Selection Techniques Positions
Different types of positions require different kinds of selection techniques. Choosing the right techniques will help you to recruit the best person for the position. The selection techniques you choose depend on the particular skills, attributes and knowledge required for the position. You must be able to match the selection method with the selection criteria that are most critical to the position.
The selection techniques normally used are the interview along with a written application and referee reports. The interview's value is greatly increased when it is well structured, incorporates behavior-based questions and is used in conjunction with other selection techniques. Descriptions of a range of selection techniques are provided below.
It is not a good idea to make recruitment decisions based on the results of one selection method alone. Very often you need to combine two or more techniques to assess a range of skills and qualities in candidates. For example, work samples are an excellent way to assess what a candidate is capable of (i.e. their maximum performance), but they do not provide information on what the candidate does daily (i.e. their typical performance). Reference checks must be used as well to obtain this information.
What to consider when choosing:
- the seniority/level of position
- the degree to which managerial/leadership ability is critical to success
- the degree to which technical competence is critical to success
- the time and effort required to use the technique, in proportion to the risk of poor selection
- available resources
- the budget
- the skills, knowledge and qualifications of assessors
- Equity issues, i.e. does the chosen technique directly or indirectly discriminate against EEO groups?
Who administers selection techniques?
The selection committee or a representative from the Human Resources Unit (HRU) can administer many of the techniques. However, others need to be administered by trained professionals. See the individual techniques for more information.
Informing the candidates:
If you decide to use selection techniques in addition to the interview, then you need to inform all candidates and give them enough notice to make appropriate preparations.
The techniques used for selecting the post for Junior Advertising Director are
- Work samples:
Work samples involve getting an applicant to do a task related to what they will be doing
in the job. It is common in other industries as part of the selection process for applicants to
perform a work sample. For example if someone is hiring an office administrator they may give applicants the task of formatting a report for a meeting and organising files on the computer.
This is a way of testing their competency and also identifying areas for training if they are successful.
In more senior positions the work sample tests will become longer and more in-depth. An
applicant for the position of manager running a hardware store might be asked to create a
cash flow budget for the next year and do a SWOT analysis of the business.
The advantage of work samples is that they can be tailored to fit what is most important
to you as an employer.
Examples of work samples can be wide and varied depending on what is important to the
employer and how it relates to the job description.
Examples of different work sample techniques and tips on how to use them are provided below.
- The leaderless group discussion:
This is a simple technique where a group of participants are asked to carry on a discussion about some topic for a specific period of time, e.g. performance issues, or internal/external alliances or relationships. No-one is appointed leader and assessors do not participate in the discussion, but remain free to observe and rate the performance of each participant. Skills and attributes such as leadership, coaching, customer service orientation, teamwork, building relationships, etc. can be evaluated.
- The in-tray test:
This is an individual test designed to simulate important or regular tasks associated with the position. Different types of in-tray tests may be designed to correspond to the various requirements of the position, eg. writing a memo, researching information or analysing data. At the conclusion of the exercise the candidate will have produced notes, memos, letters, etc., which constitute the record of his or her behavior in completing the task. In-tray exercises permit direct observation of individual behavior within the context of a job-relevant problem situation.
- Planning exercises:
These test the candidate's ability to priorities, plan activities, schedule and allocate resources, and adapt to last minute changes. This allows assessors to evaluate a candidate's skills and attributes in planning and judgment. Exercises might involve providing the candidate with some information about a typical project and asking them to draft a project plan or schedule, determine a budget or allocate resources.
- Analysis exercises
These evaluate a candidate's aptitude in analysis and judgment. Candidates are provided with quantitative and qualitative data about a fictitious organization and asked to draw conclusions, make recommendations, assess the organization's situation or improve matters such as productivity, customer relations, organizational structure and morale.
- Lectures/Presentations
These assess a candidate's communication skills and perhaps their expertise on a particular subject. A typical task might involve a candidate preparing and presenting to a selection committee, peers and/or postgraduate students. For example, for an academic position a lecture or presentation of research or teaching would be appropriate.
- Computer exercises
These demonstrate a candidate's computer skills using particular programs. Tasks might involve creating spreadsheets, data sorts, letters or diagrams, etc.
Tips on using work samples:
Work samples are effective at predicting future behavior. They are particularly useful if implemented as part of a two-phase selection process, i.e. after the first interview when follow-up and probing are required, or alternatively, to weed out candidates prior to interview. Using work samples as a selection technique is usually more time consuming and resource intensive than conducting an interview, particularly if there are a lot of candidates.
