SELECTION

GROUP VI

DINAKARAN M 24

PUNEET KUMAR

AGARWAL 29

GAURAV MITTAL 32

BENJOY P S 33

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SELECTION Selecting qualified employees is like putting money into bank. – John Bud

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Learn what selection is.

Understand why and how selection is important.

Know the cost of wrong selection and how to minimise this risk.

Familiarize with each of the steps in the selection process.

Be aware of the alternative methods of selection.

INTRODUCTION

It is commonly accepted that management‘s main job is to get

appropriate results through the effective use of people. The first step toward the proper use of an organisation‘s human resources is to hire the right people. This is done by recruitment and selection. Once a pool of suitable

applicants is created through recruiting, the process of selecting applicants begins. This involves a series of steps which are explained in this chapter.

MEANING AND DEFINITION

According to Werther and Davis, the selection process is a series of

specific steps used to decide which recruits should be hired. Selection is the process of choosing the most competent for a particular job, or weeding out the unsuitable. Another definition says, Selection is the process of choosing

individuals who have relevant qualifications to fill jobs in an organization. Without qualified employees, an organization is in a poorer position to

succeed. Selection is much more than just choosing the best available person. It is about selecting people with the appropriate set of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs).

THE LOGIC OF SELECTING PERSONNEL

If variability in physical and psychological characteristics were not so

prevalent, there would be little need for selection of people to fill various jobs. Without variability among individuals in abilities, aptitudes, interests, and personality traits, we would expect all job candidates to perform

comparably. Research shows clearly that as jobs become more complex,

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individual differences in output variability would also increase. Likewise, if there were 5 job openings available and only 5 qualified candidates,

selection again would not be a significant issue since all 5 candidates would have to be hired. Selection becomes a relevant concern only when there are

more qualified candidates than there are positions to be filled, for selection implies choice and choice means exclusion.

The economic value of good selection is greater than most people realize. For example, the U.S. government‘s use of ability testing for entry level jobs has been estimated to save the government over $15 billion per year. For a large

organisation, a modest increase in the performance of its employees can yield significant results.

THE COST OF WRONG SELECTION AND THE TWIN

CONCEPTS REGARDING SELECTION TOOLS

However good the benefits of selection be, there are certain risks attached to

selection. Costs of wrong selection are great. The figure drawn below shows

four possible outcomes of a selection decision. Two of these-‗true

positive‘(‗high hit‘) and ‗low negative ‗(‗low hit‘)-are right selection decision.

The other two outcomes represent selection errors. In the ‗false positive

error‘, a decision is made to hire an applicant based on predicted success,

but failure results. In ‗false negative error‘, an applicant who has succeeded

is rejected based on predictions of failures. In either case, the selectors will

have erred. They may remember that the selection successes will be written

in sand and failures in stones.

SUCCESS

False Negative Error

True Positive (―High Hit‖)

FAILURE

True Negative (―Low Hit‖)

False Positive Error

FAILURE PREDICTED

SUCCESS PREDICTED

An organization with a false positive error incurs three types of costs. The

first type is incurred while the person is employed. This can be the result of

production or profit losses, damaged company reputation, accidents due to

negligence, absenteeism, and the like. The second type of costs is associated

with the training, transfer or terminating the services of the employee. Costs

of replacing an employee with fresh one-costs of hiring, training, and

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replacement-constitute the third type of costs. Generally, the important the

job, the greater the costs of the selection error. In most cases of false

negative error, an applicant who would have succeeded is rejected because

of predicted failure. Most false negative errors go unnoticed except when the

applicant belongs to a reserved category and files a discrimination charge.

Costs associated with this type of error are generally difficult to estimate.

A careful selection will help an organization avoid costs associated

with both false positive error as well as negative error. The risk attached to the wrong selection can be minimised if the twin concepts of Reliability and Validity are applied while choosing the selection tools.

Reliability: A measurement is considered to be reliable if it is consistent or

stable, for example:

Over time- such as on a hearing test administered first on Sunday morning and then again on Thursday night.

Across different samples of items

Across different raters or judges working independently

Validity: Reliability is certainly an important characteristic of any

measurement process, but it simply a means to an end. Unless a measure is

reliable, it cannot be valid. From a practical point of view, validity refers to the job-relatedness of a measure, that is, the strength of the relationship between scores from the measure and some indicator or a rating of actual

job performance.

Validity is proof that the relationship between the selection device and some relevant job criterion exists. Reliability is an indicator that the device measures the same thing consistently. For example, it would be appropriate

to give a keyboarding test to a candidate applying for a job as an administrative assistant. However, it would not be valid to give a

keyboarding test to a candidate for a job as a physical education teacher. If a keyboarding test is given to the same individual on two separate occasions, the results should be similar.

INPUTS TO SELECTION

Employment managers use the selection process to find new workers. The

selection process relies on three helpful inputs. Job analysis information

provides the description of the jobs, the human specifications, and the

performance standards each job requires. Human resource plans tell

employment managers what job openings are likely to occur. These plans

allow selection to proceed in a logical and effective manner. Finally, recruits

are necessary so that the employment managers have a group of people from

which to choose. These three inputs largely determine the effectiveness of

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selection process. If, job analysis information, human resource plans, and

recruits are of high quality, the selection process should perform well. At the

same time there are other inputs that limit its success. To succeed,

employment managers must meet the challenges of limited labour supply,

ethical considerations and organizational policies.

