SELECTION

LECTURE 15 AND 16
PROF. TEENA BHARTI
BENNETT UNIVERSITY
INTRODUCTION:

Selection is the process of picking individuals who have

relevant qualifications to fill jobs in an organization. Selection
is much more than just choosing the best candidate. It is an
attempt to strike a happy balance between what the applicant
can and wants to do and what the organization requires.     
Selection Process:

Resumes/CVs Review Initial Screening Interview

Analyze the Application Blank

Conducting Tests and

Evaluating performance
Core and Departmental
Preliminary Interview
Interviews

Reference checks

Offer to the REJECTION

next suitable Job Offer
candidate ACCEPT

Medical Examination
Placement
Selection
Contents Of Application Blank:

 Personal data (address, gender, identification marks, etc)

 Marital data (single or married, children, dependents)
 Physical data (height, weight, health condition)
 Educational data (levels of formal education, marks, distinctions)
 Employment data (past experience, promotions, nature of duties, reasons
for leaving previous jobs, salary drawn, etc.)
 Extra-curricular activities data (sports/games, NSS, NCC, prizes won,
leisure-time activities)
 References (names of two or more people who certify the suitability of an
applicant to the advertised position)

Selection
 Sample
Application
Blank:

Selection
 Weighted application blank (WAB):

The items that have a strong relationship to job performance are given numeric values or
weights so that a company can cross-compare candidates with more or less similar
qualifications on paper.

 It is a printed form completed by candidate wherein each item is weighted and

scored based on its importance as a determinant of job success.
 It helps a company to cross-compare candidates having more or less similar
qualifications and reject those not meeting the job criteria strictly.
 On the negative side, it is difficult to develop an appropriate WAB, the
exercise could be quite costly, and it needs frequent updating so as to be in line
with changing job requirements.

Selection
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PRACTICES IN
INDIA:
• Due to the meagreness of the education system there is a shortage of trained work force. There exist
situations wherein jobs are limited and applicants are many.
• There are two sources of recruitment in India namely external source and internal sources -An internal
source are generally used for higher position and to motivate the work force by giving them better
opportunities for better deployment and to career development. On the other hand, an external source of
recruitment is usually to fill entry level jobs.
• Basically there are four methods that are being adopted in India.
• Direct Method; this method includes campus interview and the organization keeps unsolicited
applications.
• Indirect method; this method includes advertisements in newspaper, television, radio, journal,
magazines etc.
• Internal method; this method is a practice of filling vacancies from within the organization through
transfers and promotions and the information of the vacant position is communicated through internal
advertisements. All transfers and promotion decisions are taken by the management.
Singh.A. (2014) Cultural Difference in Recruitment and Selection Practices in Select Countries,) Vol. 1, Issue 1, IITM Journal of Business Studies (JBS
 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PRACTICES IN INDIA:
(CNTD…)

• Third- party method which includes consultancy firms, head- hunting services and they use
computerizes data bases
• The companies also make use of their own websites where people give their application forms as per
the need and then the company can call the applicants for interview whenever there is a vacancy.
• Furthermore there are special sites only meant for recruitment purposes. The companies advertise the
vacancies through these websites which are www.naukri.com, www.monsterjobs.com,
www.shine.com, www.timesjobs.com, www.fresherworld.com etc.
• There are number of placement agencies and print media also helps in getting the job.
• The next best way is advertisement in India which is through newspaper and magazines by the
government of India and these carries the details of the government jobs as well.

Singh.A. (2014) Cultural Difference in Recruitment and Selection Practices in Select Countries,) Vol. 1, Issue 1, IITM Journal of Business Studies (JBS
 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PRACTICES IN INDIA:
(CNTD…)

• Written tests are being taken if required for the position which includes aptitude test, personality test
etc.
• Interviews are not structured and many a times the selection procedure is not clear to the candidate.
• The major problems in Indian selection process are the external influences, prejudices and gender bias
which is there in most of the organizations.
• Thus, the selection procedure is not consistent except few large organizations and multinationals.
• Indian companies usually avoid hiring unskilled labour as it would be a liability for the organization
but now-a-days due to globalization they are hiring on casual and contract basis; if they find that the
performance is up to the mark the workers can go to the next level and is retained in the organization.
• Skilled workers are mostly students who are called trainees hired through campus interview and are
on probation for 1 to 2 years and are absorbed, if the organization is satisfied with the performance.
Finally the middle level and top level managers are generally promoted from within the organization.

