Dessler, Cole, and Sutherland

Human Resources Management in Canada

Canadian Eighth Edition

Chapter Seven

Selection

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-1

 Selection

-process
-process ofof choosing
choosing individuals:
individuals:
-with
-with relevant
relevant qualifications
qualifications
-for
-for existing
existing or
or projected
projected job
job openings
openings
-important
-important because:
because:
-quality
-quality of
of human
human resources
resources determines
determines
organizational
organizational performance
performance
-high
-high cost
cost of
of inappropriate
inappropriate selection
selection decisions
decisions
-significant
-significant legal
legal implications
implications
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-2
 The Selection Process

10.
10.Evaluation
Evaluationof
of selection
selectionprocess
process
9.
9.Candidate
Candidatenotification
notification
8.
8.Hiring
Hiringdecision
decision
7.
7.Realistic
Realisticjob
jobpreview
preview
6.
6.Supervisory
Supervisoryinterview
interview
5.
5.Background
Background investigation
investigationand
andreference
referencechecking
checking
4.
4.Selection
Selectioninterview
interview
3.
3. Selection
Selectiontesting
testing
2.
2.Initial
Initialapplicant
applicantscreening
screening
1.
1.Preliminary
Preliminaryreception
reception ofof applicants
applicants
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-3
Constraints on the Selection Process

-organizational
-organizational policies
policies and
and plans
plans
-job
-job requirements
requirements
-supply
-supply challenges
challenges
-ethics
-ethics
-legislative
-legislative requirements
requirements

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-4

Constraints on the Selection Process

Guidelines for Avoiding Legal Problems

-selection
-selection criteria
criteria based
based on
on the
the job
job
-adequate
-adequate assessment
assessment of of applicant
applicant ability
ability
-careful
-careful scrutiny
scrutiny of
of applicant-provided
applicant-provided information
information
-written
-written authority
authority for
for reference
reference checking
checking
-save
-save all
all records
records and
and information
information
-reject
-reject applicants
applicants who
who make
make false
false statements
statements

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-5

The Importance of Reliability and
Validity

Reliability:
Reliability:
-degree
-degree to
to which
which selection
selection procedures
procedures yield
yield
comparable
comparable data
data over
over time
time

Validity:
Validity:
-accuracy
-accuracy with
with which
which predictor
predictor measures
measures
what
what itit is
is intended
intended to
to measure
measure
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-6
 The Importance of Reliability and
Validity
Types of Validity
1.
1. Criterion-Related
Criterion-Related Validity:
Validity:
-extent
-extent results
results predict/significantly
predict/significantly correlate
correlate
with
with work
work behaviour
behaviour
2.
2. Content
Content Validity:
Validity:
-extent
-extent adequately
adequately samples
samples job
job skills/knowledge
skills/knowledge
3.
3. Construct
Construct Validity:
Validity:
-extent
-extent results
results measure
measure job-required
job-required trait
trait
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-7
 Steps in the Selection Process

Step 1: Preliminary Reception of Applicants

-initial
-initial reception
reception affects
affects opinion
opinion of
of employer
employer
-completion
-completion of of application
application form
form often
often required
required
-courtesy
-courtesy interview
interview may
may be
be granted
granted applicants
applicants
who
who appear
appear in in person
person
-letter
-letter of
of acknowledgement
acknowledgement oftenoften sent
sent to
to
candidates
candidates applying
applying in
in writing
writing
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-8
Steps in the Selection Process

Step 2: Initial Applicant Screening

-generally
-generally performed
performed by
by HR
HR department
department
-candidates
-candidates not
not meeting
meeting “must
“must have”
have” criteria
criteria
eliminated
eliminated first
first
-candidates
-candidates closely
closely matching
matching remaining
remaining job
job
specifications
specifications considered
considered further
further

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-9

Steps in the Selection Process

Step 3: Selection Testing

Guidelines:
Guidelines:
-use
-use tests
tests as
as supplements
supplements
-validate
-validate tests
tests
-analyze
-analyze current
current hiring/promotion
hiring/promotion standards
standards
-keep
-keep accurate
accurate records
records
-begin
-begin aa validation
validation program
program
-use
-use aa certified
certified psychologist
psychologist
-provide
-provide appropriate
appropriate testing
testing conditions
conditions
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-10
 Steps in the Selection Process

