1. HR – Employee Testing & Selection
The other side of the table!
Tehzeeb Sakina Amir
HRM-session 6
Spring 2011-MBA

2. Main contents Developing & using application forms
Basic Testing Concepts
Interviewing

3. Developing and Using Application Forms
Purpose
Judgments on basis of education & experience
Draw conclusions about applicant’s progress and growth
Draw tentative conclusions about applicant’s stability based on previous work records
Use the data in the application and predict the success possibility of the applicant on the job

4. Developing and Using Application Forms
Types
Different forms for different posts
Must provide information on prior job assignment, skills, achievements, and end with acknowledgment
Beware of Equal Employment laws while developing form
It should be concise yet comprehensive

5. Testing

6. Basic Testing Concepts
A test is a sample of a person’s behavior
A test must be reliable and valid
As job demand increases employers tend to rely more on testing procedures
For all level of employees
To find good employees and also to screen out bad ones
Test results often followed by interviews

7. Basic Testing Concepts
Reliability
Consistency of scores obtained by the same person when retested with the same test or with alternate forms of the same test.
Forms to measure reliability
Test-retest reliability
Equivalent form reliability
Internal consistency
Validity
The accuracy with which a test measures what it intends to measure
Criterion Validity - based on showing that scores on the test (predictors) are related to job performance (criterion)
Content Validity – that contains a fair sample of the tasks and skills actually needed for the job in question.

8. Validation process criterion validity
Step 1 - Analyze the job (JDs become predictors & define success on the job)
Step 2 - Choose the Test
Step 3 - Administer the Test
Concurrent validation
Predictive validation
Step 4 - Relate test scores and Criteria
Step 5 - Cross validate & Revalidate

9. Validation process Content validity
Content validity emphasize judgment
Start with JA to identify work behavior required
Combine several samples of those behaviors into a test

10. Testing Program Guidelines
Use tests as supplements
Validate the tests
Monitor testing/selection program
Keep accurate records
Use a certified psychologist
Manage test conditions
Revalidate periodically

11. Test taker’s rights and Test Security
Test takers’ rights to privacy and information under APA:
Confidentiality of test scores
Informed consent
Only qualified people interpret the results
Fairness of the test
Respect & concern for others
Welfare / Avoiding harm
Obsolete tests
Ethical violations

12. Some tests MMPI – personality test Wonderlic Personnel Test
Numerical ability test
Reading comprehension test
Clerical checks
In-basket technique
Computerized and Online testing
Quick pre-screening

13. Types of Tests Tests of Cognitive Abilities
Tests of motor & physical abilities
Personality & Interests Tests
Achievement Tests

14. Types of Tests Tests of Cognitive Abilities
Intelligence Tests (IQ tests – multiple abilities: memory, vocabulary, verbal fluency, numerical ability)
Specific Cognitive Abilities – aptitude tests like Test of Mechanical Comprehension
Tests of Motor & Physical Abilities
Finger dexterity, manual dexterity, reaction time tests. The Crawford Small Parts Dexterity Test, Stromberg Dexterity Test, Purdue Peg Board Test

15. Personality Tests
Personality & Interest Test – measure traits like stability, introversion, motivation etc.
Projective tests are used – Rorschach, TAT, Make-a-Picture-Story, Forer Structured Sentence Completion Test
The ‘Big Five’ (Extraversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness and openness to experience
Effectiveness of personality tests
Interest Inventories – a personal development & selection device that compares the person’s current interests with those now in various occupations to determine the preferred occupation for the individual

16. Achievement Tests
Measure to what extent learning has taken place – academic tests, job knowledge tests etc
Achievement tests also measure individual abilities for e.g. typing test

17. Work Samples & Simulations
Actual job tasks used in testing applicants’ performance – Work Samples
Work Sampling Technique – a testing method based on measuring performance on actual basic job tasks
Advantages:
Actual job tasks – no faking
Fair procedures
No invasion in privacy
Better validity
Procedure – selection of task, observer monitors performance, indicates how well person has performed

18. Management Assessment Centers
A simulation in which management candidates are asked to perform realistic tasks in hypothetical situations and are scored on their performance.
It involves testing and the use of management games; Includes
‘The in-basket’
‘Leaderless group discussion’
Management games
Individual presentations
Objective tests
The interview
Expensive, time consuming but result is substantial contribution to future success or failure

19. Video-based Situational Testing
Situational Test – a test that require examinees to respond to situations representative of the job.
Video-based presents online or PC based video scenarios, each followed by MCQs

20. The Miniature Job Training & Evaluation
Miniature Job training & evaluation – training candidates to perform several of the job tasks and then evaluating the candidates performance prior to hire.
Based on the concept, that if the person can learn & perform the sample task, will be able to learn & perform the actual job itself
Pros & Cons – high content validity but comes with a high price

21. Other Selection Tools Background Investigations & reference checking
Pre-employment information services
Honesty testing
Graphology
Substance abuse testing

22. Background investigations
Background investigations & reference checking
87% claim they check references
Aims is
to verify factual information provided by the applicant
Uncover any damaging information
Ways to check – phone call, written requests, social networking sites
Inexpensive & straightforward way to verify information provided
Privacy & legal issues
Supervisors’ reluctance
Employer guidelines
Making checks more useful…..

