Chapter 6: Selection

A weakness of having co-workers participate in the selection process of new employees is A. it may reduce diversity B. validity of the selection process is increased C. multiple views and experiences are considered D. the probability that the new hire will be productive decreases E. the group acts hostile towards employees hired using their input

A

Assessment centre testing is A. used to measure intellectual ability and management potential B. a form of performance testing C. a central testing centre that large employers conduct pre-screening interviews at D. utilized when organizations are conducting recruiting for specialized, technical positions E. one comprehensive test that has 3 parts, lasting at least 2 hours each and is conducted away from an organization's head office

A

At the employment interview(s) step A. the immediate supervisor should be involved as s/he will ultimately be responsible for the employee B. the immediate supervisor should not be involved as s/he is too close to the job C. the immediate supervisor should only be involved if there is no human resource department D. the immediate supervisor should be involved only if s/he has had professional interview training E. the immediate supervisor should not be informed of the interview until it is completed

A

Common approaches to test validation include A. empirical approaches B. equity approaches C. non-rational approaches D. continuous indexing approaches E. relative approaches

A

Empirical approaches to test validation rely on such method(s) as A. predictive validity B. content validity C. construct validity D. structural validity E. reliable validity

A

Rational approaches to test validation include A. content validity B. concurrent validity C. predictive validity D. reliable validity E. structural validity

A

Reliability in the framework of testing means that a test A. yields consistent results over time B. if taken by more than one person will show all scores to be closely related C. is always held at a certain time and place D. relates significantly to job performance E. measures what it suppose to measure

A

Validity in testing refers to the fact that the test scores A. significantly relate to some relevant criterion such as job performance B. match across a cross-section of people writing the test C. remain constant as the test is given subsequently; ie. over a reasonable period of time D. compare favourably to the scores on other test taken by the same person E. do not vary across applicants

A

What type of companies use the subjective approach to the hiring decision the most? A. small, owner-managed firms B. large firms with large HR departments C. firms with only one or two people in a formalized permanent HR role D. service firms E. manufacturing firms

A

One popular procedure that uses a variety of tools for assessing a candidate's future job behaviour and managerial performance potential that is employed by some organizations in the selection process is A. psychological testing B. the assessment centre C. honesty and integrity testing D. realistic job previews E. drug testing

B

An organization's selection decisions A. are not usually based on job descriptions B. are generally made after the hiring decision C. must reflect job requirements D. are less important when the organization is in a dynamic, expanding environment E. usually tend to be made randomly

C

Common interviewing mistakes made by candidates include all the below except A. playing games B. being unprepared C. asking about the company and the job D. talking too much E. not listening

C

Drug tests as an employment-related test would be considered to be a A. integrity test B. discriminatory test C. medical test D. performance test E. psychological test

C

One method of integrity testing is the use of graphic responses tests. A method that is prohibited in some provinces by the Employment Standards Act is A. handwritten tests B. attitude tests C. polygraph testing D. computer interactive testing E. employment testing

C

Rejecting immigrant applicants, especially those with foreign qualifications, because they are "overqualified" has resulted in A. a breakdown of barriers against immigrants B. evidence that selection tools are valid C. systemic discrimination D. evidence of the use of performance-based job descriptions E. selection board members being allowed to use assumptions to reject an applicant

C

The "halo effect" A. refers to an interviewer's ability to make immediate and correct judgments B. is a situation where applicants are asked to discuss their strengths only C. often means that people are judged on information that is irrelevant D. occurs only when the very best candidates are interviewed E. is not a perceptual bias that has any impact in the interviewing process

C

The following list contains things an interviewer should not do except A. ask leading questions that imply a desired answer B. be guided by initial impressions C. collect only job-related information D. attempt to predict personality traits from one interview E. exhibit personal biases even if based on experience

C

Though interviewing is a popular selection technique, interviews do have some shortcomings including A. they allow the company to sell itself to the candidate B. they allow the employer to form a personal impression C. they vary measurably in reliability and validity D. they can be a public relations tools for the organization E. they allow the candidate to make an impression

C

All the following are steps in the selection process except A. screening interviews B. employment interviews C. reference verification D. building an applicant pool E. realistic job preview