Types of Tests Used in Selection

••cognitive
cognitive abilities
abilities ••micro-assessment
micro-assessment
••motor/physical
motor/physical abilities
abilities ••miniature
miniature job
job training
training
••personality
personality and
and interests
interests and
and evaluation
evaluation
••achievement
achievement ••polygraph/honesty
polygraph/honesty
••work
work sampling
sampling ••graphology
graphology
••assessment
assessment centres
centres ••physical
physical exams
exams
••situational
situational tests
tests ••drug
drug testing
testing
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-11
 Steps in the Selection Process

Reasons for Using Medical Examinations

-to
-to determine
determine qualification
qualification for
for physical
physical
requirements
requirements of of position
position
-to
-to document
document anyany accommodation
accommodation requirements
requirements
-to
-to establish
establish record/baseline
record/baseline of of applicant’s
applicant’s health
health
-to
-to reduce
reduce absenteeism
absenteeism and and accidents
accidents

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-12

 Steps in the Selection Process

Legal/Ethical Issues With Drug Testing (1 of 2)

Human
Human Rights:
Rights:
-drug
-drug testing
testing only
only permitted
permitted after
after written
written job
job offer
offer
extended
extended
-drug
-drug testing
testing only
only permissible
permissible when
when bona
bona fide
fide
occupational
occupational requirement
requirement exists
exists
-drug/alcohol
-drug/alcohol addiction
addiction considered
considered disability
disability that
that
must
must be
be accommodated
accommodated
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-13
 Steps in the Selection Process

Legal/Ethical Issues With Drug Testing (2 of 2)

Health
Health andand Safety:
Safety:
-employees
-employees can can be
be disciplined
disciplined for
for being
being impaired
impaired
(up
(up to
to discharge)
discharge)
-drug
-drug testing
testing legal
legal in
in safety–sensitive
safety–sensitive positions
positions
Ethical
Ethical Concerns:
Concerns:
-invasion
-invasion of
of privacy
privacy
-questionable
-questionable test
test accuracy
accuracy
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-14
 Steps in the Selection Process

Step 4: Selection Interview

Interviewer
Interviewer Objectives:
Objectives:
-assess
-assess applicant’s
applicant’s qualifications
qualifications
-observe
-observe applicant’s
applicant’s behaviour
behaviour
-gather
-gather information
information to
to predict
predict future
future performance
performance
-communicate
-communicate information
information about
about job
job
-promote
-promote organization
organization
-determine
-determine how
how well
well applicant
applicant would
would fit
fit in
in
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-15
 Steps in the Selection Process

Step 4: Selection Interview

Applicant
Applicant Objectives:
Objectives:
-present
-present aa positive
positive image
image
-sell
-sell his/her
his/her skills
skills and
and market
market positive
positive attributes
attributes
-gather
-gather information
information about
about job
job and
and organization
organization

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-16

Steps in the Selection Process

Types of Interviews

Degree
Degree ofof Structure
Structure
-unstructured;
-unstructured; structured;
structured; semi-structured
semi-structured
Purpose
Purpose
-stress
-stress
Content
Content
-situational;
-situational; behavioural;
behavioural; psychological
psychological
Administration
Administration
-one-on-one;
-one-on-one; sequential;
sequential; panel
panel
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-17
Steps in the Selection Process

Common Interviewing Mistakes

-poor
-poor planning
planning -influence
-influence of of
-snap
-snap judgments
judgments nonverbal
nonverbal behaviour
behaviour
-negative
-negative emphasis
emphasis -telegraphing
-telegraphing
-halo
-halo effect
effect -too
-too little/too
little/too much
much
-poor
-poor job
job knowledge
knowledge talking
talking
-pressure
-pressure toto hire
hire -playing
-playing attorney
attorney or
or
-contrast
-contrast error
error psychologist
psychologist

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-18

 Steps in the Selection Process

Interviewing and the Law

-questions
-questions related
related to
to prohibited
prohibited grounds
grounds ofof
discrimination
discrimination are are prohibited
prohibited
-all
-all interviewees
interviewees mustmust bebe treated
treated identically
identically
-interview
-interview cannot
cannot be
be cut
cut off
off due
due to
to preconceived
preconceived
notions
notions about
about ‘ideal’
‘ideal’ candidate
candidate
-focus
-focus on on job
job description
description and
and job
job specification
specification

