Chapter 6 Selection SLE LALLLELGbEeEReEceRPEReeeLEL LLL:= As discussed an chapter 5. th “ant positions from amon ine concept of “the 1 the wrong © es for the oF ; nitment is th cp afer Fora ost PO x ene the applicants. for the va employment as t shape here. Selecting out to be costly mistak ne erferenct al factors 18 mi interference of external fa ma cg arin etenin in framing its selection PUY 1 help in evaluating the results. hie ‘a series of StCPS whicl cra with the ganization has to be in accor al eae along with human ‘and job specifications, asic requirements, based On which ine seleion provess has to be designed. Consider the following example i organizti suet eam work’ as an important feature of its organizations cult eT Si process therefore should test the ability and incl candidate 19 work reams. An exceptionally brilliant - candidate with poor team management, 204 IMterpersonal skills, would not be useful fo such #0 organization. He might not 2 any value to the organization and in some CaSeS his selection may even Prove ‘counter productive. Hence the stress on organizational requirements in the se lection process. fesource planning provide the a CONCEPT OF SELECTION __ didate for a job from among the , The process of choosing, the most suitable cant available applicants is “called selection. It is the process of ascertaining the qualifications, experience, skill, knowledge, etc, of an applicant with the purpose of Getermining his suitability for a job. The selection process starts with gathering complete information about the applicant from his application form and ends with inducting the candidate into the organization. As Yoder stotes “The hiring process is of one or many ‘go, no-go” gauges. Candidates are screened by the application of these tools. Qualified applicants go on to the next hurdle, while the unqualified are eliminated.” ‘The selection process can have four possible outcomes (See Figure 6.1). Two of the possible outcomes have a positive effect on the organization, whereas the other two have a negative impact. Let us first look at the positive out comes, The first positive outcome is selecting the right candidate. It is obvious that the impact of this is going to be positive. The second positive outcome is rejecting an unsuitable candidate. This also has a positive impact because, had an unsuitable candidate been selected, he would not have performed successfully on the job. ‘The two negative outcomes are selecting an unsuitable candidate; or rej t ; or rejecting the right candidate, In the first case, the cost of having an unsuitable candidate in he ae high. He or she would not add any value to the organization; instead the person maj create problems. The organization would incur costs in training the candidate it would have 1 bear the cost of his non-performance; if he has to be replaced, the a of separation and a another candidate would also add to the cost of having wrong person. In the last case, where the right is rej aa candi organization loses potential candidate who could have ed out ae rai organization because, of his positive contribution, ee a, Yoder D. Heneniat H. G., Tumbu Manage » Tumbull J. G., 4 eet ad Labor Reltons McGaw BSE at Book of Personne) a Figure 6.1: Selection Decision Outcomes on Reject Later Job Performance pee Source: Decenzo and Stephen Robbins, ‘Personnel Management’, Joha Wiley & Sons Inc.™ Ed, 2002 The selection process also serves the purpose of selling the organization to the candidate. During the selection process, the candidates come in coatinuous contact With the organization through its representatives, While the candidate is being evaluated, he tries to assess the company and its culture, apart from the job, So, the Tepresentatives of the company have to take care to project the company in the best Possible way. The ‘job’ is also to be sold to the candidate. However, providing wrong information and incorrect details mi ight backfire as an unsuitable candidate might give his acceptance and eventually get hired, It is the responsibility of the selectors to ‘balance the two purposes of selecting the right candidate and creating a good image of the organization and the job for the candidates. Stress interviews and other similar selection procedues cannot appeal to a candidate and might put him off, More and ‘more organizations are trying to simplify and modify their selection procedures so as to ensure the right selection without antagonizing the candidate. It is a fact that the ‘organization needs aright candidate as much asa candidate needs the right job, THE SELECTION PROCESS ‘The selection process in an organization depends on the organization's strategy and objectives, the tasks and responsibilities of the job and the qualifications, experience and characteristics required in an individual to perform these tasks and responsibilities successfully, These elements of selection and their interrelationships are explained in Figure 6.2. Organizational objectives determine the recruitment policy and the job design. Job description and job specifications are arrived at, based on the job analysis. The next step is ‘Competency modeling’, which is a relatively new concept when the concepts mentioned earlier. \Co modeling helps in ide knowledge, 3 peat Based for a position can be identified. Once the are established, the final step would be to determine the selection procedures and methods to ensure that these criteria are tested for and identified, so that the right candidate can be selected for the job. xsFigure 6.2: Elements in a Selection Process ORGANIZATIONAL What are the organization's goals and OBJECTIVES Objectives? Site “ SOBDESCRIPTION What are the qualifications and experience [—> JO SPECIFICATIONS required in an employee to perform these. | ae z What ae the competencies required and to what level, for successful performance? What should be the criteria for selecting the right candidate, based on the specifications and Competencies requited for the job? Source: ICFAI Center for Management Research a thecase may be, flr the initial screening.