Staffing Activities: SelectionMeasurement & External Selection

HUR-332Presented by: Kamelia Gulam

CH 9

Organization Strategy HR and Staffing Strategy

Staffing Policies and Programs

Staffing System and Retention Management

Support Activities

Legal compliance

Planning

Job analysis

Core Staffing Activities

Recruitment: External, internal

Selection:Measurement, external, internal

Employment:Decision making, final match

Organization

MissionGoals and Objectives

Staffing Organizations Model

2

1- Measurement

3

7-4

Key Concepts

• Measurement

– the process of assigning numbers to objects to represent quantities of an attribute of the objects

• Scores

– the amount of the attribute being assessed

• Correlation between scores

– a statistical measure of the relation between the two sets of scores

Important and use of measures

• Measures are methods or techniques for describing and assessing attributes of objects that are of concern to use.

• Results of the measurement process are expressed in numbers or scores

• Examples:– Tests of applicant KSAOs– Job performance ratings

of employees– Applicants’ ratings of their

preferences for various typesof job rewards

5

7-6

Measurement: Definition

• Process of assigning numbers to objects to represent quantities of an attribute of the objects

– Attribute/Construct - Knowledge of mechanical principles

– Objects - Job applicants

Summary of measurement process

• Choose an attribute of interest

• Develop operational definition of attribute

• Construct a measure of attribute as operationally defined

• Use measure to actually gauge attribute

7

8

7-9

Measurement: Levels

• Nominal

– A given attribute is categorized and numbers are assigned to categories

– No order or level implied among categories

• Ordinal

– Objects are rank-ordered according to how much of attribute they possess

– Represents relative differences among objects

• Interval

– Objects are rank-ordered

– Differences between adjacent points on measurement scale are equal in terms of attribute

• Ratio

– Similar to interval scales -equal differences between scale points for attribute being measured

– Have a logical or absolute zero point

Staffing Activities: Selection

2- External selection

10

External selection

• selection: refers to the assessment and evaluation of external job applicants. The organization will assess the applicant KSA,s and motivation. Also the applicant is assessing and evaluating the job and the organization to determine the degree of person job match.

11

External selection

• A variety of assessment methods are used.Primary issues that guide the use of theassessment methods will be discussed.

• These issues are:

1. Logic of prediction

2. Nature of predictors

3. Development of the selection plan

4. Selection sequence

12

• The logic of prediction demonstrates how critical it is to carefully scrutinize the applicant’s past situation when making selection decisions.

13

1- Logic of prediction

Logic of prediction Cont

• Person’s KSA and motivation are theproduct of experience of past job,current job, and nonjob.

• in the selection process the organizationidentifies, assesses, and evaluates theKSA’s and motivations.

• The result constitute the person’s overallqualifications for the new job

14

Logic of prediction Cont

• These qualifications are then used to predict how successful the person is likely to be in the new job regarding to the (HR) outcomes.

Logic of prediction Cont

• Not specific enough to make selection decisions

– Job titles

–Number of years of experience

What counts is the specific types of experiences required and the level of successat each

16

17

• There are different types of predictors used in

external selection ranging from interviews to genetic screening.

• They all differ from one another in terms of content and form.

18

2- Nature of predictors

•CONTENT:

• everything which is inside in something.

• Information

• Experience

• KSAOS etc

• That is the object which is being assessed with a predictor varies considerably and may range from a sign to a sample to a criterion.

19

Nature of predictors Cont

Nature of predictors Cont

- A sign: is a predisposition to a person who is thought to relate to performance on the job? (e.g., personality like abrasive)

- A sample: is closer than a sign to actual on-the-job results.

- Criterion: Actual measure of performance( e.g., outcome during probation period)

20

Nature of predictors Cont

• Form

– Speed vs. power: How many versus what level

Speed test is used when speed of work is important part of the job, and power test is used when the correctness of the person is essential to the job.

21

Nature of predictors Cont

• Form

–Objective vs. essay: Objective much like multiple-choice and used to measure knowledge in specific areas, but essay used to assess written communication.

• Form

- Paper / pencil vs. performance: Test in writing used to test the psychological abilities, but in behavior used to test the physical and social skills

22

• Oral versus Written versus Computer.• Responses to predictor questions can be spoken,

written, or entered into the computer.• As with all predictors, the appropriate form depends

on the nature of the job.• If the job requires a high level of verbal skill, then oral

responses should be solicited.• If the job requires a large amount of writing, then

written responses should be required.• If the job requires constant interaction with the

computer, then applicants should enter their responses into the computer.

