Chapter 4
SELECTION OF HUMAN RESOURCES
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OBJECTIVES:
After this lesson, you should be able to:
+ Familiarize future Human Resource Managers / Personnel with
the basic and necessary procedures in selecting the most qualified
employee for the vacant position in a company;
* Help manager/personnel with the appropriate planning strategies
in preparing up-to-date procedures for hiring;
* Design interview questions that will yield information about future
employees;
* Design an up-to-date testing procedure to further measure the
applicant's qualifications; and
+ Be aware of the importance of checking the references of
applicants
:
:Selection - can be defined as the process of determining from among the applicants
who can meet the job requirements and can be offered the vacant position in the
organization. It is the deciding point, which determines who among the applicants
has the personal qualities that match the requirements for the position.
The different department of the organization make personal requisitions to the
HRD on their manpower requirement through a Personnel Requirement Form (PRF)
duly approved by the management concerned. This PRF specifies the following:
1. The positions and the number required.
2. The job specifications - What is required to do the job. This tool consolidates
the necessary employee qualifications identified in the job analysis schedule
and lists them in terms of knowledge, abilities, skills, or licenses. The employee
selection requirements may emphasize skills and knowledge not easily learned
on the job. It is often wise to select candidates who already have these skills
rather than a hope candidate will be able to learn them after hiring.
3, The personal qualities needed fora worker to do the job successfully. A frequent
sentiment among employers is that a good attitude and a lack of bad habits
are the most important ingredients in the personal makeup of personnel. It is
indisputable that a good attitude is essential, but attitude alone does not make
up for poor skills any more than good skills make up for a poor attitude.
The HRD determines the selection procedure on how to get the most qualified
applicants. Managers and top executives must approve these standard operating
procedures. The following stages may be implemented:
Stage 4 - Making communication
decisions to select or reject
Stage 3 - Gathering and evaluating
information about applicants
Stage 2 - Identifying and choosing
selection criteria, predictors, and
instruments to be used.
Stage 1
Establishing selection procedureSelection Procedure on How to Get the Most Qualified Applicants
1. Stage 1 - Establishing selection procedure. Successful employee selection is
dependent on a clear understanding of a job’s components.
2. Stage 2 - Identify and choose selection criteria, predictors and instruments to
be used. Weighing job duties can help the employer assess the qualifications of
competing candidates. Each skill, knowledge area and ability is rated according
to its importance to the job. A skill may be given less importance, for instance,
if it can easily be acquired or is seldom used.
3. Stage3—Gather and evaluate information about applicants. Applicant skills can
be evaluated through applications, interviews, tests, reference checks, letters
of recommendation and physicals. Some selection tools are more effective
than others, but a combination of tools is usually best. Factors reflecting
worker motivation such as punctuality and attendance may be elicited within
the interview, but contacting previous employers may give more reliable
information. If possible, try to verify evidence of specific skills, knowledge and
abilities at more than one point in the selection process.
4, Stage 4— Make communication decisions whether to select or reject. Following
a thorough selection process enables you to base a decision on substantial data
rather than on intuition alone. It is worth starting over with the recruitment
process if you are not satisfied with any of the applicants. Offering the job to
someone “because we've come this far” could mean hiring the wrong person
for the job. Unfortunately, too often candidates who are not selected for a
position ever hears from the employer. Others may find out a position was
filled when they see the new employee. In addition to common courtesy, a
reason for promptly notifying all applicants is hat firm employers may want
to stay in touch with top contenders to fill future openings. Do not commit
yourself to calling all candidates and letting them know if they got the job or
not. When you telephone the candidates, this will raise their hopes only to be
let down a moment later. Sending thoughtful rejection letters to those who
were not selected could be done.
Sample of a Rejection Letter:
Date:
Dear Applicant:
Thank you for your interest in the position with our company. We
regret to inform you are not selected. There were over applicants, and we
could choose only one of the several well ~ qualified candidates. We enjoyed meeting
you and were particularly impressed with your . Please keep us in mind in
the future. Thank you for your time and interest. We wish you well in your career.Who Makes the Selection Decisions?
