Chap 05

Chapter 5Recruiting and Selecting Employees

OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS

1. Carmen is working through a process to ensure her company of the right number of people with the right skills to meet their goals in delivering service and outputs to their customers. Carmen is engaged in:a) forecasting.b) human resource planning.c) recruiting.d) selecting.e) estimating labor demand.

Answer: b M--Application Page: 155

2. If the labor supply exceeds labor demand, HR needs can best be met by:a) succession planning.b) training or retraining.c) recruiting from the outside.d) reducing pay or work hours.e) subcontracting.

Answer: d M--Recall Page: 156

3. If the labor demand exceeds labor supply, HR needs can best be met with a response of:a) training or retraining.b) work sharing.c) inducements to quit.d) reducing work hours and/or pay.e) replacing quits with external hires.

Answer: a M--Recall Page: 156

4. If the labor demand is expected to match labor supply, HR needs can best be met with a response of:a) training or retraining employees.b) replacing quits with external or internal hires.c) reducing work hours and/or pay.d) inducements to quit.e) paying overtime to employees.

Answer: b M--Recall Page: 156

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5. A restaurant chain is forecasting its needs for managers, assistant managers and wait staff for next year. Currently, 10 restaurants each have their own managers. They experience a 45% manager turnover yearly. They plan to open 4 more restaurants next year. Their projected need for managers for next year will be: (Round your answer up to the next full position.)a) 9.b) 10.c) 11.d) 12.e) 13.

Answer: a C--Integration Page: 157

6. This same restaurant chain is projecting its wait staff needs. Currently, they have 90 total staff at their ten restaurants. They experience 100% turnover in a year. They will need ____ wait staff next year. (Round your answer up to the next full position.)a) 45b) 60c) 90d) 126e) 252

Answer: d C--Integration Page: 157

7. An accounting firm plans to open 3 new branches. They currently have 4 branches with 4 accountants each. Each new branch will also need 4 accountants, and they experience a yearly 30% turnover among existing accountants. Their projected need for accountants to fill these new positions will be: (Round your answer up to the next full position.)a) 17.b) 20.c) 23.d) 25.e) 27.

Answer: b C--Integration Page: 157

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8. A quantitative forecast:a) is able to project trends into the future without historical data.b) can take any variables into consideration an HR professional might want to

consider.c) is very helpful in a dynamic business environment.d) is subject to a judgment error by the expert using the technique.e) relies on previous relationships between staffing levels and other variables.

Answer: e M--Recall Page: 159

9. Qualitative forecasts:a) are more accurate than quantitative forecasts.b) are more flexible in their considerations than quantitative forecasts.c) are less subject to judgment errors.d) require use of historical data.e) are without error if the input data is correct.


10. Which employees in a business will most likely use formal forecasting techniques?a) Line managers.b) Top-level managers.c) CEOs.d) HR personnel.e) Middle managers.

Answer: d E--Recall Page: 159

11. In the hiring process, generating a pool of qualified candidates for a job constitutes the _____ phase.a) recruitment b) selectionc) socializationd) orientatione) interviewing

Answer: a E--Recall Page: 159

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12. The process of making hire- or no-hire decisions describes the ____ step of the hiring process.a) recruitment b) selectionc) socializationd) testinge) interviewing

Answer: b E--Recall Page: 159

13. You are part of a team selecting employees at Helping Hands, Inc. All applicants will take a cognitive test and take part in a structured interview. To make the process more efficient, you suggest that:a) the applicants with the best cognitive test scores be hired.b) the team establishes a cut score for the cognitive test.c) the team eliminate the structured interview.d) the team seek to employ nontraditional laborers.e) none of the above

Answer: b C--Application Page: 160

14. ______ involves familiarizing new employees with company policies and procedures and orienting them to the company in general.a) Recruitingb) Selectionc) Socializationd) Human resource planninge) Interviewing

Answer: c E--Recall Page: 160

15. Employees who perform their jobs at above-average levels are:a) worth 60% of their salary more to the organization than average employees.b) a detriment, since average employees may feel they can neglect their duties,

knowing that the above-average employees will make up for them.c) may be more unmotivated than average employees.d) worth 40% of their salary more to the organization than average employees.e) a source of brain drain.

Answer: d E--Recall Page: 160-161

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16. Under the best circumstances, selection decisions should include:a) the HR department.b) line personnel.c) line personnel and the HR department.d) the applicant’s future co-workers.e) all of the above


17. The most important way to establish essential characteristics needed to perform a job well is:a) the organization’s culture.b) the applicants knowledge of the job.c) the job itself.d) the SKAs required to perform the job.e) the job analysis.


18. Determining the characteristics necessary for good job performance is often difficult because of the:a) changing business environment in which companies operate.b) general lack of accurate job descriptions.c) frequent lack of involvement of management in the job analysis process.d) inherent difficulties of staffing decisions.e) fact that any job changes constantly.

Answer: e C--Integration Page: 161

19. Most of the measures used in hiring decisions focus on:a) ability.b) motivation.c) ability and motivation.d) personality.e) none of the above


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20. When it comes to job motivation:a) it is usually measured by a personality test during the interview.b) poor motivation won't hamper performance if ability is present.c) it is easy to measure and just as easy to stimulate.d) it is the ability to generate good performance in a person who lacks motivation.e) it is largely a function of the organizational environment within which the

person works.


