Chapter 9 - Application Forms and Biodata Assessments, Training and Experience Evaluations, and Reference Checks

Several studies have demonstrated that over 95% of firms checked references.

true

How might managers avoid their biases?

-a valid scoring system should be used to evaluate the information on the application/resume -remove names or other info that could allow a manager to identify race, gender, etc.

Legal issues with reference checks

-negligent hiring -slander,libel, and defamamtion of character -40 to 50 states have laws to protect employers from lawsuits brought against by former employees when the info was shared in good faith

Resumes

-often used as a screen tool -recruiters try to judge characteristics such as mental ability and conscientousness -many recruiter inferences have not been tested for validity -people provide false statements -companies today largely use automated screening tools -only one resume collection may be biased

Methods of reference checks

-telephone -internet, email, and mail -letters of rec -in-person checks

example of a nondiscriminatory question

"Are you at least 18 years old?"

Example of a discriminatory question

"What is your date of birth?" - could indicate age discrimination

T&E Evaluations

"a way to rationally assess previous experience, training, and education info given by job applicants"

as an employer checking references

-"it is legal and even the duty of employers to check references." -avoid negligent hiring -Both T&E deficiencies and criminal history can be your fault

T&E Reliability and Validity

-High levels of interrater reliability reported -t and e often used as a pre-screen for minimum qualifications -highly range restricted, yet valid predictors of worker performance and salary

Application Form Composition

-Provide instructions and describe who will see the info -should be reviewed for attractiveness, fairness, and ease of use -information about demographics (as required by EEO) should be collected with a different form

How T&E is "measured" matters

-Years on the job plateaus in its effectiveness as a predictor; matters more early but less after 5 years of experience -GPA is a better predictor of performance than years of education

Application form content

-basic info -lower level jobs . shorter forms -must review what is permissible in each state where the company operates -specific content varies by company and by job (will need more than one form) -job analysis is, partly, how you decide what to ask

Legal Implications of T&E

-can result in adverse impact -make up substantial proportion of discrimination cases -plaintiffs are successful in about 1/3 of the cases -make sure these evaluations do not screen out protected classes --job related --BFOQ --business necessity

As a former employer

-do not share untrue or unverified info -do not retaliate against former employees -share reference with former employee

sources of reference checks

-former employers -personal references -investigative agencies -public records

What must an employer do to prove adverse impact or disparate treatment did not occur?

-must be able to show validation data that the item does not discriminate -is predictive of job success (validation data) -represents a BFOQ (job analysis) -Do you own your own home? (bad question) Most orgs use forms with questions that do not meeting EEO law

How to score application form validity

-often use criterion related validity in large sames (300+) -Consider reliability when analyzing single item predictors -often develop an empirical scoring key and use a weighting system -sometimes items are grouped into dimensions -any empirical key needs to be cross-validated

What are the many ways in which T&E evaluations can be used?

1. As the sole basis for deciding whether an individual is qualified 2. as a means for rank-ordering individuals from high to low based on a T&E score 3. as a basis for pre-screening applicants prior to administering more expensive, time-consuming predictors 4. in combination with other predictors used for making an employment decision

3 Major Purposes of Reference Checks

1. verify info given by job applicants on their selection measures 2. serve as a bias for either predicting the job success of applicants or screening out unqualified applicants 3. uncover background info about applicants that may not have been provided by applicants or identified by other selection procedures

Final recommendations for reference checks

1.Best when involving job-related concerns 2.Need to tailor what is checked to specific jobs 3.Reference checks are subject to the Uniform Guidelines 4.Use structure for phone or in-person interviews of references 5.Applicants need to provide written permission to contact their references 6.Reference takers need training on interviewing 7.All reference check information should be recorded in writing 8.If 1st round of references can't/won't provide info, ask applicant for more contacts 9.Check all application form and resume information 10.Verify any negative information received via reference checks

Biodata guidelines

1.Biodata items should principally deal with past behavior and experience 2.Items dealing with family relationships or other issues of a personal nature (for example, religion) are usually viewed as offensive 3.Specificity and brevity of items and response options are desirable 4.Numbers should be used to define a biodata item's options or alternatives 5.All possible response options and an "escape" option (for example, "other") should be given; where possible, response options that form a continuum should be used 6.Item options should carry a neutral or pleasant connotation 7.Items dealing with past and present behaviors and with opinions, attitudes, and values are generally acceptable 8.Items should reflect historical events that are important in shaping a person's behavior and identity 9.To lessen the effect of individuals responding in ways considered to be socially desirable (that is, faking), biodata items should reflect external events (that is, prior behaviors occurring in real-life situations), be limited to firsthand recollections, be potentially verifiable, and measure unique, discrete events (such as age when first licensed to drive)

Which of the following is true about letters of reference?

A long letter is more indicative of a positive attitude toward the applicant than a short letter.

Which of the following techniques is especially well-suited for selecting professionals and upper management because it captures the qualitative nature of the candidate's accomplishments?