‘The HRD isa staff departmentand has a functional authority to assist line managers
inall related personnel functions. The final decision to hire usually left up to operating
department executives. The final user of the human resources makes decision on
who is to be hired among the applicants screened by the HRD according to the PRF
submitted by the department. It is the functional authority of the HRD to screen the
applicants and to submit the names of those who passed the initial screening to the
operating department for its final decision on whom to select and finally hire for the
job.
Selection and Job Matching
Selection tries to match the personal qualities of the applicants with the job
requirements. This matching procedure begins with and is based upon an evaluation
of the applicant's strengths and weaknesses. The results of this evaluation are then
measured against the job standards of the position.
In the selection process we cannot separate the person from his personal
characteristics. The applicant has positive and negative factors and the process of
determining these factors requiresa thorough analysis of the individual's qualifications.
Tests and interviews commonly focus on the applicant's social abilities as well
as his task abilities. Selection procedures seek to measure the ability of the applicant
over the existing organizational structure. The assumption is that ability determines
performance. While this assumption may be true, it cannot assure that the results is
‘one hundred percent accurate as motivation plays great factors in productivity.
The Selection Process
The employer can think of the election process asa series of hurdles that applicants
must clear in order to obtain the job. Each hurdle eliminates some applicants from
contention. The sequence of these hurdles needs to be designed with care. Generally,
the most expensive and time-consuming selection tools are used later in the selection
process.
If there are only few applicants, progressive hurdles are unnecessary. When
selection tools are not used as hurdles, their sequence is less important. If all applicants
will be interviewed and all take a practical test (or job sample), it does not matter much
which of the steps comes first.
Often employers use bio-data (information from applications and resumes) as
the first step in eliminating applicants. Furthermore, employers should not be overly
influenced by nice-looking applications that may have been typed or completed by
someone other than the candidate. Professional resume services can make candidates
appear quite attractive on paper. The caution here, then is that there is little relationship
between an applicant on paper and on the job.The HRM manager must be able to devise the most valid instrument in determining
the job selection process. He must be able to identify which are the best predictors of
success for specific jobs. The manager must establish these as qualities sought among
prospective employees and design a selection procedure that will find out to what
extent a given applicant possesses them.
Preliminary Screening
Application Form
Testing and Evaluation of Result
In-depth Interview
Evaluating References
Physical Examination
Placement
The Selection Process
1. Preliminary Screening
The first step in the assessment of an applicant for the job is the initial
interview or preliminary screening. This step deals with obvious factors such
as voice, physical appearance, personal grooming, educational background,
professional training and experience that need to be assessed.
The following personal traits and qualities are the important things to
consider in the preliminary screening process:
a. Aptitude and interest indicate our natural abilities, capacity for learning,
and desires to do certain jobs.
b. Attitudes and needs indicate an applicant's frame of mind, emotional
and mental maturity, sense of responsibility and authority, and future
motivation.Analytical and manipulative abilities indicate our thinking process,
intelligence level and ability to use knowledge effectively in any assigned
task.
Skills and technical abilities indicate ability to perform specific operations
and technical aspects of the job. This results from education, training
and experience and tends to predict what one can do if properly placed,
oriented, developed and motivated.
Health, energy and stamina indicate physical ability to perform the assigned
task satisfactorily especially those involving manual and managerial
duties.
The person's value system provides a clue to motivation, goals, objectives
and work values and perseverance.
Applicants who pass the preliminary interview are asked to fill out an application
form provided by the company. The interviewer usually asks the applicant to answer
specific questions and looks for significant reactions and expressions. The interview is
usually directed toward discussions of points that the interviewer considers important,
‘These are some styles of interview:
a. Structured interview follows set a procedures and the interviewer sets the
leads. Directive interview is usually structured. Structured interviews are
usually more effective in promoting equal opportunities for all applicants.