21. Recent studies of MBA graduates have found that the early career success of these graduates seems to be a function of:a) ability.b) personality.c) motivation.d) motivation and ability.e) all of the above


22. When considering who should make hiring decisions, it is important to remember:a) that the best decisions result from letting subordinates make the choice.b) that it is a natural extension of the HR function and they are most familiar with

the position.c) that upper management has the most at stake; they should make the decision.d) that line managers are most knowledgeable about the job and who must work

with the candidate.e) never to involve the coworkers since they tend to choose people like

themselves, perpetuating the current culture.


23. For which of the following reasons should HR departments have input in staffing decisions?a) It is a natural extension of the HR function and they are most familiar with the

position.b) They ensure that employment practices are legal.c) They will have to work directly with the new employees, and a good mix of

personalities is essential to ensure cooperation within the business.d) It is convenient to have the HR department take care of contacts and

information about applicants.e) b and d


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24. The task of recruiting is to:a) identify the best qualified candidates.b) introduce the best candidates to the organization.c) attract a pool of qualified applicants.d) ensure all OFCCP requirements are fulfilled.e) orient the new employee to the organization.


25. The best recruitment source, that is, one which tends to result in attracting employees who experience greater loyalty, tenure, and job satisfaction than other recruiting sources, is:a) referrals from current employees.b) former employees.c) college campus recruiting.d) employment agencies.e) advertisements.


26. If a firm is concerned about changing EEO-related balances among its employee base, it should NOT use:a) referrals from current employees.b) former employees.c) college campus recruiting.d) employment agencies.e) advertisements.


27. Cora’s new fabric and textiles business is looking for its first employees. She hopes to open within the next two weeks and she needs a cheap, timely recruitment that can reach a large pool of applicants for long-term work. Her best option is to:a) get referrals from current employees.b) use Internet advertising and career sites.c) use print advertisements.d) re-hire former employees.e) contact a temporary help agency.


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28. One of the safest sources for employee recruits, which provides known job candidates, is:a) employment agencies.b) temporary agencies.c) college recruiting.d) former employees.e) referrals from current employees.


29. Spring Break is approaching and you are hoping to find a source of income during the break, as you have been spending frivolously during the year. Your best option is to:a) check the Internet and Web sites for long-term jobs.b) check the want ads.c) visit a career fair.d) hire out through a temporary help agency.e) put in an application at an employment agency.

Answer: d M--Application Page: 165

30. The main difference between employment agencies and temporary help agencies is that:a) employment agencies place only workers with specialized skills. Temporary

agencies are not as likely to place specialized workers.b) those who work for employment agencies contract directly to the agency.

Those who are placed by temporary agencies work directly for a private company.

c) those who work for employment agencies may hold several jobs at the same time. Those who work for temporary agencies only hold one job at a time.

d) employment agencies do not receive a fee. Temporary agencies receive fees.e) those who find jobs through temporary help agencies work directly for the

agency. Those who find jobs through employment agencies often work directly for a company.


31. Recruiting employees at colleges and universities:a) is more competitive for undergraduates than for graduates.b) is equally competitive for undergraduates and graduates.c) is more competitive for graduates than for undergraduates.d) is decreasing presently as the job market weakens.e) lacks the types of bonuses and benefits that Web recruiting often offers.


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32. In Japan, the most common recruiting source for new employees is:a) employment agencies.b) temporary agencies.c) college recruiting.d) former employees.e) referrals from current employees.


33. The recruiting pool that most likely contains people who already enjoy the firm’s product or service and may have ideas as to potential improvements the business may institute is:a) customers.b) former employees.c) temporary workers.d) incumbent employees.e) all of the above


34. For small businesses, ____ is one of their top three concerns.a) orienting new employeesb) training new employeesc) using valid and reliable selection toolsd) finding qualified and motivated employeese) EEO compliance in recruiting

Answer: d M—Recall Page: 167

35. Managers evaluate the effectiveness of recruiting sources based on:a) how long new employees stay.b) how much time they must spend orienting the new employee.c) its compliance with EEO regulations.d) its fairness in representing protected class groups.e) its comfort level and necessary involvement in the method.


36. Managers can contribute to the effectiveness of the HR department by:a) taking sole responsibility for socializing the employees.b) giving continuous feedback on the quality of different recruitment sources.c) recruiting workers internally. d) reducing the number of potential recruiting sources the business examines. e) recruiting workers externally.


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37. Which of the following is a key factor in the present U.S. labor shortage?a) A lack of education among workers.b) National economic expansion.c) Fewer young people entering the workforce.d) The rise of nontraditional labor pools.e) b and c


38. Steve is an HR department head for a construction company. Recently, he has seen a shortage of skilled workers due to a building boom in the city where the company is located. He has little time to spare in finding new workers because it is uncertain how long the boom will last. He tells you that he is going to hire nontraditional laborers. You suggest to him that:a) he should hire the nontraditional laborers.b) he should remember that nontraditional laborers may not be skilled and there

may not be time to train them. c) he offer signing bonuses to any nontraditional laborer who takes the job.d) he advertise for nontraditional laborers on the Internet.e) none of the above


39. What prediction can we make if there is a U.S. labor shortage?a) Other “first world” countries are suffering labor shortages too.b) Other “first world” countries are realizing a labor surplus.c) The U.S. crime rate will increase by 50% within the year.d) We cannot predict labor supply in other countries.e) The labor demand is decreasing.