Singh.A. (2014) Cultural Difference in Recruitment and Selection Practices in Select Countries,) Vol. 1, Issue 1, IITM Journal of Business Studies (JBS
 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PRACTICES IN JAPAN:
• It has been found out that Japanese system grades human potential through merit based higher
education, so that the best talent goes to the organization. The process of selection differs from
organization to organization and the most common parameters are interview, personal skills,
teamwork and interpersonal skills.
• Attitude is very much important in Japanese companies and they believe in long term
employment and life time career. For the regular employees there are no written contracts
according to which they have to work. Job security and loyalty is there among the employees.
• The most pervasive recruitment process in Japan is as follows.-Graduates are recruited every
year at about the same time and the first announcements are made in early summers disclosing the
number and different types of jobs available. Candidate's applications, personal contacts, written
exams, interviews and medical checks, final decisions on acceptance are made in the fall and from
Ist April joining.
• They give importance to the performance of the team, not to the performance of Individual.
Leading companies like Maruti Suzuki, Hitachi in India are very successful due to their unique
system of Japanese recruitment practice.

Singh.A. (2014) Cultural Difference in Recruitment and Selection Practices in Select Countries,) Vol. 1, Issue 1, IITM Journal of Business Studies (JBS
 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PRACTICES IN UK :

• The U.K ranked highest of the individualistic score beaten only by some of the countries i.e.
Australia and the U.S.A. People are highly individualistic and private people.
• They possess high degree of masculinity but less than that of Japan and also low power distance.
• U.K firms make use of walk-in – applicants, advertising, and public employment agencies.
Firm more use of newspaper, magazines to advertise the vacancies
• Also they make use of technology i.e. internet to advertise the vacancies. Most utilized selection
sources are interview and reference check.
• Large organizations take students from renowned universities and business schools.
• Companies conduct written tests also to find out the candidate's aptitude, personality and problem
solving skill.
• Past experience of the candidate is also of supreme importance. Both internal and external
recruitment is done in the organizations i.e. through the reference of the existing employee and
through newspaper advertisement.
Singh.A. (2014) Cultural Difference in Recruitment and Selection Practices in Select Countries,) Vol. 1, Issue 1, IITM Journal of Business Studies (JBS
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PRACTICES IN UK :
(CNTD)

• Interviews are taken and conducted by the members of HR department and three
to four rounds of interview takes place.
• Qualification should match with the job requirement and in some cases work
experience also matters.
• They are giving importance to the older generation as the work force is getting
older and the percentage of employees under the age of thirty five is decreasing.
• Concept of life time employment does not exists in the organization.
• Hence, there is a great difference in the HR practices across countries which
prove that culture plays a very significant role and every country has their own
style of conducting business.
• The policies and procedures of HRM vary from country to country because of
the diversity in the work force.

Singh.A. (2014) Cultural Difference in Recruitment and Selection Practices in Select Countries,) Vol. 1, Issue 1, IITM Journal of Business Studies (JBS
 CONCLUSION ON DIFFERENT RECRUITMENT AND
SELECTION PRACTICES:

• Culture of the respective countries shapes the path in which

procedures and practices are undertaken.
• There are number of differences between the Asian and
European work forces. While the workers in the Europe
prefer to work independently, on the other hand Asian
workers seeks a sense of belongingness and feel more proud
in their organization than in their individual job.