Unstructured interview is where the applicant takes the lead. The
unstructured interview provides no specific reference and the applicant is
given a free hand in talking about himself and the interviewer makes an
assessment.
Panel or round-table interview is usually done for managerial and
supervisory employees. The applicant meets a panel of interviewers and
seeks to facilitate the polling of judgments with prominent members of the
working organization.
The Application Form
The applicant is required to fill out the company’s official application form
after passing the preliminary interview. The company’s application forms contain
more information that the company may need in MIS files or some information
that may be required during the in-depth interview. Application forms vary from
company to company. Employment details are important during the interview
process.
By careful screening the employee's information about education, the school
where courses were attended, employment data, years of experience in a particular
job, salary received and membership in organizations may be found closely related
success on the job.Graphology ~ some companies would require the applicant to write in not less
than 200 words his work or life experiences. This would reveal some personality
analysis of the person’s characteristics. Graphology is the art and science in the
analysis of the individual's traits through his handwriting. It can reveal the level
of intelligence, emotional stability imagination and ability to work with others as
well as discover talents and capacities.
Testing and Evaluation of Results
Testing in the parlance of HRM, is commonly associated with the prediction
and selection of subsequent performance on the job. Tests are still the commonly
used instruments for determining the qualifications and talents of the application
for a particular job. It is the most abjective of all selection instruments in the
selection process. a
Tests can be classified on the bases of personal characteristics sought from
the applicant. They are the following:
a. Intelligence Test - it is widely used to measure mental ability or general
learning ability. There isno good definition of intelligence butitis commonly
associated with one’s personal capacity for learning and doing things that
he learns. The outstanding feature of this type of test is its ability to predict
the general capacity for learning or problem-solving. Intelligence tests that
are designed by the psychological Society of the Philippines are adaptable
to the local conditions. They are now available for use by practitioners of
HRM.
Examples: Culture Fair Intelligence Test
Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test
Tabular Description:
Test - | Age Variable Ttem Time
Raven's 6and Intelligence |SetA-12__|No Time
Progressive above |SetB-12 _| limit but
Matrices [SetC-12 [canbe
Test Set D-12 | finished
Set E-12 within 60
Proponent: Total-60 | minutes.
John C.
Raven
b. Aptitude Test — It measures the person's capacity to learn a given job,
provided there is adequate training. This type of testis usually administered
for mechanical and clerical positions.
Examples: Differential Aptitudes Test
Occupational Aptitude Survey and Interest
(OASIS) - AptitudeTabular Description:
Test Age Variable Ttem Time
Differential 13 Verbal Reasoning 60 | 30 mins.
Aptitude and | Numerical Ability 40 30
Test above | _ Abstract Reasonin; 50 25
Clerical Speed and
Proponent: Accuracy 100 3
George Clerical Speed and
Benet Accuracy 2 100 3
Mechanical 68 30
Reasonin; 60 25
Spatial Reasoning 100 10
Language Usage 60 25
(Spelling)
Language Usage Total- total-
(Grammar) 638, 181 mins.
Interest Test -It is derived from hereditary and environmental factors. It
tries to predict the success in the job if thee person’s interest and the job
are properly matched. For example, if the person is interested in operating
mechanical instruments he should be placed in a situation where there are
mechanical operations. If his interest is in art, the nature of the job must be
related to art works.
Examples: Thrustone Interest Schedule
Occupational Aptitude Survey and Interest
(OASIS) - Interest :
Tabular Description:
Test
Thurstone
Interest
Schedule
Thurstone
Proponent:
Sciences
Behavioral
Sciences
Computation
Business
Executive
Persuasive
Linguistic
Humanistic
Artistic
Musical
100 pairs
of
Occupation
minutes.d. Personality Test - It is considered as an important instrument to test the
personality of the applicant especially for supervisory and managerial
positions, as they have to relate with their co-worker's in the industry.
Practitioners of HRM believe that selected personality characteristics may
be even more important than job knowledge or skill, as emotional maturity
influences the ability to withstand stress and strain to be objective and gain
the respect and cooperation of others in the organization.