SUPPLY CHALLENGES It is important to have a large, qualified poll of

recruiters from which to select applicants. But some jobs are so hard to fill

that there are few applicants. Low-paying jobs or openings for extremely

specialized work are examples of positions with small selection ratios. A

selection ratio is the relationship between the number of applicants hired

and the total number of applicants available. A large selection ratio is 1:2;a

small selection ratio means there are few applicants from which to select. In

many instances a small ratio means a low quality of recruits.

Alfred Bester an employment manager for a chain of motels faced a

low selection ratio for the third-shift desk clerk‘s job. Although it paid

25 cents an hour more than the day or evening clerk job, few people

applied for it. Alfred decided to enrich the job by resigning it. The job

was expanded to include responsibility for completing the daily

financial report and other new title-night auditor. The result was more

applicants.

Job analysis

Human resource

plans

Recruits

SELECTION

PROCESS

Orientation

Training

Development

Career planning

Performance evaluation

Compensation

Collective action

Personnel control

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ETHICAL CHALLENGES Since employment specialist strongly influence the

hiring decisions that decision is shaped by their ethics. Hiring a neighbour‘s

relative, gifts from a placement agency and bribes (especially overseas) all

challenge the employment specialist‘s ethical standards.

Each summer, Charlotte Bronte was told to find jobs for some of the

executive‘s children. To disobey would affect her career. On the other

hand, hiring some of them would be an admission that she selected

people on criteria other than merit. Although many of her peers in

local personnel association thought employing a boss‘s child was

merely a benefit of the executive suite, Charlotte felt it was improper.

So each summer she found jobs in other companies for some of the

executives‘ children.

ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGES The selection process is not an end; it is

a means through which the organization achieves its objectives. Naturally,

the organization imposes limits such as budgets and policies that may

hinder the selection process. Without budget limitations, recruiting efforts

and budgeting techniques could be refined. But without limits, employment

expenses may be so high that organizational effectiveness would suffer.

Policies against discrimination reinforce external prohibitions for example.

Or internal decrees may exceed legal demands from outside. For example,

policies to hire ex-convicts further societal objectives but are not legally

required. Yet such internal policies add still another challenge for

employment specialists.

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THE SELECTION PROCESS

Following are the steps in the selection process in an organisation. However,

it is not compulsory for the companies to follow the steps and in the same order.

1. Preliminary reception and screening

2. Application forms

3. Employment tests

4. Selection interview

5. Reference and background checks

6. Supervisory interview

7. Realistic job preview

8. Hiring decision

9. Medical evaluation

10. Making job offer

11. Contracts of employment

12. Concluding the process

13. Evaluation of the process

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PRELIMINARY RECEPTION AND SCREENING

In addition to matching qualified people to jobs, the selection process has an important public-relations dimension. Discriminatory hiring practices, impolite interviewers, unnecessarily long waits, inappropriate

testing procedures, and lack of follow-up letters can produce unfavorable impressions of an employer. Providing courteous, professional treatment to

all candidates during the selection process is important because for most applicants a job contact of any kind is an extremely personal and significant event. A job applicant‘s perception of the organization, and even about the

products or services it offers, will be influenced by the reception stage of the selection process. Whoever meets the applicant initially should be tactful

and able to offer assistance in a courteous, friendly manner. If no jobs are available, applicants can be informed at this point. Any employment possibilities must be presented honestly and clearly.

In some cases, it is appropriate to have a brief interview, called an initial screening or a job preview/interest screen, to see if the applicant is

likely to match any jobs available in the organization before allowing the applicant to fill out an application form. For instance, in most large

organizations, this initial screening is done by someone in the employment office or in the HR department. In most situations, the applicant should complete an application form after the screening. The screening is intended

to determine if the applicant is likely to have the ability to perform available jobs. Typical issues might concern job interests, location desired, pay

expectations, and availability for work. One firm that hires security guards and armored-car drivers uses the screening interview to verify whether an applicant meets the minimum qualifications for the job, such as having a

valid driver‘s license, being free of any criminal convictions in the past five years, and having been trained to use a pistol. Because these are required minimum standards, it would be a waste of time for any applicant who

could not meet them to fill out an application form. Computerized Screening: The job preview/interest screen can be done

effectively by computer as well. Computerized processing of applicants can occur on several different levels. Computers can search resumes or application blanks for key words. Hundreds of large companies in the West

use types of ―text searching‖ or artificial-intelligence (AI) software to scan, score, and track resumes of applicants. Some firms using these techniques

include Sony Corporation, Coca-Cola, IBM, Paine Webber, Nations Bank, Avis Rent A Car, Microsoft, Pfizer, Shell Oil, and Staples. Companies note that computerized screening saves time and money. It also helps with better

placement, thereby reducing turnover. A second means of computerizing screening is conducting initial

screening interviews electronically. Coopers & Lybrand, a large U.S.

accounting and management consulting firm, holds initial screening interviews for college students on an Internet site. Students answer 40

questions, their answers are scored, and they are told at that point whether they qualify for a face-to-face interview. The firm estimates that it eliminates 25% of its 5,000 initial applicants in this way.

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Finally, computer-assisted interviewing techniques can use tools such as videotape scenarios to which applicants react.

APPLICATION FORMS

Application forms are widely used. Properly prepared the application form serves four purposes:

1. It is a record of the applicant‘s desire to obtain a position.

2. It provides the interviewer with a profile of the applicant that can be used in the interview.

3. It is a basic employee record for applicants who are hired.

4. It can be used for research on the effectiveness of the selection process.

Many employers use only one application form, but others need several. For example, a hospital might need one form for nurses and medical technicians, another form for clerical and office employees, another for

managers and supervisors, and another for support persons in housekeeping and food-service areas.

