Selecting New

Employees

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill

Chapter 6 Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon
 Video
2

 Job Interview
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=OVUZKvAwwd8&feature=related
 What Not to Do in a Job Interview
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9rn5kuTpHw
 NFL and the Wonderlic Test
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJCPc1BKl5A

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Selection is the process of choosing the best

qualified applicant recruited for a job.

When the wrong people are placed in the wrong

jobs, the poor job fit makes it more difficult for
the employee to perform successfully, which in
turn makes it more difficult for the organization
to carry out it strategic plans; and the
organization loses one of its competitive
advantages.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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A Poor Selection Process Can Result In:

Wasting time and money – hiring a mismatch will
likely require going through the whole process again.
Reduced productivity – mismatches perform their
jobs less successfully than good fits.
Negligent hires – hiring someone who poses a danger
to co-workers, customers, suppliers, or other third
parties, who ultimately harms someone in the course
of their work for the company
 The company can be held liable.

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Steps in the Selection Process

The flow chart that follows is a general guide.

Depending on organizational circumstances,

steps may not be followed sequentially as
shown and some parts may not be included.

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Steps in
the
Selection
Process

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Steps in the
Selection
Process
(continued)

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
8

Looking for “Fit”

Personality-job fit – personality affects how people
work.
Ability-job fit – individuals’ physical and intellectual
skills affect how they work.
Person-organization fit – how individuals fit within
the organization’s structure and culture affects how
well they work.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Legal Issues
The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection
Procedures (UGESP or “Uniform Guidelines”)
were developed by the Federal Government to
guide employers in their efforts to comply with
federal laws that concern all employment
decisions, and to provide information that helps
avoid discriminatory hiring practices, as well as
discrimination in other employment decisions.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Legal Issues – Uniform Guidelines

What qualifies as an “employment test”?
Any test or other selection procedure that is used
as a basis for any employment decision.
 Employment decisions include hiring, promotion,
demotion, membership (for example, in a labor
organization), referral, retention, and licensing and
certification, training, transfer, etc.

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
11

Legal Issues – Uniform Guidelines

To be non-discriminatory, employment tests must
be:
Valid – the test itself should measure the
knowledge, skills, abilities, etc. that it claims to
measure.
Reliable – test scores should be consistent (similar)
when taken by the same person more than once
(test-retest reliability), and when more than one
person scores the test (inter-rater reliability).
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Applications and Preliminary Screening

Applications and résumés - provide biographical data
that aid in selecting the best person for the job.
 Applicants’ information is compared to job
specifications to weed out unqualified applicants
and to narrow the pile down to the best applicants.
 Information is verified to detect fictitious or
misleading information and to protect the
organization against negligent hiring claims.

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
13

Applications and Preliminary Screening

Pre-employment inquiries – all information
requested on job applications and during
interviews must be non-discriminatory.
 Questions that may be construed as
discriminatory can be asked if the employer
can demonstrate that they are job related
(BFOQs).
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Employment Testing and Legal Issues

The EEOC - If the EEOC investigates a complaint
about an employment test being discriminatory,
the firm has to prove the selection procedure is
valid for that particular job.

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Employment Testing and Legal Issues

Polygraph tests – Employee Polygraph Protection Act
(EPPA) makes it illegal to use a polygraph, but has two
primary exceptions.
Genetic testing – Genetic Information
Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) protects people from
discrimination by health insurers and employers on
the basis of their DNA information.
Drug testing –– usually for workplace safety and
productivity; must be either “random” or “universal”.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Employment Testing and Legal Issues

Written Tests
Skills tests – measure ability to apply a particular knowledge
set.
Personality tests – measure psychological traits or
characteristics to determine suitability for a specific job.
Interest tests – measure intellectual curiosity and motivation
in a particular field.
Cognitive ability tests – assess intelligence or aptitude for a
particular job.
Honesty/integrity tests – can be written or polygraph.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Employment Testing and Legal Issues

Physical tests – to ensure applicants are capable of
performing jobs as defined by the job specification and
description.
 Physical skills tests
Work samples
Assessment centers
Simulations
 Physical exams – should be directly related to the
essential functions of the job.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Selection Interviews
Interviews are generally the most heavily weighted
and one of the last steps. They:
 Allow candidates to learn about the job and
organization.
 Allow managers to assess things about a
candidate that can’t be obtained from other tests,
and to check the accuracy of the
application/resume.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Types of Interviews
Structured interview – all candidates are asked the
same list of prepared questions.
Semistructured interview – interviewer follows list
of questions but also asks unplanned questions.
Unstructured interview – interviewer has no
preplanned questions or sequence of topics.
 Is the most susceptible to discrimination claims
because introduces the most interviewer bias.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Types of Questions
Closed-ended – requires a limited response (e.g.,
yes/no); is appropriate for fixed aspects of the job.
Open-ended – requires a detailed response; is
appropriate for determining abilities and motivation.
Hypothetical – requires candidates to describe what
they’d do and say in a given situation; is appropriate in
assessing capabilities.
Probing – requests clarification; is appropriate for
improving the interviewer’s understanding.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Interview Preparation Steps

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Interviewing Steps continued

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Interviewing Steps continued

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
24

Background Checks
Are needed to help prevent negligent hiring.
 Credit checks.
 Criminal background checks.
 Reference checks.
 Web searches.

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Selecting the Candidate

Multiple-hurdle selection model – requires that each
applicant pass a particular selection test in order to
go on to the next test (= cost effective because
unqualified applicants stop taking any more tests).

Compensatory selection model – allows an applicant

to do poorly on one test but make up for that poor
score by doing exceptionally well on other tests.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Problems to Avoid During the Selection

Process
 Rushing.
 Stereotyping.
 “Like me” syndrome.
 Halo and horn effects.
 Premature selection.

Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.
 Selecting New Employees
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Hiring
 Compare candidates’ qualifications.
 Identify whether they really want to do the job.
 Analyze whether they have been honest.
 Assess person-organization fit via coworkers’
impressions.
 Consider diversity.
 Contact the best candidate and offer the job.
 If the candidate refuses, or accepts but soon
leaves, offer the job to the next-best candidate.
Human Resource Management: Functions, Applications, Skill Development by Robert N. Lussier and John R. Hendon © 2012 SAGE Publications, Inc.