2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction........................................................................................3
The Importance of Selection ...........................................................3
Steps in the Selection Process.....................................................4-8
Step 1: Preliminary Reception of Applicants.......................4
Step 2: Screening Applicants .................................................4
Step 3: Administration of Employment Tests .................4-5
Step 4: Verification of References.....................................5-6
Step 5: Employment Interviews.............................................6
Step 6: Realistic Job Previews............................................6-7
Step 7: Medical Evaluation .....................................................7
Step 8: Hiring Decision........................................................7-8
Starbucks Coffee Application......................................................8-9
Conclusion......................................................................................... 10
3. INTRODUCTION
This report will discuss the importance of selection in human resource
management within an organization. It will cover the definition and the function of the
selection process, detailed steps in the selection process and how on using selection
procedures correctly can help you succeed in an organization. One such organization
where this area of management is important is Starbucks Coffee. This company is
recognized for its premium coffee and its high level of customer service among the
highly competitive coffee shop market. The Starbucks human resource department also
demonstrates their use of precise and calculated methods of selection when recruiting
new employees. Human resources management’s involvement in selection is important
for the success of an organization such as Starbucks.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELECTION
The selection process is an important function of human resource management. It
is important because it helps organizations select the right employees for the job. If the
methods used are effective, the business can save both time and money. If selection is
not performed in a fair manner, the company may face lawsuits from disgruntled
applicants. The most successful companies such as Starbucks depend on consistent
and reliable selection methods.
4. STEPS IN THE SELECTION PROCESS
When a company wants to hire a new employee, they go through a process called
the selection process. As a human resource manager you may have the responsibility
to administer this process. There can be several steps involved and the number of steps
depends on the company’s policies. In the first step, “Preliminary Reception of
Applicants”, you may meet with your potential candidates, receive applications online,
receive applicants via the mail or whichever method you see suitable. Your method will
directly affect the number and type of candidates you may receive.
The second stage of the selection process is called ‘Screening Applicants’. In this
step you try to rule out some applicants who do not meet certain requirements. As a
manager you may review the applicants and look at documents such as a cover letter or
resume. When you look at a resume you may look at past job experiences, education
and how it can relate to that specific job you are hiring for. You might sort these
documents into groups such as: qualified, possibly qualified and not qualified. It is
important to choose viable candidates to move on the selection process. Wise applicant
screening can save a company time and money. However, if you rule out too many
candidates then you may waste resources if none of the candidates succeed.
The third step in the process is called the “Administration of Employment Tests”.
Administering testing for employment was first demonstrated as a successful method of
selection in World War I. Depending on where you work and which job you are receiving
applicants for, your company may or may not require the applicants to complete an
5. employment test. There are many different types of employment tests but they may
include hand written tests, simulations or a verbal aptitude test. The type of test
administered will depend on the nature of the job. For example, office jobs, such as a
marketing manager will usually administer hand written tests rather than a simulation,
which would not provide a fair method of testing. Honesty tests may also be
administered, they check for consistency between answers to get a general idea of your
level of honesty. These tests are unreliable and are rarely considered as a factor in
hiring an applicant. In order for a test to be considered as a selection tool, it needs to be
assessed for its reliability and validity. If a test was considered reliable, that would mean
that the range of results would be somewhat consistent between batches of applicants.
The reliability of a test can be jeopardized by many factors. Some examples would be a
long and tedious test causing boredom, unclear questions or overly difficult questions.
The validity of a test is also important because it measures how relevant the test is to
the job that you are hiring for. Tests with a high level of validity will consistently pick the
best employees for the job. There are several different types of validity; they are:
predictive validity, concurrent validity, content validity, construct validity and differential
validity. Together the validity and reliability determine the usefulness of the test so it
can be realistically applied.
The "Verification of References" step can be an effective way to judge an
applicant's reliability, workmanship, good character and honesty. Many employers use
this method, but some doubt its reliability. Employers will often ask for both a personal
reference and an employment reference. Personal references are usually provided by
friends and sometimes family. When a manager calls this type of reference, they may
6. ask detailed questions regarding the candidate's integrity and values. An employment
reference will usually be from a previous employer. Rarely, it would be from a volunteer
manager if the applicant has no previous work experience. The manager calling this
reference may ask about their past experience and overall satisfaction with the
applicant. This reference can also confirm the information presented on an applicant’s
resume. A hiring manager may also ask for a written and signed letter of reference.
While checking references can be useful, most large companies are hesitant to
eliminate candidates due to a bad reference; due to the risk of litigation. Therefore, the
verification of references should be performed accurately in the selection process.
During the fifth stage of the process, human resource managers conduct
‘Employment Interviews’. The managers will contact and arrange interviews with the
applicants they have chosen. During this interview, a manager may: observe an
applicant’s personality traits and manners, ask them to review their job qualifications
and ask detailed questions about previous job experiences. Some managers may
choose to conduct more than one meeting before they select the applicants to move
onto the next stage in the selection process.
