HRM Chapter 7: Foundations of Selection

What happens if an employer/company fails to investigate the employee? What's the worst that could happen?

1. A bookkeeper in Chicago embezzled $70,000 by forging checks 2. a security guard sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl in Rite Aid Pharmacy 3. A truck driver for a hazardous waste company accidentally killed a man in Texas. The employer failed to check his background for drug use. Negligent hiring

How to enforce content validity

1. All candidates for a job receive the same test or questions (proper comparisons) typing test for a word processing position

Problems with application forms

1. If the application is incomplete or contains error, then it's a job-related reason for rejection 2. applications require a signature attesting to the truthfulness of the information and giving permission to check references. If the company finds out the information is false, then the company can justify immediate dismissal (Remember in class, there's a female job applicant that faked her education status in her resume. She ended up getting lucky, since the company told her that she can keep her job when she completes her degree.)

Perceptual Errors that an interviewer can face during an interview

1. Impression Management 2. Interviewer Bias 3. Realistic Job Preview

What do work sampling and performance simulation tests do to "test employees"

1. It can make job analysis data based on KSA's 2. Each work sample element is matched wit ha corresponding job performance element

6 types of interviews

1. One-on-One 2. Panel 3. Structured 4. Unstructured 5. Behavioral 6. Stress

Steps to improve professionalism on the phone during a phone screening interview

1. Reduce distractions 2. Speak clearly 3. Introduce Yourself 4. Answer the phone 5. Set up voicemail 6. make sure you can understand the caller 7. Hold on - ask permission before putting someone on hold 8. Call back

Common sources of background information list

1. References - people the person worked/studied with before 2. Former employers 3. Educational Accomplishments - transcripts 4. Legal status to work - I-9 form 5. Credit references 6. Criminal records (3rd party investigators) 7. Background checks 8. Online searches (Google, Facebook, Twitter)

How to conduct a successful interview for job applicants (job screening)

1. Review the job description and job specification 2. Prepare a set of questions - (increases the odds of finding relevant information and makes better comparisons) 3. Review the application form and resume - (shows respect for your candidate) 4. Open the interview - (putting the applicant at ease and providing a brief interview of the topics to be discussed) Open with small talk to make the interviewee more comfortable 5. Ask your questions and listen carefully 6. Take a few notes - (interviewers only remember half of the info) 7. Close the interview - Tell the applicant what is going to happen next (be honest about how many candidates will be interviewed and the remaining steps in your hiring process) 8. Write your evaluation - the sooner the better

Sample questions for an employer to ask the references of an applicant

1. Why didn't you persuade him or her to stay? 2. How well did he/she take criticism?

3 types of validity

1. content 2. construct 3. criterion related

8 steps of the selection process for screening applicants

1. initial screening 2. application forms 3. pre-employment tests 4. interview 5. conditional job offer 6. background investigation 7. medical or physical exams 8. job offer

Each step of the selection process expands the organization's ______ about the applicant's background, _____, and motivation

1. knowledge 3. abilities

Other methods of screening interviews

1. online video screening (record themselves with a webcam answering a list of predetermined questions)

People want to work where their expectations are _____ and where they believe their goals can be _____

1. positive 2. achieved If the candidate sees that the culture or brand is still a good fit with his or her image, the chances of a successful hire increase.

Two approaches that can be used to establish criterion-related validity

1. predictive validity 2. concurrent validity

Two extremes for applicants

1. totally overqualified 2. not qualified at all The screening process is used to sort through the applicants and determine which meet the minimum qualifications based on job specs.

Assessment Centers

A facility where performance simulation tests are administered. These include a series of exercises used for selection, development, and performance appraisals. Incorporates group and individual exercises Applicants go through these series of exercises and are appraised by line executives, practicing supervisors, and/or trained psychologists to see how well they perform.

Cut Score

A scoring point below which applicants are rejected

Work Sampling and Performance Simulation Tests

A selection device requiring the job applicant to perform a small sampling of actual job activities. A mini replica of the job

RJP (Realistic Job Preview)

A selection device that allows job candidates to learn negative as well as positive information about the job and organization.

Comprehensive Interview

A selection device used to obtain in-depth information about a candidate (The applicant may be interviewed by HRM interviewers, senior managers, a potential supervisor) Designed to probe areas not easily addressed by the application form (assessing the candidate's motivation, values, ability to work under pressure, attitude, fitting in with the organization).

Reliability

A selection device's consistency of measurement

Weighted Application Forms

A special type of application form that uses relevant applicant information to determine the likelihood of job success. Helps HRM to screen applicants based on traits that indicate success on the job.

