Part 4 Staffing Activities: Selection Chapter 9: External Selection II McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights.

Part 4Staffing Activities: Selection

Chapter 9:

External Selection II

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Organization StrategyOrganization Strategy HR and Staffing StrategyHR and Staffing Strategy

Staffing Policies and Programs

Staffing System and Retention Management

Support Activities

Legal compliance

Planning

Job analysis

Core Staffing Activities

Recruitment: External, internal

Selection:Measurement, external, internal

Employment:Decision making, final match

OrganizationMission

Goals and Objectives

Staffing Organizations Model

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9-3

External Selection II Outline

Substantive Assessment Methods Personality Tests Ability Tests Job Knowledge Tests Performance Tests and

Work Samples Situational Judgment

Tests Integrity Tests Interest, Values, and

Preference Inventories Structured Interview Choice of Substantive

Assessment Methods

Discretionary Assessment Methods

Contingent Assessment Methods Drug testing Medical exams

Legal Issues Uniform Guidelines on

Employee Selection Procedures

Selection Under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

Drug Testing

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Discussion Questions for This Chapter

Describe the similarities and differences between personality tests and integrity tests. When is each warranted in the selection process?

How would you advise an organization considering adopting a cognitive ability test for selection?

Describe the structured interview. What are the characteristics of structured interviews that improve on the shortcomings of unstructured interviews?

What are the most common discretionary and contingent assessment methods? What are the similarities and differences between the use of these two methods?

How should organizations apply the general principles of the UGESP to practical selection decisions?

Ex. 8.3 Assessment Methods by Applicant

Flow Stage

•Substantive assessment methods

•Determining who among the minimally qualified will likely be the best performers on the job

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9-6

Overview of Personality Tests

Current role of personality tests e.g., role of Big Five Describe behavioral, not emotional or cognitive traits May capture up to 75% of an individual’s personality Big Five factors (Personality Characteristics Inventory etc.)

Emotional stability-calm, optimistic, and well adjusted Extraversion-sociable, assertive, active, upbeat, and talkative Openness to experience-imaginative, attentive to inner feelings,

have intellectual curiosity and independence of judgment Agreeableness-altruistic, trusting, sympathetic, and cooperative Conscientiousness-purposeful, determined, dependable, and

attentive to detail

Roughly 50% of the variance in the Big Five traits appears to be inherited

9-7

Measures of Personality Tests

Surveys Personal Characteristics Inventory (PCI)

NEO Personality Inventory

Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI)

Administration options Paper-and-pencil

Interviews

Online forms

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Ex. 9.1 Sample Items from the Personal Characteristics Inventory

Conscientiousness I can always be counted on to get the job done. I am a very persistent worker. I almost always plan things in advance of work.

Extraversion Meeting new people is enjoyable to me. I like to stir up excitement if things get boring. I am a “take-charge” type of person.

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Ex. 9.1 Sample Items from the Personal Characteristics Inventory

Agreeableness I like to help others who are down on their luck. I usually see the good side of people. I forgive others easily.

Emotional Stability I can become annoyed at people quite easily (reverse-

scored). At times I don’t care about much of anything (reverse-scored). My feelings tend to be easily hurt (reverse-scored).

Openness to Experience I like to work with difficult concepts and ideas. I enjoy trying new and different things. I tend to enjoy art, music, or literature.

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Ex. 9.2 Implications of Big Five Personality Traits at Work

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Criticisms of Personality Tests

Trivial validities Correlations for any individual trait with job performance are

typically low (around r=.23) However, when all traits are used simultaneously, correlations

are higher Faking

Individuals answer in a dishonest way However, tests still have some validity, and it may be that

being able to “act” conscientiously may be related to real job performance

Negative applicant reactions Applicants, in general, believe personality tests are less valid

predictors of job performance

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Overview of Ability Tests

Definition -- Measures that assess an individual’s capacity to function in a certain way

15 to 20% of organizations use ability tests in selection

Two typesAptitude - Assess innate capacity to functionAchievement - Assess learned capacity to

function

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Overview of Ability Tests

Four classes of ability testsCognitive: perception, memory, reasoning,

verbal, math, expressionPsychomotor: thought/body movement

coordinationPhysical: strength, endurance, movement

qualitySensory/perceptual: detection & recognition

of stimuli

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Evaluation of Cognitive Ability Tests

