Chapter 05 Selection

Copyright © 2004 South-Western. All rights reserved.
PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook

Copyright © 2004 South-
Western. All rights reserved. 5–2
Objectives
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:
1. Explain the objectives of the personnel selection
process.
2. Identify the various sources of information used for
personnel selection.
3. Compare the value of different types of
employment tests.
4. Illustrate the different approaches to conducting an
employment interview.
5. Describe the various decision strategies for
selection.

Matching People and Jobs
• Selection
The process of choosing individuals who have
relevant qualifications to fill existing or projected
job openings.
• Selection Considerations
Person-job fit: job analysis identifies required
individual competencies (KSAOs) for job success.
Person-organization fit: the degree to which
individuals are matched to the culture and values
of the organization.

The Goal of
Selection:
Maximize
“Hits”
Figure 5.1
Presentation Slide 5–1
MISSMISS
InaccurateInaccurate
predictionprediction
(Person would have(Person would have
succeeded on thesucceeded on the
job)job)
MISSMISS
(Person would have(Person would have
succeeded on thesucceeded on the
job)job)
HITHIT
AccurateAccurate
(Person succeeds(Person succeeds
on the job)on the job)
HITHIT
AccurateAccurate
(Person succeeds(Person succeeds
on the job)on the job)
HITHIT
AccurateAccurate
(Person would not(Person would not
have succeeded onhave succeeded on
the job)the job)
HITHIT
AccurateAccurate
(Person would not(Person would not
have succeeded onhave succeeded on
the job)the job)
MISSMISS
(Person fails on the(Person fails on the
job)job)
MISSMISS
(Person fails on the(Person fails on the
job)job)
Predicted Success
JobPerformance
Low
Low
High
High

Steps in the
Selection
Process
Figure 5.2
Note: Steps may vary. An
applicant may be rejected
after any step in the process.
Completion of applicationCompletion of application
Initial interview in
HR department
Initial interview in
HR department
Employment testing
(aptitude, achievement)
Employment testing
(aptitude, achievement)
Background investigationBackground investigation
Preliminary selection in
HR department
Preliminary selection in
HR department
Supervisor/team interviewSupervisor/team interview
Medical exam/drug testMedical exam/drug test
Hiring decisionHiring decision

The Selection Process
• Obtaining Reliable and Valid Information
Reliability
 The degree to which interviews, tests, and other
selection procedures yield comparable data over time
and alternative measures.
Validity
 Degree to which a test or selection procedure measures
a person’s attributes.

Reliability as Stability over Time
HIGH RELIABILITY TEST RETEST
APPLICANT SCORE SCORE
Smith 90 93
Perez 65 62
Riley 110 105
Chan 80 78
VERY LOW RELIABILITY TEST RETEST
APPLICANT SCORE SCORE
Smith 90 72
Perez 65 88
Riley 110 67
Chan 80 111

Reliability as Consistency
(Interrater Reliability)
HIGH RELIABILITY
APPLICANT Rater #1 Rater #2 Rater #3
Smith 9 8 8
Perez 5 6 5
Riley 4 5 5
Chan 8 8 8
VERY LOW RELIABILITY
APPLICANT Rater #1 Rater #2 Rater #3
Smith 9 5 6
Perez 5 9 4
Riley 4 2 7
Chan 8 4 2

Valid
and
Invalid
Tests

Validation Approaches
• Criterion-related Validity
The extent to which a selection tool predicts, or
significantly correlates with, important elements
of work behavior.
 A high score indicates high job performance potential;
low score is predictive of low job performance.
• Concurrent Validity
The extent to which test scores (or other predictor
information) match criterion data obtained at
about the same time from current employees.
 High or low test scores for employees match their
respective job performance.

Validation Approaches cont’d
• Predictive Validity
The extent to which applicants’ test scores match
criterion data obtained from those applicants/
employees after they have been on the job for
some indefinite period.
 A high or low test score at hiring predicts high or low job
performance at a point in time after hiring.
• Correlation Coefficient
A number ranging from 0.00, denoting a complete
absence of relationship, to 1.00 and to -1.00,
indicating a perfect positive and perfect negative
relationship, respectively.

Correlation Scatterplots
Figure 5.3

Validation Approaches (cont’d)
• Content validity
The extent to which a selection instrument, such
as a test, adequately samples the knowledge and
skills needed to perform a particular job.
 Example: typing tests, driver’s license examinations
• Construct validity
The extent to which a selection tool measures a
theoretical construct or trait.
Are difficult to validate
 Example: creative arts tests, honesty tests

Validation Approaches
• Cross-validation
Verifying the results obtained from a validation
study by administering a test or test battery to a
different sample (drawn from the same
population).
• Validity generalization
The extent to which validity coefficients can be
generalized across situations.