23. The Polygraph & Honesty Testing
Polygraph (lie-detector) for honesty testing
Law restricts its usage
Accuracy questions….inhibits use of electrical or mechanical devices usage
Investigation Agencies can continue using it.
Conditions to use:
The employer must show that it suffered an economic loss or injury
Must show employee in question has access to the property
Must have reasonable suspicion
Details of the investigation & questions must be told before administering the test
Paper-pencil honesty tests – measure attitudes, ethics, morals, etc. found valid

24. Graphology
Handwriting analysis to determine writer’s basic personality traits – projective tests.
Validity is highly suspicious!
Analyze handwriting and discover needs, desires, psychological makeup

25. Physical Exams Medical exams. Reasons can be:
Applicant meets the physical requirement of the job
Check any medical limitations
Record and baseline of applicant’s general health
Reduce absenteeism & accident rate.
Detect communicable diseases

26. Substance Abuse Screening
Conduct drug screening
Test for to-be-hired and current employees too
When there is a reason – absenteeism, accident, chronic late coming
No drug test is fool-proof – ethical & legal issues
If test comes positive – do not hire / fire existing employee

27. Interviewing the most important screening tool
Types
Factors
Guidelines

28. Selection Interview
A Selection Interview is designed to predict future job performance on the basis of applicant’s oral responses to oral inquiries.
The most widely used indispensable management selection tool
Use in different settings – selection, appraisal, exit etc

29. Types of Interviews Structured versus Unstructured Interviews
Structured interviews – defined format, set of questions, list & rate possible answers
More reliable and valid – same set of questions to all applicants
Less trained interviewers can do the job
Reduces subjectivity
Do not provide opportunity to pursue points of interest
Unstructured interviews – no set format, open end questions, pursue points of interest as they progress.
Not a general conversation

30. Types of Interviews Interview Content (Types of Questions)
Situational Interview – a series of job related questions that focus on how the candidate would behave in a given situation
“suppose you were faced with…what would you do?’
Behavioral Interview – a series of job-related questions that focus on how the candidate reacted to actual situations in the past
“Can you think of a time when…..what did you do?”
Both can produce a lot of tension!!

31. Types of Interviews Interview Content (Types of Questions)
Job-related interview – a series of job related questions that focus on relevant past job related behavior
No hypothetical or actual situations but job-related questions
Stress Interview – an interview in which the applicant is made uncomfortable by a series of often rude questions. It helps identify hyper sensitive applicants and those with low or high stress tolerance level
Asking puzzle questions

32. Administering the Interview
Different ways:
One-on-one, panel interviews
Sequentially or all at once
Computerized or personally
Most interviews are one-on-one and sequential
Unstructured sequential interview
Structured sequential interview

33. Administering the Interview
Panel Interview – board interview – interview conducted by a team of interviewers (2-3), who interview each candidate & then combine their ratings.
Ask follow-up questions, more meaningful responses
Quick way – all at once rather than sequential
Structured panel interview are more valid
Mass Interview – a panel interviews several candidates simultaneously.

34. Administering the Interview
Phone & Video Interviews – more accurate, spontaneous, more focused responses
Video conference interviews
Geographically dispersed candidates
Computerized Interviews – an interview in which candidate’s oral and/or computerized replies are obtained through computer in response to computerized oral, visual or written questions
Series of questions/situations followed by MCQs
Quick, responses are more honest
Impersonal feeling can come & effect the interviewee

35. Factors effecting the Interviews
First Impression – Snap judgments
Misunderstanding the job
Candidate-Order (Contrast) error and Pressure to Hire
Non verbal behavior & Impression Management
Effect of personal characteristics: attractiveness, gender, background etc
Interviewer Behavior

36. Designing effective interviews
The Structured Situational Interview –
Step 1 – Job Analysis
Step 2 – Rate the job’s main duties
Create Interview Questions
Create Benchmark answers
Appoint Interview Panel & Conduct interview

37. Conducting effective interviews
Put people at ease and not off-guard
Mostly unstructured interviews are used with some guidelines:
Base questions on actual job duties
Use job knowledge, situational or behavioral questions to evaluate responses
Train interviewers
Use same questions with all candidates
Use descriptive rating scale (excellent, good, fair, poor)
Use multiple interviewers
Use a standardized interview form
Control the interview
Take brief notes during interview to avoid ‘the recency effect’

38. Prepare for the interview
Plan interview in a separate room with minimum interruptions/intrusions
Prior to interview, review CVs, take notes
Don’t go unprepared…waste of time & effort
Job knowledge, skills and abilities required by the job should be very clear
Establish rapport.. put them at ease
Ask questions
Close the interview
Review the interview