40. A company can recruit externally or internally when filling a position. Hiring an external candidate over an internal candidate has the advantage of:a) lower training costs.b) the new candidate knowing the industry and company.c) being a less expensive recruiting process.d) being much quicker.e) providing significant motivation to the existing employees because they are

seeing someone new come into their department.


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41. Promoting internal candidates poses several advantages. These include:a) rejuvenating the work unit.b) reducing training costs.c) generating new ideas, fostering innovation.d) longevity, since the employee knows the organization and is more likely to stay

in the job longer.e) being seen as a rookie and therefore being given more time by employees to

learn the job and do it well.


42. Tatiana is considering hiring a new line manager. She quickly analyzes the satisfaction of the present workers in her company and determines that 1) current employees don’t feel they have many opportunities for advancement, and 2) she has a very small budget for recruiting. The best option for Tatiana would be to:a) recruit internally.b) recruit externally.c) recruit nontraditional laborers.d) recruit on the Internet.e) demote a top level manager to fill the position.

Answer: a M--Application Page: 170

43. You are in the HR department at Builders, Inc. Ashanti, a recruiter for the company, comes to you asking whether she should recruit externally or internally for a new middle-management position. You tell her that:a) internal recruiting poses fewer drawbacks than external recruiting.b) internal recruiting often causes greater cohesiveness within a given company.c) external recruiting is less costly than internal recruiting.d) companies that recruit internally can suffer from a lack of innovation. e) employees recruited externally often need less time to adapt to a position than

do internally recruited employees.


44. When recruiting new employees, especially protected-class employees, remember that:a) the recruiting message should be targeted to the specific group being recruited.b) every firm of over 25 employees should have an affirmative action plan.c) the most effective recruiting strategy is to target the medium, not the message,

to protected-class candidates.d) diversity programs tend to cause strife.e) competition for opportunities among minorities will ensure a large pool of

qualified applicants when recruiting protected class individuals.

Answer: c M--Recall Page: 170

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45. Written affirmative action plans are generally not required of organizations. The one exception to this is the EEOC’s requirement that all ____ have written affirmative action plans.a) organizations with over 500 employeesb) businesses with federal contractsc) government employersd) privately-held corporationse) publicly-held corporations


46. In human resource planning the answer to the question, “How many candidates should we recruit?”:a) is based on the firm's affirmative action plan.b) comes from the yield ratio calculated in the forecast.c) is determined by whether the firm is recruiting externally or internally.d) is directed by EEO consideration and the size of the labor pool.e) depends on the state of the labor pool.

Answer: b C--Integration Page: 170

47. The yield ratio at G.R.U.B. Company is 6:1. How many offers will G.R.U.B need to make in order to fill 80 positions?a) 160.b) 240.c) 480.d) 500.e) 540.

Answer: c M--Integration Page: 171

48. After an extensive recruiting effort, your company has contacted 225 interested individuals. At the application deadline, you have received 75 applications. What is your contact-to-applicant ratio?a) 1:2.b) 2:3.c) 1:3.d) 3:1.e) 2:3.

Answer: d M--Integration Page: 171

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49. Your text offers which of the following as one of the best options for starting your career/job search?a) Your local library.b) Your computer.c) A local employment agency.d) A local temporary help agency.e) None of the above


50. According to your text, which mechanism determines the overall quality of a firm’s human resources?a) Socialization.b) Recruiting.c) Selection.d) Determining a job’s characteristics.e) “Fit” with the business’ environment.


51. The selection process can help a firm contain costs as demonstrated by the _____ per year savings the federal government enjoys via ability testing for entry-level employees.a) $15 million b) $500,000c) $15 billiond) $1.5 billione) $1.5 million


52. Damen is reviewing the results of an employment test his company has been using. It seems that the scores do not relate well to applicants’ actual job performance once hired. This test seems subject to a:a) reliability error.b) validity error.c) comparison to other candidates error.d) quantification error.e) content reliability error.

Answer: b E--Application Page: 172

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53. The HR manager is discussing the amount of error present in the current selection process. She is discussing the ___ of the selection process.a) reliabilityb) validityc) accuracy d) legal defensibilitye) empirical validity

Answer: a C--Application Page: 172

54. An unsuccessful job applicant has filed suit against your company, alleging that a test she was given does not measure performance required on the actual job. Her suit is about the ____ of the test.a) reliability b) validityc) accuracyd) ethicalitye) disparate impact


55. An employment selection tool that has content validity:a) reports consistent results across time.b) results in consistency among evaluators.c) has a high correlation to job performance.d) accurately represents skills, knowledge, and abilities required.e) is referrals from current employees.

