Chapter 6 Employee Selection

Copyright © 2007 Thomson/South-Western.Copyright © 2007 Thomson/South-Western.All rights reserved.All rights reserved.

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Managing Human ResourcesManaging Human ResourcesBohlander Bohlander •• SnellSnell 1414thth edition edition

Employee SelectionEmployee Selection

Copyright © 2007 South-Western. All rights reserved. 6–2

Matching People and Jobs

• SelectionThe process of choosing individuals who have

relevant qualifications to fill existing or projected job openings.

• Selection ConsiderationsPerson-job fit: job analysis identifies required

individual competencies (KSAOs) for job success.Person-organization fit: the degree to which

individuals are matched to the culture and values of the organization.


Figure 6Figure 6–1 –1 The Goal of Selection: Maximize “Hits”The Goal of Selection: Maximize “Hits”


Figure 6Figure 6–2 –2 Steps in the Selection ProcessSteps in the Selection Process

Note: Steps may vary. An applicant may be rejected after any step in the process.Completion of application

Initial interview in HR department

Employment testing(aptitude, achievement)

Background investigation

Preliminary selection in HR department

Supervisor/team interview

Medical exam/drug test

Hiring decision


The Selection Process

• Obtaining Reliable and Valid InformationReliability

The degree to which interviews, tests, and other selection procedures yield comparable data over time and alternative measures.

Validity Degree to which a test or selection procedure measures

a person’s attributes.


Reliability as Stability over Time

HIGH RELIABILITY TEST RETEST

APPLICANT SCORE SCORESmith 90 93Perez 65 62Riley 110 105Chan 80 78

VERY LOW RELIABILITY TEST RETESTAPPLICANT SCORE SCORESmith 90 72Perez 65 88Riley 110 67Chan 80 111


Reliability as Consistency (Interrater Reliability)

HIGH RELIABILITY

APPLICANT Rater #1 Rater #2 Rater #3Smith 9 8 8Perez 5 6 5Riley 4 5 5Chan 8 8 8

VERY LOW RELIABILITY

APPLICANT Rater #1 Rater #2 Rater #3Smith 9 5 6Perez 5 9 4Riley 4 2 7Chan 8 4 2


Approaches to Validation

• Criterion-related ValidityThe extent to which a selection tool predicts, or

significantly correlates with, important elements of work behavior. A high score indicates high job performance potential; a

low score is predictive of low job performance.

• Concurrent ValidityThe extent to which test scores (or other predictor

information) match criterion data obtained at about the same time from current employees. High or low test scores for employees match their

respective job performance.


Approaches to Validation (cont’d)

• Predictive ValidityThe extent to which applicants’ test scores match

criterion data obtained from those applicants/ employees after they have been on the job for some indefinite period. A high or low test score at hiring predicts high or low job

performance at a point in time after hiring.

• Validity (or Correlation) CoefficientA number ranging from 0.00, denoting a complete

absence of relationship, to 1.00 and to -1.00, indicating a perfect positive and perfect negative relationship, respectively.


Figure 6Figure 6–3 –3 Correlation ScatterplotsCorrelation Scatterplots


Approaches to Validation

• Cross-validationVerifying the results obtained from a validation study

by administering a test or test battery to a different sample (drawn from the same population).

• Validity generalizationThe extent to which validity coefficients can be

generalized across situations.


Approaches to Validation (cont’d)

• Content validityThe extent to which a selection instrument, such as a

test, adequately samples the knowledge and skills needed to perform a particular job. Example: typing tests, driver’s license examinations

• Construct validityThe extent to which a selection tool measures a

theoretical construct or trait.Are difficult to validate

Example: creative arts tests, honesty tests


Sources of Information about Job Candidates• Application Forms

• Online Applications

• Biographical Information Blanks (BIB)

• Background Investigations

• Polygraph Tests

• Integrity and Honesty Tests

• Graphology

• Medical Examinations

• Employment Tests

• Interviews


Figure 6Figure 6–4 –4 The Effectiveness of Selection MethodsThe Effectiveness of Selection Methods

Source: Source: David E. Terpstra, “The Search for Effective Methods,” HRFocus (May 1996).

In a survey of 201 HR executives, participants were asked which selection methods produce the best employees. The mean rating for nine methods on a 5-point scale (1 = not good, 3 = average, 5 = extremely good):

Work samples 3.68

References/recommendations 3.49

Unstructured interviews 3.49

Structured interviews 3.42

Assessment centers 3.42

Specific aptitude tests 3.08

Personality tests 2.93

General cognitive ability tests 2.89

Biographical information blanks 2.84


Application Forms

• Application date

• Educational background

• Experience

• Arrests and criminal convictions

• Country of citizenship

• References

• Disabilities

Weighted application blank (WAB)The WAB involves the use of a common standardized employment application that is designed to distinguish

between successful and unsuccessful employees.