D

Employment interviews can be conducted in a number of applicant-interviewer combinations including all the following except A. panel interviews B. group interviews C. one-on-one interviews D. one party interviews (the interviewer is not in attendance) E. group panel interviews

D

In this approach to the hiring decision, the decision maker looks at the scores received by various applicants on predictors, then uses their judgment to evaluate the results and make their decision A. multiple cutoff approach B. judgmental approach C. compensatory approach D. subjective approach E. non-discriminatory approach

D

Interviewing is still widely used for all the reasons below except A. they allow for a personal impression B. they allow the firm to sell itself to a candidate C. they allow the firm to answer questions D. they are highly reliable and valid in almost all circumstances E. they allow the firm to sell the job to the candidate

D

The selection interview process includes all of the following steps except A. information exchange B. creation of rapport C. evaluation D. workforce analysis E. preparation

D

Which one of the following would not be viewed as a challenge to the ethical standards of the selection process? A. hiring based on friendship or relationship rather than suitability B. taking bribes C. accepting gifts from a placement agency D. hiring on suitability and merit E. taking age and gender information into consideration

D

A benefit of the multiple cutoff approach to hiring is A. it can result in legal challenges B. one predictor can be compensated by superior performance in another predictor C. public relations will increase D. the organization can reject a number of applications who may be qualified to do the job E. it is easy for managers to understand

E

All of the following have an impact on the selection process except A. human resource plans B. organizational policies C. the labour market D. job descriptions and specifications E. the number of employees in the organization

E

Included among the variety of employment tests are all the following except A. knowledge tests B. psychological tests C. performance tests D. cognitive tests E. systemic tests

E

he advantage(s) of obtaining reference checks by telephone rather than in writing can be all the following except A. a faster response is obtained B. it often can be done at less cost C. the person requesting the information doesn't have to leave their desk D. voice inflections in the answers may tip off the interviewer to possible problems E. hesitation in providing direct answers may tip off the interviewer to possible problems

C

In most organizations Step 1 in the selection process is A. the preliminary reception of applicants B. an employment test C. reference checks D. an in-depth employment interview E. realistic job preview

A

The multiple cutoff approach to hiring is used when A. scores for each predictor are evaluated on a pass or fail basis B. management predetermines the number of applicants that will proceed on to the next round C. there is first a group interview followed by individual interviews D. there is first a group interview followed by a panel interview E. the testing all takes place in the same day

A

The purpose of the employment interview is to seek answers to a few broad questions including A. can the applicant do the job B. how many applicants are there C. has the job analysis process been successful D. the applicants sex, family status, religion, and age E. when is their last day of work

A

The selection process A. is a means for an organization to achieve its objectives B. will have no impact on internal realities C. will have no impact on the external realities of the organization D. is unnecessary in smaller firms E. occurs prior to recruitment practices

A

Among the ways to getting more truth out of references is to A. inquire in writing B. ask direct questions C. seek information on personality traits rather than on job-related behaviour D. rely more heavily on personal references E. assume the opposite of whatever you are being told

B

Studies seem to indicate that the reasons for employment reference letters to often be less than candid include all except A. fear of legal reprisal B. requirements (particularly in the U.S.) to show reference letters to the applicant C. a reluctance to pass (particularly unfavorable) judgment on another person D. a desire to build another's self-esteem E. a desire to get rid of an employee

D

The hiring decision marks the A. beginning of the selection process B. the end of the recruitment process C. the end of the first stage in the job analysis process D. the end of the selection process E. the beginning of the realistic job preview

D

The multiple hurdle approach is best used A. in small, owner-operated business B. in the first half of the selection process C. when newly hired employees are given little to no training programs D. when predictors are expensive E. when the compensatory approach is used

D

The weighted application blank technique has been found to be a particularly valuable tool in selecting for job positions that fit all the following criteria except A. that require a long training period B. where the job training is expensive C. where the job is not complex and easy to learn, but where there are few applicants D. where a large number of people apply for a few positions E. where turnover or attrition is unusually high

C

Without differential validity a test A. will not be valid for anyone B. is invalid regardless of any other circumstances C. may be valid for one demographic group but not for another D. is not legal E. will not be reliable

C

A good employment contract includes all of the following except A. specific probationary period if applicable B. start date of employment C. reasonable restrictive covenants D. termination procedures E. questions regarding the applicants age, sex, race and other work related characteristics that were illegal to ask earlier