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-19

 Steps in the Selection Process

Designing an Effective Interview

1.
1. Decide:
Decide: who
who will
will be
be involved;
involved; selection
selection criteria
criteria
2.
2. Specify
Specify ‘musts’
‘musts’ and
and ‘wants’;
‘wants’; weight
weight ‘wants’
‘wants’
3.
3. Determine
Determine assessment
assessment strategies;
strategies; develop
develop
evaluation
evaluation form
form
4.
4. Develop
Develop interview
interview questions
questions for
for all
all candidates
candidates
5.
5. Develop
Develop candidate-specific
candidate-specific questions
questions

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-20

 Steps in the Selection Process

Steps Involved in an Effective Interview

5.
5.Review
Review notes;
notes; evaluate
evaluatecandidate
candidate

4.
4.Close
Closethe
theinterview
interview

3.
3.Ask
Askquestions
questionswritten
writtenin
inadvance,
advance,in
inorder;
order;take
takenotes
notes

2.
2.Establish
Establishrapport
rapport

1.
1.Plan
Planthe
theinterview
interview

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-21

Steps in the Selection Process

Step 5: Background Investigation and

Reference Checking

-use
-use aa structured
structured form
form
-use
-use initial
initial references
references as
as source
source of
of other
other
references
references
-be
-be persistent
persistent

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-22

Steps in the Selection Process

Legal Issues Regarding References

-failure
-failure to
to check
check references
references can
can lead
lead to:
to:
-negligent/wrongful
-negligent/wrongful hiring
hiring suits
suits
that
that may
may involve
involve significant
significant damages
damages
-doctrine
-doctrine ofof qualified
qualified privilege
privilege generally
generally
protects
protects reference-provider
reference-provider if:if:
-honest,
-honest, fair,
fair, candid
candid references
references given
given
even
even ifif negative
negative information
information is
is imparted
imparted
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-23
Steps in the Selection Process

Step 6: Supervisory Interview

Supervisor
Supervisor Usually
Usually Makes
Makes Final
Final Decision:
Decision:
-best
-best qualified
qualified toto assess
assess job job knowledge/skills
knowledge/skills
-can
-can answer
answer job-specific
job-specific questions
questions
-must
-must feel
feel comfortable
comfortable with with new
new hire hire
-can
-can set
set up
up new
new hire
hire for
for failure
failure ifif not
not committed
committed
to
to individual
individual selected
selected
-can
-can assess
assess fit
fit with
with current
current team
team members
members
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-24
 Steps in the Selection Process

Step 7: Realistic Job Previews (RJPs)

Benefits of RJPs

Improved
Improved Reduced
Reduced Enhanced
Enhanced
employee
employee voluntary
voluntary communication
communication
job
jobsatisfaction
satisfaction turnover
turnover

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-25

 Steps in the Selection Process

Step 8: Making the Hiring Decision

Clinical
Clinical Strategy
Strategy
-subjective
-subjective evaluation
evaluation of
of information
information about
about
each
each candidate
candidate

Statistical
Statistical Strategy
Strategy
-identify
-identify valid
valid predictors
predictors and
and weight
weight them
them
statistically
statistically eg.
eg. multiple
multiple regression
regression
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-26
Steps in the Selection Process

Step 9: Candidate Notification

-HR
-HR department
department makes
makes initial
initial offer
offer of
of
employment
employment by
by phone;
phone; follows
follows up up in
in writing
writing
-candidates
-candidates given
given reasonable
reasonable time
time to
to consider
consider
offer
offer
-all
-all finalists
finalists not
not selected
selected are
are notified
notified

© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-27

 Steps in the Selection Process

Step 10: Evaluation of Selection Process

-are
-are selection
selection procedures
procedures effective
effective in
in identifying
identifying
qualified,
qualified, capable,
capable, productive
productive employees?
employees?
-are
-are the
the techniques
techniques efficient
efficient and
and worth
worth the
the costs?
costs?
-are
-are there
there ways
ways to
to streamline
streamline or
or improve
improve the
the
process?
process?
© 2002 Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, Ontario 7-28