Steps in Validating a Test (Criterion-Related Validity)
Examination of the jobExamination of the job
Job analysis/specificationsJob analysis/specifications
Examination of the jobExamination of the job
Job analysis/specificationsJob analysis/specifications
Selection of criteriaSelection of criteriaSelection of criteriaSelection of criteria
Relate test scores to criterion data,Relate test scores to criterion data,
then cross validatethen cross validate
Relate test scores to criterion data,Relate test scores to criterion data,
then cross validatethen cross validate
Plan research for testPlan research for test
(continuing cross validation)(continuing cross validation)
Plan research for testPlan research for test
(continuing cross validation)(continuing cross validation)
Collect criterion dataCollect criterion data
(concurrent method)(concurrent method)
(concurrent method)(concurrent method)
Selection of testsSelection of tests
for tryoutfor tryout
Selection of testsSelection of tests
for tryoutfor tryout
Administer testsAdminister testsAdminister testsAdminister tests
Analyze follow-up dataAnalyze follow-up dataAnalyze follow-up dataAnalyze follow-up data
Interpret results for operationalInterpret results for operational
use of testsuse of tests
Interpret results for operationalInterpret results for operational
use of testsuse of tests
Include test(s) in selectionInclude test(s) in selection
process (operational)process (operational)
Include test(s) in selectionInclude test(s) in selection
process (operational)process (operational)
Revise operational programRevise operational programRevise operational programRevise operational program
(predictive method)(predictive method)
(predictive method)(predictive method)OR
Alternative/
optional

Sources of Information about Job
Candidates
• Application Forms
• Online Applications
• Biographical Information
Blanks (BIB)
• Background Investigations
• Polygraph Tests
• Integrity and Honesty
Tests
• Graphology
• Medical Examinations
• Employment Tests
• Interviews

The Effectiveness of Selection Methods
Figure 5.4
Source: David E. Terpstra, “The Search for Effective Methods.” Reprinted from HRFocus, May 1996. © 1996
American Management Association International. Reprinted by permission of American Management
Association International, New York, NY. All rights reserved. http://www.amanet.org/.
In a survey of 201 HR executives, participants were asked which
selection methods produce the best employees. The mean rating for
nine methods on a 5-point scale (1 = not good, 3 = average,
5 = extremely good):
Work samples 3.68
References/recommendations 3.49
Unstructured interviews 3.49
Structured interviews 3.42
Assessment centers 3.42
Specific aptitude tests 3.08
Personality tests 2.93
General cognitive ability tests 2.89
Biographical information blanks 2.84

That’s My Story and I’m Sticking to It
Figure 5.5
Source: Examples are from several companies, including Robert Half
International. “Beware of Resumania,” Personnel Journal, April 1996, 28.
Reprinted with permission.

How HR Uses Background Investigations
Figure 5.6Source: Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Percentage of respondents conducting the following checks:
Contact references provided by candidate 75%
Verify schools attended and degrees earned 62%
Contact people suggested by references 42%
Check driving records 41%
Verify reference letters provided by candidate 30%
Run credit checks 25%

Application Forms
• Application date
• Educational background
• Experience
• Arrests and convictions
• Country of citizenship
• References
• Disabilities

Biographical Information Blanks
• Sample Questions:
At what age did you leave home?
How large was the town/city in which you lived as a
child?
Did you ever build a model airplane that flew?
Were sports a big part of your childhood?
Do you play any musical instruments?

Background Investigations
• Checking References
Letters of reference
Mail and telephone checks
 Specific job-related information
Family Educational Rights Privacy Act of 1974
(FERPA)
 Requires signed requests for reference letters and
signed consent to background checks.
 Applies to both educational and private employers.
Failure to Check References
 Negligent hiring liabilities

Background Investigations (cont’d)
• Organizations using credit reports must:
Advise and receive written consent from applicants if
a report will be requested.
Provide a written certification to the consumer
reporting agency as to the purpose of the report.
Provide applicants a copy of the consumer report as
well as a summary of their rights under the CCRRA.
Must provide an adverse-action notice a person if that
person is not hired and contact information related to
the reporting agency.

Employee Polygraph
Protection Act (1988)
• Use of “lie detectors” is
largely prohibited.
• Act requires qualified
examiners.
• Act requires disclosure
of information where
used.
• Encouraged employers’
use of paper and pencil
integrity and honesty
tests.
HRM 1

Integrity Test Question Examples
Figure 5.7
Note: The number of items in each category was 2, 8, 13, and 9 respectively.
Source: Stephen Dwight and George Alliger, “Reactions to Overt Integrity Test Items,” Educational and Psychological Measurement 57, no.
6 (December 1977): 937–48, copyright © 1997 by Sage Publications, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Sage Publications, Inc.

