HR Chapter 7

Pre-Employment Testing

Testing done prior to employment to ascertain a candidate's ability to perform a job successfully. Performance Simulation Tests Work Sampling Assessment Centers Testing in a Global Arena

Potential Interview Problems

- Interviewer asks inappropriate questions (all questions must be JOB RELATED) - Interviewer permits an interviewee to discuss non-job-related information - Interviewer dominates by talking instead of listening; should be a two-way conversation - During the interview, interviewer makes judgment about interviewee too quickly - Interviewer is unaware of body language signals (of both applicant and interviewer)

Professionalism on the Phone

- Reduce the distractions - Speak clearly - Introduce yourself - Answer the phone - Set up your own voicemail - Make sure you understand - Hold on - Call back

Steps for Effective Interviewing

- Review the job description and job specification - Prepare a structured set of questions - Review the application form and resume - Open the interview by putting the applicant at ease - Ask your questions and listen carefully - Take a few notes - Close the interview by telling the applicant what is going to happen next - Write your evaluation while the interview is fresh in your mind First interviews for entry-level positions: 30-40 min Higher-level positions: 60-90 min

Eight Steps on the Selection Process

1. Initial Screening Interview 2. Completed Application 3. Employment Test 4. Comprehensive Interview 5. Conditional Job Offer 6. Background examination if required 7. Medical/physical examination if required (conditional job offer made) 7. Permanent Job Offer

Two-Step Procedure of Initial Screening

1. Screening Inquiries 2. Screening Interviews

Excelling at the Interview

1. do some homework on the company (also, clean up your own image and have a professional email name) 2. get a good night's rest the night before 3. dress appropriately 4. arrive for the interview a few minutes early 5. use a firm handshake 6. maintain good eye contact (also body language) 7. take the opportunity to have practice interviews 8. thank the interviewer in person, and send a thank-you note

It is estimated that more than ( ) percent of all organizations use some type of employment test.

60

Estimates of the number of employers who check the social media profiles of applicants are as high as

80%

First Impressions

A couple of factors will help avoid making any false assumptions about the applicant before qualifications are considered objectively: Impression Management Avoiding Interview Bias The Behavioral Interview

The selection process can be likened to what type of race?

A hurdle race

Job Offer

Actual hiring decision generally made by the department manager, not HR manager Reasons for this: the applicant will be working for this manager, which necessitates a good fit between boss and employee; if the decision is faulty, the hiring manager has no one else to blame HR manager does typically make the offer Candidates not hired deserve the courtesy of prompt notification

EEO Considerations and Application Forms

All applicants should be asked to submit the same application materials. Employer should use multiple selection measures . Employer should use multiple assessors. Selection devices must be VALID and RELIABLE.

Completing the Application

Application form is a company-specific employment form used to generate specific information the company wants. Gives a job-performance-related synopsis of what applicants have been doing, their skills and accomplishments. Legal considerations 1. omit items that are not job-related; e.g., sex, religion 2. includes statement giving employer the right to dismiss an employee for falsifying information 3. asks for permission to check work references 4. typically includes "employment-at-will" statement

Open-House Recruiting Effort

Companies hire all individuals on the spot and then fire the unsuccessful ones later

Which type of validity is the most difficult to prove?

Construct validity is the most difficult type of validity to prove because you are dealing with abstract measures.

What four important purposes do applications serve?

Create a record of applicant's intention to apply for a position Provides organization with a profile of the applicant/prospective employee If the applicant is hired, application becomes his/her first employment record Company can analyze collected applications to research effectiveness of selection process

When does the interview really make the choir to hire or not hire the candidate?

Early studies indicated that they made the choice within the first few minutes of the interview. However, subsequent research does not support this. In fact, initial impressions may have little effect, unless that is the only information available for an interviewer to use.

Selection for Self-Managed Teams

Employees are now being empowered to help with day-to-day tasks such as hiring decisions. They will look for hard-working employees that will pull their weight and can perform the job skills However, they may not be familiar with the necessary interviewing skills

What is the fourth form of (non-statistical) validity?

Face Validity: Does the test, on the face of it, appear to measure what it purports to measure? In other words, does this test seem reasonable to give to an applicant for this job? Face validity is not established statistically. High face validity: Giving a timed keyboarding test to applicants for a data entry job. Low face validity: Giving applicants for a data entry job a complex math test.

True or False? There are certain interview questions that are actually deemed illegal by the EEOC.

False. There are no interview questions that are actually illegal, but the EEOC does look with extreme disfavor on questions about age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, gender, or veteran status.

