Selection

1. Selection

2. Selection • Overview • Reliability & validity • Initial screening • Interview • Employment testing • Other selection tools MGMT 412 | Selection

3. The Importance of Selection • The first high-performance work practice • The economic value of better employees • Job skills (job match) • Attitudes (organization match) • The selection process as a ritual of passage MGMT 412 | Selection

4. Overview: The Selection Process • Determining if a match exists • Person-job match • Person-organization match • Multiple hurdle approach • Precise steps depend on organization • Begin with the less expensive steps • More expensive or more lengthy screens when applicant pool is smaller MGMT 412 | Selection

5. Back to Reliability & Validity • Remember that under Uniform Guidelines, any selection procedure counts as a “test,” for purposes of requiring validity evidence • Will we ever see a perfect correlation between test scores and subsequent job behavior / performance? • No • But, tests, interviews, etc. are the best we’ve got. • Look for .50 as the gold standard of validity (lower than .20 to be avoided) • Another measurement issue…. • Whatever you use needs to distinguish among individuals; if everyone gets the same score, what’s the point? MGMT 412 | Selection

6. Reliability • Selection procedures need to be both reliable and valid • Called for under Uniform Guidelines, but a standard psychometric concept • Reliability • Does a procedure (test, interview) provide consistent results? MGMT 412 | Selection

7. Does the procedure measure what it is designed to measure? Called for under Uniform Guidelines, but, again, a standard psychometric concept Validity MGMT 412 | Selection

8. Loss of Talent Appropriate Reject No Test Results Positive Good Hire Bad Hire Yes Yes No Applicant Truly Qualified Consequences of Error MGMT 412 | Selection

9. Initial Screening • Realistic job preview • Employment applications • Resumes • Screening interviews • Applicant tracking systems MGMT 412 | Selection

10. Realistic Job Preview • Lets the applicant know what the job involves -- the good and the bad • Idea is to self-select out individuals • Also, employees later see this as fair treatment • Can be combined with recruiting / sales MGMT 412 | Selection

11. Application Forms • Paper or electronic • Identifying information • Education • Past experience • Other skills • License or certification if appropriate • Applicant signature • Permission to conduct background check • Termination for false or misleading information • Have applicants complete form even if resume provided • Weighted Application Blank MGMT 412 | Selection

12. Resumes • Little known about resumes • Standards of quality on a steady rise • People do lie on resumes - what can you do to detect this? • Verify information • Ask questions • Look for what isn’t included, gaps and contradictions MGMT 412 | Selection

13. The Screening Interview • Brief • Based on job description and resume/application • Purpose: • Making the initial cut • Public relations • New technology • Video • Telephone MGMT 412 | Selection

14. Applicant Tracking Systems • Computerized data bases of applicant information • Implication for job seekers: • Resumes need to be in a standard format and type font • Some even add “key words” MGMT 412 | Selection

15. The Employment Interview: Overview • Why use the interview? • Types of interviews • Problems with the interview MGMT 412 | Selection

16. Types of Interviews • Screening interview (already covered) • “Free-form” interview • Structured interview • Panel interview • Non-directive interview • Stress interview MGMT 412 | Selection

17. “Free Form” Interview • Unplanned and unprepared • Not based on KSAOs required for job • Questions often casual: • “Tell me about yourself” • May involve interviewer “pet questions”: • “What is your greatest strength?” • “What is your greatest weakness” • Speculative questions: • “What would you like to be doing ten years from now?” • Quick decision made (often in first few minutes) MGMT 412 | Selection

18. Structured Interviews: What • Two basic types: • Situational (“What wouldyou do?”) • Experience-based (What did you do?) • Responses can be handled in several ways • Interviewer can rate applicant based on responses • Responses can actually be scored MGMT 412 | Selection

19. Structured Interviews: Why • Far greater validity than unstructured or free-form interviews • r = .44 • That is, about 19% in variance explained by interview • Equal to any other predictor (such as tests) • Based on relevant KSAOs and job tasks • Job analysis essential • Critical incident approach to job analysis MGMT 412 | Selection

20. The Situational Interview • Based on behaviors, rather than traits • Best predictor of future behavior is past behavior • Harder to fake • Validity about .50 MGMT 412 | Selection

21. A Situational Question: Job Duties Suppose you find yourself in an argument with several co-workers about who should perform a very disagreeable, but routine task. Which of the following would likely be the most effective way to resolve this situation? MGMT 412 | Selection

22. Some Possible Responses: MGMT 412 | Selection

23. A Situational Question: Organization Behavior • You have an emergency at home (plumbing, family illness, whatever). It’s two hours before your shift starts. What do you do? MGMT 412 | Selection

24. Experience-Based Questions • What is the correct procedure for determining the appropriate oven temperature when running a new batch of steel? • How do you set up files to perform a mail merge? • What are several ways of prospecting for sales leads? MGMT 412 | Selection

25. A Rating Scale MGMT 412 | Selection

26. Panel Interviews • Can be free-form or structured • May be used in team environment or public sector MGMT 412 | Selection

27. Non-Directive Interviews • Conducted by a trained psychologist • Not unplanned or random, but general rather than job-specific • Found in assessment setting, where it is combined with other selection tools MGMT 412 | Selection

28. Stress Interviews • This type of interview supposedly assesses the applicant’s ability to cope with stress • Developed for use by OSS in WW II • Not particularly valid • VERYnegative applicant reactions MGMT 412 | Selection

