1. BBA to MBA Fall 2009 Facilitator: Ayesha Asad

2. Good Selection Decision A good selection decision results in the person appointed attaining a satisfactory level of performance in an acceptable amount of time. It is important to reduce chances of error at each stage of the recruitment and selection process Use of appropriate selection techniques can help to reduce chances of error but no technique is “failsafe.” Errors may creep in due to a) problems in the methods or b) human error

3. Selection methods Assessment centers Work Sample Tests Ability Tests Personality Tests Biodata Structured Interviews Typical Interviews References Graphology

4. Some research on Research methods The research of Herriot (1989) suggests that the chances of being able to predict a perfect match between the candidate and their performance in the job are lower than one would wish. Smith, Gregg and Andrews (1989) suggest that the most common selection methods are a little better than chance at predicting a perfect match.

5. Coefficient of Predictive Validity Developed by Schmidt & Hunter (1977) and Hunter & Hunter (1984), It predicts the probability of a particular selection method predicting job performance A perfect selection method is one that predicts perfectly every time it is used which candidate will best perform the job and this method would have a coefficient of 1. A method with a coefficient of 0 may or may not predict the best candidate… 5 - 5

6. Coefficient of Predictive Validity Generally: A coefficient of over 0.5 is regarded as excellent A coefficient of 0.4 – 0.49 is seen as good A coefficient of 0.3 – 0.39 is considered acceptable And A Coefficient of less than 0.3 is seen as poor

7. Coefficient of Predictive Validity Methods with low coefficients of predictive validity tend to be used more frequently !!!! Methods with high coefficients of predictive validity are generally used less often due to reasons of cost, degree of expertise required and time needed to complete the process !!!

9. Errors & Biases Self-Serving Bias Halo Effect Satan Effect Stereotyping First Impressions Similar to me

10. Dealing with Errors & Biases The subconscious processes that lead to biases and errors of judgment are biological processes necessary for human mental health. No method can replace human judgment Methods should be used to augment human judgment – not to replace it… Sound methods can help to make clear the criteria on which decisions are made reducing the margin of error

11. Selection Methods Selection methods do not make the an inherently subjective process objective Selection methods do not remove bias Nor do they prevent errors Use of a method does not take the responsibility of the decision away from the manager If applied properly, through a proper process, only then a method can deliver value

13. Selection Methods Interviews One- on- One Interview Informal Interview Panel Interview Structured Interview Criterion-based Interview Focused Interview Behavioral Event Interview Situational Interview Final Interview Structured Activities Work Samples Tests Presentations Group Discussions Social Events… Psychometric tests Cognitive ability tests Personality Questionnaires References…

14. Selection Methods Interviewing: One on One Interviewing Large possibility of bias No second person to balance the discussion Difficult to ask probing questions and document information at the same time Candidate can claim discrimination etc… Informal Interview More than one interviewer Generally unstructured discussion for feedback to the selection panel. Questions may focus more or less on different aspects of the job Biases such as first impressions etc. might impact the later stages of the selection process …

15. Selection Methods Panel Interviews Very Popular Not a reliable predictor of job performance Different interviewers may have different questions/ weightings etc. Panelist questions may confuse the candidate Group dynamics may come into play Social event where candidate and employers come face to face Need to improve its use

16. Selection Methods Structured Interviews Format planned in advance Interviewers work together to plan the interview Each candidate is asked the same question in the same fashion Helps to elicit key information required to elicit information from the candidates since each question has a purpose A record is maintained On the downside an opportunity for informal social interaction is lost

17. Selection Methods Criterion Based Interviews Focus on the elements of the Person Specification Aims to probe only specific skills / competencies Range of questions more limited than in case of the structured interview

18. Selection Methods Focused Interviews If a job holds several important job aspects, it may be a good idea to hold focused interviews This will occur for some jobs only Each interview will explore one key aspect of the job e.g. leadership or communication skills if they form a very key part of the job and a single interview is not enough to explore these aspects effectively.

19. Selection Methods Behavioral Event Interviews Objective is to explore skills and behaviors used by candidates during certain specific circumstances Interviewers try to assess what the candidate has actually done as compared to what is said in the application or in other discussions etc. It can help candidates to identify skills that they did not believe they had

20. Selection Methods Situational Interviews Objective is to project candidates into the future to ask them “what if” questions. Aspects of job critical to performance and success are explored e.g. response to stress etc… Questions should be challenging but realistic Interviewers should not be tempted to confuse the candidate by asking impossible questions.

21. Selection Methods Final interviews To ensure that all necessary information has been obtained and provided.

22. Psychometric Testing High level of predictive validity Easy to administer (not all of them…) Large battery of tests available Users have to know how to interpret the result of these tests The right test should be used – they can only measure what they have been designed to measure Test should also be administered in a properly controlled environment Norm tables do not represent the ideal profile against which the candidates should be compared but they indicate what could normally be expected in that particular population.