Structured Interview

A specific set of questions is asked of each candidate Also called a directive interview The questions are designed to determine how well the candidate is qualified for the essential functions and job specifications.

Conditional job offer

A tentative job offer that becomes permanent after certain conditions are met. When the applicant passes the background investigation, the applicant will be offered the job

True or False? Should an organization offer an official job interview during the phone screening interview?

Absolutely not

Subjects to avoid during the screening process.

Age, graduation date, military discharge, sick leave, race ,citizenship, marital status (Violates EEOC) - discriminatory

Medical/Physical Examination

An examination to determine an applicant ' s physical fitness for essential job performance.

Online Interviews

Candidate and interviewer use web-based technology to ask and answer interview questions Makes interview scheduling easier and increase consistency/make more accurate comparisons between candidates.

Unstructured Interview

Candidates are asked open-ended questions and are allowed to set the course of the interview Also called nondirective interviews Examples = "Tell me about yourself?" or "What type of working environment do you prefer?" May give greater insight for the interviewer's personality

Behavioral Interview

Candidates are asked to describe how they actually handled a given situation. They attempt to predict a candidates abilities by asking how they handled situations in the past. (Questions are designed to determine if the applicant has job competencies necessary for success).

Stress Interviews

Candidates are put in uncomfortable situations to see how well they handle stress Staged events in which the interviewer deliberately creates an uncomfortable atmosphere to see how the candidate will react under pressure Examples include: (rapid-fire questions, challenging the applicant's answers, or even insulting the applicant).

What type of compliance does the initial screening process need?

EEO - Equal Employment Opportunity

FRCA

Fair Credit Reporting Act The form must be completed before any investigation starts, used when the applicant needs to sign a consent form to the FCRA Disney, Whole Foods, Domino's all violated this

True or False? Preemployment testing isn't very popular for employers.

False It is very popular (a large majority of employers do some type of preemployment testing) Can be used to determine a good fit based on cognitive ability, math skills, integrity, and use of legal/illegal drugs Lowes, Home Depot, Target

Raising the cut score (70-90) = Lowering the cut score (90-70) =

Greater probability of being more successful performers on the job (many potentially good job performers could also be rejected as well) Number of applications increases, greater probability of being successful, also greater chance of being more unsuccessful

Reliability and Validity in Testing

HR is concerned with selection activities that can help predict which applicants will perform satisfactorily on the job. Explore the concepts of reliability, validity, and cut scores.

Benefit of screening interviews (for HR to the applicant)

HRM describes the job in enough detail so that the candidates can consider if they are actually serious about applying (short discussions of the candidate's relevant work experience. assess communication skills) (Also, it might open up a salary range/data)

Example of weighted application form

HRM is interested in developing a weighted application form that would predict which applicants for the job of accountant would stay with company

Scale analogy for reliability

Have you ever checked your height or weight and received results that didn't seem right? Is the scale off? You might have been at someone else's home or at a different fitness center and determined that the scale or height measurements weren't the same. You probably decided to use the scale you always use for a more accurate comparison, because there's no way you could have gained that much weight or shrunk a whole inch. Same for reliability. The applicant's performance on any given device should produce consistent scores each time the device is used. If the test is reliable, any single individual's scores should remain fairly stable over time (assuming the measuring remains stable)

Interviewer Bias

Image created by reviewing materials such as the resume application, or test scores prior to the actual interview Data received prior to the interview creates an image of the applicant that can be unjustly negative or positive. Example = (hiring managers have a perception that job seekers with recent employment gaps on the resume are less desirable candidates. However, surveys have found no significant difference in job performance). Also, checking social-media of the interviewee before the interviewer causes bias.

Panel Interviews

Includes a team of several interviewers who meet with the candidate at the same time. Questions are created in advance and assigned to panel members, who may ask follow-up questions The goal is a more reliable evaluation of the applicant's abilities when the panelists compare their impressions.

Impression Management

Influencing performance evaluations by portraying an image desired by the appraiser. If a candidate learns that the interviewer is active in community organizations or charities, he may overemphasize this commitment to public service to manipulate to this interviewer's impression.

One important thing every employer must do when conducting a stress interview.

Inform to the applicant that he/she was part of a stress interview. Otherwise, it'll scare off more applicants.

What are background investigations used to verify for?

Intended to verify that information on the application form is correct and accurate notifying the applicants that the firm will check all references is enough to prevent people from falsifying any info for applications.