Background Investigations (cont’d)
• Graphology
The use of a sample of an applicant’s handwriting to
make an employment decision.
• Medical Examinations
Given last as they can be costly.
Ensure that the health of an applicant is adequate to
meet the job requirements.
Provides a baseline for subsequent examinations
ADA requires all exams be job-related and conducted
after an employment offer is made.

Drug Testing
• Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988
Testing for illegal drugs is required applicants and
employees of federal contractors.
• Effects of Testing
Questions about the accuracy of results.
Applicants testing positive are generally not hired.
Current employees testing positive are referred to
employee assistance programs for rehabilitation.

Employment Tests
• Employment Test
An objective and standardized measure of a sample
of behavior that is used to gauge a person’s
knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics
(KSAOs) in relation to other individuals.

Percentage of Job Skills Testing in
Selected Industries
Figure 5.8
TEST ALL JOB ONLY SELECT
INDUSTRY APPLICANTS JOB CATEGORIES
Manufacturing 7% 49%
Financial Services 4% 68%
Wholesale and Retail 0% 53%
Business and Professional Services 2% 57%
Other Services 6% 63%
Source: American Management Association: “Job Skills Testing Questionnaire,” 1998.

Classification of Employment Tests
• Cognitive Ability Tests
Aptitude tests
 Measures of a person’s capacity to learn or acquire
skills.
Achievement tests
 Measures of what a person knows or can do right now.
• Personality and Interest Inventories
“Big Five” personality factors:
 Extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness,
neuroticism, openness to experience.

Is That Your Final Answer?
Figure 5.9
Verbal 1. What is the meaning of the word “surreptitious”?
a. covert c. lively
b. winding d. sweet
2. How is the noun clause used in the following sentence?
“I hope that I can learn this game.”
a. subject c. direct object
b. predicate nominative
d. object of the preposition
Quantitative 3. Divide 50 by 0.5 and add 5. What is the result?
a. 25 c. 95
b. 30 d. 105
4. What is the value of 1442?
a. 12 c. 288
b. 72 d. 20736
Answers: 1a, 2c, 3d, 4d

Is That Your Final Answer? (cont’d)
Figure 5.9
Reasoning 5. ______ is to boat as snow is to ______.
a. Sail, ski c. Water, ski
b. Water, winter d. Engine, water
6. Two women played 5 games of chess. Each woman
won the same number of games, yet there were no
ties. How can this be?
a. There was a forfeit. c. They played different people.
b. One player cheated. d. One game is still in progress.
Mechanical 7. If gear A and gear C are both turning counterclockwise,
what is happening to gear B?
a. It is turning counterclockwise.
b. It is turning clockwise.
c. It remains stationary.
d. The whole system will jam.
Answers: 5c, 6c, 7b

CPI Personality Facets and Sample Items
• Agreeableness
 Trust—I believe people are usually honest with me.
• Conscientiousness
 Attention to detail—I like to complete every detail of tasks
according to the work plans.
• Extroversion
 Adaptability—For me, change is exciting.
• Neuroticism
 Self-confidence—I am confident about my skills and
abilities.
• Openness to Experience
 Independence—I tend to work on projects alone, even if
others volunteer to help me.
Figure 5.10
Source: Mark J. Schmit, Jenifer A. Kihm, and Chet Robie, “Development of a Global
Measure of Personality,” Personnel Psychology 53, no. 1 (Spring 2000): 153–93.

Classification of Employment Tests (cont’d)
• Physical Ability Tests
Must be related to the essential functions of the
the job.
• Job Knowledge Tests
An achievement test that measures a person’s
level of understanding about a particular job.
• Work Sample Tests
Require the applicant to perform tasks that are
actually a part of the work required on the job.

Interviewing Methods
• Nondirective Interview
The applicant determines the course of the
discussion, while the interviewer refrains from
influencing the applicant’s remarks.
• Structured Interview
An interview in which a set of standardized
questions having an established set of answers is
used.

Interviewing Methods (cont’d)
• Situational Interview
An interview in which an applicant is given a
hypothetical incident and asked how he or she
would respond to it.
• Behavioral Description Interview (BDI)
An interview in which an applicant is asked
questions about what he or she actually did in a
given situation.
• Panel Interview
An interview in which a board of interviewers
questions and observes a single candidate.

Interviewing Methods (cont’d)
• Computer Interview
Using a computer program that requires
candidates to answer a series of questions
tailored to the job. Answers are compared either
with an ideal profile or with profiles developed on
the basis of other candidates’ responses.
• Video interviews
Using video conference technologies to evaluate
job candidates’ technical abilities, energy level,
appearance, and the like before incurring the
costs of a face-to-face meeting.