The information received on application forms may not always be completely accurate. This problem is discussed in greater detail later, but an important point must be made here. In an attempt to prevent inaccuracies, many

application forms carry a statement that the applicant is required to sign. In effect, the statement reads: ―I realize that falsification of this record is grounds for dismissal if I am hired.‖ The statement has been used by

employers to terminate people. Application forms traditionally have asked for references and requested that

the applicant give permission to contact them. Rather than asking for personal or general references, though, it may be more useful to request the names of previous supervisors on the application form.

Weighted Application Forms: One way employers can make the application form more job related is by developing a weighted form. A job analysis is used to determine the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) needed for the

job, and an application form is developed to include items related to the selection criteria. Then weights, or numeric values, are placed on possible

responses to the items based on their predictive value. The responses of applicants can be scored, totalled, and compared. One interesting example involves a company that had very high turnover among sewing machine

operators. It hired a consultant, who took the applications of 100 successful operators who stayed with the company and 100 operators who left or were

fired. He identified 10 variables that differentiated the two groups. Some were unusual; one variable identified was that the better performing sewing machine operators weighed more than 300 pounds and did not own a car,

among other factors. Based on this analysis, a weighted application form was developed, but its usefulness could be questioned. To develop a weighted application blank, it is necessary to develop questions

that differentiate between satisfactory and poor performing employees and that can be asked legally. But there are several problems associated with

weighted application forms. One difficulty is the time and effort required to develop such a form. For many small employers and for jobs that do not require numerous employees, the cost of developing the weights can be

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prohibitive. Also, the form must be updated every few years to ensure that the factors previously identified are still valid predictors of job success.

However, on the positive side, using weighted forms enables an employer to evaluate and compare applicants‘ responses numerically to a valid, job-

related set of inquiries. Resumes: One of the most common methods applicants use to provide background information is the resume. Resumes, also called vitae by some,

vary in style and length. Consequently, even if an applicant furnishes some ―illegal information‖ voluntarily on a resume, the employer should not use

that information during the selection process. Because resumes contain only information applicants want to present, some employers require that all who submit resumes complete an application form as well, so similar

information will be available on all applicants. EMPLOYMENT TESTS

Ability and Aptitude Tests: Ability tests assess the skills that individuals

have already learned. Aptitude tests measure general ability to learn or acquire a skill. The typing tests given at many firms to secretarial applicants

are commonly used ability tests. Other widely used tests measure mechanical ability and manual dexterity. A type of ability test used at many organizations simulates job tasks. These

work-sample tests, which require an applicant to perform a simulated job task that is part of the job being applied for, are especially useful. Having an

applicant for a financial analyst‘s job prepare a computer spreadsheet is one such test. Requiring a person applying for a truck driver‘s job to back a truck to a loading dock is another. An ―in basket‖ test is a work sample test

in which a job candidate is asked to respond to memos in a hypothetical in-basket that are typical of the problems faced by people holding that job. The key for any work sample test is the behavioural consistency between the

criteria in the job and the requirements of the test. Mental ability tests measure reasoning capabilities. Some of the abilities

tested include spatial orientation, comprehension and retention span, and general and conceptual reasoning. The General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB)

is a widely used test of this type. Assessment Centres: An assessment centre is not necessarily a place; it is

composed of a series of evaluative exercises and tests used for selection and development. The assessment uses multiple exercises and multiple raters. In one assessment centre, candidates go through a comprehensive interview,

pencil-and-paper test, individual and group simulations, and work exercises. The candidates‘ performances are then evaluated by a panel of

trained raters. It is crucial to any assessment centre that the tests and exercises reflect the job content and types of problems faced on the jobs for which individuals are being screened.

Group Assessment Approaches: The aptitude, ability and psychological tests have their place in the selection process and if conducted

appropriately, can prove to be effective selection tools. However, these

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methods have their limitations. They cannot be relied upon to assess an individual‘s ability or competence to interrelate with people, cope in stressful

situations, solve problems and work with or lead others. One way of assessing these characteristics is to apply group

assessment methods. Group assessment methods are used to: Assess how individuals behave in a group situation and how they

interact with each others

Assess how individuals respond to realistic situations Assess how individuals think and respond to problems Identify individuals‘ thoughts and views on particular topics

Plumbley (1985) identified three types of group assessment methods:

Leaderless groups: here the participants are asked to discuss a general topic. The discussion is evaluated by assessors.

Command or executive exercises: here the group is given a real case

study and each individual is assigned a role. Group problem-solving: the group is allocated a task to solve.

Psychological/Personality Tests Personality is a unique blend of individual characteristics that affect interaction with the environment and

help define a person. Historically, predictive validities have tended to be lower for personality tests used as predictors of performance on the job. However, some studies have shown that carefully chosen personality tests

that logically connect to work requirements can help predict the interpersonal aspects of job success. For example, a person‘s ability to

tolerate stress might be a valid concern for a police officer, emotional stability for a nuclear plant operator, and a ―people‖ orientation for a social worker.

There is a never-ending list of characteristics that can be used to differentiate human beings. The multitude of different personality traits has long frustrated psychologists, who have argued that there is a relatively

small number of underlying major traits. The most widely accepted approach to these underlying personality traits (although not the only one) is often

referred to as the ―Big Five‖ personality traits. The Big Five can be considered generally useful predictors of training success and job performance. The Big Five are:

1. Emotional stability: This is the extent to which a person does not suffer from neurosis, depression, anger, worry, and insecurity.