Answer: d M--Integration Page: 172

56. According to the text, which statement shows the relationship between reliability and validity?a) Any test that is reliable is valid.b) A test that is not reliable can still be valid.c) If a test is not valid, it is not reliable.d) All of the abovee) None of the above

Answer: c C--Integration Page: 172

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57. An employment selection tool that has empirical validity:a) reports consistent results across time.b) results in consistency among evaluators.c) has a high correlation to job performance.d) accurately represents skills, knowledge, and abilities required.e) is referrals from current employees.

Answer: c M--Integration Page: 172

58. In response to a lawsuit by an unsuccessful job applicant, your HRM department has compared previous applicants’ scores on the test to their rates of success in the job; a high correlation arises, demonstrating that the test:a) is reliable.b) does not create a disparate impact.c) has content validity.d) has empirical validity.e) is subject to comparison to other candidates.

Answer: d C--Application Page: 172

59. Tyrese has just measured Cambridge Corporation’s workforce. He is now trying to determine whether the tests he used are valid by comparing them to performance appraisals that supervisors have completed on the workers. He is attempting to find:a) the predictive validity of the tests.b) the concurrent validity of the tests.c) the content validity of the tests.d) the reliability of the tests.e) the external validity of the tests.


60. Sebastian is concerned about his most recent hires at Anderson Brothers Company. He believed that by basing his selection on job-knowledge tests administered during the interview, he would have few problems with inept hires and would find the best employee for each position. He has found though, that the eight employees who were hired during the last hiring period each have had complaints about lack of competence and job knowledge. This indicates that the:a) concurrent validity of the tests is poor.b) reliability of the tests is poor.c) internal validity of the tests is poor.d) external validity of the tests is poor.e) predictive validity of the tests is poor.

Answer: e M--Application Page: 173

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61. A manager has a number of selection tools at his/her disposal. A commonly used tool that generally has a POOR relation to actual job performance is:a) application forms. b) ability tests.c) letters of recommendation.d) personality tests.e) honesty tests.


62. A selection tool, called the biodata form, is a type of:a) ability test. b) psychological test.c) personality test.d) reference check.e) application form.

Answer: e E--Recall Page: 174

63. Harry wants to assess an applicant’s ability to learn, adapt, and use quantitative tools. The best selection tool for assessing this would be:a) a personality test.b) the application form.c) the psychological test. d) a cognitive ability test.e) an assessment center.


64. A work sample test is a type of:a) biodata form.b) personality test.c) cognitive ability test.d) psychological test.e) orientation test.


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65. Kareem wants to test applicants for their willingness to work hard and their ethics about stealing from their employers. His best choice of selection tool would be a(n):a) psychological test.b) personality test.c) honesty test.d) structured interview.e) unstructured interview.

Answer: a M--Application Page: 176

66. Which of the following is important for an employer to remember when reading letters of recommendation of job applicants?a) The more positive a letter is, the better.b) A poor letter of recommendation should be ignored.c) The content of the letter is more important than the positivity of the letter.d) Letters of recommendation are highly related to job performance.e) A letter of recommendation is just a formality.

Answer: c M--Recall Page: 173

67. Which of the following is an example of a direct performance test?a) A cognitive ability test.b) A general cognitive ability test.c) A work sample test.d) A physical ability test.e) The Meyers-Brigg Type Indicator.


68. A very common selection tool that has poor reliability and low validity is:a) testing.b) the application form.c) the interview. d) letters of recommendation.e) the assessment center.


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69. Traditional interviews have been criticized for:a) their rigidity.b) being similar to a stress test.c) interviewers’ quick judgments.d) projecting a poor impression of the company to the job applicant.e) their inability to determine how well someone would fit into an organization.


70. Questions used to discover how job candidates would respond to given work situations are called:a) unstructured questions.b) worker requirement questions.c) job knowledge questions. d) structure questions.e) situational questions.


71. Which of the following is a work requirement type of question?a) Tell me about a time when you disagreed with a supervisor.b) If a customer says, “it costs too much,” what do you do?c) What is the most appropriate way to handle a customer complaint?d) Are you willing to deliver a product to the customer to whom you sold it in

order to meet a deadline?e) Tell me what you know about our company and product line.


72. Despite the criticisms of unstructured interviews, your text suggests they do have a significant advantage over structured interviews in:a) predicting the “fit” of a candidate to the organization.b) making the hiring decision a team process.c) that they have higher content validity than other types of interviews.d) that they lend themselves well to “stress interviewing” techniques.e) that they accurately predict actual job performance.


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73. Which of the following is an inappropriate question to ask during a job interview?a) “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?”b) “Do you understand that this company has a no-smoking policy?”c) “What is the origin of your name? It is very distinctive.”d) “Are you willing to take a physical exam as a condition of your employment?”e) “Have you ever applied for a job with our company before and been turned

down?”

Answer: c C--Integration Page: 181

74. You are considering three candidates for a manager’s job. Each candidate’s experience and education are quite similar. You want to know how each candidate will perform, given certain tasks or situations. Your best selection tool for predicting this is:a) a structured interview.b) an assessment center.c) personality testing. d) psychological testing.e) an unstructured interview.