‘ the skill levels of the candidates, These tests ‘alidated by the organization and relevan pave tbe in complian %Figure 6.3: Steps in the Selection Process Conducting: Testsand’Es iE Performance Preliminary Interview. i Core and Departmental-Interviews Reference checks _ Rejection by a Offerto | the Job Offer | itecondda, | Ofer 0 suitable Acceptance by the candidate candidate | | Medical Examination ¥ Placement Source: ICFAI Center for Management Research Once the test results are analyzed and the uiiduccessful candidates rejected, usually the successful candidates are interviewed. Somme companies have an interview panel consisting of representatives from HR department, and the department which vill employ the selected candidate. Some other cdinpanies opt for a scrics of wnterviewy starting with an interview by people from the HR department. The candidate might have to go through one-to-one interviews with representati +s froin the department 37gt ot concerned and some of the other departments which have to work in ae Coordination with the postion. Finally the applicant will have an interviews Wi? F manager concerned. Based on these interviews and the feedback received, he organization decides whether to offer the applicant a job or not. This method o! putting the candidate through a series of interviews is normally followed while selecting people for middle or senior level management positions. A common selection process is described in Figure 6.3. Rejection of the unsuitable candidates can take place after any step in the process. Evaluating an applicant during selection involves understanding his emotional stability, attitude and value system apart from evaluating his knowledge and skill levels. An individuals inclination to lear, his interpersonal skills or his openness to suggestions etc. are more difficult: to assess, when compared 10 his knowledge of machinery or analytical skills. It is.however the responsibility of the employer to assess these traits of the applicant, as accurately as possible, without annoying the applicant and using legal means. For successful performance on the job, these are as important as - if not more important than - the knowledge and skills of the employee. This assessment has to take into account the organizational objectives and the work culture, The individual characteristics which are of impostance in the context of the organization have to be assessed carefully, while those that are irrelevant can be ‘ignored. The HR Manager has to use his discretion in assessing the individual as per the recruitment policy guidelines. SELECTION METHOD STANDARDS Y Reliability 88 ‘The selection criteria, based on which the candidates are evaluated and selected, have to be in accordance with the organizational objectives. The selection methods are designed so as to ensure that they evaluate the candidates on the specified criteria, in an objective and accurate manner. To ensure a more accurate prediction of the candidate’s success in the future job, the selection methods should meet the generic standards of reliability, validity, generalizability, utility and legality. Exhibit 6.1 explains the selection methodology at HSBC. selection method is considered to be realiable, if it produces consistent results across different situations and times. Ifa test produces significantly different results, when taken by the same individual at different times, the test is termed to be un- reliable. The reliability, of a selection method can be measured using one of the following methods ‘The repeat or test-retest approach In this approach, a group of candidates take the same test twice, with a gap of 2-3 weeks. The similarity in the pattern of scoring by the group and an analysis of scores determines the reliability of the test. The alternate-form or parallel-form method In this approach, two similar but separate forms are given at the same time to the candidate(s). The pattern, of scoring determines the reliability. If the pattern is similar, then the testis reliable and if it isnot, then the testis not reliable. ‘The split-halves progedure In this approach, a testis divided into two parts and given to the candidate(s). The degree of similarity in scoring, in these two parts, determires the reliability ofthe test a mm needed ~ a lanaae a iJ. 2° ‘el ool nooo 70 PLP HS ro ai 7? = — om ee — al = =v At the aptitude’ Tuts Saseptional power point presentation abilitiés or git of ‘The candidate is finally’sel tm lected based on tlie perf secre seen us Source: Tarul Bahl “Look before you hire”, www. blonnet.com These methods of evaluation determine the reliability of a sel serve as a basis for redesigning the tests to make them more reli? selection test. They can - lable. Validity — \ ‘The validity of a selection method is the dey ~ give to which success in the test reflects L success in the job. A selection method must first be reliable to be valid, but it is not necessary that all reliable selection methods are valid. There are three general methods for determining the validity of a selection method. Criterion valic Criterion validity refers to the correlation between scores on a measure in the selection method and the scores on the corresponding measure of job performance, If there is a substantial correlation between the test scores and the job-performance scores, then the selection method would be considered valid, Content validity Content validity is the extent to which the content of @ selection ‘procedure or instrument is representative of important aspects of jab performance Construct validity Construct validity is the extent to which a selection me the ex i ‘thod measures the degree of idemtifiable characteristics in the candidates, These are the characteristics which hace een determined to be important for successful performance in the job. 89In evaluating a particular selection fnethod, any combination of the three types of validity can be used depending on the job content and the organizational factors. Generalizability of a selection method is defined as the degree to which its validity, established in one context, can be extended to other ‘primary contexts’. These primary contexts can be different jobs or organizations, different samples of people, and different time periods. A selection method must be valid to be generalized, but itis not ‘necessary that all valid methods can be generalized. Utility is the degree to which the value provided