2. Extroversion: Sociable, gregarious, talkative people are considered extroverted.

3. Agreeableness: People who are cooperative, good natured, soft-hearted, tolerant, and trusting score high on the agreeable dimension.

4. Openness/Experience: This describes people who are flexible in

thought and open to new ideas, broad minded, curious, and original. 5. Conscientiousness: This is the extent to which a person is

achievement-oriented, careful, hardworking, organized, and responsible.

Conscientiousness has been found to be related to job success across most organizations and occupations. Extroversion predicts success in jobs

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requiring social interaction, such as many sales jobs. The usefulness of the other three varies depending on the kind of job and organization.

When used in selection, psychological or personality testing requires that a solid link be made with job relatedness.

Polygraph and Honesty Testing These tests are not in vogue in India. They are mainly used in the West. Honesty Tests Several types of tests have been devised to assess honesty.

These include polygraph tests and paper-and-pencil honesty tests. Both are controversial. Individuals who take honesty tests answer ―yes‖ or ―no‖ to a

list of questions. Sample questions include: Would you tell your boss if you knew another employee was stealing

from the company? Is it all right to borrow company equipment to use at home if the

property is always returned?

Firms use honesty tests to help reduce losses due to employee theft. These firms believe that giving honesty tests not only helps them to screen

out potentially dishonest individuals, but also sends a message to applicants and employees alike that dishonesty will not be tolerated. Concerns about the validity of honesty tests continue to be raised. Many

firms using them do not do validation studies on their experiences. Instead, they rely on the general validation results given by the test developers. Honesty tests are valid as broad screening devices for organizations but may

not be as good at predicting whether a single individual will steal. Also, the use of these tests can have a negative public-relations impact on applicants.

A final concern is that the types of questions asked may constitute invasion of individual privacy. Graphology: Graphology is a type of ―test‖ in which an ―analysis‖ is made of

an individual‘s handwriting. Such characteristics as how people dot an i or cross a t, whether they write with a left or right slant, and the size and

boldness of the letters they form supposedly tell graphologists about the individuals‘ personalities and their suitability for employment.

Formal scientific evaluations of graphology are not easily found. Its value as a personality predictor is very questionable, but it is popular in France, Israel, and several other countries. Psychics: Similarly, some firms use psychics to help select managerial

talent. The psychics are supposedly able to determine if a person is suited

for a job both intellectually and emotionally. However, most businesses would not want anyone to know that they used ―psychic advisers.‖ Blood type: If using psychics in selection seems outlandish, how about

blood type as a predictor of personality? In Japan, many people think blood type is an excellent predictor. Type O blood supposedly indicates a person

who is generous and bold; type A, one who is industrious; type B, one who is impulsive and flexible; and type AB, one who is both rational and creative. A manager at Mitsubishi Electric chose people with type AB blood to dream

up the next generation of fax machines. There is a lack of formal evidence that handwriting, psychics, or blood type are valid as performance predictors. Some experts have even commented that there may be ethical

problems in using these techniques for employee selection.

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Drug testing: Drug testing may be a part of a medical exam, or it may be

done separately. Using drug testing as a part of the selection process has

increased in the past few years, though not without controversy. Employers should remember that such tests are not infallible. The accuracy of drug

tests varies according to the type of test used, the item tested, and the quality of the laboratory where the test samples are sent. If an individual tests positive for drug use, then a second, more detailed analysis should be

administered by an independent medical laboratory. Because of the potential impact of prescription drugs on test results, applicants should complete a detailed questionnaire on this matter before the testing.

Genetic testing: Another controversial area of medical testing is genetic

testing. Some large companies currently are using genetic tests and many more are considering their use in the future. However, the general public disapproves strongly of their use. Employers that use genetic screening tests

do so for several reasons. First, the tests may link workplace health hazards and individuals with certain genetic characteristics. Second, genetic testing may be used to make workers aware of genetic problems that could occur in

certain work situations. The third use is the most controversial: to exclude individuals from certain jobs if they have genetic conditions that increase

their health risks. Because people cannot change their genetic makeup, the potential for discrimination based, for example, on race or sex is very real. For instance, sickle-cell anaemia is a condition found primarily in African

Americans. If chemicals in a particular work environment can cause health problems for individuals with sickle-cell anaemia, African Americans might

be screened out on that basis. The question is whether that decision should be made by the individual or the employer.

SELECTION INTERVIEW A selection interview is designed to identify information on a candidate and clarify information from other sources. This in-depth interview is

designed to integrate all the information from application forms, tests, and reference checks, so that a decision can be made. Because of the integration

required and the desirability of face-to-face contact, the interview is the most important phase of the selection process in many situations. Conflicting information may have emerged from tests, application forms, and

references. As a result, the interviewer must obtain as much pertinent information about the applicant as possible during the limited interview time and evaluate this information against job standards. Finally, a

selection decision must be made, based on all of the information obtained in the preceding steps. The interview is not an especially valid predictor of

job performance, but it has high ―face validity‖—that is, it seems valid to employers and they like it. Virtually all employers are likely to hire individuals using interviews. Some interviewers may be better than others at

selecting individuals who will perform well. There is very high intra-rater (the same interviewer) reliability, but only moderate-to-low inter-rater (different

interviewers) reliability. Inter-rater reliability becomes important if there are several interviewers, each selecting employees from a pool of applicants.