23. Psychometric Testing Two main categories: Cognitive ability tests Personality questionnaires

24. Psychometric Testing Cognitive ability tests Word cognition means: the mental act or process by which knowledge is acquired including perception, intuition and reasoning – the knowledge that results from such a process. ( WHS Concise English Dictionary ) Cognitive is the adjective of cognition

25. Psychometric Testing Cognitive ability tests Single tests exist to measure one or many abilities Also complete test batteries combining several measures also exist so that we can obtain a more well-rounded view of the applicants abilities Tests chosen should reflect the need of the job Selection with care, compare with norms carefully, administer carefully  results can be quite effective

26. Psychometric Testing Personality questionnaires Need to carry out a personality test to assess fit with job Cook identifies six general categories of such tests. 16 PF, MBTI, DISC (based on theories of personality…) Key issue again is interpreting and providing feedback to the test taker.

27. Selection Methods Structured activities To ensure that all necessary information has been obtained and provided i.e. exploring areas of knowledge and skills in ways not possible in interviews Many structured techniques such as Work samples, tests, presentations etc… are are known to be valid and reliable predictors of performance (if designed and administered properly…).

28. Selection Methods Structured activities Should be aimed at the factors contained in the Job description and person specification Should not require candidates to possess information generally not available No candidate should need specific knowledge about the internal workings of the organization The activities should not have been seen previously by the candidates…

29. Selection Methods Work Samples Focused on a specific task important for job performance Example: Samples of typical outputs such as a letter or report…. Some researchers are of the view that work samples are the most accurate predictor of performance as the applicant is assessed directly on job-specific activities. But there are constraints with work samples as we see in next slide

30. Selection Methods Work Samples Research suggests that if the output of the work sample is rated (for example excellent, good, fair and poor…) rather then measured (actual output of the work sample…) the potential for bias and inaccuracy remains. Actual measurement of output is only possible where volume is produced (sales, production….) Work sample should be chosen to reflect the content, level and context of the job in question All applicants should be tested in similar conditions The work sample should not represent the hardest part of the job…

31. Selection Methods Tests Tests aim to explore a particular skill or area of knowledge, rather than an ability to carry out a particular aspect of the job Example: A typist’s skills tested over a range of activities that he/she may typically encounter not just the typing skill. All skills a typist is expected to possess normally.

32. Selection Methods Tests Tests should be piloted first to check that they actually test what they are being designed to test (validity). They should produce the same results each time they are used (reliability…) Test administration should be done carefully in similar conditions.

33. Selection Methods Reference Checks Use of references alone has a low predictive validity Their weaknesses may lie in: The referee’s ability to write a reference The referee’s ability to assess the candidate The referee’s relationship with the candidate What is not said The assessor’s ability to read between the lines The strength of reference checks: Possibility to check the statements made on the application Double check the assessor’s reading of the candidate…

35. Factors to consider when choosing selection method Increase the predictive validity of the whole process Be cost-effective Be practical Make sense to the selectors and candidates Be acceptable to the candidates, managers and selectors Enable good quality feedback for candidates Provide information for input in the development plan Contribute to the organization's image as a reputable employer Contribute to the personal development of the managers and others involved…

37. The DecisionTool The final selection decision will be made by people in all cases – no matter what methods, tools and processes were used… Information from all the different phases of the selection process needs to be brought together somehow (C.V., skill tests, interview, personality tests, …) One way to do this is to produce a decision matrix… See example in Table 6.2 Or you may use a decision tree See Figure 6.1

39. Reliability For any predictor of job performance to be useful it is important that it has an acceptable level of Reliability Reliability means that : A single individual’s scores should remain fairly stable over time, assuming that the characteristic being measured remains stable If the characteristic has not changed (your intelligence level) and the tool delivers variable results it is not reliable However a characteristic might be variable (moods, attitudes, weight…)

40. Validity A test must differentiate between satisfactory & unsatisfactory job performance Even if a test has high reliability it is not valid if it does not measure criteria that are relevant to the specific job Validity is the proven relationship of a selection device to a relevant criterion

41. Validity – 3 key concepts Content validity Construct Validity Criterion related validity A) Predictive validity B) Concurrent Validity

42. Validity – 3 key concepts Content validity Degree to which test content, as a sample, represents all situations on the job (situations that could have been included, such as a typing test for a typist…) Construct Validity The degree to which a test measures a particular trait (usually abstract in nature e.g. IQ tests…) related to successful job performance Criterion related validity The degree to which a particular selection device accurately predicts the level of performance (the relationship between a test score and job performance)

43. Validity – 3 key concepts Criterion related validity The degree to which a particular selection device accurately predicts the level of performance (the relationship between a test score and job performance) a) Predictive Validity Test is administered to fresh candidates and tested after a length of time (say one year…) to see if any correlation exists. If yes the test is maintained otherwise discarded. b) Concurrent Validity Test is validated on current employees’ – If test score is correlated to performance scores then test may be valid