Assessing Job Candidates: Tools for Selection Chapter Eight Assessing Job Candidates: Tools for Selection

Chapter Outline The Selection Process Application Blanks and Biodata Tests Interviews Physical Testing Reference and Background Checks Selecting Managers Criteria for Choosing Selection Devices Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Benefits of Careful and Strategic Selection Tradeoff with training/socialization Hire more carefully, less training may be needed Hire less carefully, train more afterwards Improved performance Effective strategy implementation Hire the kind of people needed to implement strategy Sustainable competitive advantage Match strategy to the unique human resources you have Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Figure 8.1 The Process of Selection Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Application Questions Problematic Questions: Age, gender, religion, all handicaps, all arrests/convictions, photo, birthplace Any questions that indirectly get at the above. Acceptable Questions: Job-relevant characteristics, qualities, and abilities Bona fide Occupational Qualifications Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Figure 8.2 Constructing a Weighted Application Blank (WAB) Make font bigger! Use the box and arrow layout of existing figure 8.2, but reduce verbiage as follows: Define high and low criterion levels Divide into development and holdout samples In development sample, get percent of high and low group members making each response Subtract percents to derive weight Compute WAB score in development sample Correlated WAB score with high/low group membership Cross-validate by trying weights in holdout sample Use weights for selection if they cross-validate Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Developing a Weighted Application Blank Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Biodata Biodata is any personal history information, from WAB, biodata questionnaire, or experience/accomplishment record May be valid because: verifiable, non-fiction only relevant items are weighted point-to-point correspondence with job demands may reflect job-relevant personality traits/values assesses both cognitive and non-cognitive attributes Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Tests A test is a standardized sample of behavior, allowing candidates to be compared easily. Cognitive ability tests are often highly valid predictors of job performance. Tests are legal if they produce no adverse impact OR validly predict job performance. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Work Sample and Trainability Tests Work sample tests are used to select individuals who already must know how to perform critical job tasks. Trainability tests are used when candidates are not expected to know the job, to assess their aptitude for learning it. Both have face validity, content validity, and usually predictive validity. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Personality Tests Can predict non-cognitive aspects of job success with low to moderate validity May have incremental validity over cognitive tests Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

“Big Five” Personality Dimensions 1. Extraversion --- introversion 2. Friendliness, agreeableness --- hostility, non-compliance 3. Neuroticism --- emotional stability 4. High conscientiousness --- low conscientiousness 5. High openness to experience --- low openness to experience Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The Interview Interrater reliability of interviews may be low Validity of interviews depends on structure Unstructured interviews are least valid Semi-structured interviews have some pre-planning and some tailoring to the candidate Structured interviews (same questions asked of each candidate) based on a job analysis are most valid Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Interviewer Errors and Biases Similarity Error Contrast Error Overweighting of Negative Information Race, Sex, and Appearance Bias First Impression Error Halo Error Nonverbal Factors Faulty Listening and Memory Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Figure 8.7 Cone Method of Semistructured Interviewing Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Effective Structured Interview Formats Situational Interview What would you do if two of your subordinates were having a conflict? Behavior Description Interview Tell me about a time two of your subordinates were having a conflict. What did you do? How well did it work? What else did you try? Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Improving the Interview Base questions on a thorough job analysis Use a more structured format Use situational and/or behavior description questions Have interview conducted by a trained panel of interviewers Assess only qualities that are visible in interviews Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Physical Testing The Physical Examination May not be required until after a conditional job offer is made Often not as reliable or valid as strength and fitness testing based on verified job demands. May be used for placement or to allow accommodation if unable to perform a “marginal” job function. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Drug Testing Drug use is NOT a handicap under ADA Drug tests can be done prior to a conditional offer, also randomly during employment Tests are reliable but expensive and invasive Advisable in safety-sensitive jobs Perceived fairness is essential Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Obtaining Reference/Background Information Written references or phone interviews may be used Ask nominated referees for additional people to contact Ask job-related questions of referees Disclose to applicant that you are seeking reference information or doing a background check Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Validity and Legality of Reference Information Validity may be low Check references to avoid “negligent hiring” and because résumé fraud is common Beware defamation suits when giving reference information Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Selecting Managers Assessment Centers Valid but expensive Multiple assessees Multiple assessors Multiple exercises: In-basket test, leaderless group discussion, interview, tests Valid but expensive Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Criteria for Choosing Selection Devices Validity Utility Cost, Base Rate of Success, Selection Ratio, Incremental Validity, etc. Legality/Likelihood of legal challenge Acceptability to Managers Applicant Reactions Societal Impact Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Table 8.9 Average Validity and Incremental Validity of Selection Devices Source: Data from F.L. Schmidt and J.E. Hunter, “The Validity and Utility of Selection Methods in Personnel Psychology: Practical and Theoretical Implications of 85 Years of Research Findings,” Psychological Bulletin, Vol.124, 1998, pp. 262-274. Note that the correlations in the second column are correct upwards to account for restriction in range and unreliability in the measurement of performance. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Review T Selection Process Application Blanks and Biodata Tests Interviews Physical Testing Reference and Background Checks Selecting Managers Criteria for Choosing Selection Devices Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.