Validity approaches .50 Research findings

Among the most valid methods of selection Often generalizes across organizations, job types,

and types of applicants Can produce large economic gains for

organizations and provide major competitive advantage

Validity is particularly high for jobs of medium and high complexity but also exists for simple jobs

A simple explanation for validity: those with higher cognitive ability acquire and use greater knowledge

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Limitations of Cognitive Ability Tests

Concern over adverse impact and fairness of tests Equally accurate predictors of job performance for

various racial & ethnic groups Blacks and Hispanics score lower than whites This gap is narrowing somewhat over time Alternative presentation formats (e.g., verbal tests)

decrease differences in scores dramatically while producing nearly equivalent scores

Applicants’ perceptions Reactions to concrete vs. abstract test items

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Other Types of Ability Tests

Psychomotor ability tests Reaction time, arm-hand steadiness, control

precision, and manual and digit dexterity Physical abilities tests

Muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, and movement quality

Sensory/perceptual abilities tests Ability to detect and recognize environmental

stimuli Note: Increasingly, ability tests are being

computer administered

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Emotional Intelligence

The ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action A review of 59 studies indicated that, overall, EI

correlated moderately with job performance Some critics argue that because EI is so closely

related to intelligence and personality, once you control for these factors, EI has nothing unique to offer

Still not clear whether these tests are useful

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Job Knowledge Tests

Two types Assess knowledge of duties involved in a particular

job (i.e., test the knowledge level) Level of experience with, and knowledge about,

critical job tasks and tools necessary to perform a job (i.e., test the amount of experience with the knowledge areas)

Evaluation Validity can be as much as .45 Higher validities found for complex jobs

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Performance Tests and Work Samples

Definition -- Assess actual performance (e.g., fix a car, teach a class, type a document)

Types of tests (should focus on relevant KSAOs) Performance test vs. work sample (all or some) Motor vs verbal work samples (action or thought) High- vs. low-fidelity tests (level of realism) Computer interaction performance tests vs. paper-

and-pencil tests including simulations (e.g., The Manager’s Workshop)

All the above can have good validity (.50+) & acceptance

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Situational Judgment Tests

Place applicants in hypothetical, job-related situations.

Applicants are then asked to choose a course of action from several alternatives

Capture the validity of work samples and cognitive ability tests in a way that is cheaper than work samples and that has less adverse impact than cognitive ability tests

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Ex. 9.7: Example of Situational Judgment Test Item

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Integrity Tests

Two types (Exhibit 9.8) Clear purpose / overt

Do you think most people would cheat if they thought they could get away with it?

Do you believe a person has a right to steal from an employer if he or she is unfairly treated?

Personality-based/veiled purpose Would you rather go to a party than read a newspaper? How often do you blush?

Scores appear to reflect conscientiousness, agreeableness, and emotional stability

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Integrity Tests

Validity can be usefulClear purpose as high as .55 predicting bad

behaviorsGeneral purpose as high as .32 predicting

bad behaviorsCan predict performance as well (as high as

.30)Why would these predict general

performance?

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Interest, Values, and Preference Inventories

Assess activities individuals prefer to do on & off the job; do not attempt to assess ability to do these

Not often used in selection Can be useful for self-selection into job types Types of tests

Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI)

Evaluation Unlikely to predict job performance directly May help assess person-organization fit & subsequent job

satisfaction, commitment & turnover

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Discussion questions

Describe the similarities and differences between personality tests and integrity tests. When is each warranted in the selection process?

How would you advise an organization considering adopting a cognitive ability test for selection?

9-26

Typical Unstructured Interviews

Relatively unplanned and “quick and dirty” Questions based on interviewer “hunches” or

“pet questions” to assess applicants Casual, open-ended, or subjective questions Often contains obtuse questions Often contains highly speculative questions Interviewer often unprepared More potential for discrimination and bias Validity typically r=.20

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Structured Interviews

Questions based on job analysis Same questions asked of each candidate Response to each question numerically

evaluated Detailed anchored rating scales used to score

each response Detailed notes taken, focusing on

interviewees’ behaviors Validity may be r=.30 or better Surprisingly uncommon in organizations

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Structured Interviews (continued)

Situational - Assess applicant’s ability to project his / her behaviors to future situations. Assumes the person’s goals/intentions will predict future behavior

Experience-based - Assess past behaviors that are linked to prospective job. Assumes past performance will predict future performance

Research is inconclusive regarding which type is bestIndividual interviews usually more valid than panel interviews

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Constructing a Structured Interview

Consult job requirements matrix Develop the selection plan

Exh. 9.10: Partial Selection Plan for Job of Retail Store Sales Associate

Develop structured interview plan Exh. 9.11: Structured Interview Questions,

Benchmark Responses, Rating Scale, and Question Weights

Select and train interviewers Evaluate effectiveness

9-30

Discussion questions

Describe the structured interview. What are the characteristics of structured interviews that improve on the shortcomings of unstructured interviews?