29. What Should the Interviewer Do? • Begin with light conversation to set the stage • Talk 10% of the time • Keep interview on course • Follow-up for complete information • Probe for additional information • Keep to original plan • Take notes • What the candidate says • What the candidate doesn’t say • How the candidate answers the questions • Avoid answering “Do I get the job?” MGMT 412 | Selection

30. The Seven Deadly Sins • Contrast Error • First and Last Impressions • Halo Effect • Stereotyping • “Similar-to-Me Effect” • Central Tendency Error • Negative and Positive Leniency

31. Landmines to Avoid MGMT 412 | Selection

32. Employment Testing • Overview • Computerized testing • Skill testing • Personality testing MGMT 412 | Selection

33. Testing Overview • General issues in testing • Access to tests and confidentiality • Applicants entitled to confidentiality • Validity goes out the window if test security compromised • Establishing validity • Computerized testing • Types of tests • General ability • Job skill • Personality MGMT 412 | Selection

34. Computerized Testing • Has become extremely popular, Internet-based testing especially • Definitely an advantage for distant applicants, geographically dispersed organizations • Questions and concerns • Not much is known about the significance of transferring tests from paper-and-pencil format to computer • Security issues • Do applicants need computer skills? If not, computer testing introduces irrelevancies MGMT 412 | Selection

35. General Ability Testing • Content or criterion validity model • General mental ability (current area of controversy) • Specific types of intelligence • Verbal • Mathematical • Mechanical • Social • Physical abilities • Psychomotor (coordination) • Physical strength • Sensory / perceptual abilities MGMT 412 | Selection

36. Job Skill Testing • Content or criterion validity model • Some examples • Typing tests • In-baskets • Supervisory skills • Arithmetic skills MGMT 412 | Selection

37. Basic Issues in Personality Testing • Construct validity model • Types of personality tests • Paper-and-pencil • Interview • Projection • Validity good, if properly selected and interpreted • Normally requires professional expertise MGMT 412 | Selection

38. Caution! • Polygraph is generally illegal, unless: • Security services • Manufacturers or distributors of controlled substances • Government • Honesty / reliability tests (Reid Report, Stanton Survey, etc.) • Designed to detect individuals who may be dishonest • What is integrity? • Tests are relatively easy to fake • Do they predict? Some evidence that they do • Other ways to maintain employee honesty • Tests not appropriate for selection • MMPI (designed for clinical settings) • MBTI (validity questionable for selection, suitable for teambuilding activities) MGMT 412 | Selection

39. Other Selection Tools • Reference checking • License verification • Physical exams • Drug screening • Handwriting analysis • Assessment centers and individual assessment MGMT 412 | Selection

40. Reference Checking • Why? • Approaches • What are you likely to find out? • Legal issues in providing references MGMT 412 | Selection

41. Why Check References? • Remember, estimated 1/3 of resumes contain inaccurate information • Legal issue: negligent hiring • Here, charges are placed by a third party • An injury must be caused by employee • Employee must be unfit for job • Injury must be foreseeable result of hiring employee • Injury is reasonable and probable outcome of what employer did /did not do in hiring employee MGMT 412 | Selection

42. Approaches and Methods • Who • Former employers • School • Public records • How • Telephone • Mail • Letters of reference • In-person MGMT 412 | Selection

43. Dates of employment (96%) Eligibility for rehire (65%) Job qualifications (56%) Overall impression (49%) Salary history (45%) Driving record (42%) Work habits (41%) Human relations skills (37%) Credit history (25%) Personality traits (24%) Reference Checking: What Former Employers Will Tell Not Much MGMT 412 | Selection

44. Providing References: Legal Issues • Adverse impact • Defamation of character • Written or oral statement must be given • False statement of fact (knowingly) • Injury must have occurred • “Passing the trash” • Providing favorable reference for one employee sets a precedent • Relief in sight? MGMT 412 | Selection

45. Reference Checking: What to Do • Ask applicant for additional references if others cannot be obtained • Check everything on resume or application • Look for information on job-related issues; don’t use one general form for all applicants • Monitor for adverse impact and adverse treatment • Look for objective, not subjective information MGMT 412 | Selection

46. Reference Checking: More Suggestions • Get written permission from applicants • Train telephone checkers • Record everything in writing • Be careful in using negative information • Could be a personal conflict or atypical behavior • Verify from an alternate source MGMT 412 | Selection

47. Physical Exams and Drug Screening • The last step before hiring • Why? • Cost factor • Only after contingent offer of employment • Physical exams • Can the person perform the job? • Pre-existing conditions (later workers’ comp claims) • Drug screens • Urine or hair • Mandated for some industries (utilities, transportation) MGMT 412 | Selection

48. Handwriting Analysis • There is some legitimate psychological research in this area • Primarily European and Israeli • Based on Freudian / Jungian theory (gestalt graphology) • Often used in Europe; a handwritten letter of application is the norm in France • Validity very questionable • US research does not support validity • When validity found, often contamination from the content of the written text MGMT 412 | Selection

49. Assessment Centers • The origin: OSS selection during WWII • Where do we see ACs? • Used primarily for management jobs, possibly for supervisory and professional jobs • Private and public sector • Multiple methods of assessment • The purpose of ACs: • Selection from outside • Promotion to an open position • Succession planning • Individual career development • Reports prepared for manager and/or candidate MGMT 412 | Selection