CHAPTER 8 Employee selection

1. CHAPTER 8 Employee selection

2. Session objectives • Describe factors to be considered and strategies used in reaching hiring decisions • Define the concepts of reliability and validity, and describe three types of validity used in the selection process • Distinguish between types of interviews • Be aware of interview pitfalls • Guidelines for the interviewing process • Identify pre-employment questions • Identify the types of psychological tests

3. Selection: Choosing among applicants from within or outside the organisation to fill an existing or projected job vacancy

5. The selection process Hiring decision Medical exam Supervisory or team interview Preliminary selection in HR department Background investigation Employment tests Initial interview in HRdepartment Completion of application form

6. Reliability and validity CONCEPT DESCRIPTION Criterion-related validity Extent of prediction or correlation with key elements of work behaviour Cross-validation Verification of study by administering the test to a different sample Validity generalisation Extent to which validity co-efficients can be generalised across situations Content validity Extent to which a test actually samples necessary skills and knowledge Construct validity Extent to which tool measures a theoretical construct or trait

7. Non-directive interview Structured interview Situational interview Behavioural description interview Panel interview Computer interview Types of interviews

8. Standardise questions Establish plan Control interview Rapport Recognise biases and stereotypes Active listener Separate facts from inferences Attend to non-verbal cues Use questions effectively Provide information Guidelines for employment interviews

9. Equal Opportunity Act 1984 • Sex • Marital status • Pregnancy • Race • Religious or political conviction • Physical or intellectual impairment • Age • Family responsibilities and status • Racial vilification

10. The interview • Flawed tool • Artificial situation • Managers’ belief that they know best • Methods of improvement

11. Cognitive ability tests Personality and interest inventories Physical ability tests Jobknowledge tests Job sample tests Types of employment tests

12. Reaching a decision • Notify the successful applicant and gain their acceptance of the job offer • Confirm job details: • Working arrangements • Salary/wages • Other issues • Notify unsuccessful applicants

13. The costs of getting it wrong • Further recruitment costs • Training and orientation costs • Burnout • Lost opportunity • Reduced profits • Loss of competitive advantage • Impaired image and reputation • Reduced internal status • Impaired recruitment opportunity • Threat to company viability • Loss of other key staff