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Types of Interviews There are six types of selection interviews: structured, situational,

behavioural description, nondirective, stress, and panel interviews. Each type is discussed in this section.

STRUCTURED INTERVIEW: The structured interview uses a set of standardized questions that are asked of all applicants. Every applicant is

asked the same basic questions, so that comparisons among applicants can more easily be made. This type of interview allows an interviewer to prepare job-related questions in advance and then complete a standardized

interviewee evaluation form. Completion of such a form provides documentation, if anyone should question why one applicant was selected

over another. Sample questions that might be asked of all applicants for a production maintenance management opening are as follows:

Tell me how you trained workers for their jobs.

How do you decide the amount of work you and the maintenance crew will have to do during a day?

How does the production schedule of the plant affect what a mechanic ought to repair first?

As is evident, the structured interview is almost like an oral questionnaire

and offers greater consistency and accuracy than some other kinds of interviews. The structured interview is especially useful in the initial screening because of the large number of applicants in this step of the

selection process. Obviously, it is less flexible than more traditional interview formats, and therefore it may be less appropriate for second or

later interviews. Even though a series of patterned questions are asked, the structured interview does not have to be rigid. The predetermined questions should be asked in a logical manner, but the interviewer can avoid reading

the questions word for word down the list. The applicant should be allowed adequate opportunity to explain answers clearly. The interviewer should probe until he or she fully understands the applicant‘s responses.

Research on interviews consistently has found the structured interview to be more reliable and valid than other approaches. The format for the interview

ensures that a given interviewer has similar information on each candidate, so there is higher intrarater reliability. Also, the fact that several interviewers ask the same questions of applicants has led to better interrater

reliability.

SITUATIONAL INTERVIEW: The situational interview is a structured interview that is composed of questions about how applicants might handle specific job situations. With experienced applicants, the format is essentially

one of a job knowledge or work sample test. Interview questions are based on job analysis and checked by experts in the job so they will be content valid. There are three types of questions:

Hypothetical: Asking applicant what he or she might do in a certain job situation

Related to knowledge: Might entail explaining a method or demonstrating a procedure

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Related to requirements: Explores areas such as willingness to work the hours required and meet travel demands

For some situational interviews job experts also write ―good,‖ ―average,‖ and ―poor‖ responses to the questions to facilitate rating the answers of the

applicant. The interviewer can code the suitability of the answer, assign point values, and add up the total number of points an interviewee received.

BEHAVIORAL DESCRIPTION INTERVIEW: When responding to a behavioural description interview, applicants are required to give specific

examples of how they have performed a certain procedure or handled a problem in the past. For example, applicants might be asked the following:

How did you handle a situation in which there were no rules or guidelines on employee discipline?

Why did you choose that approach?

How did your supervisor react? How the issue was finally resolved?

Like other structured methods, behavioural description interviews generally provide better validity than unstructured interviews.

NONDIRECTIVE INTERVIEW: The nondirective interview uses general questions, from which other questions are developed. It should be used

mainly in psychological counselling, but it is also used in selection. The interviewer asks general questions designed to prompt the applicant to discuss herself or himself. The interviewer then picks up on an idea in the

applicant‘s response to shape the next question. For example, if the applicant says, ―One aspect that I enjoyed in my last job was my supervisor,‖ the interviewer might ask, ―What type of supervisor do you most

enjoy working with?‖. Difficulties with a nondirective interview include keeping it job related and

obtaining comparable data on various applicants. Many nondirective interviews are only semi organized; the result is that a combination of general and specific questions is asked in no set order, and different

questions are asked of different applicants for the same job. STRESS INTERVIEW: The stress interview is a special type of interview

designed to create anxiety and put pressure on the applicant to see how the person responds.

In a stress interview, the interviewer assumes an extremely aggressive and insulting posture. Those who use this approach often justify its use with individual who will encounter high degrees of stress on the job, such as a

consumer complaint clerk in a department store or an air traffic controller. The stress interview is a high-risk approach for an employer. The typical

applicant is already somewhat anxious in any interview, and the stress interview can easily generate a very poor image of the interviewer and the employer. Consequently, an applicant that the organization wishes to hire

might turn down the job offer. Even so, many interviewers deliberately put applicants under stress.

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PANEL INTERVIEWS: Usually, applicants are interviewed by one interviewer at a time. But when an interviewee must see several people,

many of the interviews are redundant and therefore unnecessarily time consuming. In a panel interview, several interviewers interview the

candidate at the same time. All the interviewers hear the same respones. On the negative side, applicants are frequently uncomfortable with the group interview format.

Interviewing Basics Many people think that the ability to interview is an innate talent, but this

contention is difficult to support. Just because someone is personable and likes to talk is no guarantee that the person will be a good interviewer.

Interviewing skills are developed through training. Some suggestions for good interviewing follow. Planning the interview Effective interviews do not just happen; they are

planned. Pre-interview planning is essential to a well-conducted in-depth selection interview. This planning begins with selecting the time and place

for the interview. Sufficient time should be allotted so that neither the interviewer nor the interviewee feels rushed. Also, a private location is important, so that both parties can concentrate on the interview content.

The interviewer should review the application form for completeness and accuracy before beginning the interview and also should make notes to identify specific areas about which to question the applicant during the

interview. Problems in the Interview Operating managers and supervisors most often

use poor interviewing techniques because they do not interview often or have not been trained to interview. Some common problems encountered in the interview are highlighted next.

