Selection and Assessment

Today’s session

• Selection and Assessment Process

• Defining the need

• Attraction

• Assessment

• Fairness

• Contracting & Induction

• Key challenges

But first…some definitions

• Selection – choosing an applicant from a pool of applicants already in the company

• Recruitment – Filling a post from a pool from outside the firm

• Two main components– Attraction– Assessment

Why does it matter?

• The best is twice as good as the worst (Hull, 1928)

The Ideal Process

1. Identification of need for new employee

2. Job Analysis – criteria determined

3. Decision to recruit or select internally

4. Format of applications and process for examining criteria

5. Job vacancy and publicity materials put into public domain

6. Applications Arrive

The Ideal Process - continued

7. Short-listing/pre-screening process

8. Assessment process undertaken

9. Final decision made and offer sent out

10. Applicant accepts and joins firm

11. Induction and ongoing socialisation process

12. Collection of performance data

13. Evaluation and review of selection process

Defining the need

• Imagine you are defining the requirements for a lecturer position– How might you go about defining what you

were looking for?– What challenges might you face?

Defining the need

• Why do a Job Analysis?– To write accurate and comprehensive job descriptions

– Aid the interviewer in identifying what’s relevant

– Distinguish between what can be selected for and what can be trained

– Choose selection tests

– Classification

– Defend choice of selection tests

– Transfer selection tests (using job families)

Job analysis techniques

• Collecting information– Video

– Written records

– Observation

– Structured questionnaires/Open questionnaires

– Diaries for job holders

– Interviews

– Group interviews

– Participation

Job analysis techniques

• Job oriented techniques– Focus on the work being done– E.g. installing cables, locating source of engine fault

• Content oriented techniques– Focus on what the worker does to accomplish the job– E.g. attention to detail, use of written materials

• Attribute-oriented techniques– Describe job in terms of attributes/or traits needed– E.g. Good eye sight, verbal fluency

Job analysis techniques

• Critical incident techniques– Flanagan 1954 – pilot training failure

• Repertory Grid Technique– Compares good, average and poor workers

• Physical Abilities Analysis– Fleishman and Mumford (1991) – 52 abilities– E.g. stamina, dynamic strength, trunk strength

Job analysis

• Should differentiate different jobs

• Should give same picture of same jobs

Assessment

• Purpose– To reliably predict work performance

The “Classic Trio”

• Application forms– How truthful is info– Overload of applicants– Bias in decision process

• References

• Interviews

Techniques

• The interview– Unstructured chat?

• Traditionally poor predictor of work performance

– Structured or Semi structured interview?– Critical incident/behavioural event interviewing

• Reduces impact of hypothetical situations

• Assumes past behaviour predicts future behaviour

• In pairs, discuss reasons why interviews sometimes have poor validity

• What could you do to address these reasons/issues?

The interview…

• Some reasons for poor validity– Interviewers differ– Interviewer motivation– Interviewee’s impression management– Interview coaching– Interviewee lying– Rating artefacts e.g. leniency– Criterion reliability e.g. supervisor ratings

Improving the interview

• Select interviewers

• Use more than one interviewer

• Use same interviewers throughout process

• Train interviewers

• Take notes

• Make ratings

Other techniques

• References and performance ratings

• Weighted application blanks and biodata

• Tests of mental ability

• Personality Tests

• Assessment Centres

• Work Samples

• Group discussions

Validity

• Face validity– Based on appearance of the test

• Content validity– Based on coverage of conceptual domain– E.g. does test for medical doctor include items

from GMC’s syllabus

Validity

• Construct Validity– Underlying construct can be measured e.g.

intelligence– Show relationships between instruments in a

similar domain

• Criterion Validity– Relates to an external criterion– E.g. job success (not another instrument)

Alternatives?

• Graphology• Astrology• Palmistry• Pseudo tests

– Short forced choice items with little info on reliability or validity

• Polygraph– Prohibited in US since 1988– BPS report 2004

Minorities, Fairness and the Law

• UK and EU Legislation– Latest on age discrimination– “enthusiastic, dynamic people looking for new

experiences and a thirst for learning”– “experienced person with gravitas capable of

influencing at board level”

• Issues of Adverse Impact– Job analysis is key!

Choosing tests/techniques for an assessment centre

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4

Criterion 1 X X

Criterion 2 X X

Criterion 3 X X

Criterion 4 X X

Criterion 5 X X

Criterion 6 X X

Example - Assessment Centre• Personality Test Review Discussion• Timed Analysis of Business Issues• Presentation of Proposed Solution to Business Issues• Leaderless Group Discussion• Timed preparation for Negotiations• Role Play Negotiation• Timed written project plan for implementation of

development programme• Competency-Based Interview• Self reflection on Performance

Key Challenges

• Irrational decision making– Agor (1986) data for supporting decision rather

than as basis for decision– Janis (1972) group dynamics and “groupthink”– Stereotyping and bias

• If it moves, test it?– The façade of objectivity

Key Challenges

• A marginal view of individual differences– Assumes stability over time– Assumes past behaviour predicts future

behaviour– This view limits propensity to change – so what

about learning and development?

Key Challenges

• Faking a desired response– Deliberately making stuff up!

– Simplistic to assume applicants are passive participants

– Impression management techniques• E.g. ingratiation, distortion of events, positive self

descriptions,

– Or is favourable self presentation indicative of high applied intelligence and sensitivity to context?

Contracting and Induction

• Critical aspect of the selection and recruitment process

• Contracting– Formal contract

– Psychological contract

• Great recruitment and selection without supportive induction, transition management = potential waste of time and money!

Questions

References

• Chapter 5 of Millward

• Cook, M.(2004) Personnel Selection – Adding Value Through People, Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester

• Searle, R. (2003) Selection and Recruitment – A Critical Text, OU, Milton Keynes