Singh.A. (2014) Cultural Difference in Recruitment and Selection Practices in Select Countries,) Vol. 1, Issue 1, IITM Journal of Business Studies (JBS
 CONCLUSION ON DIFFERENT RECRUITMENT AND
SELECTION PRACTICES: (CNTD)
• Companies in Asia are now giving emphasis on recruitment, selection and retention practices so to
make the employees happy and contended.
• The cultural values in a specific culture and recruitment practices are not static. It can be changed
over time.
• The success of Japanese organization lies in their unique style of managing business.
• Hence there is a great difference in the HR practices across countries which prove that culture plays
a very significant role and every country has their own style of conducting business.
• The policies and procedures of HRM vary from country to country because of the diversity in the
work force
Recruitment and Selection Practices: A
Comprehensive End to End Process
Steps Poor Practices
1. Anticipate • Hiring only when you have • Conduct ongoing
the needs an opening
• Having an ad-hoc
succession planning
• Overlooking the skills of
your organisation will need
in the future.
• Indulging in irrational
optimism
Best Practices Implementation
Challenges
• Linking your
proactive analysis talent plan to your
of future needs strategic plan
• Continually • Incorporating
evaluating the pool inputs from HR
of potential talents. professionals into
• Developing the strategic
rigorous forecasts planning process
of talents needs

2. Specify • Relying on Generic • Defining specific • Ensuring a close

the jobs Competency Models demands of the dialogue between
• Looking primarily for jobs HR and Top
charisma, general ability • Specifying which management
and, track record. skills and • Building upfront
experience are consensus among
relevant for job key decision
maker
Recruitment and Selection Practices : A
Comprehensive End to End Process (Cntd 1)
Steps Poor Practices Best Practices Implementation
Changes
• Identifying the about the job
team where the requirements.
candidate need t
work
• Considering how
company culture
and context affect
the role.
3. Develop • Shortcut in developing • Developing a large • Encouraging open
the pool pool pool discussions at the
• Limiting the pool • Including insiders top about when
• Looking for only external and outsiders both and how to
candidates or only internal • Consulting conduct external
candidates. employees talent searches.
• Asking for
employee’s peer
for nominations
Recruitment and Selection Practices : A
Comprehensive End to End Process (Cntd 3)
Steps Poor Practices Best Practices Implementation
Changes
6. Integrate • Assuming the new hire is • Using veterans top • Rewarding
the “plug and play” performers as mentors
newcomer • Providing inadequate mentors • Providing
support and mentoring. • Making sure the adequate time
newcomers checks
in regularly with
boss, mentor and
HR even when no
problem has
arisen.

7. Audit and • Hanging on to bad hires • Removing the bad • Institutionalize the
Review • Failing to review hire hire within one audit and review
practices and year • Being willing to
institutionalize the best one • Regularly accept the
reviewing the mistakes, learn and
hiring practices move on.
Selection Tests:
A. Intelligence tests: They measure a candidate’s learning ability and also the
ability to understand instructions and make judgements. They do not
measure any single trait but several mental abilities (memory, vocabulary,
fluency, numerical ability, perception etc)
B. Aptitude tests: They measure a candidate’s potential to learn clerical,
mechanical and mathematical skills. Since they do not measure a candidate’s
on the job motivation, they are generally administered in combination with
other tests.
C. Personality tests: They measure basic aspects of a candidate’s personality
such as motivation, emotional balance, self confidence, interpersonal
behaviour, introversion etc.
 Projective tests: These tests expect the candidates to interpret problems
or situations based on their own motives, attitudes, values etc
(interpreting a picture, reacting to a situation etc)

Selection
 Selection Tests: (cntd)
 Interest tests: These are meant to find how a person in tests compares
with the interests of successful people in a specific job. These tests show the areas
of work in which a person is most interested.
 Preference tests: These tests try to compare employee preferences with
the job and organisational requirements.

D. Achievement tests: These are designed to measure what the applicant can do on
the job currently, eg. whether the testee actually knows what he or she claims to know.
E.   Simulation tests: Simulation exercise is a test which duplicates many of the
activities and problems an employee faces while at work.
F. Assessment centre: It is a standardised form of employee appraisal that uses
multiple assessment exercises such as in basket, games, role play etc and multiple
raters.

