Selection

Why Use Selection Tests?

Choosing Selection MethodsMultiple factors need to be considered:

– Specificity of skills required– Size of the risk of a bad hire– Applicant reactions– Cost– Administration time– Reliability and Validity of the Test

Reliability• Consistency of the measure

If the same person takes the test again will he/she earn the same score?

• Factors that influence test results– Test takers physical or mental state– Environmental factors– Test forms– Multiple raters

Reliability of MeasuresVisual acuity HighHearingDexterityMathematical abilityVerbal abilityIntelligenceClerical skillsMechanical aptitudesSociabilityCooperativenessToleranceEmotional stability Low

Validity• Accuracy of the measure

Are you measuring what you intend to measure?

OR

Does the test measure a characteristic related to job performance?

• Methods to test validity– Criterion – test predicts job performance– Content – test representative of the job

Most Common Selection Methods

• Application• Reference checks• Structured interview• Education level• Training and experience• Resumes• Skills testing• Personality tests• Simulations• Biodata• Assessment centers

Applicants

Candidates

Offers

Hires

InitialInitial

SubstantiveSubstantive

ContingentContingent

Methods and Applicant Flow

Initial Selection

• Resumes

• Application Forms

• Reference Checks

Resumes and Applications

• Resumes: Applicant controls the information– Many examples of fraud or omission– Up to 50% contain some inaccuracy– Jobs and education should be verified– One question honesty test

• Applications: Only ask info related to job KSA’s – Should be job specific– Instructions and Disclaimers– Validity can be improved through “Weighted Applications”

• Make sure requirements for education and experience are job-related.

Substantive Methods

• Biodata

• Ability Tests

• Proficiency Tests

• Personality Tests

• Integrity Tests

Biodata Inventories• Reliable – Valid • Series of questions on a wide variety of subjects

– Background (e.g. hobbies, jobs, and education)– Situational questions– Personality and Values

• Compare to a profile generated from successful employees or database for occupations.

D2 = Σ (P(ideal) – P(applicant)2

• Develop a set of target or “ideal” scores by sampling high performers.• Smaller D scores more closely resemble the “ideal” candidate.

Examples of Biographical Questions

• How many jobs have you held in the last five years?• Were you ever class president?• Have you ever repaired a broken computer so that it later worked?• While growing up, did you collect coins?• When you were a teenager, how often did your father help you with

schoolwork?• About how many fiction books have you read in the past year?• How many hours a week do you spend studying?• By the time you were 18 had you traveled at least 500 miles from

home by yourself?

• Why use Biodata?

• Why not use Biodata?

Ability and Proficiency Tests• The most valid and reliable means of selection.• Ability Tests

– Cognitive• Verbal, mathematical, and reason skills• Valid predictors but inferior to work sample tests

– Physical• Reaction time, mechanical ability• May need to be changed for gender

• Proficiency Tests– Knowledge Tests– Work Sample Tests

• Assembly-line simulations• Assessment Centers / In-boxes/ Role plays• Can be expensive to develop

Personality Inventories• Personality is a set of very specific measurable traits

– NOT – how well you get along with someone– NOT – an “outgoing” or interesting person

• Never use a personality test as the sole criteria• Use only validated instruments and trained testers

– Choose a vendor and instrument carefully (1000’s available)– Better for comparing applicants than assessing a single candidate

• Generally reliable• Validity depends on test and use

Personality Inventories• The “Big 5”:

– Emotional stability– Extraversion– Openness to experience– Agreeableness– Conscientiousness

• Conscientiousness best predictor for most jobs• Emotional stability predicts for managers.• Extraversion predicts for sales.• Person x Situation Interaction

– Strong vs. Weak situations– Call center vs. field sales

Integrity / Honesty Tests

• Reliability and Validity depends on test• Can predict bad behavior• Subject to manipulation

• In-direct testing– Personality-based tests

• Overt testing– Questions on ethical situations or attitudes towards

theft / unlawful activities.

Interviewing

Types of Selection Interviews

• Unstructured (traditional) interviews– Better for personality / cultural fit

• Structured interviews– More valid and reliable– Better for KSA’s

• Stress Interview

Proper Use of the Interview

• Use in conjunction with other methods• Recruiting vs. selection

– Candidates remember more info when recruited– Interviewers tend to be more positive when recruiting

• Good at measuring: – Personal relations, conscientiousness, and job

knowledge (baseline knowledge not details)

• Bad at measuring:– Specialized skills, and many abilities that are better

measured with a test

Structured Interviewing

• Ask all candidates the same questions.• Use a formal rating system.• Use situational / behavioral / job-related

questions.• Don’t be swayed by body language, how

someone speaks or how they dress -- unless it matters.

• Practice.

Situational Questions

• Situations determined by job incumbents or experts.– Use Critical Incidents that have actually occurred and are

examples of particularly good or poor job performance.

• Best for KSA’s related to:– Good citizenship / conscientiousness– Personal relations / communication

• Include behavioral dimensions for scoring.

• Questions should not require that candidate has been in that situation and are forward looking:

What would you do....?

Situational Questions: Sales Associate

A customer walks into the store. No other sales people are around to help and you are busy arranging merchandise. What would you do in this situation?

1 Low – Keep on arranging the merchandise until someone tells me differently.3 Average – Keep working but greet the customer.5 High – Stop working, greet the customer, and offer assistance.

A customer is shopping for the “right” shirt for her 17 year old granddaughter. She asks you to show her shirts that would be “right” for her. You do this, but the customer does not like any of them. What would you do in this situation?

1 Low – Tell the customer she might have better luck elsewhere.2 Average – Explain to her why you think your choices are good choices.3 High – Explain your choices and suggest a gift certificate as an alternative.

Behavior / Experience-Based Questions

• Behaviors determined by job incumbents or experts.• Similar to situational, with different focus. • Should have add-on questions related to behavior• Should have prepared rating scales related to performance

• Best for KSA’s related to:– Job specific skills and knowledge

– Team work / quality environments

• Questions require that candidate have that experience (but not necessarily on the job) and are backward looking:

What did you do....?

Behavior / Experience-Based Questions

It is often necessary to work together as a group to accomplish a task. Can you tell me about the most recent experience you had working as part of a group?– What was the task?– How many people in the group?– What difficulties arose working with the group?– What role did you play in resolving those differences?– How successful was the group in completing its task?

Job-Related Questions

• Use information from job task analysis– Identify and rate critical job tasks– Identify and rate critical KSA’s– Choose selection measures appropriate for KSA’s

• Best for job-related knowledge and experience– Don’t ask “have you done xyz.....”– Instead ask “how would you do xyz....”– Should be done in non-threatening way

Job-Related Questions: Maintenance Supervisor

KSA: Verbal ability to give work instructions to laborers regarding construction and repair.

1. What instructions would you give a work crew who was about to string a 220-volt electric cable in a building under construction?

2. Two laborers with limited experience ask about the procedures for repairing a brick wall. What instructions do you give them regarding equipment and how they should operate it?

Apply a scoring format.

Conducting a Good Interview

• Be prepared.– Look over the resume.– Know what questions you want to ask in advance.

• Keep appropriate notes.• Remember - the interview is about recruiting.• Put the candidate at ease – establish rapport.• Ask open questions so candidates can expand on their

own capabilities.• Use silence judiciously.

Common Interviewer Mistakes

• Talking excessively• Asking inconsistent questions• Asking questions unrelated to the job• Unable to put interviewee at ease• Overconfidence in ability to judge candidates• Stereotyping• Rating problems (range restriction)• Halo / contrast / first impression error• Similar-to-me error