Examples: 16 Personality Factor Questionnaires (16PF)
Comrey Personality Scale (CPS)
Edwards Personal Preference Schedule
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality inventory
California Test of Personality
The Hand Test
House Tree Person
Sentence Completion
Tabular Description
Variable Item Time
Trust vs. 20 No time
Test
Comrey
Personality | years Defensiveness 20 Limit
Scales (CPS) | “old Orderliness vs. 20
Proponent: and || Lack of Compulsion 20
Andrew L. | above | Social Conformity vs. 20
Comrey Rebelliousness 20
Activity vs. 20
Lack of Energy 20
Emotional Stability vs. | __total-
Neuroticism 180
Extraversion vs.
Introversion
Empathy vs.
Egocentrism
Masculinity vs.
Feminity
e. Achievement or Proficiency Test - It tries to measure the applicant's
knowledge of a given job. It tries to eliminate “trade bluffers” who profess
to know a particular type of work. Trade bluffers are people who claim
knowledge of a particular type of work or experience that they do not
actually possess. Work sampling is commonly used to determine the
individual ability to perform certain to type of work. A trade Test is a part
of this type of measuring the ability to perform a certain type of task.
Example: Flanagan Industrial TestTabular Description
Test Age
Flanagan Adults
Industrial
Test
Proponent:
Dr. John
Flanagan
Variable
Arithmetic
‘Assembly
Components
Coordination
Electronics
Expression
Ingenuity
Judgment and
Comprehension
Mathematics and
Reasoning
Mechanics
Memory
Patterns
Planning
Precision
Scales
Tables
Vocabulary
pauakaagagaagan
Tests that measure specific skills, knowledge and abilities are the most useful
selection tests. Intelligence and personality tests on the other hand, are normally
of limited utility. Intelligence tests may indicate a person's potential practical to
analyze and digest information quickly but may do little to show a person’s skills.
Neither will an intelligence test predict an applicant's motivation, confidence, or
need for achievement.
Personality and honesty are important but tests provide little help in evaluating
these characteristics in a-selection setting. Applicants can easily fake answer and
these tests are often offensive, prying into people’s personal lives in areas that are
not job related.
Interaction with applicants especially during the interview, can bea more useful
means evaluating attitudes and personality. Honesty tests may be prohibited by
law in some instances and it is doubtful that they are very helpful. This trait may
be measured in part by checking references.
What are the requirements for effective testing?
A test can be made more productive and rewarding if it conforms to the
following:
a. It should be properly tested and validated.
b. It should be used with proper discretion and used along with other
instruments.c. Use a battery of tests to determine the person’s real worth.
d. Set the critical cut ~ off score in advance.
e. Do not use raw scores: Interpret them.
In-Depth Interview
The in-depth interview is the most important part of the selection process.
After passing all tests required, the applicant is now ready to formally enter into
the selection process. All the relevant information about the applicant is brought
into focus at this point as the final decision to hire the individual is made during
this interview.
The factors of aptitude, proficiency and personality as measured by the energy,
drives, social adaptability, emotional control and conscience are related to the
employee's productivity. These subjects should be thoroughly discussed during the
interview. Relatively important is the interviewer must be able to attempt to evaluate
the person's ability to utilize available resources in solving problems and to search for
the right attitude, knowledge and skills needed for successful performance on the job.
Experience is valuable in interviewing techniques. Increased training of
interviewer is a promising method for improvement as it is crucial factor in the
interview process. Some types of significant information may surface during the
interview that may not be available from other sources. An example of this is
the hardship that the applicant experienced while working and at the same time
studying. Experiences along this line are contributory factors to the perseverance
and consistency of the applicant to go through college to get a better job and better
employment. This would not surface in the preliminary interview or in any test
coriducted to assess the applicant's qualifications.
There are three important characteristics that the interviewer must possess.