Step six focuses on “Realistic Job Previews” and how it is used in the selection
process. Realistic job previews are when an employer shows an applicant some
examples of the work they are to perform. These examples may include showing the
applicant the equipment they will be using, showing them the work environment,
introducing them to possible future coworkers and explaining to them in detail the work
they may be doing. This can sometimes be important to make the applicant aware of
the dangers of a job before they accept it. The aim of this practice is to minimize job
7. dissatisfaction in the future. The downside of this practice is that you can sometimes
lose qualified candidates when they are discouraged by their preview. Studies show
that in the long term the job previews do not affect employee satisfaction.
After that step is performed, the selection process continues on with “Medical
Evaluation” as the seventh step. Some employers may also administer a medical
evaluation. This may include one or several aspect. They may administer a drug test to
check for illicit drug use to comply with government or company policies. They may also
ask applicants to undergo a physical in order to make sure they do not have any health
issues that would impair them from effectively doing their job. They may test for
infectious diseases for jobs where there is a risk of communication or if you work with a
vulnerable demographic such as senior citizens. They may also require a medical
evaluation to determine your eligibility for company health or life insurance policies.
These medical tests will often produce unbiased and clear results that can fairly
disqualify an applicant.
“Hiring Decision” is the final step in the selection process. This is the part where
the employer must consider the applicants they have received and make a choice
based on the information they collected. This can be done using many methods, all
depending on the employer’s preference. It must, however, be fair and not considers
any unfair factors such as race or country of origin. An example of the method is the
Subjective Approach. This is a common method used by Canadian employers. All the
applicants and their scores on the employment tests are considered. No applicants are
eliminated by the employment test results. The employer then comes to a decision
based on a judgment call made by considering all of the applicant’s information. In this
8. method, the employer may decide to exclude some results as factors in his or her
decision. Another example would be the Multiple Cutoff Approach. In this method,
certain minimum scores are set for each evaluation carried out in the selection process.
The applicants below this minimum are then eliminated and the remaining applicants
are considered subjectively. Both of these methods are effective and have different
levels of success depending on the occupation. After the decision is made, the applicant
is notified, and then the job offer is accepted or rejected. If the applicant accepts the job
offer, you must set a start date, introduce the terms of employment and set a
probationary period if necessary. Sometimes, an employer may notify applicants that
they did not receive the job. This is usually done in a formal letter and demonstrates
good business etiquette.
STARBUCKS COFFEE APPLICATION
For the application section of this report, we chose Starbucks coffee as an
example of selection and this section of the report will relate the steps and examine
Starbucks’ selection and hiring policies and procedures.
Starbucks is an American coffee store that was founded in Seattle, Washington
on March 30, 1971. Starbucks is currently the largest coffeehouse company in the world.
It has over 20,000 stores worldwide. When a company is as big as Starbucks, they tend
to have a very specific and strict selection process in order to stay consistent in all their
stores.
9. Starbucks has many common procedures with other companies in the initial
steps of selection. They put and ad for the position that they are hiring for and then start
accepting resumes. A phone interview with the local Starbucks shop told us that they
initially call the most impressive resumes and they select those by looking for relatable
experiences and the format or the resume. The initial call would usually be an
introduction between the applicant and the manager or person responsible for hiring.
The manager would check if the applicant is still interested in the job and then start what
is commonly called as a phone interview. The phone interview is used by many
companies to rule out and skim through the first pile of resumes. It asks simple
questions like, “How did you hear about this job?” or “What do you know about
Starbucks?” If the phone interview goes well, usually the manager will end with asking
the applicant to come in for an interview at a specific time.
The manager of Starbucks looks for certain answers in the phone interview to
carefully select potential workers. The next step in selecting a new barista is the one-on-
one interview. During the interview, the manger would ask questions to finalize the
selection process. The questions would usually be very specific to the job and the duties
that the applicant will be doing. The next step in the Starbucks selection process is the
reference check. The step allows the manger to verify the identity and the work ethic of
the applicant. Finally, the manager would start the applicant in the training process in
order to get him or her all the knowledge to be successful.
10. CONCLUSION
Good employees are generally those that are selected using a well-designed
selection process. If a human resource manager can use this process effectively, it will
result in employees that meets their organization’s needs. This is a very important
responsibility in any job setting. If you are a responsible hiring manager you should
minimize liabilities and think in an impartial manner. Most importantly, you need to be
confident in the people you choose while in this role. Their performance may reflect on
you and affect your reputation. They could be lifelong friends and business connections
or they could jeopardize your career. The selection process has the power to change
the productivity and society of a workplace. Even after you leave a job your decisions as
a hiring manager will have a long lasting effect on the organization.
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