2. Acquiring and Preparing Human Resources2
Acquiring and Preparing Human Resources
Planning for and Recruiting Human Resources
Selecting Employees and Placing them in Jobs
Training Employees

3. Selecting Employees and Placing them in Jobs6 C H A P T E R
Selecting Employees and Placing them in Jobs
Selection Process
Job Applications and Resumes
Employment Tests and Work Samples
Selection Decisions

4. Ch. 6 Learning Objectives
Identify the elements of the selection process.
Define ways to measure the success of a selection method.
Summarize the government’s requirements for employee selection.
Compare the common methods used for selecting human resources.
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

5. Ch. 6 Learning Objectives
Describe major types of employment tests.
Discuss how to conduct effective interviews.
Explain how employer carry out the process of making a selection decision.
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

6. Selection Personnel Selection
Process through which organizations make decisions about who will or will not be allowed to join the organization
What is the difference between recruitment and selection?

7. Your Experience A=Yes, B=No
Have you ever had to take a computerized or paper-and-pencil test in order to get a job?
Have you ever had to interview in order to get a job?

8. Steps in the Selection Process
Figure 6.1

9. Criteria for Evaluating Selection Methods
Figure 6.2

10. Content-Related Validity
A measure of validity based on the consistency between the test items or problems and the kinds of situations or problems that occur on the job
Establishing content validity would be an effective approach for what kinds of tests?

11. Criterion-Related Validity
A measure of validity based on showing a substantial correlation between test scores and job performance.
Establishing criterion validity would be an effective approach for what kinds of tests?

12. Criterion-Related Validity
Figure 6.3

13. Two Approaches to Criterion-Related Validity
Predictive validation
Uses test scores of all applicants and looks for a relationship between the scores and future performance.
Concurrent validation
Administers a test to people who currently hold a job, then compares their scores to existing measures of job performance.
What are the pros and cons of each?

14. Test Your Knowledge
What is the best method to validate the following tests and why?
Content (A) or Criterion-related (B) validity
Interview
Skills-based test (e.g., troubleshooting equipment, operating equipment)
Integrity test
Personality test
Job knowledge test
Math or reading test

15. Legal Standards for Selection
CRA 1991
Selection test that has disparate impact must be a valid predictor of job performance
Race norming is illegal
EEO laws prohibit gathering information on protected status, even indirectly.
ADA requires employers to make “reasonable accommodation” to disable individuals throughout the selection process

16. Permissibility of Questions
Table 6.1

17. Test Your Knowledge Which of the following questions is permissible?
Will child care demands affect your ability to get to work?
Do you have a car so that you will be able to get here on time?
This job requires you to be here from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Can you meet that job requirement?

18. Applications and Resumes
Applications gather:
Contact information
Work experience
Educational background applicant’s signature
Resumes are most valid when the content of the resume is evaluated in terms of the elements of a job description.
Technology helps manage resumes

19. References & Background Investigations – HR Dilemma
Giving References on Former Employees
Risks: May be held liable for defamation, invasion of privacy or retaliation for statements made about former employees.
Risks of Negligent Hiring and Negligent Referrals
Hiring: Employers must exercise “due diligence” in investigating an applicant’s background to avoid suits for the actions of their employees.
Referrals: Employers have a duty to truthfully disclose the qualifications and character of a former employee
May be held liable for negligent hiring and referrals
Edgewater Technology – December 2000
What should organizations do?

20. Types of Employment Tests
Aptitude
Tests that assess how well a person can learn or acquire skills and abilities
Achievement
Tests that measure a person’s existing knowledge and skills
Examples?

21. Types of Employment Tests
Physical Ability
Measures muscular endurance, power, flexibility, balance coordination
Cognitive ability
Test designed to measure such mental abilities as verbal skills, quantitative skills, and reasoning ability

22. Types of Employment Tests
Job Performance and Work Samples
Assess ability to perform a sample of the work
Assessment Centers
Personality inventories
Big Five Characteristics

23. Honesty Tests Polygraphs (“lie detector”)
Table 6.4
Polygraphs (“lie detector”)
Employee Polygraph Protection Act
When can polygraphs be used?

24. Interviews Nondirective interview Structured interview
The interviewer has great discretion in choosing questions to ask each candidate
Structured interview
Consists of a predetermined set of questions for the interviewer to ask

25. Interview Types Situational interviews Behavior description interview
The interviewer describes a situation likely to arise on the job, then asks the candidate what he or she would do in that situation
Behavior description interview
The interviewer asks the candidate to describe how he or she handled a type of situation in the past.
Pros and cons of each?

26. Interviewing Advantages
Can provide evidence of communication and interpersonal skills
Most valid when they focus on job knowledge and skills.
Disadvantages
Can be unreliable
Low on validity
Costly
Subjective/biased

27. Tips for Interviewing Effectively
Decide what you’re looking for.
Plan the interview.
Put the applicant at ease.
Work from a list.
Listen and follow up.
Take notes.
Close the interview gracefully

28. How Organizations Select Employees
Multiple Hurdles
Establishing a minimum score for each employment test thereby gradually narrowing the candidates down
Example, passing scores are:
Math test - 70%
Conscientiousness test - 90%
Interview - 80%
Applicant A: Math 80%, Conscientiousness, 92%, Interview 85% = Eligible to Hire? (A=Yes, B=No)
Applicant B: Math 60%, Conscientiousness, 95%, Interview 95% = Eligible to Hire? (A=Yes, B=No)

29. How Organizations Select Employees
Compensatory approach
Scores on all predictors are added together, allowing a higher score on one predictor to offset a lower score on another predictor.
Example, Total points must equal 200:
Applicant A: Math 60, Conscientiousness 100, Interview 90 = 250 points (A=Yes, B=No)
Applicant B: Math 95, Conscientiousness 75, Interview 80 = 250 points (A=Yes, B=No)
Applicant C: Math 50, Conscientiousness 65, Interview 80 = 195 points (A=Yes, B=No)
Who is eligible to hire?

30. Diversity in Hiring: Candidate Conundrum
Errors in evaluation are often made because of common biases that influence one’s decision making (e.g., halo, horn, contrast, similar-to-me). What evaluation biases seemed to be taking place in this scenario?
What advantages and disadvantages are there when using panel interviews?
What valid reasons did Robert provide to persuade Paul to choose Jacqueline?

31. Diversity in Hiring: Candidate Conundrum (Legal Issues)
If Robert made the decision to hire Jacqueline because she was married, would Sonya have a case against Beck ‘n Call under Title VII?
Is Robert’s decision to hire Jacqueline legal? Why or why not?

32. Video - Digital Domain
Discuss how Digital’s method of categorizing candidates streamlines its selection process.
Discuss your personal opinion of Digital’s candidate selection process. Explain why you like it or why you don’t. Discuss how this method would impact you, if you were a candidate at this company.
Does employment with a company like Digital interest you? Discuss why or why not.
The video points out the importance of quality production to Digital. How does its selection methodology support this?