23

Nature of predictors Cont…

• PURPOSE:• To translate the results of a job analysis into the actual predictors to

be used for selection, a selection plan must be developed.• USES:• A selection plan describes which predictor(s) will be used to assess

the KSAOs required to perform the job.• METHOD FOR DEVELOPING PLAN:• In order to establish a selection plan, three steps are followed.• First, a listing of KSAOs is written in the left-hand column. • Second, for each KSAO, a “yes” or “no” is written to show whether

this KSAO needs to be assessed in the selection process. • Third, possible methods of assessment are listed for the required

KSAOs, and the specific method to be used for each of these KSAOs is then indicated.

24

3- Development of the Selection Plan:Steps Involved

Development of the Selection Plan:Steps Involved Cont

1. Develop list of KSAOs required for job

– KSAOs are provided by job requirements matrix

2. For each KSAO, decide if it needs to be assessed in the selection process

3. Determine method(s) of assessment to be used for each KSAO

25

4- Selection Sequence

26

Selection Sequence• Decisions are made about job applicants before they are

selected.

1. First decision is whether initial applicants who have applied for the job become candidate. (Candidate is someone who possesses the minimum qualifications to be considered for further assessment).

2. Second decision is to determine which candidates become finalists. (finalists is someone who the organization considers fully qualified for the job.)

3. The third decision is to determine which finalist receive the job offer of employment.

4. • Finally, some offer receivers become new hires when they decide to join the organization.

INITIAL ASSESSMENT METHODS• These methods are also referred to as pre-employment inquiries and are used to minimize the costs associated with substantive

• assessment methods by reducing the number of people assessed. • Predictors typically used to screen candidates from applicants

• include:

• • application blanks, • biographical information,• reference reports,• handwriting analysis, • literacy testing, • genetic screening, and • initial interviews

• • Using meta-analysis results, the average validity (i.e., r¯) of each method is also provided if possible. Then, a general evaluation will be presented to help guide decisions about which initial assessment methods to use.

28

The first introduction of the applicant to the organization This introduction is controlled by the applicant as to the

amount, type, and accuracy of information provided. It need to be verified with other predictors, such as application blanks, to ensure that there is accurate and complete data across all job applicants. It is very difficult for many organizations to store resumesfor any extended period of time and read them accurately. Fortunately, the computer has resolved this issue. Hundreds of large companies currently use resume´-tracking software.

29

Résumés' and Cover Letters

• Information provided is controlled by applicant • Information needs to be verified by other

predictors to ensure accuracy and completeness• Major issues– Large number received by organizations– Falsification and misrepresentation of information•Lack of research exists related to– Validity or reliability– Costs– Adverse impact

30

Résumés' and Cover Letters Cont

• The most common misleading information put onrésumé's is: Inflated titles Inaccurate dates to cover up job hopping oremployment gaps Half-finished degrees, inflated education, or“purchased” degrees Inflated salaries Inflated accomplishments Outright lies with regard to roles and responsibilities

31

Résumés' and Cover Letters Cont

Application Blanks.

• Can be used to verify the data presented on the resume.

• The major advantage of application blanks over resume is that the organization dictates what the information is presented more than the applicant.

Areas covered

– Educational experience, – Training, – Job experience

• Major issue -- Information requested should

– Be critical to job success and

– Reflect KSAOs relevant to job

.

32

Sample Application for Employment

8-338-33

• Areas of special interest– Educational requirements Level of educationGPAQuality of schoolMajor field of studyExtracurricular activities

– Training and experience requirements– Licensing, certification, and job knowledge• Weighted application blanks• Evaluation --> ŕ = .10 to ŕ = .20

34

Application Blanks

• Personal history information of applicant’s background and interests

– “Best predictor of future behavior is past behavior”

– Past behaviors may reflect ability or motivation

• Measures

– Examples of Bio data Items

• Bio data compared with background checks

– Background check

• examines an applicant’s background

• conducted through records checks and conversations with references

– Bio data

• used to predict future performance

• information is collected by survey

35

Biographical Information / Bio data

36

Reference Checks

• Approach involves verifying applicant’s background via contact with

• Prior immediate supervisor(s) or

• HR department of current of previous companies

37

38

• Method involves assessing reliability of applicants’ behavior,integrity, and personal adjustment• Type of information requested– Criminal history– Credit information– Educational history– Employment verification– Driver license histories– Workers’ compensation claims• Key issues– Limited validity evidence– Legal constraints on pre-employment inquiries

39

Reference Reports: BackgroundTesting

40

Sample Reference Check

• Predictive validity limited: r = .16 to .26

• Validity depends on source providing

information

– HR department, coworker, or relative

– Supervisors

– What sources do you think work best?