SNAP JUDGMENTS Ideally, the interviewer should collect all the information possible on an applicant before making a judgment. Reserving judgment is much easier to recommend than to do, because it is difficult not

to form an early impression. Too often, interviewers form an early impression and spend the balance of the interview looking for evidence to

support it. This impression may be based on a review of an individual‘s application blank or on more subjective factors such as dress or appearance. Consequently, many interviewers make a decision on the job

suitability of applicants within the first four or five minutes of the interview. NEGATIVE EMPHASIS As might be expected, unfavorable information

about an applicant is the biggest factor considered in interviewers‘ decisions about overall suitability. Unfavorable information is given roughly twice the weight of favourable information. Often, a single negative characteristic may

bar an individual from being accepted, whereas no amount of positive characteristics will guarantee a candidate‘s acceptance. HALO EFFECT Interviewers should try to avoid the halo effect, which occurs

when an interviewer allows a prominent characteristic to overshadow other evidence. The halo effect is present if an interviewer lets a candidate‘s

accomplishments in athletics overshadow other characteristics, which leads the interviewer to hire the applicant because ―athletes make good

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salespeople.‖ Devil’s horns (a reverse halo effect), such as inappropriate dress or a low grade point average, may affect an interviewer as well.

BIASES Interviewers must be able to recognize their personal biases. Interviewers tend to favour or select people whom they perceive to be similar

to themselves. This similarity can be in age, race, sex, previous work experiences, personal background, or other factors. As workforce demographics shift, interviewers will have to be even more aware of this

―similarity bias.‖ The selection of an applicant who falls below standards, and the rejection of an applicant who meets standards, indicate that

personal bias may have influenced a selection decision. An interviewer should be honest and consider the reasons for selecting a particular applicant. The solution to the problem of bias lies not in claiming that a

person has no biases, but in demonstrating that they can be controlled. CULTURAL NOISE The interviewer must learn to recognize and handle cultural noise—responses the applicant believes are socially acceptable

rather than factual respones. Applicants want jobs; to be hired, they know they must impress the interviewer. They may feel that if they divulge any

unacceptable facts about themselves, they will not get the job. Consequently, they may try to give the interviewer responses that are socially acceptable but not very revealing. An interviewer can handle

cultural noise by not encouraging it. If the interviewer supports cultural noise, the applicant will take the cue and continue those kinds of answers.

Instead, the applicant can be made aware that the interviewer is not being taken in.

RESUME AND BACKGROUND CHECKING

Background investigation may take place either before or after the in-depth

interview. It costs the organization some time and money, but it is generally well worth the effort. Unfortunately, applicants frequently misrepresent their

qualifications and backgrounds. According to one survey of employers, the most common false information given is length of prior employment, past salary, criminal record, and former job title. Many universities report that

inquiries on graduates and former students often reveal that the individuals never graduated. Some did not even attend the university.

Another type of credential fraud uses the mail-order ―degree mill.‖ To enhance their chances of employment, individuals purchase unaccredited

degrees from organizations that grant them for a fee. It is estimated that many resumes contain at least one lie or ―factual misstatement‖. The only way for employers to protect themselves from resume fraud and false

credentials is to request verification on proof from applicants either before or after hire. If hired, the employee can be terminated for falsifying employment

information. It is unwise for employers to assume that ―someone else has already checked.‖ Too often, no one took the trouble.

SUPERVISORY INTERVIEW

The immediate supervisor is responsible for the newly hired worker

ultimately. Since that responsibility is ever-present, supervisors should have

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input into the final hiring decision. The supervisor is often able to better evaluate the applicant‘s technical abilities. Likewise, the supervisor can

often answer the interviewee‘s specific job-related question with greater precision. As a result, one study reported that in over three fourths of the

organisations surveyed in U.S., the supervisor has the authority to make the final hiring decision. When supervisors make the final decision, the role of the HR department is to provide the supervisor with the best pre-screened

applicants available. From these two or three applicants, the supervisor decides whom to select.

Supervisory interview is generally used in selecting people for the lower and technical levels of the organisation.

REALISTIC JOB PREVIEWS

Most job seekers appear to have little information initially about the organizations to which they apply for jobs. Consequently, the information applicants receive from prospective employers in the recruiting/selection

process often is given considerable weight in their decisions whether to accept jobs. Information on pay, nature of the work, geographic location,

and opportunity for promotion is important to almost everyone. In addition, information on job security is particularly important to blue-collar applicants.

Some employers oversell their jobs in recruiting advertisements, making them appear better than they really are. The purpose of a realistic job

preview (RJP) is to inform job candidates of the ―organizational realities‖ of a job, so that they can more accurately evaluate their own job expectations.

By presenting applicants with a clear picture of the job, the organization hopes to reduce unrealistic expectations and thereby reduce employee disenchantment and ultimately employee dissatisfaction and turnover. A

review on research on RJPs found that they do tend to result in applicants having lower job expectations.

HIRING DECISION

After obtaining information through the preceding steps, selection decision-

the most critical of all the steps – must be made. The other stages in the

selection process have been used to narrow the number of candidatates. The

final decision has to be made from pool of individuals who pass the tests,

interviews and reference checks.

The views of the line manager will be generally considered in the final

selection because it is he/she who is responsible for the performance of the

new employee. The HR manager plays a crucial role in the final selection.

