THE THEORY AND PRACfICE OF SYSTEMATIC STAFFSELECfION

Also by Mike Smith

INTRODUCING ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR(with others)

A DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR WOMEN INMANAGEMENT

rHE BRITISH TELECOM SURVEY ITEM BANK (Vols I and II)

Also by Ivan T. Robertson

HUMAN BEHAVIOUR IN ORGANIZATIONS(with C. L. Cooper)

THE THEORY ANDPRACTICE

OFSYSTEMATIC STAFF

SELECTION

Mike SmithSenior Lecturer in Industrial Psychology

University of Manchester Institute ofScience and Technology

and

Ivan T. RobertsonLecturer in Occupational Psychology

University of Manchester Institute ofScience and Technology

MMACMILLAN

© Mike Smith and Ivan T. Robertson 1986Softeovcr reprint f the hardcover Ist edition 1986

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmissionof this publication may be made without written permission .

No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copiedor transmitted save with written permission or in accordancewith the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956(as amended) .

Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation tothis publication may be liable to criminal prosecutionand civil claims for damages.

First published 1986

Published byTHE MACMILLAN PRESS LTDHoundmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG212XSand LondonCompanies and representativesthroughout the world

British Library Cataloguing in Publication DataSmith, Mike, 1945-The theory and practice of systematic staffselection .I. Recruiting of employeesI. Title II . Robertson, Ivan, T.658.3'112 HF5549.5.R44

ISBN 978-1-349-07134-0 ISBN 978-1-349-07132-6 (eBook)DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-07132-6

Contents

List ofFiguresList of TablesList ofAbbreviationsAcknowledgements

PART I PREPARATION

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1 INTRODUCTION 3The Context of Selection 3The Essentials of a Selection System 3Selection and Other Areas of Industrial Psychology 4

2 JOB ANALYSIS 8The Many Uses of Job Descriptions 8Methods of Analysing Jobs 9More Involved Approaches to Job Analysis 10Agreement and Restructuring 19Theoretical Aspects of Job Analysis 20Example of Job Description 29

3 PERSONNEL SPECIFICATIONS 30Straightforward Approaches to Personnel Specifications 30More Complex Methods of Producing PersonnelSpecifications 32Theoretical Issues 44

4 CRITERIA 48Reasons for Choosing Criteria at an Early Stage 48Importance of Criteria 49Levels of Criteria 50Types of Criteria 51Theoretical Requirements of Criteria 67

v

vi Contents

5 ATIRACTING A FIELD OF CANDIDATES,APPLICAnON FORMS, AND HANDLING THERESPONSE 75Attracting a Field of Candidates 75Recruitment Media 76Methods of Application 82The Application Pack 83Application Forms 83Curricula Vitae 86Producing a Short List 86Theoretical Issues in Attracting a Field of Applicants 87

6 REQUIREMENTS OF MEASURES -PSYCHOMETRICS 100Practicality of Measures 100Sensitivity of Measures and Scoring Systems 103Reliability 104Validity 115

PART II PREDICTORS

7 INTERVIEWS 137The Selection Function of Interviews 137Additional Functions of Interviews 149An Overview 150

8 PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS 152Definition of Psychological Tests 152Categories of Psychological Tests 153Categories Based on What Tests Measure 153Categorisation based on Method of Measurement 156Categorisation According to Qualifications of Test User 157Specific Psychological Tests 158Tests of Personality 164Tests of Interests and Motivation 167Choosing Among Tests 173Outlines of Test Construction 173Administrative Aspects of Tests 176Code of Practice in Using Tests 181Tailored Testing 183

Contents vii

9 WORK SAMPLES 187Types of Work-Sample Tests 189Assessing Trainability 197Benefits and Limitations of Work-Sample Tests 198

10 OTHER PREDICTORS 205Biographical Data 205Self-assessment 210Peer-evaluation 213References 213Graphology 216Astrology 220

PART III EVALVAnON AND OTHER ASPECTS

11 MAKING A DECISION AND ESTIMATING THEVALUE OF SELECTION 227Clinical v. Actuarial Prediction 227Clinical Approaches 228Actuarial Approaches 228Multiple Vacancies for One Job 232Multiple Vacancies for Several Jobs 234Estimating the Value of Selection 234

12 BIAS IN SELECTION 245Discrimination and Types of Bias 245Types of Evidence of Biased Selection Procedures 246Bias of Specific Predictors 255Wider Aspects of Affirmative Action 263

13 SOME REMAINING ISSUES 264Assessment Centres 264Faking and Distortion 270Organisational Issues 273

Appendix I: Some Useful Formulae 279Appendix II: Theoretical Expectancy Tables 285Bibliography 291Index 314

List of Figures1.1 The stages of systematic selection 51.2 The industrial psychology paradigm 62.1 A schematic analysis of job analysis 223.1 Aptitude profile for the job of setter 353.2 Structures of intellect 383.3 Schematic representation of Vernon's model of

intelligence 394.1 Hypothetical reliabilities of sales figures based

upon different time periods 696.1 Distribution of scores on five predictors 104

6.2 Normal curve showing height of a sample of 36 women 1076.3 Two examples of a normal curve showing how

mean and standard deviation may vary 108

6.4 Example of a scattergram between a predictor anda criterion 118

8.1 Saville-Holdsworth's categorisation of the worldof work 171

8.2 Correct and incorrect methods of drawingpsychometric profiles 182

9.1 A comparison of work-sampling and 'traditional'approaches 188

9.2 Bricklaying trainability test 19810.1 A comparison of the validities obtained from

biodata and other selection methods 20711.1 Complications in profile matching 23111.2 Relating prediction to performance using a scattergram 23311.3 CPO AT grades and efficiency of selection 23611.4 Ghiselli-Brown nomograph for estimating

improvement in productivity from selection 24112.1 Bias in selection using quadrant analysis 25213.1 The flow of assessment centre information 267