Answer: b E--Application Page: 182

75. Assessment centers are useful in evaluating a candidate’s:a) interpersonal, writing, and problem-solving skills.b) quantitative skills.c) “fit” in the organization’s culture and with the management team.d) organizing, planning, decision-making, and leadership abilities.e) ability to work on a team.


76. Preemployment drug testing produces about ____ positive (for the use of drugs) results.a) 10%b) 12%c) 4.5%d) 36%e) 8.7%

Answer: b E--Recall Page: 182

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77. A study conducted by the U.S. Postal Service regarding drug testing:a) showed that drug testing is a valid predictor of job performance.b) showed that drug testing does not correlate with on-the-job performance.c) revealed that most job candidates can “beat” a drug test.d) has been struck down by the Supreme Court.e) revealed that they saved about $4 million a year in lost productivity.

Answer: a C--Integration Page: 182

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78. It is generally held in the U.S. that handwriting analysis:a) is not a valid predictor of job performance.b) is valid but not reliable in predicting job performance.c) can be valid when combined with other selection tools, such as psychological

testing.d) is covered by the same federal law that prohibits polygraph testing and is

therefore illegal to use in a selection process.e) may create disparate impact on minorities.


79. A manager wants to combine selection tools to help him make a decision. He wants to make a preliminary selection after administering each instrument. He is using a(n) ___ strategy.a) illegalb) clinicalc) statisticald) graphologicale) multiple hurdle

Answer: e M--Application Page: 184

80. An employer’s best defense against liability in a negligent hiring lawsuit is to use which of the following selection tools?a) Handwriting analysis.b) Structured interview.c) Honesty test.d) Personality test.e) Reference checks.

Answer: e M--Integration Page: 182

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81. Many former employers are reluctant to give references for fear of liability if the reference keeps the former employee from getting a job. The courts have held that employers have a “qualified privilege” if the employer:a) only discusses EEO-related information.b) has personally observed the behavior he describes.c) has selection test information to support the reference.d) only gives information to an inquirer who has a job-related need to know.e) qualifies the information as “his/her opinion” and not necessarily factual.


82. One of your employees, a member of a protected class, loses his temper and assaults and injures a customer. The customer is also a member of a protected class. During the investigation, the police discover that the employee has a long history of such behavior and served jail time for assault and battery. As the employer:a) you cannot be held responsible because the employee was a member of a

protected class.b) your employee’s behavior has made you liable for the injuries under the Civil

Rights Act of 1991.c) you will be subject to establishing an affirmative action plan as a consequence

of this incidence.d) you are probably liable for negligent hiring.e) you are liable for injuries under Executive Order 11246.

Answer: d E--Application Page: 186

CASE QUESTIONS

Case 5.1About a year ago, Pedro’s Printing was looking for a new managing editor of a specialty line of magazines. The previous editor retired after 25 years on the job. The editors and the HRM department debated about the key requirements for a new managing editor. Some felt it was knowledge of the business, others thought it was interpersonal skills to get along with the staff. A few others believed it was the ability to attract writing talent and subscribers. Finally, it was decided that HRM would screen candidates and the editors would interview finalists with HRM, but that the HRM director would make the final choice to avoid competition among the editors.

Advertisements were placed nationally. A number of candidates were tested and interviewed by the HR manager, and references were checked. After a long search, a new managing editor was hired and he was a disaster. Though he was completely competent as an editor and fit well into the company’s culture, he tended to run roughshod over his staff, driving a couple of talented, up-and-coming editors to leave for jobs with competitors. He liked being an editor, and being the boss, but he did not want to solicit writers or subscribers. He offered no ideas or direction as to how to increase circulation. After 10 months the publisher let him go and began looking for a new managing editor.

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This time, they want to find someone who wants the job and has the right skill and personality mix. They want someone who can start quickly and doesn’t need to be trained into the company. The ability to innovate is not critical, just the ability to work hard. Due to the expense of the fiasco, money for recruiting is now tight. They also want to be certain they don’t make the same mistake a second time.

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83. Refer to Case 5.1. The first challenge that HR faced in recruiting this new editor was:a) agreeing about important job characteristics.b) attracting an adequate pool of qualified applicants.c) forecasting the labor pool from which to draw applicants.d) deciding who would make the selection decision.e) deciding what recruiting source to use.

Answer: a Moderate Page: 161

84. Refer to Case 5.1. Given the problems that the new managing editor had:a) HR should have administered a personality test as part of the selection process.b) line personnel should have made the final decision, not HR.c) they should have recruited from a college campus, rather than using

advertisements.d) it is apparent that HR did not correctly identify appropriate job characteristics.e) they should have recruited through referrals rather than advertisements.

Answer: b Challenging Page: 162

85. Refer to Case 5.1. Based on the new managing editor’s performance, it is clear that both HRM and the publisher failed to properly:a) assess his abilities.b) test his cognitive skills.c) assess his general knowledge of the publishing business.d) assess his motivation for doing the job they wanted done.e) determine his knowledge of the editing job.

Answer: d Challenging Page: 162

86. Refer to Case 5.1. Which of the following would probably be a better source for applicants during the second search?a) Advertising again.b) An employment agency.c) College recruiting.d) Customer referrals.e) Former employees.