by the selection method enhances the effectiveness of an organization. The more reliable, valid, and generalizable the selection method, the more its utility, There are however some external factors like the job market condition, which might affect the utility of a selection method even if the three factors of reliability, validity and generalizability are held constant, Legality Legality is the basic standard that any selection method should satisfy. Every selection method should comply with the existing laws and legal precedents prevalent in the country. With the changing constitution of the workforce, this aspect has become ‘more and more important. For example, multinational corporations must understand and conform to the legal requirements of selection in each of the counties in which they-dperate. . APPLICATION FORMS application form, complete in all respects, filledup by the person secking the job ‘Shiite ine of eto pce A tion form, also ferred to as an application blank, is a formal recon Of an idual’s apped ifitention Tor employment=Though traditional, 1cis the most widely used and accepted device for securing information about prospective candidates, Application forms are designed to_ hel garding their ~ (ions, experience and backgroun¢ is would, help in the initial screening of ‘applicants. The application form also seeks information regarding the current job, the tasks and responsibilities being handled, the current salary, and reference checks, which help the selector evaluate the applicant's meritsand his suitability forthe job. Some organizations use brief and concise,application blanks, while some others have elaborate and cumbersome ones, In some.cases, the applicants are required to write about their strengths and weaknesses, values, future goals, etc. which require considerable thought and time, For-example, companies like HLL use a long and elaborate application form, even for their campus recruitments. Some of the items that usually appear on the application form are: 1. Personal Information: Personal information in an application form normally includes name, date of birth of the candidate, gender, marital status, details of his family, occupations of other family members, annual income of the family, address, ete. Thgspedetails help form an idea of the socio-economic status of the applicant andhisrfimily background, This would also help assess his fit in the organization gnqtajob and in the team that he would be associated with 2. Educational eQjgplifications: This includes the list of schools, colleges, and institutions attended by the job applicant, the period of study, the various courses taken and the subjects studied, the percentage of marks scored and the class or 90grade secured by him, This part of the application blank provides relevant information to assess an applicant's academic background he apa Work sence: This provides all the basic information on the applicant's previous jobs mee ie includes the list of previous employers, the period of employment with each, tasks, activities and responsibilities of the applicant and, the salaries deawn, In some cases, reasons for leaving each of the organizaions a alee aasinded This, when studied together, helps the prospective employer Uddetatand at evaluate the candidate's suitability to the job, his working habits ané his competencies in relation to the job. Salary: Here the appticant gives information on the salary drawn in his last job, including benefis, ‘The: a structure is important because different companies have different salary structures. For example, a company ‘might have alow ‘basic salary’ but a high percentage of other components. Looking atthe basi salary i isolation might not give the complete picture about ‘the candidate’s t emoluments, The applicant in some cases is also asked forthe expected salary. Personality Items: ‘This requires the applicant to provide information on his strengths and weaknesses, his professional goals - both long term and short term - and his hobbies and interests. This ‘extra’ information helps the employer ‘understand the personality of the applicant, which would later help in motivating him and improving his performance on the job. Reference checks: The names and addresses of the individuals who can be contacted for a reference check of the applicant are included in this section, This is one of the ways of checking the credibility of the applicant and getting information on his past record. This is a controversial subject as some organizations feel that the applicant might be offended if the information provided by him is cross-checked. The relevance and validity of the application form also needs to be checked and evaluated from time to.time. For example, while a company may have an application blank which is ten pages long, itis possible that no one in the company ever looks at some of these pages. Such information can be done away with completely. Similarly, some information which is essential might get missed or be left uncovered; care should be taken to avoid such slips. Evaluation of Application Forms Application forms are evaluated to analyse the information provided by the applicants, and select the suitable candidates. The following methods are used for evaluating the application forins. Clinical method In this method of evaluation, all the information furnished by the applicant in the application form is analyzed and inferences are made about the applicant's personality. Based on this assessed personality, his success in the job is predicted. A ‘well-designed application form facilitates an analysis of the job applicant's leadership abilities, emotional stability, assertiveness, attitude towards his work and his superiors ete. These predicted traits are then matched with the applicant's actual traits conce he takes up the job. Weighted method ‘The Weighted method of evaluation is a statistical technique. In tis method, certain ‘points or weights are assigned to-each item in the application form The weighted Roplication form should diferetate between the characteristics of success and unsuccessful 1 employees. Assigning weights to these characteristics or traits in any otEDUCATION Graduate CA WORk EXPERIENCE, Signature of the | ‘The items would be weighted