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List of Tables

2.1 Checklist One : Contents of job descriptions 112.2 Checklist Two: Advantages and disadvantages of ten

methods of job analysis 132.3 Tabular representation of Functional Job Analysis 152.4 A typical job analysis questionnaire 182.5 Two examples of benchmarked scales similar to

those used by McCormick 202.6 Reliability of job analysis ratings 233.1 Rodger's 'Seven Point Plan' 313.2 Example of personnel specification 333.3 Qualities required of supervisors in the knitting

industry 363.4 Personal values and managerial interests 434.1 Some production indices used as criteria 524.2 Some personnel indices used as criteria 544.3 Some ways of collecting judgemental data 604.4 Improved rating scales 614.5 A practical example of a behaviourally-anchored

rating scale 624.6 Abbreviated example of a completed summated

rating scale 645.1 Guidelines for producing newspaper advertisements 815.2 Checklist for constructing an application form 845.3 Checklist for contents of application forms 855.4 Use and satisfaction with recruitment media 885.5 Perceived advantages and disadvantages of recruitment

~a ~

5.6 Applicant's use and success with recruitmentmedia 90

5.7 Schoolleaver application form 915.8 Senior management application form 94

IX

x List of Tables

5.9 Application form 966.1 Main costs in a selection system 1026.2 Interpretation of correlation coefficients for reliability 1116.3 Hypothetical factor loadings for interview scores 1236.4 Hypothetical correlation patterns for valid and invalid

measures using convergent-divergent method ofassessing validity 125

8.1 Listing of some tests of ability 1638.2 Higher order factors and their primaries on the 16PF

Test 1688.3 Some tests of personality 1698.4 Some interest tests 1729.1 Summary of validity coefficients for each type of

work-sample test 1909.2 Distribution of validity coefficients for each type

of work-sample test : proportions in each category 1909.3 Selected contents from a departmental manager's

in-tray exercise 1959.4 Comparison of validity coefficients for job-learning

tests and other psychomotor tests using training criteria 1999.5 Distribution of validity coefficients for work-sample

tests and other predictors using job performancecriteria 203

10.1 A reference request form and letter 21411.1 Theoretical expectations of branch manager success 23811.2 Information needed to calculate utility of selection 23913.1 Dimensions assessed by two assessment centre

exercises 26613.2 Criterion variables used in some assessment centre

validation studies 275

List of Abbreviations

APREAT&TCBSCODOT

CPOATCRACCSSBDBAEPIEWSGNPLGDMCBMMPINFERNIIPONRPAQRJPSCIITASTATULMAVDUWAISWISC

Army Personnel Research EstablishmentAmerican Telephone and TelegraphColumbia Broadcasting SystemClassification of Occupations and Directory ofOccupational TitlesCard Punch Operator Aptitude TestCareers Research and Advisory CentreCivil Service Selection BoardDoctor of Business AdministrationEysenck Personality InventoryEfficient Worker StandardGross National ProductLeaderless Group DiscussionManagement Centre BradfordMinnesota Multiphas ic Personality InventoryNational Foundation for Education ResearchNational Institute of Industrial PsychologyOffice of Naval ResearchPosition Analysis QuestionnaireRealistic Job PreviewStrong Campbell Interest InventoryTask Abilities ScaleThematic Apperception TestUltra Low Modulation AmplifiersVisual Display UnitWeschler Adult Intelligence ScaleWeschler Intelligence Scale for Children

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Acknowledgements

The authors and publishers wish to thank the following who havekindly given permission for the use of copyright material:

The British Psychological Society for figure 'Aptitude profile for thejob setter', Sparrow et al. (1982) Journal ofOccupational Psychology .

IPM Personnel Management Services Ltd and British Institute ofManagement for tables from Selecting Managers.

McGraw-Hili Book Company for a figure from Ghiselli and Brown(1955) Personnel and Industrial Psychology .

Personnel Psychology for the table from Klimoski and Strickland(177) 'Assessment centers - valid or merely prescient? ' PersonnelPsychology 30, 353-61 ; for a figure from Asher (1972) 'The bio­graphical item: can it be improved?', Personnel Psychology, 25,252--69; and for tables from Lawshe, Bolda, Brune and Auclair(1958) 'Expectancy charts II : their theoretical development', Person­nel Psychology , 11,545-59.

Sidney A . Fine and The Johns Hopkins Press for the figure fromPerformance Assessment, ed Ronald Buk, chapter 1, Sidney A. Fine,'Job Analysis', 1986, The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, MD .

Saville & Holdsworth Ltd, for the figure 'Saville-Holdworth'sCategorisation of the world of work' .

Every effort has been made to trace all copyright-holders, but if anyhave been inadvertently overlooked the publishers will be pleased tomake the necessary arrangement at the first opportunity.

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