Initial Screening Interview

First step in selection process Job description information is shared along with a salary range. weeding out of applicants who don't meet general job requirements screening interviews help candidates decide if position is suitable Phone interviews are efficient ways to hold screening interviews- do not offer an official job interview during the phone screening interview Can also do online video screening interviews The organization can eliminate some respondents based on the job description and the job specification.

Resume vs. Application

From an EEO perspective, resumes can be considered applications So organizations must treat resumes the way they treat applications This can be difficult since applicants format their resumes differently and include differing information ALWAYS check resumes for truthfulness

Note-Taking

Interviewers often have remarkably short and inaccurate memories. Even in a short interview, the average interviewer remembers only half of the information. Taking notes during an interview has been shown to reduce memory loss. It helps the interviewer retain accurate information and develop a clearer understanding of the applicant's fit by allowing follow-up questions. Also video-taping

Why is "Do you have a car?" not a valid interview question?

It isn't job-related. Instead, ask if they can get to work on time with certain specific hours.

Candidates who focus and successfully demonstrate their ( ) are the ones hired.

KSA's: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Why can comprehensive selection be better than discrete selection?

Positive factors can sometimes counterbalance negative factors, so it's good to look at everything. The major disadvantage of discrete selection is that you could be eliminating potentially good employees simply because they receive an acceptable but low evaluation at one selection step.

Between concurrent and predictive validity, which is the preferred choice?

Predictive validity is the preferred choice because it is demonstrated by using actual job applicants. Predictive validity is more expensive, but it should be used when possible. Concurrent validity, although better than no validity at all, leaves many questions to be answered. Its usefulness has been challenged on the premise that current employees know the jobs already because a learning process has taken place. Similarity may be lessened between the current employee and the applicant.

RJP

Realistic Job Preview a selection device that allows job candidates to learn negative as well as positive information about the job and organization (brochures, videos, plant tours, work sampling) help reduce turnover rates Addresses the theory that unmet expectations of new employees can cause them to be dissatisfied in the job and quit It should take place during the interview. Applicants who receive a more realistic job preview hold lower and more realistic expectations about the job they will be doing and are better prepared for coping with the position and its potentially frustrating elements. Most studies demonstrate that giving candidates a realistic job preview before offering them the job reduces turnover without lowering acceptance rates. Exposing an applicant to RJP may also result in the hiring of a more committed individual.

How is reliability established for selection methods? *

Reliability is established using statistical measures of correlation. Reliability scores range from -1 (least desirable) to +1 (most desirable). Statistically test consistency of measurement: Test-retest reliability Split halves reliability Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability

GATB

The Department of Labor's General Aptitude Test Battery was shown to be valid for 500 jobs studied in terms of the test's ability to predict job performance training success irrespective of race. What distinguishes validity generalizations is its use of a statistical technique called meta-analysis. Through meta-analysis, researches can determine correlations that may exist among numerous variables and correct or adjust for any variances that may exist in predictor-criterion relationships.

Reliability

The ability of the selection tool to measure an attribute consistently. HR managers need reliable tests to make sure the applicant will perform satisfactorily The applicant's performance on any given selection device should produce consistent scores each time the device is used. If the test is reliable, any single individual's score should remain fairly stable over time, assuming that the characteristic it is measuring remains stable. IQ should be stable; attitude and mood probably not Reliability means CONSISTENCY. Selection measures must be reliable - must measure consistently - in order to be fair. Application blank tends to be highly reliable because it is a fixed, standardized instrument Interviews are less reliable because they exhibit greater variation due to the particular interactions of interviewer-interviewee pairs

Cut Score

The cut score separates successful from unsuccessful performers. cut scores on a selection device can be determined by validity studies See graphs on pages 184-185 of textbook applicants scoring below the cut score are predicted to be unsuccessful on the job and are rejected The buyer's market allows HRM to raise cut scores so that all but the most qualified applicants are rejected. The seller's market forces HRM to lower cut scores to allow consideration of applicants with lower skill levels.

Validity

The relationship between scores on a selection tool and a relevant criterion, such as job performance. There are three statistically-determined types: content construct criterion-related Definition of Validity: Does the test measure what it purports to measure? "Test" includes any screening or selection method. Validity is established by statistical methods. Validity is expressed as a correlation coefficient and can range from -1 to +1. A strong negative correlation is just as valid as a strong positive correlation.

Testing in a Global Arena

Whenever American corporations prepare to do business abroad, their practices must adapt to the cultures and regulations of the country in which they will operate. Selection practices must be adapted to cultures and regulations of the host country.