relative to‘their magnitude of differentiation. Take the cxample of an organization, which has divided its employees into ‘two groups, one which. hus been with the organization for a long time and the other which has left the organization | quite carly, If for instance, 80. percent of the long tenure group had a college degree | whereas only 20 percent of short tenure had such a degree, then possession of college | degree might be given a high weight. In this case,.a high weight indicates that a college degree played a critical role in the employees having a Jong tenure in the organization. Adapted fram ww'w.indiaco.com application form, imparts objectivity to the method as the applicants are unaware of the weights attached. However, this approach requires a different application blank for cach occupatiot group and hence most organizations tend to avoid using this method. ievhibit 6.) pives an example of the weighted application form,“Adapted from http:/eareerairforcenicin/career_opp/caropp_officer_selproc.himl Ethical Issues in Application Form Design “The local laws of every country have some distinct features and itis the responsibil of the employer to abide by them while designing the application ton The mo common principle of ‘equal employment ‘opportunity’, has to be adhered to, and Gquestions on the caste and race etc ofthe applicant have to be avoided. The followin, dre some ofthe questions that should not be asked in an application form: : «Questions that have no relevance in the context ofthe jab; «Questions that would invade, even remotely, the privacy of the applicant; ‘© Questions that might lead to discrimination on any ground, © Questions leading to adverse affect on the employiment of wor sabled or senior citizens. 2 men, minorities, the ‘TESTS Different types of test are used as selection methods to evaluate an applicant, these tests assess the skill level of the applicant; others are iy ern tat x RBbem een a ‘and personality. Exhibit 6.3 explains the rigorous testing brocelure for selection by the Indian Air Fore. There are different esis designed 10 eiilune differen aspects of performance, like ineligence, aptitude atitude, ele Some of the tests are discussed below. {0 assess employce attitudes Intelligence Tests ‘These were the first standardized tests developed by psychologists, and are the most Widely used tests. Intelligence is defined in different ways by eiffeent psychologists Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon, iva French psychologists explicitly defined the sbsecrals, Of intelligence as “reasoning, judgement, memofy, and the power of abstraction.” They measured intelligence as he “general mental ability of individuals requtetigent behaviours” and descried intelligence testing as classifying, not measuring Thusstone, distinguished mental abilities from the general tit of intelligence and Cfeated more specialized intelligence tests based on reasoning. word fluency, verbol Lubrehension, numbers, memory and space. The Wechsler Bellevue Intelligence Scale utilizes a multiple measurement of factors such as comprehension, vocabulary. performance, picture management, and ‘bject assembly, An 1Q Cntelligence Quotient) test usually measures several factors of intelligence such as logical reasoning, analytical skills and general knowledge. It also measures Person’s ability to classify things, identify relationships and derive analogies. It docs ot take into consideration social or emctional intelligence Aptitude Tests . 2 Aptitude tests measure an individual's ability 10 leam a given job, when yiven adequate training, They do not test the knowledge or proficiency possessed by’ the \ individual; instead they test his ability to lear, or gain the required proficiency 7 Mechanical, clerical, linguistic, musical and academic abilities are some of the examples of job-related aptitudes. Mocor capacities such as finger dexterity, hand dexterity, and hand-eye coordination, which can also be termed aptitudes, are tested using psychomotor tests. They are different from clerical aptitude tests whiich test spelling ability, comprehension, data processing etc. Achievement Tests Achievement tests are also termed proficiency or knowledge tests. These tests measure the job-related proficiency anc knowledge of the applicants. Organizations use these tests 10 identify and select.experionced applicants. These tests can be classified as ‘job knowledge’ tests and “work sample’ tests, N In a job knowledge test, the knowledge of the applicant in his area of experience is tested, In the work sample test, the ability of the candidate to perform the job he is experienced in is tested. Basically, the second one is a kind of an experiential test in ‘hich the candidate might be asked to perform a few joberelated tasks, Situational Tests a Situational tests are generally used in middle and senior level management selection, {o test the applicant's likely responses to real-life business situations. The candidates are exposed to simulated business sitvations and their responses are recorded and evaluated. Situational tests include “group discussions’, “in basket exercises’ and simulated business games’. PLA Thnstone ad T. G Thusione* Facto Studies of Intelligence "1941TI1T1 pas Pat Pa COOKE EOCEEEECEEEEL ) ~_ } | i a ms ct on their own. ually ualitics. Ina group discussion, the rouP snobs ane ive hp als without any leader oF moder bag S25 ain Sa jorge ome gem : discussion’ as a selection tool as it cam bats . discpe pot. The objectivity of WHE EXT TE ion is ee The otner advantage of grOUP, STEN ict i faumber of people going on to the next round, interview The ‘in-basket exercise” candidate. The candidate is exposed (¢ 8 Ter nd to letters, clear important ‘ SSleagues and ak business related is of the e skil he has to 1 and_administrativ tes the, manager ce situation bas © to a sinnulated Pegule his meetings. Me nich cane a van of ay’ work This exercise brings OL the aTjates play the ae oer it an office environment. In simulated POETS Tou cai cor mulated character and are evaluated WANT erment to variety of executive activities, from capital asset one! Tene say from stock market simulations 0 atte S lal Interest Tests fan individual is genuinely interested in a job, he is likely