Answer: d Challenging Page: 16787. Refer to Case 5.1. The best selection tool for helping Pedro’s Printing to identify

the “fit” between applicants and the firm, as well as job skill and knowledge, would have been:a) ability testing.b) personality testing.c) unstructured interviews.

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d) handwriting analysis.e) an assessment center.

Answer: c Challenging Page: 180

Case 5.2You are the HRM director for a large company. Your MIS managers have just requested that you identify 10 candidates for newly created computer programming jobs. These are entry-level jobs in MIS that require a college degree. Expansion plans in production have also created a number of new entry-level jobs, as well as two new first-line supervisor jobs.

Your company is doing well. Production has implemented a very successful TQM program. You have a reputation for innovation and quality. Money is tight due to aggressive expansion and marketing efforts. You have a diverse, well-balanced workforce. The president prefers to reward performance through promotion from within. However, if an employee chooses to leave the company, he or she is not eligible for rehire.

An upper-level management position is open due to a retirement. Money is still tight, the company is doing well and “if it ain’t broke, don't fix it” is the president’s mentality. This is a key position, and the longer it remains open, the more likely it is that the company will begin to lose market share. There are a number of excellent candidates for this job. “Fit” with the organization is probably one of the top criteria for the selection. The president wants both peers and subordinates to be involved in the process, though he will make the final decision. He wants your advice as to the best selection tool. He wants to narrow the field quickly and work with the data as he goes along, rather than get all the information on each candidate first.

88. Refer to Case 5.2. The best recruiting source of candidates for the newly created computer programming jobs would be:a) college recruiting.b) customers.c) employment agencies.d) temporary help agencies.e) former employees.

Answer: a Easy Page: 166

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89. Refer to Case 5.2. The first-line supervisor jobs would best be filled by:a) current employees. b) advertisements.c) referrals from current employees. d) employment agencies.e) college recruiting.

Answer: a Moderate Page: 164

90. Refer to Case 5.2. To fill the new production jobs, your best source would be:a) advertisements. b) customers.c) college recruiting.d) former employees.e) referrals from current employees.

Answer: e Moderate Page: 166

91. Refer to Case 5.2. Given the culture of your company and your president’s view of the business, what is your best choice for filling the upper management job?a) An external candidate.b) An employment agency.c) An internal candidate.d) Leave the position vacant for this year.e) College recruiting.


92. Refer to Case 5.2. What is your best choice of selection tool to assess your number one criterion?a) Personality test.b) Unstructured interview.c) Cognitive ability testing.d) An assessment center.e) Reference checking.

Answer: b Challenging Page: 180

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Case 5.3You are a middle manager looking for a first-line supervisor. Your selection criteria in priority order are: 1) the ability to learn and adapt to a changing job, 2) willingness to perform the job assigned under its current conditions, 3) strong verbal and quantitative skills. 4) Cost of the selection process is a concern especially since you want to look at a broad range of candidates.

Your company has about 500 employees and is a federal contractor. There is a racial imbalance among the management team, which favors white males. There is no evidence of discrimination, nor has there ever been a complaint. Your hourly employees are about 50% female and 35% minority. You have actively sought to provide access to disabled employees. Two years ago, you had an incident in which one employee became violent and injured several other employees. As a result, your company was held liable. You want to avoid repeating this experience.

93. Refer to Case 5.3. The best way to combine predictors used in the selection process would be a:a) statistical strategy.b) clinical strategy.c) multiple hurdle strategy. d) generic strategy.e) differentiated strategy.

Answer: c Moderate Page: 184

94. Refer to Case 5.3. The best selection tool for assessing your number one criterion is:a) structured interviews.b) psychological testing.c) cognitive ability testing.d) reference checking.e) an assessment center.


95. Refer to Case 5.3. To meet your second criterion, your best selection tool would be:a) structured interviews.b) psychological testing.c) cognitive ability testing.d) reference checking.e) an assessment center.

Answer: a Challenging Page: 179

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96. Refer to Case 5.3. Given the nature of your company, the most relevant piece of federal regulation to your selection process would be:a) the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.b) the Civil Rights Act of 1964.c) the ADA.d) the Civil Rights Act of 1991.e) Executive Order #11246.

Answer: e Challenging Page: 186

97. Refer to Case 5.3. What steps could you take to avoid liability for negligent hiring in the future?a) Institute a policy of harassment and sexual harassment.b) Use structured interviewing.c) Administer personality tests to screen for violent personalities.d) Develop clear hiring and termination policies that include background checks.e) Tap employees’ phone conversations to listen for threatening behavior.

Answer: d Easy Page: 186

Case 5.4You are a middle manager in a prestigious paper company. Christmas is coming which means a considerable increase in demand for a wrapping paper that your company has just designed. With this in view, labor seems short for printing. There was a similar labor shortage last Christmas, and you are planning to use data gathered at that time to determine how much more labor you will need in printing positions this year. Your company also wants to gather a pool of job applicants for paper designers. There has been a lack of new ideas lately and “group think” is becoming a concern.