MEDICAL EVALUATION

After the selection decision and before the job after offer is made the

candidate is required to undergo a physical fitness test. A job offer is, often,

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contingent upon the candidate being declared fit after the physical

examination. The results of the medical fitness test are recorded in a

statement and are preserved in the personal records. There are several

objectives behind the fitness test. Obviously one reason is to detect the

individual does not carry infectious diseases. Secondly, it determines

whether an applicant is fit for the job. Thirdly, the physical examination

information may be used to determine if there are certain physical

capabilities which differentiate successful and less successful employees.

Fourthly, medical checkups protect applicants with health defects from

understanding work that could be detrimental to them or might otherwise

endanger the employer‘s property. Finally, such an examination will project

the employer from workers‘ compensation claims that are not valid because

the injuries or illness were present when the employees were hired.

It must be understood that applicants might be perfectly capable of handling

certain types of work. Their motivation to work may even be unusually high

because of a handicap. In many of the technical jobs, medical tests become

compulsory. Such tests are very popular with the government‘s selection

process.

MAKING JOB OFFER

Soon after you make a hiring decision, you‘ll want to make an employment

offer. Don‘t waste a moment‘s time—the best candidates are often being pursued by more than one potential employer. Pick up the phone and offer your number one candidate the job. If your first choice doesn‘t accept the

offer in a reasonable amount of time, or if you‘re at an unbreakable impasse on the details of the offer, then go on to your second choice. Work through your pool of winners until you either make a hire or exhaust the list of

candidates. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you rank your candidates and make your final hiring decision.

Be Objective: For a variety of reasons, we all prefer certain people more

than others. Unfortunately, this preference can obscure your job candidates‘

shortcomings, while a better qualified but less likable, candidate may come out a loser. Avoid being unduly influenced by your candidates‘ looks,

personalities, hairstyles, or personal dress code. While these characteristics might be nice to look at, they can‘t tell you how well your candidates can perform.

Trust Your Gut: What do you do when you‘re faced with a decision between

two equally qualified candidates? If you have no clear winner, listen to

yourself—what is your gut telling you to do? Do you have a feeling that one candidate will do a better job than the other? If so, go with it. While your

hiring decisions should be as objective as possible, sometimes you‘ve got to rely on subjective judgments. In the real world, rarely are two candidates equally qualified. This is where the time you spent reviewing your

candidates‘ paperwork and qualifications before the interview comes in

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handy. Anything that gives one person an edge over another should be used to help you make your final decision.

Other options include:

Asking candidates to prepare a strategy paper on how they‘d approach the job.

Giving them each a nonpaid assignment and see how they do. Trying them on a paid project.

Until you finally make your hire—and perhaps even for a few weeks beyond—keep in touch with other top candidates. You may be making a call to them when your first choice turns out to be a dud.

CONTRACTS OF EMPLOYMENT

After the job offer has been made and the candidates accept the offer,

certain documents need to be executed by the employer and the candidate.

One such document is the attestation form. This form contains certain vital

details about the candidate which are authenticated and attested by him.

Attestation form will be a valid record for future reference.

There is also a need to prepare the contract of employment.

Alternatively called employment agreements or simply bonds, they serve

many useful purposes. Such contracts help the employer curb the

employee‘s tendency to jump from one job to another. Besides, they protect

the knowledge and information that helps the organisation maintain

competitive edge. Generally, the companies prepare the contract with the

help of lawyers.

A typical contract of employment contains the following headings.

a. Job title

b. Duties

c. Date when continuous employment starts and the basis for

calculating service.

d. Rate of pay, allowances, overtime and shift rates, method of

payments.

e. Hours of work including lunch break and overtime and shift

arrangements.

f. Holiday arrangements

g. Sickness

h. Length of notice due to and from employee

i. Grievance procedure

j. Disciplinary procedure

k. Work rules

l. Arrangements for terminating employees

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m. Arrangements for union membership (if applicable)

n. Special terms

o. Employer‘s right to vary terms of the contract

CONCLUDING THE PROCESS

Contrary to popular perception, the selection process will not end with

executing the employment contract. There is another step-a more sensitive

one – reassuring those candidates who have been not selected. Such

candidates must be told that they were not selected, not because of any

serious deficiencies in their personalities, but because their profiles did not

match the requirements of the organization. They must be told that those

who were selected were done purely on relative merit.

EVALUATION OF THE PROCESS

The selection process can be evaluated to be effective or not on the quality of the personnel hired. Looking back at the past selection process, the

company can gain certain insights as to how to design the process in the future. Evaluation of the selection programme is done by the selection

programme audit. The audit contains a set of questions.

ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF SELECTION

In recent years, many new selection methods have been invented. These methods are said to be the alternative approaches to the traditional methods of selection. Participative selection and employee leasing are two of the most

appealing alternatives. In participative selection, the subordinates participate in the selection of their co-workers and supervisors. The logic is to obtain support for the newly hired employees and to improve the

confidence of the existing employees in the organisation. In employee leasing, the client company leases employees from a third party, not on ad

hoc basis, but rather on a full-time and long-term basis. Here the personnel activities like hiring, compensation administration and record-keeping are done by the lease provider. They are not directly employed by the client.

Employee leasing allows companies to shed their administrative burdens and concentrate on their main businesses. The employee whose service is

terminated by a company gets job with another client company.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Selection is the process by which an organisation selects the people best

suited for its jobs from a pool of applicants. Selection is necessary because individuals vary and it brings great benefits. However, poor selection

penalises the company. So, the selection tools must be chosen with care based on their reliability and validity.