1. Knowledge - Better understanding of the psychology of the person is an
important factor in the interview. The interviewer must know the behavior
of the person and must be able to determine and decipher the answers
to questions as he may take down important details during the interview
process. He must be able to relate the qualities and qualifications of the
individual according to the needs and culture of the organization.
2. Empathy — The interviewer must be able to discover the inner behavior of
the individual by understanding his own personality and relate this with
the feelings of the applicant. The interviewer must be able to understand,
anticipate and infer what the interviewee is feeling and draw out a
more accurate reflection of the person's characteristics. It is establishing
rapport and, opening the communication channel that develops better
understanding. This requires tact and experience.
3. Communications Skills - The interviewer must have facility: of
communication. This refers to the use of language, gestures and voice
inflection. Words must be carefully chosen to put the individual at easeduring the interview and draw from him in the inner self that is necessary
to fully assess the individual's fitness to the job. The questions must be
clearly stated and the interviewer must be a good listener in order to
evaluate the desired personal characteristics of the individual.
5. Evaluating References
References are important in finally assessing the applicant's worth for the
position, References to be credible must be checked with utmost confidentiality
if one would like to get a true picture of the individual who would like to join the
organization.
Generally there are three kinds of references:
1. Academic Reference - This may be requested from applicants who arenew
graduates. This may be addressed “to whom it may concen” which tells
about the individual's academic performance together with his transcript
of records. Details may include co-curricular activities and the student's
performance in college.
2. Character Reference - This reference may come from some persons in the
community that are familiar with the individual in their place of residence.
This may reveal records on the applicant about his relations with the
people in the community. A barangay clearance is usually required from
the applicant so that the organization will know that he had no adverse
records in the community. While this may be of little significance to his
employment, as most would like to please the person concerned, the
reference check could also work to the company’s advantage.
3. Work or Experience Reference -To get the most valid information about
the applicant, the work reference check must be mailed to the previous
employer stating the confidentiality of the information. It must be in the
form of a checklist for the convenience of the person giving the information.
Sometimes the form is delivered personally for more confidential
information especially for some critical positions where confidentiality is
very strictly necessary.
Here are some policy guidelines in reference checking:
1. The reference should be used to develop the integrity of the whole selection
process.
2. For very important confidential positions, reference should be conducted
on a face-to-face basis since the applicant may be reluctant to divulge
significant information.
3. If face-to-face information is impractical, telephone inquiries should be
used rather than mailed requests for information.
4, In any kind of follow-up, inquiries should be in structured form to relate
information to job and career requirement.5. Inquiries should discover the “why” behind whatever impressions are
disclosed. Those who supply information may have their own biases and
peculiar standards
6. Physical Examination
This may be the last hurdle in the selection process. The applicants undergo
physical examination at the company clinic or an authorized hospital to determine
the physical fitness of the applicant for the job. The applicant must pass the physical
test as he is certified as being in good health.
Medical Examinations are important for the following reasons:
a. To screen out those physically incapable of doing the job.
b. To prevent employment of those with high incidence of absenteeism due to
illness or accidents.
c. To prevent hiring of people with communicable diseases or who are
influenced by drugs.
d. Ward off unwanted claims with worker's compensation laws, SSS, medical
care and suits for damages.
7. Placements
The applicant who is cleared in all requirements is finally offered the job. Final
acceptance for production workers is usually dependent on the approval of the
immediate manager or supervisor of the department where the applicant will be
assigned. In practice the approval is usually arranged early in the selection process.
Practice in placement has been generally more formal and usually covered by
company policies and procedures in the hiring of the employees.
The applicant is now formally introduced in the group and undergoes an
intensive orientation and induction program. Some companies assign the buddy
system to formalize the new employee with the workings of the department. He is
given company manuals, rules and regulations and company brochures, and other
company magazines to familiarize him with the work environment.
Types of Employees
1. Probationary - An employee is hired for regular position based on an
organizational staffing pattern. A probationary employee can be terminated
if he does not pass required reasonable standards in the performance of the
job or there exists a just cause for his termination. The probationary period
is for six months and after that period he is deemed a permanent or regular
employee.Regular or Permanent Employee ~ An employee who passed the probationary
period and is performing a regular activity in the business of the company,
covered in the regular company staffing system.