to perform beter i that job. Interest tests help companies to identify and ‘derstand the degree of interes ae cata job. For example, a candidate who 1o0ks Tor variety im his job mig “+ not be interested in doing a mechanical and monotert™, job. These tests help in Sesessing an individual's genuine interest in a job and its profile. They are generally inventories of the likes and dislikes of candidates in relation to work, job, occupations. eves and recreational activities. These provide valuable information regarding the profile of the candidate and his suitability to a job. Personality Tests ‘The personality of an individual plays a decisive role in his performance. Proficient lent skills and intelligence sometimes and knowledgeable employees, who have excel fail to deliver because of personality problems. Personality tests help in understanding f an employee. These tests help in assessing an the basic job-related personality traits of individual's value system, emotions, maturity and other personal characteristics ‘These characteristics are expressed in personality traits like self-confidence, tact, optimism, decisiveness, conformity, objectivity, judgement, dominance or submission and impulsiveness or stability. «and personality tests sometimes draw fake responses from applicants who try rospective employer. The applicants may try to hide their actual personality traits and interests and project themselves differently just to gain ‘employment and entry into the organization. The employer has to employ effective methods of scoring to prevent this. Testing methods like ‘Kuder Preference Record ed to be good at evaluating the occupational interests of the applicants Interest to impress their pr have prov‘ Polygraph Tests Polygraph tests are conducted to test the validity and truthfulness of = answers, by monitoring the physical changes in his body as he a applicant 3 Gquestions. The law prohibits the use of such tests for normal employment. Hox So see eas are used in sorening applicants for defence and high-profile seourity jobs where it is essential that an employee is completely trustworthy.ource Management Graphology Graphology involves examining an individual's handwriting to assess his personality, ‘emotional characteristics and honesty. A graphologist examines the lines, loops, strokes and curves in the applicant's handwriting to assess his personality, Though some companies reportedly use it to Screen applicants, most companies do not believe i its validity asa scientific tool. * INTERVIEWS Most organizatiofs use interviews as an essential step in the selection process. An interview pelps in assessing the applicant's profile and comparing it with the job F suitability. Some candidates may provide false information in their ‘ations, just to gain employment. Interviews help in assessing the candidate and lidating the information provided in his application. The other advantage of an interview is that it also forms a part of the recruitment process. The employer can sell his organization and the job to the candidate during the course of the interview. ‘The main disadvantage of an interview is perhaps its subjectivity. The opinion and perception of the interviewer becomes very critical in the selection process. Individual biases based on gender, religion, race, nationality, caste etc. can influence the decision of the interviewer. Some of the other reasons for bias might be the educational background, previous employer, etc. of the candidate. For example, an interviewer might be biased against all those who were ever employed with XYZ Ltd. So, faced with a candidate who has previously worked for XYZ Ltd., the interviewer may: decide against selecting the candidate, The timing and the setting of the interview can also influence its outcome. For example, an interview conducted early in the morning. while the interviewer is fresh and alert, could have a different outcome from an interview conducted late in the evening, even though the performance of the candidates may have been similar on both occassions. ‘There are several types of interviews and these are described below. Preliminary Interview Preliminary interviews are brief, first round interviews that aim to eliminate the applicants who are obviously unqualified for the job. These interviews are generally informal and unstructured and are conduicted even before the candidates fill in the application blanks, Informal interviews can be conducted at any place by any person to secure information, For instance, the interaction between a job applicant and the personnel manger when the former meets the latter to enquire about existing vacancies or to seek additional information atout the employment advertisement, is an informal interview. In an unstructured interview, the interviewer does not plan the course of the interview; instead the candidate is usually allowed to set the course of the interview. Generally, preliminary interviews gather the more obvious facts and information, They enable the manager to quickly evaluate the interviewee on the basis of appearance and the quality of communication. However, it may be argued that forming an opinion so early in the selection procedure can prove to be erroneous and undesirable. : Selection Interview {A selection o core interview is normally the interaction between the job applicant and the line manager or experts, where the aplicant’s job knowledge, skills, talent, ete are evaluated and ascertained. The suitability of the candidate forthe job is determined in this interview. A selection interview can be of the following types: 96contents, Mt is based on A strated interview is very gin SI a Ahorough job analysis, which directs the low ofthe amerviciy THe erie™ the questions to be asked and. plans the interview 1 drape erred overall areas related to the job And the candidate, "The main advantage 10 8 St, interview is that there is no scope for subjectivity. "The sam questions ane Abie tet the candidates, which helps in better evaluation, ‘The question’ ~ over all the pertinent aspects Formal and structured interview Unstructured interview An unstructured interview, asthe name suggests, has no pre-determined ieee questions and takes its own course depending, on the responses of the cancidate