Selection
 Selection Tests: (cntd 2)

 The in-basket: From out of reports, memos, letters etc placed in the in-basket, a candidate is
supposed to initiate relevant actions within a limited period of time.
 The leaderless group discussion: This exercise involves groups of managerial candidates
working together on a job related problem so as to measure skills such as oral
communication, tolerance, self- confidence, adaptability, etc.
 Business games: Here participants try to solve a problem, usually as members of two or more
simulated companies that are competing in the market place
 Individual presentations: In this case the participants are given a limited amount of time to
plan, organise and prepare a presentation on a given topic.

Selection
 Selection Tests: (cntd 3)
G. Graphology tests: Here a trained evaluator tries to examine the lines,
loops, hooks, strokes, curves etc in a person's handwriting to assess the
person's personality and emotional make-up.
H. Polygraph : It is a lie detection test. During the test, the operator
records the respiration, blood pressure and perspiration of the subject as he
or she responds to series of questions posed to elicit the truth.
I. Integrity tests: These are designed to measure employee's honesty to
predict those who are more likely to indulge in unacceptable behavior.

Selection
 Selection Practices Of Global Giants:

Siemens India: which deals with segments - electrification, automation and digitalization
It uses extensive psychometric instruments to evaluate short-listed candidates. The
company uses occupational personality questionnaire to understand the candidate’s
personal attributes and occupational testing to measure competencies.
Arthur Anderson: An accounting firm, while evaluating candidates, the company
conducts critical behavioural interviewing which evaluates the suitability of the candidate
for the position, largely based on his past experience and credentials.
LG Electronics India: LG Electronics also uses psychometric tests but to measure a
person’s ability as a team player, to check personality types and to ascertain a person’s
responsiveness and assertiveness.
Pepsico India: The company uses India as a global recruitment resource. To select
professionals for global careers, the company uses a competency- based interviewing
technique that looks at the candidate’s abilities in terms of strategizing, lateral thinking,
problem solving, managing the environment. These apart, Pepsi insists that to succeed in a
global posting, these individuals possess strong functional knowledge and come from a
cosmopolitan background.
Selection
 Standards For Selection Tests:
Reliability: the ability of a selection tool to measure an attribute
consistently; When a test is administered to the same individual
repeatedly, he should get Approximately identical scores.
Validity: the extent to which an instrument measures what it intends
to measure; In a typing test, validity measures a typist’s speed and
accuracy.
Suitability: a test must fit the nature of the group on which it is
applied Usefulness: exclusive reliance on any single test should be
avoided
Standardisation: norms for finalising test scores should be
established Qualified people: tests demand a high level of professional
skills

Selection
INTERVIEW PROCESS:

Interviewing is an art and involves a number of sequential steps such as

adequate preparation, proper reception, democratic exchange of
information, termination of interview in an appropriate manner and
objective evaluation of responses, records and other relevant facts.
 Preparation
 Reception
 Information exchange
 Termination

Selection
TYPES OF INTERVIEW:

Non-Directive • The recruiter asks questions as they come to mind.

Interview

Directive or • The recruiter uses a predetermined set of questions

Structured that are clearly job-related.
Interview

Situational • The recruiter presents a hypothetical incident

Interview and asks the candidate to respond.
TYPES OF INTERVIEW :(CNTD)

• The focus here is on actual work related incidents

Behavioural and the applicant is supposed to reveal what he or
Interview she did in a given situation.

• The recruiter attempts to find how applicants would

Stress respond to aggressive, embarrassing, rule and
Interview insulting (at times) questions.

• Three or four interviewers pose questions to

Panel Interview the applicant and examine the suitability of the
candidate.

26
 Interviewing Mistakes:
 Snap judgements: deciding the applicant's suitability quickly based on the
early impression
 Leniency: the tendency to rate employee high or excellent on all criteria
 Stereotyping: attributing characteristics to individuals based on their
inclusion or membership in a particular group
 Bias: allowing the ratings to be influence by the personal likes and dislikes
 Halo effect: a single important trait of a candidate affects the judgement of
the rater ( like “athletes make good sales people”)
 Candidate order error: the order in which a rater interviews candidates
could influence ratings sometimes.

Selection
Thank You