E

A well-designed application form will do all the following except A. identify gaps in an applicant's record B. target in on specific work and educational skills and experience C. be designed to avoid illegal or intrusive questions D. reveal potential problems or difficulties E. reveal applicant's age and birth place

E

Proper selection processes are integral to a firm's success because of all the following except A. an organization's success depends on the calibre of its employees B. the skills and qualifications of new hires need to match the organization's culture C. improper hiring can cause legal problems D. poor selection can be expensive E. often it is necessary to utilize employment agencies to get the best employees

E

Selection strategy should do all the following except A. reflect job requirements B. be linked to the organization's stage in its life cycle C. recognize organizational constraints D. recognize labour market realities E. reflect the strategy of the competition

E

The compensatory approach to hiring is used when A. predictors are assumed to be independent B. scores for each predictor are evaluated on a pass or fail basis C. the applicant is hired based on what their expected compensation package (pay) would be D. affordability of the applicants compensation package (pay) is a predictor in the selection process E. performing well on one predictor compensates for performing poorly on another

E

According to one study, regardless of organizational size one of the most commonly used selection tools is A. application blanks B. personality tests C. honesty tests D. weighted application blanks E. interests inventories

A

Background checks can now involve the use of social networking websites. This includes A. the recruiter posting questions on the company's HR blog seeking input on applicants B. conducting searches through Google and other search engines C. getting the applicant to provide access to their Facebook page D. creating personal profiles using age, race and political affiliations in order to make more informed hiring decisions E. HR sepecialists gaining as much information as possible about potential candidates in order to present it to the hiring supervisor

B

Behavioural oriented interviews are based on the principle that A. people will tell you how they would like to behave B. past behaviour is one of the best predictors of future behaviour C. they are legal while polygraph testing sometimes is not D. watching how a person behaves while they are being interviewed is informative E. some demographic will behave differently than others

B

Effects of the realistic job preview, particularly where work conditions do not appear appealing, can include A. far less recruits refusing job offers B. less turnover of new employees C. improved employee satisfaction with unpleasant working conditions D. facilitating employment equity programs E. paying lower wages

B

Employment tests that-even unintentionally-discriminate against people A. are all right to use so long as the discrimination is unintentional B. can violate the Canadian Human Rights Act C. are legal so long as they state that they are not following human rights legislation D. are allowed for BFOQ situations E. are only illegal if the discrimination is intentional

B

Giving a recruit an insight into how a job's actual environment looks, feels and sounds is called a(n) A. employee environment preview B. realistic job preview C. practical interview technique D. employee matrix analysis E. Dewey Decimal interview

B

In defending drug testing of all new employees, executives at the Toronto Dominion Bank argued that drug users are more likely to A. miscount their cash B. associate with criminal elements C. injure themselves at the TD Centre D. misbehave in the staff lunchroom E. attempt to assassinate senior bank economists

B

One problem with personal references is that A. they are often too long B. they are mostly uncritical as they are usually written by family and friends C. they are almost always poorly written D. the writers do not provide enough information E. they are usually not signed, therefore illegal

B

Personality tests measure personality or temperament and have the following characteristics except A. they can be unreliable if not designed properly B. most large companies require applicants to complete on line personality tests before they can proceed in the selection process C. validity is questionable because it is difficult to measure the relationship between personality and performance D. measures of conscientiousness have actually been shown to be inversely related to absenteeism E. well developed and validated tests can predict future behaviours in applicants

B

Recent court decisions indicate that today employers, in regards to drug testing and medical evaluations, must A. refuse to do any testing regardless of job descriptions and specifications B. delicately balance individual rights against employer liability and workplace safety C. under all circumstances test for drugs and physical limitations for liability reasons D. accommodate all employees regardless of situation or circumstances, making testing irrelevant E. enforce employees to do mandatory self-testing for drug use

B

The Canadian Civil Liberties Union maintains that drug testing should be banned because A. Canadian society has a serious drug problem among blue collar workers B. drug tests are not indicators of safe performance in the here-and-now as they only measure past drug use C. it discriminates against the protected classes in the Employment Equity Act D.there is no evidence that drugs cause any harm E. drug dependant users are not a protected class of employees

