MANA 4328 Dr. Jeanne Michalski michalski@uta.edu Selection 1 MANA 4328 Dr. Jeanne Michalski michalski@uta.edu 1

Selection Mechanisms Applications Resumes Biographical information Background investigations Checking references Credit reports Polygraph tests Honesty tests Graphology Drug testing Cognitive ability tests Personality tests Physical ability tests Job knowledge tests Work sample tests Simulators Situational interviews Unstructured interviews Assessment centers Recommendations Many others…..

Why Use Selection Mechanisms?

Choosing Selection Methods Multiple factors need to be considered. Specificity of skills required Risk of bad hire or mistakes made by employees Employee reactions Level of adverse impact Cost Administration time “Screening-in” vs. “Screening out” methods

Developing A Selection Plan List each of the KSA’s required for the job Does it need to be assessed? What are the minimum qualifications? List potential selection mechanisms for those KSA’s that need to be assessed along with costs and benefits. Validity and reliability $$$ Costs Level of adverse impact Detail the selection sequence Data to be collected at each point Criteria to be used to move applicants through the sequence

Most Common Methods Application Interview Education level Training and experience Reference checks Resumes Licensing and certification Biodata

Required for Every Selection Tool… Equal opportunity (non-discriminatory) Reliability Validity (a) Test reflects the content of the job. (b) Test predicts job performance.

Test Reliability Reliability – consistency of the measure If the same person takes the test again will he/she earn the same score? Potential contaminations: Test takers physical or mental state Environmental factors Test forms Multiple raters How to determine reliability: Statistical techniques Test – retest reliability Inter-rater reliability Others

Relative Reliability of Measures Visual acuity High Hearing Dexterity Mathematical ability Verbal ability Intelligence Clerical skills Mechanical aptitudes Sociability Cooperativeness Tolerance Emotional stability Low

Test Validity Validity – accuracy of the measure Are you measuring what you intend to measure? (CONTENT) OR Does the test measure a characteristic related to job performance? (CRITERION) Testing criterion validity: Criterion – test predicts job performance in general Predictive – test predicts job future performance Concurrent – test predicts performance at time of test How to determine validity: Conduct a job analysis Collect statistics Use outside evidence

The Goal of Selection: Maximize “Hits” MISS Inaccurate prediction (Person would have succeeded on the job) HIT Accurate prediction (Person succeeds on the job) Accurate prediction (Person would not have succeeded on the job) Inaccurate prediction (Person fails on the job) Predicted Success Job Performance Low High “Earns a Bonus” “Is a Bonehead”

Correlation Scatterplots Figure 5.3

Reliability vs. Validity

Principles of Assessment Don’t rely on a single method. Use only fair and unbiased instruments. Use only reliable instruments. Use only valid instruments for a specific purpose. Use only tools designed for a specific group. Use instruments with understandable instructions. Ensure test administration staff are properly trained. Ensure test conditions are suitable for all test takers. Provide reasonable accommodation. Maintain confidentiality of results. Ensure proper interpretation of results.

Effectiveness of Selection Methods A survey of 201 HR executives rated selection methods on the effectiveness producing the best employees. Work samples 3.68 References/recommendations 3.49 Structured interviews 3.42 Assessment centers 3.42 Specific aptitude tests 3.08 Personality tests 2.93 General cognitive ability tests 2.89 Biographical information blanks 2.84

Steps in Pre-Employment Screening 1. Screen based on competency Written or simulation tests generally reliable and valid Benefits need to be balanced with costs 2. Use structured interviews Question objectivity and job relatedness Standardized administration Multiple raters Verify applicants employment history/background check Consider “screening-out” tool

Methods and Applicant Flow Applicants Candidates Offers Hires Initial Substantive Contingent

Initial Selection Initial Selection Resumes Application Forms

Application Forms Only ask info related to job KSA’s Link to job performance Use thorough job analysis and validation techniques Consider potential adverse impact Consider “knockout” questions Careful collecting personal characteristics Race, National Origin, Gender, Age etc. Law assumes all questions are used in hiring More is not necessarily better Different applications for different jobs Instructions and Disclaimers Not particularly valid

Application Forms How to ask non-discriminatory questions? You are always permitted to ask if applicant is qualified and able to perform primary job duties. You should never ask questions that indicate protected class status. Allow people to “self-select” as much as possible. What if you need to collect demographic information for EEO purposes? Race, National Origin, Gender, Age etc

How to ask… Do you have child-care for your children? Do you own a car? How old are you? Do you have a physical or mental disability? Height? Weight? What is your maiden name? Are you a U.S. citizen? Have you every been arrested? Do you smoke or use tobacco?

Resumes Applicant controls the information Many examples of fraud or omission Up to 50% contain some inaccuracy What are possible indicators of resume fraud? Jobs and education should be verified One question honesty test Requirements for education and experiences should be job-related.

Potential Problems NY Times Sept 12, 2005 Ronald L. Zarrella, the chief executive of Bausch & Lomb, claimed to have had a master's in business administration from New York University. Shares in the company dropped 3 percent the day the company divulged Mr. Zarrella's resume-fudging. David J. Edmondson, the chief executive of RadioShack, was fired after a newspaper investigation showed that his resume was padded with two degrees in psychology and theology, degrees he never got from a university that was not even accredited. Brad Fredericks, a co-founder of ResumeDoctor.com had his employees pull about a thousand of them that had been uploaded to the company Web site and check them for easily identifiable facts like job titles, education and dates of employment. ''What we found was shocking,'' Mr. Fredericks said. ''We discovered that 42.7 percent of them had significant inaccuracies.” The Rutgers University Career Services office did an audit last year and found that 20 percent of students submitting resumes had inflated their grade-point averages.