• Cost vs. benefit of approach must be

considered

41

Evaluation of Reference Reports

• An extremely distant sign of job performance is handwriting

analysis or graphology.

• This type of analysis is used to predict employee performance.

• Handwriting analysis is an effective and reliable indicator of personality and behavior, and so is a useful tool for many

organizational processes, for example: recruitment, interviewing

and selection, team-building, counselling, and career-planning.

• In fact, graphology is widely used in western Europe (particularly

France and Switzerland )

• While the processes of obtaining handwriting samples is not.

• The theory behind graphology as a selection device is that handwriting is a measure of personality.

42

1- Handwriting Analysis;

• Advantage:

• One of the very few advantages of this predictor over other predictors measuring personality is that it is difficult to fake.

• Disadvantage

• The problem with this approach is that the link between handwriting , personality, and HR outcomes is tenuous at best. One would expect to find virtually no relationship between handwriting analysis and a distant outcome such as job performance and, in fact, that is exactly what has

been found.

43

Handwriting Analysis; (cont..)

• Most jobs require that employees possess reading and writing skills.• In some jobs, the need for these skills is obvious.• In others, though the need is not obvious, these skills are nevertheless critical to successful on-the-job performance.• Historically, this was not a selection issue in industries where people’s physical skills were much more important than their mental skills.• Today, all that has changed.

44

2 . Literacy Testing;

Done to screen out people who are susceptible to certain diseases (e.g., sickle cell anemia) due to exposure to toxic substances at work

Genetic screening is not widespread, companies such as Du Pont and Dow Chemical experimented with it to protect their employees

Court decisions have ruled that genetic screening is prohibited under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

genetic testing is permissible only when consent has been granted by the applicant or when test results directly bear on an applicant’sability to perform the job

45

Genetic screening

Initial interview:

• Characteristics

Begins process of necessary differentiation

Purpose -- Screen out most obvious cases of person / job mismatches

interview should focus on an assessment of KSAO’S that are absolute requirements for the applicant.

Limitation -- Most expensive method of initial assessment

• Video and computer interviews

Offers cost savings

46

Video based interviews link the applicant and recruiter via remote video access. Advantage: they can dramatically lower the cost of initial

interviews.Disadvantage: a disadvantage of these interviews is that they do not permit face-to-face contact. Computer based interviews utilize software that asks applicants questions presents

realistic scenarios It can even track how long it takes an applicant to answer

each question.

47

Video and computer interviews

• Minimal evidence exists regarding usefulness

• Guidelines to enhance usefulness

– Ask questions assessing most basic KSAOs

– Stick to basic, fundamental questions suitable for making rough cuts rather than subjective questions

– Keep interviews brief

– Ask same questions of all applicants

48

Evaluation of Initial Interview

Substantive assessment methods

• This kind of methods is the heart of staffing decisions, because substantive selection is the highlight of actual hiring decisions.

• Organizations use initial assessment methods to make rough cuts among applicants, weeding out the obviously unqualified.

• Substantive are used to make more precise decisions about applicant among those who meet the minimum qualifications for the job.

49

Substantive assessment methods

1- Personality test:

• an instrument, as a questionnaire or series of standardized tasks, used to measure personality characteristics or to discover personality sicknesses.

2- Ability test:

• It measures individual’s capacity. There are two types of ability test:

- Aptitude test: look at a person’s innate capacity to function:

- Achievement test: assess a person’s test capacity to function.

50

3- Situational judgment test:

• This test place applicants in hypothetical job related situations where they are asked to choose of action from several alternatives.

4- Structured interview:

• Characteristics of structured interview:

1- questions are based on job analysis.

2- same questions are asked for all candidates.

3- the response to each questions is numerically evaluated.

4. Detailed notes are taken.

Substantive assessment methods

51

Substantive Assessment Methods

• 4- Interview simulations

– Role-play: candidate must play work related role with interviewer

– Fact finding: candidate needs to solicit information to evaluate an incomplete case

– Oral presentations: candidate must prepare and make an oral presentation on assigned topic

52