Selection

Selection Learning
Objectives
 Explain the Selection Process
 Identify Sources of Information
 Explain Value of Selection
Instruments
 Discuss Approaches to Interviewing
 Describe Selection Decision
Strategies
Selection Terms to Identify
 Reliability  Depth interview
 Validity  Patterned interview
 Criterion-related  Stress interview
validity
 Stereotyping
 Predictive validity
 Content validity  Halo error
 Structured interview  Face validity
 Situational interview  Job-knowledge tests
 Behavioral interview  Selection ratio
 Nondirective interview
Selection
The process of choosing individuals
who have relevant qualifications to
fill existing or projected job
openings.
Selection Process
 Matching Job Specs Against
Applicants
 Specs Based to Job Analysis
 Continuous Process from Growth,
Retirement, Turnover, Promotion
Selection and Job Analysis
 Job Analysis leads to Job
Specification
 Job Specs Selection Criteria
 Establish K-S-A
 Match Candidates and Job Criteria
 Steps in the selection process

Hiring Decision
Medical Examination/ Drug
Testing
Supervisory Interview or Team
Interview
Preliminary Selection in HR Department

Background Investigation

Employment Tests

Initial Interview in HR Department

Completion of Application Form

NOTE: Steps may vary. An applicant may be rejected after any step in the process.
Selection Tools (Evaluation)
 Application Forms and/or Resumes
 Academic Credentials
 Interview
 Tests
 References
Sources of Information
About Job Candidates
 Application Forms
 Biographical information Blanks
 Interviews
 Tests
 Background Investigations
 Polygraph
 Honesty Tests
 Medical Examination/Drug Screens
 References and Credit Checks
Interviewing Methods
 Non-directive Interviews (Candidate
Leads)
 In-Depth (Lengthy by Professionals)
 Patterned
 Structured
 Situational
 Behavioral
 Case
The Non-Directive Interview
 Candidates Leads
 Information, Attitude, Feelings, Flow
 Tell you more than can ask
 Manager/Executive Level Job
Nondirective Interview
An interview in which the applicant
is allowed the maximum amount of
freedom in determining the course
of the discussion, while the
interviewer carefully refrains from
influencing the applicant’s remarks.
The In-Depth Interview
 Non-directive Elements
 Follow-up with Depth Questions
 Focus on Feelings, Attitudes, Judgments
 Probing Selected Factors:
Why/Judgments/Decisions
 Focus on Problems – Create Stress
 Career Progress Potential Assessment;
Not just job.
The Pattern Interview
 Detailed Questions in Targeted
Dimensions
 Follow a Form: For Comparisons
 Separate Facts from Inferences
 Requires Great Interviewer Training
 Creates a Consistent Flow of Info
Structured Interview
 An interview in which a set of
standardized questions having an
established set of answers is used.
 Same interview for all candidates.
The Highly Structured
Interview
 Questions Based on Job
Requirements
 Distinct Types of Questions
 Sample Good Responses
 Multiple Raters
 Consistency Applied
 Documentation
 “Fostered by EEO Requirements”
Types of Questions
 Situational Questions (Reality Focus)
 Job Knowledge Questions
(Capability)
 Simulation Questions (Results
Focus)
 Requirements of Job (Qualifications)
 Behavioral Questions (Motivations)
Advantages of Patterned and
Structured Interviews

 Decision Making Facts

 Eliminates Discrimination
 Less Legal Liability
 Reliable and Valid
 Drives through Info Collection
Situational Interview
An interview in which an application
given a hypothetical incident and
asked how he or she would respond
to it.

Actions
And
Behaviors
Behavioral Based
Interview (BBI)
An interview in which an applicant is
asked questions about what he or
she actually did in a given situation.

“Past Predicts Future”

 EMPLOYERS SHOULD CONSIDER
“CAN-DO” AND “WILL-DO”
FACTORS IN SELECTING PEOPLE

“CAN-DO” “WILL-DO”
FACTORS FACTORS
Knowledge Motivation JOB
Skills
X Interests
= PERFORMANCE

Aptitudes Personality characteristics

Panel Interview
An interview in which a board of
interviewers questions and observes
a single candidate.
Panel Evaluations

Summation of several interviewers

evaluations in different interviews.
Types of Questions to Use
 Open Ended Questions
 Hypothetical Case Questions
 Past Behavioral Inquiries
 Why-Where-Who-How-What
 Probing into Background
 Stress and Pressure Inducing
Types of Questions to Avoid
 YES/NO Response
 CONTENT/SKILLS if already
apparent
 Illegal Questions
 Non-relevant
Questions
Questions to Avoid For Legal
Reasons (Direct or Implied)
 Race
 Color
 Age
 Religion
 Gender
 National Origin
 Marital Status
Sticky Legal Questions
Inappropriate
More Appropriate Questions
Questions
Do you have any physical disabilities or
Do you have any impediments which might in any way
physical defects? hinder your ability to perform the job
for which you have applied?
Have you had any recent or past illness
Have you had any
or operations which might, in any way,
recent or past illness or
hinder your ability to perform the job
operation?
for which you have applied?

What was the date of Are you willing to take a physical exam
your last physical at our expense if the nature of the job
exam? requires one?
Sticky Legal Questions
Inappropriate
More Appropriate Questions
Questions

Do you have the legal right to live and

Are you a U.S. citizen?
work in the U.S.?