Assessment Center

a facility where performance simulation tests are administered. These include a series of exercises used for selection, development, and performance appraisals give tests and exercises, (individual and group), to assess managerial potential or other complex skills As with work sampling, these exercises are designed to simulate the work of managers and tend to be accurate predictors of later job performance Sometimes include traditional personality and aptitude test

Work Sampling

a selection device requiring the job applicant to perform a small sampling of actual job activities uses job analysis to develop a miniature replica of the job so the applicant can demonstrate his/her skills reflects hands-on experience Each work sample element is matched with a corresponding job performance element. Because work samples are essentially identical to job content, work sampling should be a better predictor of short-term performance and should minimize discrimination The main disadvantage is the difficulty in developing appropriate work samples for each job. It is not applicable to all levels of the organization- difficult to do for a managerial job.

Comprehensive Interview

a selection device used to obtain in-depth information about a candidate assesses motivation, values, ability to work under pressure, attitude, ability to fit in- fit cannot be overstated Skills and aptitudes may get candidates in the door, but how well they adapt to the organization frequently determines how long they'll stay. can be traditional, panel, or situational especially useful for high-turnover jobs and less routine ones The interview is only as effective as those conducting it. The interview offers the greatest value as a selection device in determining an applicant's organizational fit, level of motivation, and interpersonal skills. - particularly true of senior management positions The interview has proves an almost universal effectiveness tool, one that can take numerous forms.

Weighted Application Form

a special type of application form that uses relevant applicant information to determine the likelihood of job success individual pieces of information are validated against performance and turnover measures and given appropriate weights data must be collected for each job to determine how well a particular item (e.g., years of schooling, tenure on last job) predicts success on target job Example: looking at accountant positions; compare application forms of short tenure and long tenure accountants to see if there are any traits that distinguish them; college degree? if so, it has a weighted score

Conditional Job Offer

a tentative job offer that becomes permanent after certain conditions are met HR manager makes an offer of employment, contingent on successful completion of background check, physical/medical exam, drug test, etc. may use only job-related information to make a hiring decision If all of those things are passed, the conditional nature of the job offer will be removed and the applicant will be offered the job.

Medical Investigation

an examination to determine an applicant's physical fitness for essential job performance used only to determine if the individual can comply with essential functions of the job Americans with Disabilities Act requires that exams be given only after conditional job offer is made; if an applicant is not selected for a position due to a disability, the employer must be able to show that the disability prevented the applicant from performing the job even if reasonable accommodations were made drug tests can be given at this time Company health & life insurance policy qualifier- may show that an individual does not meet the minimum standards of health required to enroll in company health and insurance programs

Negligent Hiring

assumes that a proper background check would have uncovered information about the candidate, resulting in the candidate not being hired Companies can be held liable for failure to properly hire.

Hire for ( ) Train for ( )

attitude; skill

Validity coefficient

correlation coefficients used to demonstrate the statistical relationships between an individual's test score and his or her job performance The closer the validity coefficient is to the extreme (1), the more accurate the test, that is, the test is a good predictor of job performance.

Construct Validity

degree to which a particular (abstract) trait is related to successful job performance Example: measure of intelligence

Criterion-Related Validity

degree to which a selection device accurately predicts important elements of work behavior This validity strategy shows the relationship between some predictor (test score, for example) and a criterion (say, production output or managerial effectiveness). To establish criterion-related validity, either of two approaches can be used: Predictive validity uses test scores of applicants to compare with their future job performance Concurrent validity correlates test scores of current employees with measures of their job performance

Content Validity

degree to which the content of the test, as a sample, represents situations on the job

Stress Interview

designed to create a difficult environment in which the applicant is "put to the test" to assess his or her confidence levels stress interviews become predictors of how you may react at work under less-than-favorable conditions Starts comfortable, then brings in the stress Is this ethical?

Process of Selection's Dual Objective

evaluation and a good fit

1/3 of all applicants....

exaggerate their backgrounds or experiences

Documentation supports the premise that a good predictor of an individual's future behavior is

his or her past behavior

The primary purpose of any selection device is to...

identify individuals who will be effective performers

Interviewer Bias

image created by reviewing materials such as the resume, application, or test scores prior to the actual interview From other interviewers Much of he early part of the interview, then, becomes an exercise wherein the interviewer compares the actual applicant with the image formed earlier.