Western. All rights reserved. 5–38 HRM 2
QUESTION:
It is the night before your scheduled vacation. You are all packed and
ready to go. Just before you get into bed, you receive a phone call from
the plant. A problem has arisen that only you can handle. You are asked
to come in to take care of things. What would you do in this situation?
RECORD ANSWER:
SCORING GUIDE:
Good: “I would go in to work and make certain that everything is O.K.
Then I would go on vacation.”
Good: “There are no problems that only I can handle. I would make
certain that someone qualified was there to handle things.”
Fair: “I would try to find someone else to deal with the problem.”
Fair: “I would go on vacation.”
Sample Situational Interview Question

Variables in the Employment Interview
Figure 5.11
ApplicantApplicant
• KSAOsKSAOs
• EducationEducation
• ExperienceExperience
• InterestsInterests
• PerceptionsPerceptions
• Nonverbal cuesNonverbal cues
• Age, sex, race, etc.Age, sex, race, etc.
ApplicantApplicant
• KSAOsKSAOs
• EducationEducation
• ExperienceExperience
• InterestsInterests
ContextContext
• Purpose of thePurpose of the
interviewinterview
• Law and regulationsLaw and regulations
• Economic issuesEconomic issues
• Physical settingsPhysical settings
• Interview structureInterview structure
ContextContext
• Purpose of thePurpose of the
interviewinterview
• Law and regulationsLaw and regulations
• Economic issuesEconomic issues
• Physical settingsPhysical settings
• Interview structureInterview structure
Interviewer(s)Interviewer(s)
• Experience/trainingExperience/training
• GoalsGoals
Interviewer(s)Interviewer(s)
• Experience/trainingExperience/training
• GoalsGoals
INTERVIEWINTERVIEW
____________________________________
ProcessProcess
__________________________________________
OutcomeOutcome
(Hiring Decision)(Hiring Decision)
INTERVIEWINTERVIEW
____________________________________
ProcessProcess
__________________________________________
OutcomeOutcome
(Hiring Decision)(Hiring Decision)

Ground Rules for Employment Interviews
• Establish an interview plan
• Establish and maintain rapport
• Be an active listener
• Pay attention to nonverbal cues
• Provide information freely
• Use questions effectively
• Separate facts from inferences
• Recognize biases and stereotypes
• Control the course of the interview
• Standardize the questions asked

Reaching a Selection Decision
• Selection Considerations:
 Are individuals to be hired according to their highest
potential or according to the needs of the organization?
 At what grade or wage level to start the individual?
 Should selection be for employee- job match, or should
advancement potential be considered?
 Should those not qualified but qualifiable be considered?
 Should overqualified individuals be considered?
 What effect will a decision have on meeting affirmative
action plans and diversity considerations?

“Can-Do”and “Will-Do”Factors
in Selection Decisions
Figure 5.12
““Can Do”Can Do”
____________________________________________________________
• KnowledgeKnowledge
• SkillsSkills
• AbilitiesAbilities
““Can Do”Can Do”
____________________________________________________________
• KnowledgeKnowledge
• SkillsSkills
• AbilitiesAbilities
““Will Do”Will Do”
____________________________________________________________
• PersonalityPersonality
• ValuesValues
• MotivationMotivation
““Will Do”Will Do”
____________________________________________________________
• PersonalityPersonality
• ValuesValues
• MotivationMotivation
Job PerformanceJob Performance

Selection Decision Strategies
ObjectivityObjectivity
Multiple Cutoff Model - MinimumMultiple Cutoff Model - Minimum
Statistical ApproachStatistical Approach
Compensatory Model - AverageCompensatory Model - Average
Multiple Hurdle Model- SequentialMultiple Hurdle Model- Sequential
SubjectivitySubjectivityClinical ApproachClinical Approach

Selection Decision Models
• Compensatory Model
Permits a high score in one area to make up for
a low score in another area.
• Multiple Cutoff Model
Requires an applicant to achieve a minimum
level of proficiency on all selection dimensions.
• Multiple Hurdle Model
Only applicants with sufficiently high scores at
each selection stage go on to subsequent
stages in the selection process.

Selection Process (cont’d)
• Selection Ratio
The number of applicants compared with the
number of people to be hired.
• Cutoff Score
The point in a distribution of scores above which
a person is considered and below which a person
is rejected.

Test Score Scatterplot with Hypothetical Cutoffs
Figure 5.13

Selection Process (cont’d)
• Final Decision
Selection of applicant by departmental or
immediate supervisor to fill vacancy.
Notification of selection and job offer by the
human resources department.

Chapter 05 Selection

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Chapter 05 Selection