- Reference checks:
It is important to note that you must get permission from the prospective employee to
contact their referees. References have been one of the main selection tools that farmers have
used. They can be used to provide three types of information
- evidence of training and education qualifications
- past work experience and competence as described by an employer
- character reference.
Reference checks should follow the same format as a structured interview with a preplanned
question format so that you ask all referees the same questions to ensure consistency
and help rank prospective employees.
It should be noted that reference checks alone can lead to problems with staff selection.
Things that go wrong are:
- general unwillingness to be critical of someone to a stranger
- a wish to get rid of an undesirable employee
- a simple lack of knowledge of the person
- Biased perceptions of the person (both good or bad).
- Curriculum vitae (CV):
Often the first chance to select possible candidates is when scrutinising a CV. The
concern with CVs is that it is often hard to determine the skill level and management
The other limiting factor is that CVs have gained a degree of uniformity (e.g. Word®
programmes have templates). A CV can indicate how stable or how ambitious applicants are by their work movements.
- Application forms:
An alternative to CVs is application forms. An application form is in a set format and the
applicant fills it in. It can be used to ask specific questions such as health, criminal convictions,
qualifications, last three positions etc. The benefit of application forms is that under “good faith” bargaining, both parties have to be totally honest with each other.
The benefit of application forms over CVs is that all information in forms is in the same
order, making them easier to compare. Many HR consultants offer application forms. They are also available from Federated Farmers and HR toolkit 2.1.3.
Two further selection techniques that have been used are personality tests and intelligence
quotient (IQ) tests. These are available from specialists. They need specialist skills to interpret
the results. For almost all farm businesses they will not be a valid selection technique.
Important Characteristics identified in the person specification with each selection technique are:
- Physical attributes- physical attributes can be assessed by work sampling as it stimulates Work samples involve getting an applicant to do a task related to what they will be doing in the job.
- Education and professional experience- this can be assessed by scrutinizing the CVs of the applicants. As it gives idea to the employers of their past professional experience. Secondly this can be asses by reference check the education work experience.
- General intelligence- this also can be assessed by reference check as by contacting people who have worked with the candidates will give a perception about the candidate. The junior advertising manager quickly has to understand the objectives and the needs of the customer to be able to give him a fast solution or an advice.
- Special aptitudes - work samples would assess this as it creates a actual environment which helps the employers to assess the aptitude of each candidates.
- Interests- this also can be seen in the CV as it helps to know the area in which the candidates are interested apart from their profession.
- Personal circumstances- again CVs would be used to asses this
- Outgoing- reference check would tell more about this. As people who have worked with the candidates would give basic perception about the candidate.
- Intelligence- again work sample would be used to assess this.
- Trusty- reference check would help the organization in selection with regard to this quality
- Imaginative- work sample helps as it requires the candidates to do something imaginative in order to show their skills.
- Experimenting- work sample would help again as it shows how the candidates are willing to experiment new methods and techniques.
- Relaxed- work sample because at times it can be stressful for the candidate while performing in front of many interviewers. This is done to see whether they would be able to work under pressures or not.
Reliability of these selection techniques-
Work samples:
- The advantage of work samples is that they can be tailored to fit what is most important to you as an employer.
- Helps to assess the team skill- The advantage of work samples is that they can be tailored to fit what is most important to you as an employer.
- Helps to assess in numerical skills.
- To assess the management skills
Reference checks- reference checks are reliable as
- Gives the information on the professional experiences of the candidates.
- People Skills and Teamwork
- Conscientiousness œ
- Integrity and Reliability
CVs- the advantages of using this is
- A CV can indicate how stable or how ambitious applicants are by their work movements.
Though it is used in every organisation its not very reliable as
- Often hard to determine the skill level and management responsibility of a candidate.
- Often hard to determine the skill level and management responsibility of a candidat
Though these techniques are undertaken by our company we would like to improve on these as these techniques cannot give full information about the candidates so we that why we undertake more than one selection technique. But to improve this we follow the following:
- In work samples the job that should be stimulated must according to the candidates otherwise the candidates would become anxious and not perform up to their standard
- Time for work sampling must not be long which can lead to the candidates stressed.
- As work sampling is mostly done in groups the assessment should also be made on the individual contribution.
As work sampling alone cannot assess the candidates so our company also refers to CVs. But should not rely completely on the CV. The company must take personal interviews in order to know the attitude of the candidates towards the work. And interviews should be made relaxed for the candidates.
To know whether the information in the CV is true companies require a reference letter from the previous institute or work place saying that the information is bona fide.
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