Date of birth? Are you over 18?

Age? Are you over 18?

Sticky Legal Questions
Inappropriate
More Appropriate Questions
Questions

What are you Do you have any hobbies or interests which have a
hobbies? Interests? direct bearing on the job you are seeking?

Have you since the age of 18, ever been convicted

Have you ever been of a misdemeanor or felony? (Note: A conviction
arrested for a will not necessarily bar you from employment.
misdemeanor or Each conviction will be judged on its own merits
felony? with respect to time, circumstances, and
seriousness.)
Dates attended high
Did you complete high school? College?
school? Or college?
In what While in school, did you participate in any
extracurricular activities, or belong to any clubs, which have a
activities did you direct bearing upon the job for which you are
participate? Clubs? applying?
Sticky Legal Questions
Inappropriate
More Appropriate Questions
Questions

While in college, did you take any courses that

College subjects of
directly relate to the job for which you are
interest? applying?

What salary
If you are employed, are you willing to accept
earnings do you the prevailing wage for the job you are seeking?
expect?

Memberships (with Have you ever belonged to a club, organization,

society, or professional group which has a direct
or without EEO bearing upon your qualification for the job which
disclaimer)? you are seeking?
 Guidelines for Employment
Interviews
1. Establish the objectives and scope of each interview.
2. Establish and maintain rapport.
3. Be an active listener.
4. Pay attention to body language.
5. Provide information as freely and honestly as possible.
6. Use questions effectively.
7. Separate facts from inferences.
8. Recognize biases and stereotypes.
9. Avoid the influence of “beautyism.”
10. Avoid the halo error.
11. Control the course of the interview.
12. Standardize the types of questions asked.
13. Keep careful notes.
14. End interview effectively.
Factors Influencing Interview Results
APPLICANT SITUATION INTERVIEWER
• Age, race, sex, etc. • Political/legal • Age, race, sex, etc.
• Physical appearance environment • Physical appearance
• Educational and work •Marketplace • Psychological
background •organization characteristics: attitude,
• Job interests and career intelligence, motivation,
• Role of interview in
plans etc.
selection system
• Psychological •Experience and training
•Selection ratio
characteristics: attitude, as interviewer
•Physical setting: comfort,
intelligence, motivation, •Perceptions of job
privacy, number of
etc. requirements
interviewers
• Experience and training •Prior knowledge of
•Interview structure
as interviewee applicant
• Perceptions regarding •Goals for interview
interviewer, job, company, •Verbal and nonverbal
Employment
etc. behavior
Interview
• Verbal and nonverbal
behavior
Interview Outcome
and Decision Result
Employment Tests
 Objective
 Norm Group Comparison
 Job Related
 Designed to Evaluate Applicant’s:
 Values
 Interests
 Personal Characteristics
(Personality/Attitudes)
 Skills (KSAs)
Values Tests
Measure a persons beliefs and
motivations
 Examples: Ethics, honesty, work ethics,
money, power, etc.
Interests Tests
Measure a person’s interests in
various activities
 Examples: Hobbies, enjoyments,
dislikes, etc.
Aptitude Tests
Measure of a person’s capacity to
learn or acquire skills.
Achievement Tests
Measures what a person knows or
can do right now.
Personality Tests
Measures the type of personality
characteristics.
 Examples: Assertiveness, extroversion,
organization, decisiveness, etc.
 Highlights in HRM
TYPES OF STANDARDIZED TESTS COMMERCIALLY
AVAILABLE FOR USE IN PERSONNEL TESTING
EXAMPLE OF JOBS FOR
TYPE OF TEST WHAT IS MEASURED
WHICH USED
Managerial or executive
Academic intelligence or
General mental ability jobs; technical and clerical
Scholastic aptitude
jobs.
Several different aptitude
areas such as verbal,
Wide variety of jobs from
Multiaptitude numerical, spatial, and
executive to unskilled.
mechanical
comprehension.
Watch repairers, precision
Finger dexterity, tweezer
Dexterity electronic assemblers,
dexterity, assembly.
telephone installers.

Verbal aptitude, numerical

Clerical jobs, inspectors,
Clerical aptitude aptitude, perceptual
checkers, packers.
speed.

CONTINUED . . .
 Highlights in HRM
TYPES OF STANDARDIZED TESTS COMMERCIALLY
AVAILABLE FOR USE IN PERSONNEL TESTING
EXAMPLE OF JOBS FOR
TYPE OF TEST WHAT IS MEASURED
WHICH USED
Mechanical
Variety of engineering and
Mechanical aptitude comprehension, spatial
mechanical jobs.
relationships.
Range of personality
characteristics including
Salespersons, managers,
Personality emotional adjustment,
and supervisors.
self-confidence, and
perseverance.
Attitudes and perceptions,
Supervisory and Managerial and
administrative skills,
managerial abilities supervisory jobs.
decision-making abilities.
Major interest areas such
as scientific, literary,
Interest inventories Career planning.
investigative, and
computational.
Selection Ratio
The number of applicants compared
with the number of persons hired.
Evaluation Forms
 There are several different
evaluation forms on the web.
 Copy/scan forms.
Evaluation Forms

Essential to comparing job

candidates and recording
impressions.

“Paper and Online”

Relationship of Selection to
Other HRM Functions