Deck 8: Selection

Question 1

How can factors from the internal and external environment of a firm influence its selection process?Explain.

Answer 1

Selection process stands for the process of selecting and shortlisting right candidates in the firm carrying required qualifications and work experiences. Proper selection process ensures selection of right candidates in the firm filling vacancies in the organization.
The internal and external environment of a firm influences the firm's selection process in the following manner :
• Recruitment policy : The firm's recruitment policy affects the selection process in a way that when the firm follows a strict selection policy and selects candidates depending upon the pre-determined rules and procedures, without amending required changes, then the selection takes place in an effective manner.
• Human resource planning : When HR department properly describes the need of the candidates to be recruited and selected in the firm to fill the vacancies in the coming time, then this facilitates speedy selection of the candidates in the firm without delays.
• Size of the organization : It is the size of the organization big or small that affects the selection process. If the organization size is large, then there is a need of selecting large number of candidates in the firm suiting the particular positions, and if the firm is small, then selection could take place at a small level without the typical rules for selection.
• Cost involved in recruitment : In large firms, selection process incurs good amount of money, while the small firms tend to undertake selection process within limited budget.
• Growth and expansion : When the firm is planning for expansion and growth, then selection process has to suit the requirements of the expansion selecting candidates who will be occupying new positions in the firm. As a result, the firm has to be quite attentive to the selecting needs of the various departments.
• Supply and demand : When there is an abundant source of labor supply, then selection of employees become quite easy and viceversa.
• Labor market : It is the labor market that affects the selection process in which if the policies and rules that governs labor supply are smooth, then this facilitates effective selection.
• Image of the firm : When the firm carries a positive and good image in the market, then there is an availability of vast pool of applicants for the firm facilitating the firm to have proper selection within set time.

Question 2

Why should a selection method be both valid and reliable? What could happen legally if a company uses a selection method that lacks these characteristics?

Answer 2

A reliable selection method gives stable, repeatable measurements over a variety of test conditions. Validity addresses the questions of what a test measures and how well it has measured it. Both are necessary to keep the company out of legal hot water.
Failure to adopt a process that is both valid and reliable could result in discriminatory practices that have legal ramifications for the organization.

Question 3

What are the major types of employment interviews? What are the characteristics of each type?

Answer 3

Employment interview stands for the conversation between the employer and the job applicant wherein the candidate being interviewed is assessed for his suitability for the position he has applied for.
The major types of employment interviews and their characteristics are as follows :
• One-on-one interview : In this, the job applicant is interviewed in a face-to-face conversation with an employer or the HR personnel of the firm. This interview requires the candidate to answer to the various questions asked by the interviewer related to candidate's previous job, his skills and abilities etc.
• Panel interview : In this, more than two interviewers interviews the candidate asking him various job-related q*9uestions, and evaluating his answers and body language.
• Video-conferencing interview : In this, the candidate is interviewed using a video camera installed in the computer or the laptop. The interviewer and the interviewee sit at different locations and interview is conducted.
• Phone interview : In this, the interview takes place using a telephone wherein interview asks various questions to the candidate through phone conversation. In this, the interviewer judges the candidate listening to the way he answers questions, the tone of his language, the volume etc.
• Case interview : In this, the candidate is offered a case related to business and he is required to solve that case offering his opinions, decisions, and suggestions. The responses given by the candidate are used by interviewer to judge his suitability for the job.

Question 4

What are some errors that an interviewer may commit? Describe them and any potential legal implications of committing these errors.

Question 5

Describe the two types of paper-and-pencil honesty tests. Should your organization make job applicants complete one? Why or why not?

Question 6

Why do you think that conscientiousness, one of the Big Five personality dimensions, is such a good predictor of successful job performance across most occupations? Explain your answer.

Question 7

What advice would you give to an applicant who is about to go through a two-day assessment center? How can she prepare?

Question 8

What is the current status of drug testing in American organizations? Do you think drug testing is justifiable? Why?

Question 9

What is the Employee Polygraph Protection Act? What alternatives to polygraphs are organizations using? Are these alternatives effective?

Question 10

Assume that a job applicant has a disability, and in this case, it is not clear whether the individual will be able to perform the essential functions of the job. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, is it appropriate to ask such an applicant to submit to a physical examination? Why or why not?

Question 11

Why would some employers resist using the SkillSurvey, Inc. type tool?

Question 12

What implications does "on demand" reference checking have for job seekers?

Question 13

Are the metrics displayed in the comparison table convincing enough to favor one of the techniques, or are the data not relevant?

Question 14

Why are so many companies shifting to online resume screening programs to sift through applicants' resumes?

Question 15

Can you think of any disadvantages associated with the use of online resume screening? From the company's perspective? The candidate's perspective?

Question 16

Purpose
As Application Case 8-2 discusses, many organizations are using online résumé screening software to sift through thousands of résumés to determine which candidates can move on to the next step in the selection process. Ultimately, job candidates have to get over this first hurdle before they can get hired. So, the better a job seeker's online résumé, the better the chances of getting hired.
Group Size
To be performed individually.
Time Required
Approximately 1 hour.
Other
Internet connection and search engine needed.
Exercise Part I
Using your favorite search engine, visit three to four online job search Web sites (e.g., www.monster.com, www.careerbuilder.com, www.hotjobs.com ) and search for information and instructions regarding how to post a résumé online.
Part II
Using the information you learned from Part I, create or edit your résumé so that it can be posted onto one of the online job search sites above (or, use another online job search Web site).
Part III
Visit one of the online Web sites and post your résumé. Be sure to print a copy of the listing to show your instructor.
Source : Konopaske and Ivancevich (copyright 2005).

Question 17

What can job seekers do to improve their chances of making it through the online resume screening process and getting an interview?