Chapter Eight Assessing Job Candidates: Tools for Selection.

Chapter Eight

Assessing Job Candidates: Tools for

Selection

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 8–2

Chapter Outline

• The Selection Process• Application Blanks and Biodata• Tests• Interviews• Physical Testing• Reference and Background Checks• Selecting Managers• Criteria for Choosing Selection Devices


Benefits of Careful and Strategic Selection

• Tradeoff with training/socialization– Hire more carefully, less training may be needed– Hire less carefully, train more afterwards

• Improved performance• Effective strategy implementation

– Hire the kind of people needed to implement strategy

• Sustainable competitive advantage– Match strategy to the unique human resources

you have


Figure 8.1 The Process of Selection


Application Questions

• Problematic Questions:– Age, gender, religion, all handicaps, all

arrests/convictions, photo, birthplace– Any questions that indirectly get at the

above.

• Acceptable Questions:– Job-relevant characteristics, qualities, and

abilities– Bona fide Occupational Qualifications


Figure 8.2 Constructing a Weighted Application Blank (WAB)


Developing a Weighted Application Blank


Biodata

• Biodata is any personal history information, from WAB, biodata questionnaire, or experience/accomplishment record

• May be valid because:– verifiable, non-fiction– only relevant items are weighted– point-to-point correspondence with job demands– may reflect job-relevant personality traits/values– assesses both cognitive and non-cognitive

attributes


Tests

• A test is a standardized sample of behavior, allowing candidates to be compared easily.

• Cognitive ability tests are often highly valid predictors of job performance.

• Tests are legal if they produce no adverse impact OR validly predict job performance.


Work Sample and Trainability Tests

• Work sample tests are used to select individuals who already must know how to perform critical job tasks.

• Trainability tests are used when candidates are not expected to know the job, to assess their aptitude for learning it.

• Both have face validity, content validity, and usually predictive validity.


Personality Tests

• Can predict non-cognitive aspects of job success with low to moderate validity

• May have incremental validity over cognitive tests


“Big Five” Personality Dimensions

1. Extraversion --- introversion2. Friendliness, agreeableness ---

hostility, non-compliance3. Neuroticism --- emotional stability4. High conscientiousness ---

low conscientiousness 5. High openness to experience --- low

openness to experience


The Interview

• Interrater reliability of interviews may be low• Validity of interviews depends on structure

– Unstructured interviews are least valid– Semi-structured interviews have some pre-

planning and some tailoring to the candidate– Structured interviews (same questions asked of

each candidate) based on a job analysis are most valid


Interviewer Errors and Biases

– Similarity Error– Contrast Error– Overweighting of Negative Information– Race, Sex, and Appearance Bias– First Impression Error– Halo Error– Nonverbal Factors– Faulty Listening and Memory


Figure 8.7 Cone Method of Semistructured Interviewing


Effective Structured Interview Formats

• Situational Interview– What would you do if two of your

subordinates were having a conflict?

• Behavior Description Interview– Tell me about a time two of your

subordinates were having a conflict.• What did you do?• How well did it work?• What else did you try?


Improving the Interview

• Base questions on a thorough job analysis• Use a more structured format• Use situational and/or behavior description

questions• Have interview conducted by a trained panel

of interviewers• Assess only qualities that are visible in

interviews


Physical Testing

• The Physical Examination– May not be required until after a conditional

job offer is made – Often not as reliable or valid as strength

and fitness testing based on verified job demands.

– May be used for placement or to allow accommodation if unable to perform a “marginal” job function.


Drug Testing

• Drug use is NOT a handicap under ADA• Drug tests can be done prior to a

conditional offer, also randomly during employment

• Tests are reliable but expensive and invasive

• Advisable in safety-sensitive jobs• Perceived fairness is essential


Obtaining Reference/Background Information

• Written references or phone interviews may be used

• Ask nominated referees for additional people to contact

• Ask job-related questions of referees• Disclose to applicant that you are

seeking reference information or doing a background check


Validity and Legality of Reference Information

• Validity may be low

• Check references to avoid “negligent hiring” and because résumé fraud is common

• Beware defamation suits when giving reference information


Selecting Managers

• Assessment Centers– Multiple assessees– Multiple assessors– Multiple exercises: In-basket test,

leaderless group discussion, interview, tests

• Valid but expensive


Criteria for Choosing Selection Devices

• Validity• Utility

– Cost, Base Rate of Success, Selection Ratio, Incremental Validity, etc.

• Legality/Likelihood of legal challenge• Acceptability to Managers• Applicant Reactions• Societal Impact


Table 8.9 Average Validity and Incremental Validity of Selection Devices

Source: Data from F.L. Schmidt and J.E. Hunter, “The Validity and Utility of Selection Methods in Personnel Psychology: Practical and Theoretical Implications of 85 Years of Research Findings,” Psychological Bulletin, Vol.124, 1998, pp. 262-274. Note that the correlations in the

second column are correct upwards to account for restriction in range and unreliability in the measurement of performance.


Review

• T Selection Process• Application Blanks and Biodata• Tests• Interviews• Physical Testing• Reference and Background Checks• Selecting Managers• Criteria for Choosing Selection Devices

Chapter Eight Assessing Job Candidates: Tools for Selection.

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Transcript of Chapter Eight Assessing Job Candidates: Tools for Selection.