1. PERSONNEL SELECTION In this session on personnel selection I will: Explain the principles against which selection techniques should be measured Describe the scope of selection techniques Present a critique of the main selection methods At the end of this session you should be able to: Understand the main principles of psychometrics Critically evaluate your own organisation’s selection methods Understand what makes for a good reliable and valid interview

2. FURTHER READING Anderson, N (1997) “The Validity and Adverse Impact of Selection Interviews: a Rejoinder to Wood” Selection & Development Review, 13, (5), 13-17 Boyle, S (1997) “Researching the Selection Interview” Selection & Development Review, 13, (4), 15-17 Ceci, S & Williams, W (2000) “Smart Bomb” People Management (24 August 2000) Chmiel, N (ed) (2000) Work & Organisational Psychology. London. Blackwell. Cook, M (1998) Personnel Selection (3rd edition). London. Blackwell Silvester, J (1997) “Spoken Attributions and Candidate Success in Graduate Recruitment Interviews” Journal of Occupational & Organisational Psychology, 70, 61-73.

3. WHO USES WHAT? Interviews (99.6%) Ability Tests (54.2%) Personality Questionnaires (36.3%) Assessment Centres (26.0%) Telephone Screening (17.6%) (Source: CIPD 2000: N = 262)

4. PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOMETRICS Sensitivity fair discrimination between good and bad not too easy or hard Standardisation compare results against larger population of like individuals Reliability consistency and repeatability across time and raters Validity face, content, criterion, construct it measures what it claims to measure

5. THE IMPORTANCE OF VALIDITY Face Validity The method looks plausible Content Validity The method looks plausible to experts Criterion Validity The method predicts performance Construct Validity The method measures something meaningful

6. A FOCUS ON PREDICTIVE VALIDITY Unstructured Interviews (0.20) Structured Interviews (0.44) Ability Tests (0.54) Personality Measures (0.38) Assessment Centres (0.43) Telephone Screening (?.??)

7. TELEPHONE SCREENING Used for Prescreening Genuine Occupational Qualification Poorer Ratings Staccato Communication

8. ASSESSMENT CENTRES Developed for WW2 Officer Selection Board Simulation Exercises Measure Competencies Various Techniques, Candidates, Assessors & Competencies Poorly Defined Competencies & Exercises Poor Training & Selection of Assessors Poor Selection & Briefing of Candidates Poor Scheduling & Timetabling

9. ABILITY TESTS Popularity Due in Part to Growth in Academic Qualifications Situated Cognition Clear but Modest Link with Performance, Earnings & Satisfaction The Flynn Effect

10. PROBLEMS WITH INTERVIEWS Unstructured & Unplanned Untrained & Biased Interviewers Structured Means Standardised or Artificial & Inflexible Biographical Interviews & Job Relevant Criteria Situational Interviews & Truth Competency-Based Interviews: Oral IQ Tests?

11. INTERVIEWS CAN..... Assess Certain Characteristics Assess Organisational & Team Fit Satisfy Social Exchange Function But Heed Warning Signs from Research: Same Sex Bias (Graves & Powell 1996) Attributions in Interviews (Silvester 1997)