SELECTING & TESTING

Topic 5

The selection process is a series of specific steps

used to decide which recruits should be

hired.

The process begins when recruits apply for

employment and ends with the hiring decision.

Selection

RECRUITMENT SELECTION To attract maximum number To choose best out of the of candidates. available candidates.

It creates application pool It is a rejection process as large as possible. where few are selected.

Techniques are not very Highly specialized techniques intensive. are required. Outcome is application Outcome is the candidate who pool. is offered job.

Recruitment vs. Selection

Selection ProcessInitial Screening

Employment Test

Employment Interview Reference Verification

Panel/Supervisory Interview

Employment Offer

Medical Test

Realistic Job Previews

Hiring Decision

1. Screening of applications

2. Employment test

3. Selection interview

4. Reference & background checks

5. Medical evaluation

6. Supervisory interview

7. Realistic job preview RJP

8. Hiring decision

Steps in the Selection Process

1. Performance test

2. Aptitude test

3. Personality test

4. Intelligence test

5. Medical test

Employment Test

Purpose: to check that candidates have the specific abilities that he/she says he/she has.

E.g. driving tests, keyboarding tests, language tests, computer usage tests, machine usage tests, etc.

Are most helpful for trained & experienced workers.

Performance Tests

To discover a person’s potential abilities & talents.

If a person has an innate aptitude, then it can be assumed that with proper training he/she will be able to develop a skill in that particular area.

E.g. accounts clerks need numerical aptitudes, assemblers in a production line need manual dexterity.

Aptitude Tests

Many job specifications will need a person with certain personality traits, e.g. friendly, sociable, cooperative, able to work in a team, etc.

Also called psychology tests. Most personality tests include a series of

questions a candidate must answer in a given time, e.g. “which do you prefer? Routine or constant change?”, or “in a group, do you introduce yourself or wait to be introduced?”

Personality tests may also include projective tests.

But, these type of tests must be interpreted by professional psychologists

Personality tests may also include handwriting tests!

The study of handwriting is termed as ‘graphology’

Measures the amount of intelligence needed to perform in a given task.

Intelligence tests

Intelligence tests

To determine whether candidates are fit for the job / task.

To detect diseases, etc. To obtain a health record. To reduce absenteeism and accidents if

candidate is accepted for the job. To detect communicable deseases.

Medical tests

If an applicant is found to have some illness which may, at future date, threaten his/her ability to perform the assigned work or may increase employer’s medical bills, should the applicant be rejected???

Medical tests raise a question…

The most widely used method of

gathering information about

candidate.

Hiring/ Selection Interviews

1. Unstructured interview

2. Structured interview

3. Mixed interview

4. Behavioral interview

5. Stress interview

Selection Interview : Types of Interviews

Structured Interviews:

◦ Interviews in a proper format

◦ Asked through information gathered from job

analysis information

Hiring/ Selection Interviews

Unstructured Interviews: no predetermined

script or protocol

◦ Any thing related or not related to the job

◦ No prescribed format

Behavioral description interviews (BDI):

ask participants to relate actual incidents from

their past relevant work experience to the job

they are applying for.

◦ Think about you past job and tell us a time where

you have committed a mistake? What was your

response to the mistake? What was the nature of

the mistake?

Situational Interviews: encourage

applicants to respond to hypothetical

situations they may encounter on the job

for which they applied.

◦ What if you are in a situation that to achieve your

sales target the whole seller are asking for high

commission instead of company policy? What will

you do under these circumstances?

1. A special type of interview designed to create anxiety and

put pressure on the applicant to see how the

person responds.

2. In a stress interview, the interviewer assumes an extremely

aggressive and insulting posture.

3. Those who use this approach often justify its use with

individual who will encounter high degrees of stress on the

job, such as a consumer complaint clerk in a

department store or an air traffic controller.

Stress Interview

4. The stress interview is a high-risk approach

for an employer.

5. Consequently, an applicant that the

organization wishes to hire might turn

down the job offer. Even so, many

interviewers deliberately put applicants

under stress.

Stress interview

Interview

Panel

Team

Video

Individuals

Who Conducts Interviews?

The HR Manager must plan the timing, venue, and the topics to be discussed.

The timing:◦ Don’t let candidates to wait for too long.◦ The setting of interviews must be planned

carefully.◦ The length of interviews must also be planned.

Planning the interviews

The venue:◦ Must be a quiet place.◦ Furnitures, etc in the venue must not distract the

interviewer / interviewee.◦ Ensure that all parties involved are comfortable.

The topics for discussion:◦ The interviewer must have a thorough

understanding of the job description and specifications & have read all about the candidates before the interview.

◦ This allows them to prepare questions specifically for each candidate.

Planning the interviews

1. Organizations who want to employ the

best people ensure that their

interviewers are thoroughly trained &

prepared!

2. An interview checklist must be

constructed as a guide through this

process.

Conducting the Interviews

Interviewer’s checklist

Interviewer’s checklist

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW:1. Studying the job description and person-

specification.2. Prepare interview schedule3. Study application forms and note areas of

discussion4. Ensure suitable venues are booked.

Checklist will also include:

DURING THE INTERVIEW:1. Welcome the applicant2. Ask relevant questions3. Listen, listen & listen!4. Do not argue or critizise5. Invite questions6. End politely

Checklist will also include:

1. Establish rapport – smile, handshake, ‘warm-

up’ questions before asking more serious ones

2. Ask the right questions – to gather as much

information about the candidate. E.g. “Tell me

about…., “ What’s your opinion on…?”

Conducting the Interviews

The HR manager will need to compare and shortlist the candidates.

Most applicants will be rejected at this stage.

The candidate at the most top of the list (the most preferred) will be offered the job, while the remaining ones will be kept aside incase the preferred applicant rejects the offer.

After the interview