98. Refer to Case 5.4. There will be little time to train new workers to print the paper. What would be a reasonable alternative?a) Hiring temporary workers.b) Paying overtime to incumbent toy assemblers.c) Reducing the number of hours worked by incumbent toy assemblers.d) Introducing a work sharing program.e) None of the above

Answer: b Moderate Page: 156

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99. Refer to Case 5.4. What kind of forecasting technique are you using to decide upon how many printers to hire?a) A qualitative technique.b) A multi-hurdle technique.c) A quantitative technique.d) A structured technique.e) A simplified technique.

Answer: c Easy Page: 159

100. Refer Case 5.4. In order to find new paper designers who would be able to meet your company’s needs, your best option would be to:a) get referrals from current employees.b) re-hire former employees.c) give the incumbent toy designers more training.d) recruit externally.e) recruit internally.

Answer: d Challenging Page: 170

101. Refer to Case 5.4. You wish to tap into international markets to find your new paper designers. Which would be the most cost-effective and efficient recruiting strategy?a) A multiple hurdle strategy.b) A clinical strategy.c) Using Internet advertising and career sites.d) Using employment agencies.e) Initiate college recruiting.

Answer: c Moderate Page: 165

102. Refer to Case 5.4. After several months, you have offered seven paper design jobs to qualified candidates. Several of the candidates live in foreign countries and do not believe that the job makes it worth their while to move. Some are mothers who are concerned about childcare. In order to make the job more attractive, you:a) initiate a job satisfaction program.b) offer English classes to workers who choose to immigrate.c) offer subsidized day care for employees.d) pay moving expenses for employees (and their families) who take the job and

immigrate.e) c and d

Answer: e Challenging Page: 169

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TRUE/FALSE QUESTIONS

103. The labor supply for an organization is how many workers are available with the required skills to meet company needs.

Answer: True Easy Page: 155

104. Labor demand is the number of employees who are seeking employment.

Answer: False Easy Page: 155

105. A firm that terminates employees during a laborer surplus suffers no consequences under federal law.

Answer: False Moderate Page: 157

106. Quantitative forecasting techniques are especially useful for new organizations that lack historical staffing information.


107. To forecast labor demand and supply, a firm must have historical staffing data.

Answer: True Challenging Page: 159

108. Qualitative forecasting techniques permit the firms to incorporate any factors or conditions the forecaster wishes to consider.

Answer: True Moderate Page: 159

109. Qualitative forecasting techniques tend to be less accurate than quantitative forecasting techniques.


110. Effective recruiting requires HR to determine the characteristics for effective job performance and then measure applicants against that criteria.

Answer: False Challenging Page: 159

111. The hiring process begins with deciding who should make selection decisions.


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112. Cut scores can be used to make final decisions regarding employee selection.


113. The HR department should take sole responsibility to recruit, select, and socialize new employees.


114. Richard has a very high motivation to perform a job well but is somewhat inept. He should be hired because his motivation may help to offset his ability.


115. Former employees are generally a poor choice for re-hiring due to resentment that they may hold against the employer.


116. The present job market for graduating college students is at one of the best peaks ever.


117. One source of new hires is a firm’s current customers.


118. The appropriateness of recruiting sources can be evaluated by the type of job to be filled, the state of the economy, or the cost of using the source.


119. Workers who make up nontraditional labor pools often lack the experience, education, and social experience typically found in traditional labor pools.


120. The best way to recruit protected-class job applicants is to target those individuals with a recruiting message designed for them.


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121. Selection tools should be reliable and valid. By reliable, we mean that the tool measures consistently across time and evaluators. By valid, we mean that scores from the tools correspond to actual job performance.


122. Letters of recommendation are among the best predictors of future job performance.


123. Personality tests, while valid and reliable, are not generally accepted as legally defensible in the selection process.


124. In an interview, worker-requirement questions assess a candidate’s response to a particular work situation.


125. Unstructured interviews are more effective than structured interviews at screening out unsuitable job candidates.


126. John is subjectively evaluating all applicant information prior to making a hiring decision. He is using a clinical approach in the selection process.


127. The best legal defense of a selection process is its reliability measure.


128. If an employer does not thoroughly check information provided by a potential employee who later commits a crime while an employee, the company can be held liable for a “negligent hire.”


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SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

129. The availability of workers with the required skills to meet the firm’s labor demand is referred to as _______.

Answer: labor supply Easy Page: 155

130. _______ is how many workers the organization will need in the future.

Answer: Labor demand Easy Page: 156

131. _______ is the process an organization uses to ensure that it has the right amount and the right kind of people to deliver a particular level of output or services in the future.

Answer: Human resource planning (HRP)

Moderate Page: 156

132. The process of generating a pool of qualified candidates for a particular job is called _______.

Answer: recruitment Moderate Page: 159

133. _______ is the process of making a “hire” or “no-hire” decision regarding each applicant for a job.

Answer: Selection Moderate Page: 160

134. The process of orienting new employees to the organization, or the unit in which they will be working, is referred to as _______.

Answer: socialization Moderate Page: 160

135. _______ is consistency of measurement, usually across time but also across judges.