Contractual Employee ~ The employee is hired for a fixed period or specific
project of the company, the completion of which is specifically explained to
the employee concemed. Direct hiring of contractual employees should not
be more than six months or else they may be converted to regular employees.
Hiring of contractual is usually done through an employment agency to avoid
regular employment,
Casual or Seasonal Employee ~An employee is hired for a particular work or
service that is seasonal in nature. Employment is temporary according to the
volume of work
Apprenticeships - Apprenticeships is the development of the required skills
for a particular type of work. It is a learner's job to familiarize himself with the
required skills. They may be regular or probationary employees after passing
the trade skills test during the apprenticeship period. Some may come from
on-the-job training required of students to graduate with certain degree.Case Study 4
The Case of Mr. Pedro Dela Cruz
Mr. Pedro de la Cruz was strongly recommended by Mayor Punongbayan to work
at the ABC Company located in the municipality. Mr. Dela Cruz was a new graduate
of management of the local municipal university where the mayor himself as the
President. His transcripts of records reveal that he is an average student and had no
extracurricular activity in school. His father happens to be the supporter of the mayor
in his political career. Mr. Dela Cruz took the examination given by the company and
he failed to make it due to his poor communication skills.
To give in to the mayor's request, the human resource manager gave him a position
in the production department as machine operator and not a clerical position that the
mayor would like him to have. But Mr. Dela Cruz did not want to accept the position
and insisted that he should get the job because of the mayors recommendation.
Use the Case FormatExercise 4.0. a eae
Name:
Section:
Professor: Score:
I. TRUE or FALSE. Write T on the space provided if the statement is correct and F if
the statement is incorrect.
1,
10.
Personal traits and qualities are the common focus of Preliminary
Screening.
The interview. is the most objective instrument in the Selection
Procedure.
A probationary employee is hired for a particular work that is seasonal
in nature.
Work Reference check must be in the form of an essay to secure detailed
information about the applicant.
Graphology is the art and science of the analysis of a person’s
characteristics through his handwriting.
The person’s motivation, goals, objectives and work attitude can be
revealed by his value system.
The final decision to hire is commonly made by the HRM head based.
on the results of the Selection Procedure.
Selection is deciding which applicant has the personal qualities that
match the job requirements.
Effective Testing secures the use of validated testing materials,
proper administration, checking and interpretation made by credible
individuals.
The use of language, gestures and voice inflection are taken into
consideration during interviews. These could be contributory factors
to fully assess the individual's fitness to the job.|. MATCHING TYPE:
A
Placement
In-depth Interview
Physical Examination
Personality Test
Preliminary Screening
Structured Interview
Apprenticeship
8. Aptitude Test
9. Operating Department
10. HRD
B
Its task is the final acceptance to hire
an employee.
. The most important part of the
Selection Process. All information and
results of the tests of the applicant is
assessed in this stage.
‘This commonly reveals the applicant's
emotional maturity and other
personal characteristics.
. In this stage the applicant is finally
offered the job and formally
introduced to the group, undergoes
orientation and induction programs.
This is the development and
familiarization of the required skills
for a particular type of work.
These are directive interviews that
promote equal opportunity for all
. applicants.
. It determines the selction procedure
on how to hire the most qualified
applicant for the specific job.
. Tt assesses the personal traits such as
the physical appearance, grooming
and qualities like trainings and
educational background of _ the
applicant,
It screens physical capabilities of the
Executive/Manager applicants in
performing the job.
Itis a contributory factors in assessing
the applicant's perseverance and
consistency to apply for the job.k. This measures the individual's
capacity to acquire a given work if
given adequate training.
This measures the _applicant’s
knowledge of a particular type of
work.
III. ESSAY.
Discuss the personal qualities of the human resource manager that are essential
in the success of a company. (5 pts.)