Online Applications

• An Internet-based automated posting, application, and tracking process helps firms to more quickly fill positions by:

Attracting a broader and more diverse applicant pool

Collecting and mining resumes with keyword searches to identify qualified candidates

Conducting screening tests online

Reducing recruiting costs significantly


Biographical Information Blanks

• Sample Questions:

At what age did you leave home?

How large was the town/city in which you lived as a child?

Did you ever build a model airplane that flew?

Were sports a big part of your childhood?

Do you play any musical instruments?


Background Investigations

• Checking ReferencesMail and telephone checks

Specific job-related information

Letters of referenceOnline computerized databasesPrivacy Act of 1974

Requires signed requests for reference letters and signed consent to background checks.

Applies to both educational and private employers.

Failure to check references Negligent hiring liabilities


Background Investigations (cont’d)

• Organizations using credit reports must:

1. Advise and receive written consent from applicants if a report will be requested.

2. Provide a written certification to the consumer reporting agency as to the purpose of the report.

3. Provide applicants a copy of the consumer report as well as a summary of their rights under the CCRRA.

4. Must provide an adverse-action notice a person if that person is not hired and contact information related to the reporting agency.


Figure 6Figure 6–3 –3 Use of Pre-Employment Selection Tools by Fortune 1000 Use of Pre-Employment Selection Tools by Fortune 1000 Companies*Companies*

*Tools that 212 security representatives at Fortune 1000 companies said their companies use consistently.

Source: Top Security Threats and Management Issues Facing Corporate America, Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations, Inc.


Employee Polygraph Protection Act (1988)

• Use of “lie detectors” is largely prohibited.

• Act requires qualified examiners.

• Act requires disclosure of information where used.

• Encouraged employers’ use of paper and pencil integrity and honesty tests.


Figure 6Figure 6–6 –6 Integrity Test Question ExamplesIntegrity Test Question Examples

Note: The number of items in each category was 2, 8, 13, and 9 respectively.

Source: Stephen Dwight and George Alliger, “Reactions to Overt Integrity Test Items,” Educational and Psychological Measurement 57, no. 6 (December 1977): 937–48, copyright © 1997 by Sage Publications, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Sage Publications, Inc.


Background Investigations (cont’d)

• GraphologyThe use of a sample of an applicant’s handwriting to

make an employment decision.

• Medical ExaminationsGiven last as they can be costly.Ensure that the health of an applicant is adequate to

meet the job requirements.Provides a baseline for subsequent examinationsADA requires all exams be job-related and conducted

after an employment offer is made.Testing for illegal drugs is allowed.


Drug Testing

• Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988Testing for illegal drugs is required applicants and

employees of federal contractors.

• Questions about the efficacy of testingWhy spend large sums on testing when…

testing for drugs doesn’t appear to make the workplace safer or improve employee performance?

few applicants actually test positive and alcohol abuse creates more problems in the workplace?


Employment Tests

• Employment TestAn objective and standardized measure of a sample

of behavior that is used to gauge a person’s knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) in relation to other individuals.

Pre-employment testing can lead to lawsuits.


Classification of Employment Tests

• Cognitive Ability TestsAptitude tests

Measures of a person’s capacity to learn or acquire skills.

Achievement tests Measures of what a person knows or can do right now.

• Personality and Interest Inventories “Big Five” personality factors:

Extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness to experience.


Figure 6Figure 6–7 –7 Is That Your Final Answer?Is That Your Final Answer?

Verbal 1. What is the meaning of the word “surreptitious”?a. covert c. livelyb. winding d. sweet

2. How is the noun clause used in the following sentence?“I hope that I can learn this game.”a. subject c. direct objectb. predicate nominatived. object of the preposition

Quantitative 3. Divide 50 by 0.5 and add 5. What is the result?a. 25 c. 95b. 30 d. 105

4. What is the value of 1442?a. 12 c. 288b. 72 d. 20736

Answers: 1a, 2c, 3d, 4d


Figure 6Figure 6–7 –7 Is That Your Final Answer? (cont’d)Is That Your Final Answer? (cont’d)

Reasoning 5. ______ is to boat as snow is to ______.a. Sail, ski c. Water, skib. Water, winter d. Engine, water

6. Two women played 5 games of chess. Each woman won the same number of games, yet there were no

ties. How can this be?a. There was a forfeit. c. They played different people.b. One player cheated. d. One game is still in progress.

Mechanical 7. If gear A and gear C are both turning counterclockwise,what is happening to gear B?a. It is turning counterclockwise.b. It is turning clockwise.c. It remains stationary.d. The whole system will jam.

Answers: 5c, 6c, 7b


Figure 6Figure 6–8 –8 CPI Personality Facets and Sample ItemsCPI Personality Facets and Sample Items

• Agreeableness Trust—I believe people are usually honest with me.