Answer: Reliability Moderate Page: 172

136. The extent to which the technique measures the intended knowledge, skill, or ability is known as _______.

Answer: validity Moderate Page: 172

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137. A job interview based on a thorough job analysis, applying job-related questions with predetermined answers consistently across all interviews for a job is called a(n) _______.

Answer: structured interview

Moderate Page: 178

138. A(n) _______ is a set of simulated tasks or exercises that candidates are asked to perform.

Answer: assessment center

Moderate Page: 182

ESSAY QUESTIONS

139. Describe the human resource planning process, defining key terms, and describing the three potential scenarios a firm may face.

Answer:Summary of suggested answer – Human resource planning is the process used to ensure the right amount and

kinds of employees to deliver a specified level of service. Labor demand is how many workers are needed in the future. Labor supply is the number of workers, internal and external, available.

There are three possibilities regarding available labor. Labor demand may exceed supply. Supply may exceed demand. Demand and supply may match. The situation determines the most effective response.

Moderate Page: 155-156

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140. Explain the role of forecasting in human resource planning, the choices of forecasting techniques a planner has, and why he/she would choose one technique over another.

Answer:Summary of suggested answer - There are two groups of forecasting techniques, quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative techniques project past history into the future. They offer more precision and accuracy than qualitative techniques but they require historical data. The relationships that affected past performance may not exist in the present or future. Also, quantitative techniques are most appropriate for large firms in relatively stable work environments. Qualitative techniques rely on expert subjective judgment. They may include any factor or condition that researchers feel may affect the labor pool. The subjective nature of these techniques results in less accurate estimates. (The nature of this question and answer may be expanded if you’ve had students study the material in Appendix B, where the various techniques and their advantages and disadvantages are outlined.)

Challenging Page: 159

141. Recruiters have a variety of sources they can use in employee searches. Enumerate six potential recruitment sources, explaining the nature of each and why you would use each.

Answer:Summary of suggested answer – Students’ responses as to why you would use each will vary. But their six choices should come from the following eight: current employees

strength – employees see opportunities for promotionweakness – automatically creates another job opening to fill

referralsstrength – Referrals tend to stay with a company longer and display greater loyalty and job satisfaction than employees recruited by other means.weakness – may decrease diversity as employees tend to refer people who are demographically similar to themselves.

former employeesstrength – they already have experience with the business and tend to be safe hires.weakness – they may harbor some resentment against the business if their employment was involuntarily terminated.

advertisementsstrength – can be used for local and distant searches and can reach large pools of potential applicants.

employment agenciesstrength – often find candidates who are not looking for a new job and whose current employer is pleased with their performanceweakness – a fee is owed to the agency

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temporary workers strength – can find temporary help in a time of need

college recruitingstrength – a large pool of educated potential applicants

customersstrength – customers are generally pleased with the organization’s performance and service and may have insight into how the organization could be improved.

Moderate Page: 164-167

142. Explain the differences between reliability and validity regarding testing. Explain the relationship between the two.

Answer:Summary of suggested answer- Reliability refers to the consistency of measurement, usually across time, but

also across judges. It is a measure of how much error there may be in a test. One example is the job interview- different interviewers may judge the same candidate differently, etc.

Validity is the extent to which scores on a test accurately determine the test-taker’s abilities and performance.

A test that is not valid does not test what it is supposed to test, or does not do it accurately. A test may be reliable and yet not be valid, but a test that is not reliable is not valid.

Challenging Page: 172-173

143. The selection process may involve a significant amount of testing. Describe the various tests HR professionals have to choose from, why they use each, and the importance of the validity and reliability of the tests used.

Answer:Summary of suggested answer – Ability tests measure cognitive and physical ability to perform the actual job.

Work sample tests are the most common and most valid. Personality tests measure traits and are rarely used in selection anymore due to

questions of validity and reliability. Psychological testing measures job applicants’ work ethic, ability to deal with

challenges and other job-related factors. They are extensively used by large companies.

Drug testing is a preemployment test and is used to eliminate problem employees before they begin work.

Honesty tests are controversial. Paper and pencil tests have replaced polygraph tests, which were virtually

eliminated by the Employee Polygraph Protection Act in 1988.

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Reliability is the consistency of measurement across time and users. Validity is the extent to which the tests measure job performance. Validity is the key for legal defensibility.

Challenging Page: 174-176, 182

144. Interviews are an important selection tool. Discuss the traditional interview and the structured interview being sure to include the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Answer:Summary of suggested answer – Traditionally, interviews have been the most common selection tool. Often interviewers, however, disagree among themselves on a candidate. They make decisions in the first few minutes of the interview, and the experience varies widely from interviewee to interviewee. These problems led to the development of the structured interview which uses situational questions--to assess responses to specific incidences, job-knowledge questions--to assess basic knowledge, and worker-requirement questions--to assess candidates’ willingness to perform under given circumstances. Structured interviews are quite valid and have been used successfully. However, many companies stay with the traditional unstructured interview because it seems to work better at screening out unsuitable job applicants. Regardless of type, the questions asked must be legal. (This question and answer can be expanded regarding questioning by referencing page 165 for guidelines as to what kinds of questions shouldn’t be asked.)

Challenging Page: 177-181

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