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After the initial reception and screening is over, the applicants go through steps like tests, interview, verification, physical evaluation, etc. and then are

offered job. After the offer, contract of employment is prepared. Then come the conclusion and evaluation of the process.

TERMS FOR REVIEW

ability tests

mental ability tests

aptitude tests halo effect

behavioural description interview

nondirective interview

realistic job preview (RJP)

panel interview

situational interview

structured interview

stress interview

work sample tests

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Explain selection and its necessity. 2. Describe the two factors important for the picking of selection

methods.

3. Elucidate the steps in the selection process. 4. What are the types of selection interview? 5. Briefly explain the kind of selection tests.

6. Mention some common problems in the interview.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Discuss the differences in the selection processes of a private organisation and a government entity.

2. Do you think it is better to hire an outside consultant for conducting the selection process?

3. Interviewing unqualified applicants can be a frustrating experience to

the interviewer. How can the HR department minimize this problem? 4. You are the HR head of a mid-sized company. The company chairman

asks you to make the selection process easy for his favourite nephew. Would you agree to his demand?

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CASE STUDY

Selecting Manufacturing Employees

In the United States, Toyota uses a selection assessment test designed to

hire individuals to be employed as Toyota auto workers. Called the ―Day of Work,‖ this test is the most gruelling part of a hiring process that can take months. At Toyota plants in Kentucky and West Virginia, the Day of Work is

used regularly. Starting at 6:30 a.m., applicants work on a simulated assembly line for 4 hours and then spend several hours inspecting parts for

defects. They also participate in a group problem-solving session and take written tests. This is all necessary just to be considered for a job at Toyota.

Another process is used by Carrier Corporation, which makes compressors for air conditioners with its workforce of 150 at its Arkadelphia, Arkansas,

plant. If someone wants a job there, he or she must complete a six-week course before even being considered for employment. The selection process weeds out 15 of every 16 applicants and provides Carrier Corporation with a

top-quality workforce. High school graduates take a state test for job applicants first. Only one-third advance to the next step. References are closely checked, and then the applicants are interviewed both by managers

and by the assembly line workers with whom they will work. Those applicants who have satisfactory interviews take a six-week course that

meets five nights a week for three hours, with some extra Saturdays. Attendees learn to read blueprints, do math (including metric calculations and statistical process control), use a computer, and engage in problem

solving with others. At the end of the course, the applicants have not been hired (or paid) and have no assurance that they will be. But this approach

does not work everywhere or all the time. During a year, Lincoln Electric considered more than 20,000 job applicants and rejected most of them—yet it has empty positions that it needs to fill. Very few of those who applied at

Lincoln Electric could do trigonometry (even at the high school level) or read technical drawings. Those skills were needed for even entry-level work.

Questions

1. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with Toyota‘s ―Day of Work‖ approach.

2. When using teams to interview applicants, as Carrier Corporation does, what potential problems might exist with the use of invalid predictors and

inter-rater reliability?

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PETER DRUCKER ON STAFFING

The area in which the executive first encounters the challenge of strength is in staffing. The effective executive fills positions and promotes on the basis of what a man can do. He does not make staffing decisions to minimize weaknesses but to maximize strength. -The Effective Executive

Executives spend more time on managing people and making people decisions than on anything else, and they should. No other decisions are so long-lasting in their consequences or so difficult to unmake. And yet, by and large, executives make poor promotion and staffing decisions. By all accounts, their batting average is no better than .333: at most one-third of such decisions turn out right; one-third are minimally effective; and one-third are outright failures. In no other area of management would we put up with such miserable performance. Indeed, we need not and should not. Managers making people decisions will never be perfect, of course. -The Essential Drucker

JACK WELCH ON HIRING

Your goal in hiring is to get the right players on the field. Luckily, great people are everywhere. You just have to know how to pick them. It’s so easy to just hire people you like. After all, you’ll be spending the majority of your waking hours with them. It’s also easy to hire people with relevant experience. They’ll get the job done. But friendship and experience are never enough. Every person you hire has to have integrity, intelligence, and maturity. Once you’ve got those, look hard for people with the four Es (Positive Energy, Ability to Energise others, Edge-the ability to make Yes-or-No decisions and Execute) and passion. Beyond that, at the senior level, look for authenticity, foresight, the willingness to draw on others for advice, and resilience. Put it all together, and those are the people who win. -Winning

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REFERENCES

Aswathappa, K.: Human Resource and Personnel Management- Text and Cases, TATA McGRAW-HILL, Third Edition.

Davis, Keith and William B. Werther, JR.: Personnel Management and Human Resources, McGRAW-HILL, Second Edition.

Gomez-Mejia, Luis R., David B. Balkin and Robert L. Cardy: Managing Human Resources, Prentice-Hall of India, Third Edition, 2002.

Cascio, Wayne F.: Managing Human Resources, TATA McGRAW-HILL, Sixth Edition.

Pigors and Myers: Personnel Administration, McGRAW-HILL, Ninth Edition.

Stanton, Erwin S.: Successful Personnel Recruiting & Selection, Amacom.

Ramaswami, N.: The Management of Human Resource, T.R. Publications, 1996.

The Association of Business Executives: Human Resource Management- Study Manual, William House.

Welch, Jack: Winning, Perfectbound.

Drucker, Peter F.: The Effective Executive, Harperbusiness Essentials.

Drucker, Peter F.: The Essential Drucker, DF Books NERDs.

DILBERT

The End