Chapter 6

background checks

- EEOC has guidelines for doing criminal background checks - credit checks have drawn scrutiny, and some states have banned it

resumes

- applicants control the info - inexpensive starting point - should be evaluated in terms of the elements of the job description

disadvantages of interviews

- can be unreliable, low in validity, and biased against a number of different groups - costly - subjective

candidates' privacy rights

- info gathered during selection process may include info that employees consider confidential - particular concern w/ job applicants who provide info online - employers should collect data only at secure Web sites

a job offer should include

- job responsibilities - work schedule - rate of pay - starting date - other relevant details

references

- may be phone calls or written - biased, employees choose the people who will say nice things about them - usually checked when the candidate is a finalist for the job

employment tests and work samples include:

- medical examinations - physical ability tests - cognitive ability tests - job performance tests - work samples - personality inventories - honesty tests - drug test

a successful selection method

- provides reliable info - provides valid info - can be generalized to apply to candidates - offers high utility - uses legal selection criteria

advantages of interviews

- taking face to face can provide evidence of candidates' skills, personalities & interpersonal styles - provide a means to check the accuracy of the info on the resume/job application

selection process steps

1) screening applications & resumes 2) testing & reviewing work samples 3) interviewing candidates 4) checking references & background 5) making a selection

rules for administering drug tests

1. administer tests systematically to all applicants for the same job 2. use drug testing for jobs that involve safety hazards 3. have a report of results sent to applicant, along w/ information about how to appeal results & be retested if appropriate 4. respect applicants' privacy by conducting tests in an environment that is not intrusive and keeping results confidential

how to prepare to interview

1. be prepared 2. put applicant at ease 3. ask about past behaviors 4. listen - let candidate do most of the talking 5. take notes - write down notes during & immediately after the interview 6. at the end of the interview, make sure candidate knows what to expect next

3 ways of measuring validity according to the federal government's Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures

1. criterion-related 2. content 3. construct

Big 5 Personality Traits

1. extroversion 2. adjustment 3. agreeableness 4. conscientiousness 5. inquisitiveness

interview techniques

1. nondirective interview - least reliable and valid 2. structured interview 3. situational interview 4. behavioral description interview

legal standards for selection (3 acts)

3 acts have formed the basis for a majority of suits filed by job applicants: 1. Civil Rights Acts of 1964 & 1991 2. Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 3. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991

selection process

For employees who work directly w/ customers, companies should create a selection process that measures employees' interest in customers and their ability to interact in a positive way

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) Have you ever been arrested?

Impermissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) Is that school affiliated with [religious group]? When did you attend high school? [to learn applicant's age].

Impermissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) What is your marital status? Would you like to be address as a Mrs., Ms., or Miss? Do you have any children?

Impermissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) What is your religion? What religious holidays do you observe?

Impermissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) What organizations or groups do you belong to?

Impermissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) How old are you? How would you feel about working for someone younger than you?

Impermissible

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) What is your ancestry? Are you a citizen of the United States? Where were you born? How did you learn to speak that language?

Impermissible

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) What is your height? Your weight? Do you have any disabilities? Have you been seriously ill? Please provide a photograph of yourself.

Impermissible

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) What was your maiden name? What's the nationality of your name?

Impermissible

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) Can you meet the job requirement to travel overnight several times a month?

Permissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) Can you meet the requirements of the work schedule? [Ask all candidates].

Permissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

Permissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) What organizations or groups do you belong to that you consider relevant to being able to perform this job?

Permissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) What schools have you attended? What degrees have you earned? What was your major?

Permissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) Will you need any reasonable accommodation for this hiring process? Are you able to perform this job, with or without reasonable accommodation?

Permissable

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) Are you fluent in (language needed for job]? [Statement that employment is subject to verification of applicant's identity and employment eligibility under immigration laws].

Permissible

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) If you are hired, can you show proof of age (to meet a legal age requirement)?

Permissible

(Permissible/Impermissible Question) What is your full name? Have you ever worked under a different name? [Ask all candidates].

Permissible

Personnel selection

Process through which organizations make decisions about who will/won't be allowed to join the org Seelstion begins w/ candidates identified through recruitment Attempts to reduce number to individuals best qualified to perform available jobs Ends w/ selected individuals placed in jobs w/ the org

correlation coefficients

a higher correlation coefficient signifies a higher degree of reliability - orgs use statistical tests to compare results over time

what does a correlation of -1.0 mean?

a perfect negative relationship - as one set of numbers goes up, the other goes down

what does a correlation of 1.0 mean?

a perfect positive relationship - as one set of numbers goes up, so does the other

generalizable selection method

applies not only to the conditions in which the method was originally developed - job, org, time period, people, etc - but also applies to other orgs, jobs, applicants, etc

aptitude tests

assess how well a person can learn/acquire skills & abilities

practical value

being valid, reliable, and generalizable adds value to a selection method - selection methods should cost significantly less than the benefits of hiring new employees, and methods that provide economic value greater than the cost of using them are said to have utility

computerized interviews

candidate enters response to questions at a computer, useful for gathering objective data

construct validity

consistency between a high score on a test and a high level of a construct (i.e. intelligence or leadership ability) as well as between mastery of this construct and successful performance of the job

content validity

consistency between test items or problems and kinds of situations or problems that occur on the job

agreeableness

courteous, trusting, good-natured, tolerant, cooperative, forgiving

inquisitiveness

curious, imaginative, artistically sensitive, broad-minded, playful

conscientiousness

dependable, organized, persevering, thorough, achievement-oriented

adjustment

emotionally stable, nondepressed, secure, content

reliability

extent to which a measurement is free from random error; a reliable measurement generates consistent results

validity

extent to which performance on a measure (ex: test score) is related to what the measure is designed to assess (ex: job performance)

application forms

low cost way to gather basic data from applicants; ensures the org has certain standard categories of info: - contact info - work experience - educational background - applicant's signature

achievement tests

measure a person's existing knowledge and skills

criterion-related validity

measure of validity based on showing a substantial correlation between test scores & job performance scores, 2 kinds of research are possible for arriving at this: 1. predictive validation 2. concurrent validation

strategic selection approach

organizations should create a selection process in support of its job descriptions - should be set up in a way that it lets the org identify people who have necessary KASOs - requires ways to measure effectiveness of selection tools

multiple-hurdle model

process of arriving at a selection decision by eliminating some candidates at each stage of the selection process

compensatory model

process of arriving at a selection decision in which a very high score on one type of assessment can make up for a low score on another

Fair Credit Reporting Act

requires employers to obtain a candidate's consent before using a 3rd party to check candidate's credit history/reference - if the employer decides not to hire based on the report, employer must give applicant a copy of the report and summary of applicant's rights BEFORE taking action

Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986)

requires employers to verify & maintain records on applicant's legal rights to work in the US - applicants fill out Form I-9 and present documents showing their identity & eligibility to work - law prohibits employer from discriminating against the person on basis of national origin or citizenship status - employers go online to use the E-Verify system to submit info on the applicant's I-9

concurrent validation

research that consists of administering a test to people who currently hold a job, then comparing their scores to existing measures of job performance

predictive validation

research that uses test scores of all applicants & looks for a relationship between scores and future performance of applicants who were hired

panel interviews

several members of the org meet to review each candidate, reduces biases

extroversion

sociable, gregarious, assertive, talkative, expressive

what does a correlation of 0 mean?

there is no correlation/relationship

applicant-tracking system

used by employers to cope with the amount of resumes that come in from a single job posting - involves automating much of selection process

is it valid to ask interviewees about willingness to travel?

yes, if it is part of the job