Impression Management

influencing performance evaluations by portraying an image desired by the appraiser (applicant's desire to project the "right" image), may skew interview results an applicant's attempt to project an image that will result in a favorable outcome

Successful Applications

information collected on application forms can be highly predictive of successful job performance forms must be validated and continuously reviewed and updated data should be verified through background investigations Evidence that the application form provides relevant information for predicting job success is well supported across a broad range of jobs. Employers have been switching to online application forms to be more sustainable and save money.

Situational Interview

interview follows a predetermined pattern that identifies both questions and expected responses

Panel Interview

involves several individuals who interview an applicant at once

Any of the selection criteria needs to predict

job performance

Any question listed on a job application form or asked in an interview must be

job related

High validity may mean little if the selection devices has

low validity- if the measures obtained do not relate to a relevant criterion such as job performance Just because a test score is consistent is no indication that it is measuring important characteristics related to job behavior.

Now it's up to the candidate

most people want jobs compatible with their personality- social people (clinical psychology, foreign service, social work); investigative people (biology, mathematics, and oceanography); Enterprising people (management, law, and public relations) applicants who are not hired this time will still form an impression about the company management should assure the selection process leaves them with a favorable impression of the company

The Behavioral Interview

observing job candidates not only for what they say but for how they behave much more effective at predicting job performance than traditional interviews Organizations have found that past performance and situations is a much better indicator of future success than any other factor. Candidates are presented with open-ended questions or situations that may include complex problems. Behavioral interviews are nearly eight times more effective for predicting successful job performance.

Traditional Interview

one-on-one encounter between the interviewer and the applicant

Validity Generalization

refers to a test valid for screening applicants for a variety of jobs and performance factors across many occupations

What test elements help predict which applicants will be successful on the job?

reliability, validity, and cut scores

Job Choice

represents selection from the perspective of the potential employee rather than the organization personality matters individual's perception of the company's attractiveness

The selection device must differentiate between

satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance on the job

Selection from a Global Perspective

selection criteria for international assignments: 1. interest in working overseas 2. ability to relate to different cultures and environments 3. supportiveness of the candidate's family female executives have done well abroad in Asia and Latin America, despite past reluctance to assign them to these countries The selection criteria for international assignments are broader in scope than those for domestic selection. Not surprisingly, many corporations consider personal factors of maturity and age, as well as the "family situation factor", far more important in their international assignments that in domestic placements.

Comprehensive Selection

selection puts applicants through all the steps in the selection process before making a decision. assesses both strengths and weaknesses, and is considered more realistic must measure factors related to the job only Typically more costly and time consuming

Qualified Privilege

the ability for organizations to speak candidly to one another about employees or potential hires Former employers may discuss employees with prospective employers without fear of reprisal as long as the discussion is about job-related, documented facts The information given cannot be discriminatory, retaliate against a former employee, or disclose confidential facts that constitute an invasion of privacy.

Background Investigation

the process of verifying information job candidates provide (also reference checks) Verifies information from the application form: References- usually very positive, always ask what the relationship is Former employers- some will give you more info than others; ask for dates worked there, performance appraisal, scale of 1-10. If all else fails, ask them if they would rehire the person Education- verified by asking for transcripts Third-Party-investigators conducting background checks Legal status to work in U.S.- I-9 form and E-Verify and Employment Eligibility Verification (the I-9) Credit references- if job-related Criminal records-checked by third-party investigators or found online Online Searches- employers need to be careful only to consider job-related information HRM must always remember to ask the candidate to sign a waiver giving the organization permission to check court records, references, former employers, and education.

Selection Ration

the ratio of number hired to number of applicants

Employees who experience poor evaluations are handled in these four ways:

training, transfer, discipline, discharge

Concurrent Validity

validating tests by using current employees as the study group Current employees take a proposed selection test that is then compared to their existing performance appraisal data. If a relationship appears between the two, a valid test has been found.

Predictive Validity

validating tests by using prospective applicants as the study group - administer a test with an unknown validity to all prospective applicants - wouldn't use test scores in hiring process - year later, performance evaluations will be compared to initial test scores - if no clear relationship exist, the test may need to be revised - if the organization found statistically that employees who scored below some predetermine score (cut score), were unsuccessful performers, management could appropriately state that any future applicants scoring below the cut score would be ineligible for unemployment

Performance Simulation Tests

work sampling and assessment centers evaluate abilities in actual job activities The single identifying characteristic of these tests is that they require the applicant to engage in specific behaviors necessary for performing the job successfully. They more easily meet the requirement for job relatedness because they evaluate actual job behaviors.