Accomplishment Record method

What does research tell us about the accuracy of application form data?

Applicants are most likely to distort those items believed to be related to whether a job offer will be made and the salary given.

Hall Inc v. Buck (1984)

Buck had trouble getting a job. Hired an investigator. Found employees of Hall Inc. were sharing second-hand, untrue information Buck won

What conclusions can be inferred from research examining the appropriateness of items (i.e., from an EEO standpoint) on application forms

It is rare to find application forms that don't have at least one inappropriate item.

The behavioral consistency method for assessing training and experience assumes which of the following?

Job applicants should be evaluated on the basis of behaviors that show differences between superior and minimally acceptable workers

True v. Ladner (1986)

Ladner told True's prospective employers that he was a lackluster professor. Jury found that statements made by Ladner demonstrated "reckless disregard of their truth or falsity." True won

Content Validation

SMEs judge the items but also screen out items based on discrimination

Why former employers may not want to share

They are overly concerned with lawsuits, so they may require applicant to sign a release form that is shared with former employers and may submit written request for info

How may employers respond when they realize an employee or applicant has provided false info?

They can be fired or rejected

What is a disadvantage of mail reference checks?

They have a low return rate.

An application form checklist is:

a list of items related to minimum qualifications that an applicant must meet for further consideration for a job

Which of the following types of evidence would be most useful in defending a negligent hiring suit?

background investigation

For entry-level selection, validity evidence suggests which of the following as the best predictor of performance?

biodata

Desirable BIB items should:

carry a neutral or pleasant connotation.

Which of the following is an inappropriate question to be asked on an application form?

do you smoke?

How does application faking affect job performance

does not seem to have a major effect

A felony conviction can automatically exclude an applicant from employment.

false

Email is the most frequently used method of conducting a reference check.

false

Evidence of application/resume fraud or misconduct will not limit the employer's liability on discrimination claims.

false

It is appropriate to ask on an application form questions related to work availability on holidays/weekends.

false

It is especially important for an employer to answer reference questions from other organizations, such as "Would you rehire this person?"

false

It is inappropriate to ask applicants about specific skills or education/training experiences acquired through military service.

false

Research shows that over time, most Fortune 500 firms have revised their application forms so they are now completely fair.

false

State and federal laws generally do not assume that all questions asked on an application form are used in making hiring decisions.

false

The "Accomplishment Record" T&E evaluation method should NOT be used for selecting managers or professionals.

false

WAB stands for weighted application biodata.

false

Written work experience and education information given by a job applicant are more accurate when obtained from an interview rather than a "training and experience evaluation."

false

EEOC v. National Academy of Sciences (1976)

former employee argued the reference checks failed to include black people and was not related to performance Academy won

Rutherford v. American Bank of Commerce (1976)

former employee had trouble getting a job, because she had filed a sexual harassment case against former employer she won

Reference check efficacy

good for objective criteria but not so much for subjective info

Which of the following is the least recommended approach to T&E evaluations?

holistic judgment

Which approach to scoring a BIB appears to be the contemporary trend?

identifying life history dimensions

How may managers negatively use applications and resumes?

often screen out people from protected classes

Unnamed CA case

school districts share glowing reviews of a problem employee; failed to share info about that employee having sexual relationships with students. School districts held liable for negligent misrepresentation

Which of the following is not a step involved in the development of a BIB?

selecting the model employee

Which of the following were found to provide reference data predictive of subsequent job performance?

supervisors of former employers

Which of the following training and experience evaluation methods is the best predictor of job performance?

the behavioral consistency method

Which of the following is not a method of collecting T&E evaluation information?

the classification method

What is the basic issue in cases that have dealt with claims of discriminatory impact and defamation of character?

the tendency of reference givers to go beyond necessity in describing people

A common distortion seen by many HR managers involves reported college background.

true

Biodata instruments can be developed and validated so they lead to validity generalizability.

true

Employers are prohibited from asking any questions of references that they may not request of applicants.

true

It is inappropriate to ask an applicant to supply a birth certificate for employment.

true

It is possible to produce a biodata instrument that is predictive of performance across organizations and employee groups.

true

Job analysis data should serve as one basis for choosing employment application questions.

true

Of all the T&E methods, the KSA based method likely offers the best prediction of later job performance.

true

Scoring procedures for biodata forms should be based on job applicants rather than incumbents.

true

The total score for a WAB is used like that of any personnel selection test to predict probable job success.

true

When creating a biographical information blank (BIB) it is preferable to use items have an underlying continuum and requiring a single choice.

true

While the typical validity coefficient may be relatively low, the available evidence is reasonably clear that some training and experience ratings are valid predictors of job performance.

true

Which of the following is NOT one of the empirical keying methods used with biodata scores?

vertical percentage

When are people more likely to fake good?

when the info is hard to verify and when the "correct" answer is somewhat obvious