

  • Other relevant information for the organization.

• Caution is needed as candidates usually choose references who will speak positively about them.

• References may be hesitant to share negative feedback.

• Interviewers should craft strategic questions to extract valuable insights.

• Typically, organizations check with two to three references.

6. Final Selection

• Hiring managers make the final decision based on reference check results.

• The chosen candidate is offered the job.

• If multiple strong candidates exist, a backup (second choice) may be selected.

• The second choice remains on standby if the first choice declines the offer.

7. Job Offer

• The final step in the selection process.

• A job offer sheet is presented, including job description, salary, and benefits.

• The recruiter discusses the offer with the selected candidate.

• Candidates typically have up to a week to consider the offer.

• Some candidates accept immediately, while others may negotiate.

• Once negotiations are finalized, a final offer is made.

• If all goes well, the chosen candidate accepts, and a start date is determined.