What does a tight labor market cause for less qualified employees?

It gives them a second chance

Why should an employer conduct background checks?

It's a good predictor of an individual's future behavior based on his/her past behavior. Also, a lot of applicants can exaggerate their background experiences.

Ban the Box

Laws referring to banning a check box on an application form that indicates the applicant has been arrested or convicted. It makes it nearly impossible for ex-offenders to get hired

Next-to-last-step in the selection process.

Medical/Psychical Examination

Can employers rely on hard-copy letters of recommendation?

No, they are easily and frequently faked

Do standard selection techniques in the U.S. transfer to other countries worldwide?

No, they don't. Handwriting and Graphology tests are used in France, but not the U.S.

Can a lawsuit occur due to negligent hiring?

Of course The organization can be held liable for its failure to properly hire

Predictive vs Concurrent validity. Which one is preferred?

Predictive, it's demonstrated by using actual job applicants concurrent focuses on current employees

Application Form

Provides basic information on applicant's contact information, education, skills, and work experience. before or after the phone screening interview

Which interview strategy is better for apples-to-apples comparisons. Structured or Unstructured?

Structured, because it's harder to objectively compare the abilities of candidates when you have open-ended questions.

Qualified Privilege

The ability for organizations to speak candidly to one another about employees o potential hires Some courts have ruled that employers must be able to talk to one another about employees.

What's the benefit of behavioral interviews vs unstructured interviews?

The behavior interviews gives a more indicative description of a candidate's performance (Since these employees are put in "what-if?" scenarios)

Criterion-related validity

The degree to which a particular selection device accurately predicts the important elements of work behavior, as in the relationship between a test score and job performance. This strategy shows the relationship between some predictor (test score) and a criterion (production output or managerial effectiveness).

Construct Validity

The degree to which a particular trait relates to successful job performance, as in IQ tests. It's complex and difficult. It's the most difficult type of validity to prove since it's the most abstract when it comes to requirements.

Content Validity

The degree to which test content, as a sample, represents all situations that could have been included, such as a typing test for a clerk typist.

Initial Screening

The first step in the selection process whereby job inquiries are sorted (based on qualifications as described in the job description and job specification such as experience, skills, and education). Usually done through software

One-on-One interview

The most common interview format Allows a manager or HR professional to put the applicant at ease in a nonthreatening atmosphere When a large number of applicants must be interviewed, this is the best method

Background investigation

The process of verifying information job candidates provide Also known as reference checks

Validity

The proven relationship of a selection device to relevant criterion Testing must measure things that are related to job performance accurately (differentiates between satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance)

When qualified applicants are approved through initial screening, what happens?

They are forwarded to HR for screening interviews.

When can physical exams be used?

To screen out individuals who're unable to to physically comply with the job requirements. (firefighters must climb ladders, haul water, carry injured people, etc.) Make sure that the physical is job-related If a person has a disability, the employer must show that the disability itself prevented the applicant from performing the job, even if reasonable accommodations were made

True or False? Are unqualified employees notified if they were rejected during initial screening?

True They also may be kept in a database for future openings

True or False? Unmet job expectations causes an employee to quit

True Thus with RJP, the employer shares both favorable and unfavorable information to adjust expectations of individuals applying for the job. This allow job applicants to better cope with frustrating elements of the job. (less turnover)

Concurrent Validity

Validating tests by using current employees as the study group Their scores are immediately analyzed, revealing a relationship between their test scores and existing performance appraisal data.

Predictive Validity

Validating tests by using prospective applicants as the study groups Applicants would be hired as a result of successfully completing the entire selection process. above the cut score

Example of work sampling and performance simulation tests

Wells Fargo Bank may involve keyboard computation (the applicant performs computations during a customer transaction) For a retail store = role playing as a customer

Are there laws that can protect employers when it comes to references?

Yes Good-faith references If the employer had good-faith in the reference, and did all the checks, then they'd be exempt from negligence

Applicants who pass the initial screening, application form, and required tests typically receive a ________ _____

comprehensive interview

What types of questions are asked on Behavioral Interviews?

open-ended questions that may include complex problems or situations (such as describing a situation that required a job-related skill such as disciplining an employee. Candidates are evaluated on the actions taken to resolve the situation and the outcome.

Screening interviews are often done by ____

phones

If a step doesn't provide relevant information for job applicants, they may be ______

skipped filling a position with an internal candidate

Negligent hiring assumes that a proper background check

would have uncovered information about the candidate A daycare worker must not be accused/convicted of abusing children