ail the interest of the interviewer. ‘There are more open ended questions, inf Unstructured interview, The main advantage of this kind of interview is tha ie candidate remains comfortable during the course of the smterview be Me interaction tends to proceed nat interviews tend to be more subjective, Stress interview ally, ‘The disadvantage, However, is that ‘The objective of a stress interview is to test the applicant's ability to perform and deliver under stress, Interviewers put the interviewee under stress, by repeatedly interrupting him, criticizing his answers, asking him unrelated questions or keeping ‘quiet for long periods after the interviewee has finished speaking, Such interviews Imust be handled carefully. However, stress interviews haye become less popular these days as many organizations have come to believe that it is not the best way to asses ‘an employee's performance under stress, Group interview method In this method, all the candidates or a group of candidates arc interviewed by a panel of interviewers or a single interviewer. This method is resorted to when the number of applicants is high and the time available for interviewing is short. This method is more useful while recruiting for entry level and junior management positions. One advantage of this method is thatthe candidates can evaluate their own performances in comparison to the performances of others in the group. Panel interview In today’s organizations where all functions are interdependent and every job involves cross-functional interactions, it is imperative that people from different functions interview a candidate. More and more organizations are looking at either a panel interview or a series of interviews, where representatives from different departments get to meet and interview a candidate, This also reduces the subjectivity involved in the one-to-one interview. As experts, these interviewers evaluate the candidate and his suitability for the position. In-depth interview In-depth interviews are more suitable for selection of candidates for high-end technology and high-skill jobs. Experts in the relevant area test the candidate's knowledge and understanding of the subjed® and assess his expertise. They deterinine the suitability of the candidate for the job in question, based on these evaluations Decision-Making Interview After the applicants’ knowledge inthe core areas ofthe job is evaluated by experts ng line managers in the organization, the applicants are finally itersiewed by Pageant heads and the {HR function. These interviews are 1 Iv informalTHE INTERVIEW PROCESS Preparation Setting 98 piv ner to the working conditions, career PAWN ced, rad allotment, etc. are evaluated and discuss! Mat the candidate's expectations regarding salary, ties. The departmental head and chairman of the interview decision on selecting the discussions wl reactiowadaptability 10 t opportunities, work adjustment HR manager also tries to find tions, and career opportuni allowances, benefits, promo sorta. the HR manager together communicate their decision fo? aa ithe decision-making nuthority, who takes the final candidate. hich is made up of a series of activities, some of Interviewing is a long process wl fa ser which are conducted simultaneously. Some of the major activities are - It is not only the interviewee, but also the interviewer, who has to prepare for an interview. The interviewer hias to go through the job description and the job specification to understand the requirements of the job. He has to scan the application of the candidate to understand his background and experience to form an idea of the ind of questions that can be asked. The candidate should not be made to wait, while the interviewer goes through the application or the job specification. Unfortunately though, many interviewers do just that, The interviewer should follow these steps when preparing for the interview: Determine the objectives of the interview ~ for what p specification etc. sition, what is the job «Read the application ofthe candidate so that relevant questions can be asked. «Determine the mode of evaluation, the standards, the weights ete. ~ many companies have standard formats for this. e's time so as to allocate equal time and attention to all the interviewees. * Planon Be prepared to interview the candidates without any prejudice or bias. ‘ence for an interview can have a major effect on a candidate’s candidates, no matter how confident they seem, experience {ension and pressure when they have to go through an interview. Hence, it is the responsibility of the interviewer to make the candidate feel comfortable and relaxed. Firstly, it is important that the interview is conducted in a serene and soothing room should be well lit and well ventilated, apart from atmosphere. The interview having good acoustics. The seating arrangement should be appropriate and the ambience, pleasant. The interviewer has lo avoid attending to phone calls, meeting colleagues etc. during the interview. as they distract the candidate and only add to his ‘The setting and the ambi performance. Most of the tension : ‘The psychological and emotional support provided to the candidate is perhaps more important than the physical atmosphere provided, It is the responsibility of the interviewer to make the candidate feel relaxed and at ease. A pleasant smile and an offer of a seat or a glass of water can make the candidate comfortable. Som ci sewers however, are very rude to the candidates and. go in fo? the go called *stress’ interviews. However, stress interviews, as mentioned earlier, are becoming unpopular nowadays.a UCU Loo ey discussions where the applicant's interest in the job and the organization, a Feacton/adaptability {0 the working conditions, career planning and promotional pportunities, work adjustment and allotment, ete. are evaluated and discussed. The HR manager also tries to find out the candidate's expectations regarding. salary, allowances, benefits, promotions and carer opportunites. The departmental head and the HR manager together communicate teir decision to the chairman ofthe interview board or the decision-making authority, who takes the final decision on selecting the candidate, THE INTERVIEW PROCESS Preparation Setting 98 