• Conscientiousness Attention to detail—I like to complete every detail of tasks

according to the work plans.

• Extroversion Adaptability—For me, change is exciting.

• Neuroticism Self-confidence—I am confident about my skills and abilities.

• Openness to Experience Independence—I tend to work on projects alone, even if others

volunteer to help me.

Source: Mark J. Schmit, Jenifer A. Kihm, and Chet Robie, “Development of a Global Measure of Personality,” Personnel Psychology 53, no. 1 (Spring 2000): 153–93.


Classification of Employment Tests (cont’d)

• Physical Ability TestsMust be related to the essential functions of the the

job.

• Job Knowledge TestsAn achievement test that measures a person’s level

of understanding about a particular job.

• Work Sample Tests Require the applicant to perform tasks that are

actually a part of the work required on the job.


The Employment Interview

• Why the interview is so popular:

It is especially practical when there are only a small number of applicants.

It serves other purposes, such as public relations

Interviewers maintain great faith and confidence in their judgments.


Interviewing Methods

• Nondirective InterviewThe applicant determines the course of the

discussion, while the interviewer refrains from influencing the applicant’s remarks.

• Structured InterviewAn interview in which a set of standardized questions

having an established set of answers is used.


Interviewing Methods (cont’d)

• Situational InterviewAn interview in which an applicant is given a

hypothetical incident and asked how he or she would respond to it.

• Behavioral Description Interview (BDI)An interview in which an applicant is asked questions

about what he or she actually did in a given situation.

• Panel InterviewAn interview in which a board of interviewers

questions and observes a single candidate.


Interviewing Methods (cont’d)

• Computer InterviewUsing a computer program that requires candidates to

answer a series of questions tailored to the job.Answers are compared either with an ideal profile or

with profiles developed on the basis of other candidates’ responses.

• Video interviewsUsing video conference technologies to evaluate job

candidates’ technical abilities, energy level, appearance, and the like before incurring the costs of a face-to-face meeting.


Highlights in HRM 2


Ground Rules for Employment Interviews

• Establish an interview plan

• Establish and maintain rapport

• Be an active listener

• Pay attention to nonverbal cues

• Provide information freely

• Use questions effectively

• Separate facts from inferences

• Recognize biases and stereotypes

• Control the course of the interview

• Standardize the questions asked


Diversity Management: Are Your Questions Legal• No questions are expressly forbidden.

Questions related to race, color, age, religion, sex, or national origin can be hazardous.

Questions are acceptable if job-related, asked of everyone, and do not discriminate against a protected class (e.g., females).

Consult EEOC and FEP information when constructing guidelines for interviewers.


Figure 6Figure 6–10 –10 “Can-Do” and “Will-Do” Factors in Selection Decisions“Can-Do” and “Will-Do” Factors in Selection Decisions


Reaching a Selection Decision

• Selection Considerations:

Should individuals to be hired according to their highest potential or according to the needs of the organization?

At what grade or wage level to start the individual?

Should selection be for employee- job match, or should advancement potential be considered?

Should those not qualified but qualifiable be considered?

Should overqualified individuals be considered?

What effect will a decision have on meeting affirmative action plans and diversity considerations?


Selection Decision Strategies

Multiple Cutoff Model - MinimumMultiple Cutoff Model - MinimumMultiple Cutoff Model - MinimumMultiple Cutoff Model - Minimum

Statistical ApproachStatistical ApproachStatistical ApproachStatistical Approach

Compensatory Model - AverageCompensatory Model - AverageCompensatory Model - AverageCompensatory Model - Average

Multiple Hurdle Model- SequentialMultiple Hurdle Model- SequentialMultiple Hurdle Model- SequentialMultiple Hurdle Model- Sequential

Clinical ApproachClinical ApproachClinical ApproachClinical Approach

ObjectivityObjectivityObjectivityObjectivity

SubjectivitySubjectivitySubjectivitySubjectivity


Selection Decision Models

• Compensatory ModelPermits a high score in one area to make up for a

low score in another area.

• Multiple Cutoff ModelRequires an applicant to achieve a minimum level

of proficiency on all selection dimensions.

• Multiple Hurdle ModelOnly applicants with sufficiently high scores at each

selection stage go on to subsequent stages in the selection process.


Selection Process (cont’d)

• Selection RatioThe number of applicants compared with the number

of people to be hired.

• Cutoff ScoreThe point in a distribution of scores above which a

person is considered and below which a person is rejected.


Figure 6Figure 6–11 –11 Test Score Scatterplot with Hypothetical CutoffsTest Score Scatterplot with Hypothetical Cutoffs


Selection Process (cont’d)

• Final DecisionSelection of applicant by departmental or immediate

supervisor to fill vacancy.Notification of selection and job offer by the human

resources department.


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Chapter 6 Employee Selection