Human Resource Management: Selection Methods
Human Resource Management: Selection Methods
Selection Methods
Employee selection
Selection is the process by which a firm uses specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants a person or persons most likely to succeed in the job(s), given management goals and legal requirements.
Definition
An interview (conversation with a purpose) with a candidate for a job in which a manager or personnel worker attempts to obtain and assess information about a candidate to make a valid prediction on the candidates future performance in the job. Key questions are:
Can the applicants do the job are they competent? Will the applicants do the job are they motivated? How will they fit into the organization?
Advantages of interviews
Opportunity of probing questions Realistic job preview: describing the job & organization Enables face-to-face encounters: organization & team fitness Opportunity for candidates to ask Opportunity for candidates to assess the organization
Disadvantages of interviews
Lack of validity & reliability in predicting performance Rely on the skills of the interviewer (and many are poor in interviewing) Do not necessarily assess competence needed by the particular job Possibility of biased and subjective judgements
Interviewing arrangements
Depends on the procedures used Information to the candidate: where (map?) and when (timing?) to come, whom to ask Inform the reception, security Facilities for waiting and for the interview Interviewers should have been well briefed on the programme Information on the firm, the job, next step of the selection process Follow-up studies (validating the selection, check on the capabilities of the interviewers) Eliminate any form of prejudice Ethical considerations
Preparation
Study the person specification and the informations in the applicants CV, application form, motivational letter Identify those features that are not fully match the specification or should be probed, gaps in job history etc. Timing relates to job seniority & complexity: e.g. 20 to 60 minutes
Interviewing techniques
Biographical interview:
Chronological order (concentrating on recent experience)
Asking questions
Open questions:
Good for starting but can miss
Probing questions:
To get further details to ensure getting all the information needed
Closed questions:
To clarify a point of fact The reply is a single word or brief sentence
Asking questions 2.
Capability questions:
To establish, what candidates know, what skills they possess etc. They are explicit
Continuity questions:
To keep the conversation going, to encourage
Asking questions 3.
Questions about outside interests
Spend not too many time on it Deepr insight into motivation
Questions to be avoided:
Multiple questions Leading questions Discriminatory questions
Interviewing skills
Establishing rapport (good relationship) Listening Maintaining continuity Keeping control (politely) Note talking
7-20
Selection tests
Psychological tests
These are measuring instruments: psychometric tests The purpose is to provide an objective means of measuring individual characteristics These are more objective and more valid than the interviews A good test is:
Valid (accurate) Reliable Standardized on a representative sample of the relevant population Sensitive: can differentiate applicants
Types of tests
Intelligence (cognitive ability) tests Personality tests Ability tests Aptitude tests Attainment tests
Intelligence tests
Measures general intelligence: the capacity of abstract thinking and reasoning Test scores can be related to norms (population)
Personality tests
Many different tests Five-factors model
Extroversion/introversion Emotional stability Agreeableness (cooperativity) Conscientiousness Openness to experience
Aptitude tests
Job specific tests that are designed to predict the potential performance of given job tasks E.g. clerical aptitude, mechanical aptitude
Attainment tests
Measuring abilities and skill already acquired E.g. typing test