Interviewing is a long process which is made up of a series of activities, some of ‘hich are conducted simultaneously. Some of the major activities are It is not only the interviewee, but also the inteviewer, who has to prepare for an interview, The interviewer has to 0 through the job description and the job Specification to understand the requirements ofthe job. He has to scan the application ofthe candidate to understand his background and experience to form an idea ofthe ‘kind of questions that can be asked. The candidate should not be made to wait, while the interviewer goes through the application or the job specification, Unfortunately though, many interviewers do just that. The interviewer should follow these steps ‘when preparing for the interview: * Determine the objectives of the interview ~ for what postion, what is the job specification etc * Read the application ofthe candidate so that relevant questions can be asked. * Determine the mode of evaluation, the standards, the weights ete. - many companies have standard formats for this * Plan one’s time so as to allocate equal time and attention to all the: ‘interviewees, * Be prepared to interview the candidates without any prejudice or bias, The setting and the ambience for an interview can have a major effect on a candidate's performance, Mos! ofthe candidates, no mater how confident they seem, experience tension and pressure when they have to go through an interview. Hence, it is the responsibility ofthe interviewer to make the candidate feel comfortable and relaxed Firstly, it is important that the interview is conducted in a serene and. soothing atmosphere, The interview room shoud be well Hit and well ventilated. apart frog having good acoustics The seating arrangement should be appropiate and the ambience, pleasant, The interviewer has to avoid attending to phone eal, meeting ‘ciagves. te. during he interview. as they distract the candidat and only advo he tension, The Dsychological and emotional support provided tothe candidate is perhaps more Important than the physical atmosphere provided. I is the responsibilty of the inerviwer to make the candidate fel relaxed and at ease, A pleasant emis and an offer of a seat or a glass of water can make the candidat comfortable Interviewers however are very rude 1 the candidates and go ‘stress’ interviews, However, stress interviews, ‘unpopular nowadays.duet of In iterview The actual process ofthe imerview starts once the candidate setles down open the panel or the interviewer, Some’ basic guidelines to conduct a pleasant and fru interview are given below: ‘The interviewer has to demonstrate a basic liking and respect for people. This ‘makes the candidate feel comfortable and perform better. Open ended questions, that give maximum scope to the candidate to speak, Should be asked, However. probing questions can be asked when some specific information has to be obtained from the candidate. Asking leading questions is a ‘Common mistake, which should be avoided by the interviewer. By asking leading questions, the candidate is given a hint as to what answer is expected. This might lead to the selection and hiring of wrong people in the organization ‘The questions should not invade the privacy of the candidate: nor should they be Hostile. It should be remembered that the candidate's right to privacy has to be Tespected and his dignity valued. Asking very private and hostile questions can Put-off a worthy candidate, which would indeed be a loss to the company. The interviewer should attentively listen to the answers ofthe candidate. Further questions have to be based on the leads provided by the candidate through his answers. In some panel interviews, it may happen that that some of the panel ‘members start discussing among themselves, while the candidate is answering another member's question. This shows disrespect to the panel member, to the ‘candidate and also affects the validity of interview as a selection tool ‘The interviewer should take notes and mark relevant points during the conduct of the interview. Relying on memory alone may not suflice as some important Points might be missed out. These notes come in handy while evaluating the ‘candidate at the end of the interview and can also be used asa future reference. Closing an Interview Evaluation ‘The closing of the interview is as important as its commencement. It should be done {in a smooth manner, avoiding any abrupt or awkward gestures and words, ‘The interviewer should make an overt sign to indicate the end of the interview. This should be done ina subtle and smooth manner, avoiding embarrassing situations. The interviewer should also explain to the candidate, the expocted course of action, the expected date of intimation to the candidate regarding the outcome, ete. The interviewer also has the responsibility of answering any relevant queries from the candidate, Table 6.1 explains the dos and don'ts of an interview process. “The evaluation ofthe candidate should tak place as soon as he leaves the room. Ifthe interviewer decides 0 evaliate’all the candidates together atthe end of all the interviews, he might get influenced by the recency effec which can distort the ‘valuation results While evaluating, i isthe responsibility ofthe interviewer to steer clear of any personal biases and take the decision in the best interest of the onic uate themselves f x also have fo evaluate themselves from tne to time. I is important ‘The inter anily work on improving their interviewing lls Interviewing i an at that they core pracised 1 improve the standards. Worksheps on interviewing skills aa ny exer ornervevers can elpinmprvingie vole process in 99bo ell and Don'ts of Interviewing Table 6.1; Dos . dO. pon't a e unprepa interview x Prepare for the interview Be unprepared for ue Make tie eandidate fel comfortable al lose Make the candidate fee stressed ea ding and demanding questions ‘Ask open-ended questions ‘Ask lea! “Allow the candidate to ‘alk and gather complete | Loterupt the candidate frequently and eales ‘and relevant information inadequate jaformationes. 