B

The interviewer should A. review the application during the interview to ensure that they can ask questions of the applicant as they arise B. prepare for an interview by developing specific questions C. not allow an applicant to ask specific questions, in the interest of time, until the second interview D. refrain from asking questions to gain specific applicant information because it is too difficult to compare responses between applicants E. not record impressions of an applicant because that can bias the interviewers decision

B

The selection process begins A. with a job vacancy B. once the recruiting process has provided a pool of applicants C. as soon as the human resource department becomes involved D. between job analysis and recruiting E. with the hiring of the best applicant

B

The testing of job applicants for drugs in Canada is A. illegal B. increasing C. decreasing D. taken voluntarily only E. required by law for many jobs

B

There are a number of sequential steps in the selection process, which are fairly generic to most organizations. The following are five of these steps in sequence, except for one that is out of sequence. Select it. A. primary review of all applications B. realistic job preview C. employment interview D. medical evaluation (if required) E. hiring decision

B

Weighted application blanks A. are used for positions that require short and basic training B. are job application forms that contain sections which reliably distinguish satisfactory and unsatisfactory job incumbents C. are job applications which weigh the importance of reference checks more heavily than personal information D. are used when there will be only a few applicants applying for a large number of job openings E. are valuable when there is little employee turnover in a particular position

B

or interviews to have high validity means that the interpretation of interview results should A. vary from interviewer to interviewer B. correlate positively with job performance and other criteria C. be done on time as scheduled D. be reviewed immediately by an human resource professional E. be held in confidence until the candidate is actually hired

B

Some testing experts advise separate validation studies for different demographic subgroups. These studies are referred to as A. minority validity B. construct validity C. predictive validity D. differential validity E. demographic validity

D

A selection ratio is defined as A. the number of applicants available to the number of applicants hired B. the number of applicants available to the number of jobs available C. the number of applicants hired to the number of applicants available D. the number of applicants hired to the number of jobs available E. the number of applicants hired to the number of permanent employees

C

A selection ratio of 1:25 would normally be considered A. a sign that the company did not get enough applicants B. a sign that the company did not recruit from appropriate sources C. a large selection ratio D. impossible (it could not exist) E. irrelevant, as selection ratios are not considered important to the selection process

C

Among all selection techniques the single most commonly used, whether by itself or in conjunction with other tools is/are A. written tests B. references C. in-depth interviews D. psychological testing E. résumés

C

In one case involving TD Bank Canada Trust, the Federal Court determined that the bank's drug testing policy A. was not indirect discrimination against drug-dependent employees B. resulted in a safer workplace and was therefore completely acceptable C. had a direct negative impact on a protected class of individuals, namely drug dependent users D. was a situation the Court felt was illegal but permissible under the circumstances E. though mandatory, was not personally intrusive

C

Involving the immediate supervisor in the employment interview process can A. tend to be an annoyance to the supervisor B. prevent the recruit from asking too direct work-related questions C. tend to make the supervisor more likely to accept some responsibility for employee errors and problems D. often be against labour rights legislation E. only be permitted if the supervisor has formal HR training in interviewing techniques

C

Some factor(s) that define the type of selection procedure used by an organization include A. the size of the organization, and the stage in the organizations growth B. the stage of organizational growth and the specific jobs involved C. the specific jobs involved only D. the size of the organization, the stage of organizational growth, and the specific jobs involved E. both the size of the organization and the specific jobs involved

D

Employment interviews can be held in a variety of formats including all the below except A. structured interview B. behavioural description C. stress-producing D. Markov construct interview E. unstructured interview

D

Many companies today are developing Web applications that do all of the following except A. ask the applicants a series of questions B. build an applicant resume as information is electronically supplied C. store key information from applicants for later retrieval D. complete on line reference checks E. create interactive resumes that will be matched to emerging job vacancies

D

One study of Canadian companies has indicated that letters of reference are used in the selection process over 75% of the time for all the following classes of employees except A. managerial B. professional C. white collar D. blue collar E. both managerial and professional

D

Situation interviews include questions that A. attempt to identify how a job applicant responded to specific work situations in the past B. align with the theory that the best predictor of future actions is past actions C. try top focus on behaviour that has occurred most recently D. assess an applicants likely future responses to specific incidents which they may or may not have encountered in the past E. assess an applicants likely future responses to specific incidents which they have encountered in the past

D