9-31

Selection for Team Environments

Types of teams Problem-solving teams Self-managed work teams Cross-functional teams Virtual teams

Establish steps for selection in team-based environments

Who should make the hiring decision? Critical to ensure proper context is in place

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Selection for Team Environments

INTERPERSONAL KSAsConflict-Resolution KSAsCollaborative Problem- Solving KSAsCommunication KSAs

SELF-MANAGEMENT KSAsGoal-Setting and Performance Management

KSAsPlanning and Task-Coordination KSAs

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Discretionary Assessment Methods

Used to separate people who receive job offersfrom list of finalists (assumes each finalist is considered fully qualified for position)

Often very subjective, relying heavily on intuitionof decision maker

Factors other than KSAOs are evaluated Assess person/organization match Assess motivation level Assess people on relevant organizational

citizenship behaviors Should involve organization’s staffing philosophy

regarding EEO/AA commitments

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Contingent Assessment Methods

“We offer you this job contingent upon ….”

Contingent methods not always usedDepends on nature of job and legal

mandatesMight involve confirmation of

Drug test resultsMedical exam results

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Drug Testing

The average drug user was 3.6 times more likely to be involved in an

accident received 3 times the average level of sick benefits was 5 times more likely to file a workers’

compensation claim missed 10 times as many work days as nonusers 31% of all fatal truck accidents were due to alcohol

or drugs Drug testing has decreased in recent years

because so few people test positive

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Ex. 9.16Example of a Drug Testing Program

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Features of an effective drug testing program

Emphasize drug testing in safety- sensitive jobs Use only reputable testing laboratories, and ensure

that strict chain of custody is maintained. Ask applicants for their consent, and inform them of

test results Use retesting to validate positive samples from the

initial screening test Ensure that proper procedures are followed to

maintain the applicant’s right to privacy Review the program and validate the results against

relevant criteria (accidents, absenteeism, turnover, job performance); conduct a cost-benefit analysis

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Medical Exams

Identify potential health risks in job candidates Must ensure medical exams are required only when a

compelling reason exists Ensures people with disabilities unrelated to job performance

are not screened out Use is strictly regulated by ADA to ensure disabilities

not job related are not screened out Usually lack validity as procedures vary by doctor Not always job related Often emphasize short- rather than long-term health New job-related medical standards are specific, job

related, and valid

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Discussion questions

What are the most common discretionary and contingent assessment methods? What are the similarities and differences between the use of these two methods?

9-40

Legal Issues: Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP)

General principles Technical standards Documentation of impact and

validity evidence Definitions Makes substantial demands of a staffing

system Ensures awareness of possibility of adverse impact

in employment decisions If adverse impact is found, mechanisms provided

to cope with it

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Legal Issues: ADA and Drug Testing

Selection under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) General principles Access to job application process Reasonable accommodation

to testing Medical examinations Drug testing UGESP

Drug testing is permitted to detect illegal drug use and discipline/termination if found is OK

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Medical Exams

Identifies potential health risks in job candidates Important to ensure medical exams are required

only when a compelling reason exists Ensures people with disabilities unrelated to job performance

are not screened out Use is strictly regulated by ADA Lack validity as procedures vary by doctor Not always job related Often emphasizes short- rather than long-term health New approach -- Job-related medical standards

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Discussion questions

How should organizations apply the general principles of the UGESP to practical selection decisions?

9-44

Ethical Issues

Issue 1 Do you think it’s ethical for employers to select

applicants on the basis of questions such as, “Dislike loud music” and “Enjoy wild flights of fantasy,” even if the scales that such items measure have been shown to predict job performance? Explain.

Issue 2 Cognitive ability tests are one of the best predictors

of job performance, yet they have substantial adverse impact against minorities. Do you think it’s fair to use such tests? Why or why not?