7 xin ig | probe only if necessary “Ask personal and: private ‘questions that disturb the candidate Rely on your memory 10 assess the candidate after the interview : “Ask more questions and Make a note of the relevant points during the interview for accurate assessinent “Stick to the plan of the interview Get too engrossed in lie interview 10 follow. the. plan ea Sources ICFAI Center for Management Research Reference Checks ; * Once all the candidates are evaluated and the fina the candidate. Beforo the candidate joins the organization, the HR function has a few more things to do before it can wrap up the selection proces The candidate may mention a few reference checks in his application or provide them oh request. These are leads to understanding the work-relat the would-be employce. ed behavior of Normally. former employers or professors or acquaintances ofthe ca ndidate. who are in responsible positions in the corporate We are mentioned as jorld or in the society. a oeere the information provided in the application form of the candidate can be confirmed by the employer. through these reference checks. ‘The individvals mentioned as referrals can be contacted through phone. through official letters, through e-mails or even in pérson, to establish the credentials of the candidate, Since this whole process might take some time to be completed. most of the organizations snake the offer to the candidate even before the reference checks are made. 1 deefsion taken, the offer is made to Medical Examination Many organizations have made This is in fact often mentioned physical medical examinations mandatory for hiring. asa clause in the offer letter to the candidate. which says thatthe offer is conditional onthe candidate being medically fit, This clearance of physical examination is mandatory {0 ensure compliance with the physical Standards mentioned in the job specification and the organizational recruitment policy. Ti rocent times, some companies have been having a problem with the appointinent of candidates suffering from infections. such as persons who are HIV positive, Other employees in the organization may object to working with HIV infected peopl altough the law is against any kind of discrimination, This, being a highly seasive issue, should be handled carefully in any organization, Special privil = handicapped and under-privileged people are acceptable and cemaeelinteanc organizations, many of which Have their own medical standards for selection aca 100pveeuste FC Ue ed Cuuusoe OUgye 44 PLACEMENT SUMMARY nization has to place him in the Once the candidate accepts the offer and ons, the nganwaton Tre Jeb for which he hasbeen selced, Acard 9 Pal nr be placement is “the determination ofthe job to which an SceEPIeS nn assigned and his assignment fo that jb. It # matching of one reason to think he can do with the job demands (job petal he offers in the form of What he imposes (in strain, working conditions) and vvesbilities, etc” A proper Payroll, companionship with others, promotional po: over, low absenteeisif, and placement of an employee results in low employee turno Te and commitinent of the low accident rates in shop floor jobs and improved moral employees. ization. This is the period ‘Mter selection, the employee is first inducted into the cxgization. Th ae ae of familiarization for the employee, with the organization, ee period ranging froin ‘with his job, Then, the employe is usualy put on probation fora period rangi Six months to two years, The organization then decides the inal placement fer Ne inital probation periods over, based on the employee's performance ding We period and his aptitude and interest. If the employee’ 5 Performance B to quit. If the ‘he organization may extend the probation period or ask the employee 10 4) ‘employce performs satisfactorily during this period, he is usually made a permanent employee, Sclection is the process of evaluating the qualifications, experience. skill, knowledge. lc, of an applicant in relatjon to the requirements of the job to determine his suitability for the job. The setection procedure is concerned with sccuring relevant information from applicants and selecting the most suitable among them, based on an assessment of how successful the employee would be in the job, if he were placed in the vacant position. The selection process has two basic objectives: (a) To predict which applicant would be the most successful if selected for the job, and (b) To sell the organization and the job to the right candidate The selection process is based on the organizational objectives, the job specification and the recruitment policy of the organization. The various selection processes are initial screening, application forms, selection tests, group discussions, interviews and reference checks, To facilitate a near accurate prediction of an applicant's success on the job, the selection methods should meet several generic standards of reliability. validity, generalizability, ulility and legality The application form isa formal record of an individual's application for employment It is usually used in the preliminary sereening of job applicants, The filled-in application forms provide pertinent information about the individual and are used in the job interview and for reference checks to determine the applicant's suitability for employment, There are two methods of evaluating these forms ~ the clinical ithe and the weighted method. Selection tss, which are widely used include intelligence tests, aptitude tests, achievement tess, situational tests, interest tests and personality tests. Interviews help managers to ‘ill the gaps in the information obtained through the application blanks and tests. Interviews also enable the management to make an impact on the job applicant's view of the organization, a pan from assessing his job- related behavior and attitude, Interviews may be classified as preliminary. selecnem rersonnel Administration, Koga/Cusha, 1973 lor102 ind decision-making, based on their timing and purpose. The process of interviewing Consists of several steps such as preparation for the interview, ensuring a setting, and conducting, closing and evaluating. The selection process’ also uses background bo ne Gatton oF reference checks te check the authenticity ofthe information provided by the applicant. Finally, after an appican is selected, the offer is made to him and on Acceptance, the placement process stars,