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CHAPTER NINECHAPTER NINE

External Selection IIExternal Selection II

Screen graphics created by:Jana F. Kuzmicki, PhD

Troy State University-Florida and Western Region

McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

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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, internalEmployment:Decision making, final match

OrganizationVision and Mission

Goals and Objectives

Staffing Organizations ModelStaffing Organizations Model

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External Selection II OutlineExternal Selection II Outline

Substantive Assessment Methods

Personality Tests Ability Tests Job Knowledge Tests Performance Tests and Work

Samples Integrity Tests Interest, Values, and Preference

Inventories Structured Interview Constructing a Structured

Interview Assessment for Team and Quality

Environments Clinical Assessments Choice of Substantive Methods

Discretionary Assessment Methods

Contingent Assessment Methods

Collection of Assessment Data Legal Issues

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Overview of Personality TestsOverview of Personality Tests

Historical role of personality tests in selection e.g., MMPI Validity .10--.15 Misuse: intended for identifying psychological disorders

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.)

Conscientiousness: persistent, planner, can be counted onEmotional stability: hard to annoy, hard to hurt feelingsExtraversion: likes meeting new people, takes chargeOpenness to experience: likes new ideas, tries new thingsAgreeableness: forgives easily, sees good side of people

Which of the Big 5 most likely to predict performance?

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Measures of Personality TestsMeasures of Personality Tests

Surveys

Personal Characteristics Inventory (PCI)

Exh. 9.1: Sample Items for PCI

NEO Personality Inventory

Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI)

Projective tests

Interviews

Assessment of reliability and validity

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Predictive Validity of Personality TestsPredictive Validity of Personality Tests

Big Five factors Conscientiousness (broadly promising)

Valid across almost all occupational groups; r = .31 Emotional stability (promising)

Valid for many groups especially sales, management, & teaching

Extraversion (some promise)Most valid for salespeople

Openness to experience (virtually no predictive ability) Agreeableness (virtually no predictive ability)

Limitations of using personality tests to predict?

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Exh. 9.2: Possible Factors Explaining ImportanceExh. 9.2: Possible Factors Explaining Importanceof Conscientiousness in Predicting Job Performanceof Conscientiousness in Predicting Job Performance

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Overview of Ability TestsOverview of Ability Tests Definition -- Measures that assess an individual’s capacity

to function in a certain way Two types

Aptitude - Assess innate capacity to functionAchievement - Assess learned capacity to function

15--20% of organizations use ability tests in selection Four classes of ability tests

Cognitive: perception, memory, reasoning, verbal, math, expression

Psychomotor: thought/body movement coordinationPhysical: strength, endurance, movement qualitySensory/perceptual: detection & recognition of stimuli

Give an example where each ability might predict

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Evaluation of Cognitive Ability TestsEvaluation of Cognitive Ability Tests

Validity approaches .50 Research findings

Among the most valid methods of selectionOften generalizes across organizations, job types, and

types of applicantsCan produce large economic gains for organizations

and provide major competitive advantageValidity is particularly high for jobs of medium and

high complexity but also exists for simple jobsA simple explanation for validity: those with higher

cognitive ability acquire and use greater knowledge

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Limitations of Cognitive Ability TestsLimitations of Cognitive Ability Tests

Concern over adverse impact and fairness of tests

Cognitive ability tests are equally accurate predictors of job performance for various racial & ethnic groups, but blacks and Hispanics score lower than whites

Why might blacks & Hispanics score lower?

Is it OK to use cognitive ability tests if we monitor adverse impact closely?

Is it OK to use differential prediction?

Applicants’ perceptions

Reactions to concrete vs. abstract test items

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Other Types of Ability TestsOther Types of Ability Tests

Psychomotor ability testsValid predictors for jobs that require such abilities

with validity coefficients as high as .50 Physical abilities tests

Valid predictors for jobs that require such abilities with validity coefficients as high as .40 to .80

Sensory/perceptual abilities testsValid predictors for jobs that require such abilities

with validity coefficients as high as .40 but may not add to general cognitive ability prediction

Note: Increasingly, ability tests are being computer administered

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Job Knowledge TestsJob 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)

EvaluationValidity can be as much as .45Higher validities found for complex jobsJob knowledge measures add little to prediction

beyond that provided by cognitive ability tests but can help filter out those clearly not qualified

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Performance Tests and Work SamplesPerformance 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)

Situational judgment tests (combinations of above) All the above can have good validity (.50+) & acceptance

Discuss potential limitations of each of the above

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Integrity TestsIntegrity Tests Two types

Clear purpose / overt General purpose / veiled purpose

Use of integrity tests in selection has grown dramatically during past decade

Construct of integrity not well understood Validity can be useful

Clear purpose as high as .55 predicting bad behaviors General purpose as high as .32 predicting bad behaviors Can predict performance as well (as high as .30)

Why would these predict general performance?

Discuss limitations of integrity tests

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Interest, Values, and Preference InventoriesInterest, 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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Typical Unstructured InterviewsTypical 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 Validity typically very low (.20 at best)

Discuss sources of error in unstructured interviews

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Structured InterviewsStructured 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 .30 or better

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Structured InterviewsStructured Interviews (continued)(continued)

Situational - Assess applicant’s ability to project his / her behaviors to future situations. Assumes the person’s goals/intentions will predict future behavior (validity averages .35)

Experience-based - Assess past behaviors that are linked to prospective job. Assumes past performance will predict future performance (validity averages .28)

Note: Individual interviews usually more valid than panel interviews

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Constructing a Structured InterviewConstructing a Structured Interview

Consult job requirements matrix Develop the selection plan

Exh. 9.14: Partial Selection Plan for Job of Retail Store Sales Associate

Develop structured interview planExh. 9.15: Structured Interview Questions,

Benchmark Responses, Rating Scale, and Question Weights

Select and train interviewers Evaluate effectiveness

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Assessment for Quality EnvironmentsAssessment for Quality Environments

Companies with TQM missions oftenseem to ignore selection systems

Issues to be addressed in selection processTypes of skills may differSpecificity of skills may differProcess of making selection decisions may differ

Lack of research on staffing inquality environmentsValidation of selection process is important

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Assessment for Team EnvironmentsAssessment for Team Environments

Establish steps for selection in team-based environmentsDetermine necessary KSAOs for teamwork

Exh. 9.17: Knowledge, Skill, and Ability (KSA) Requirements for Teamwork

Interpersonal KSAs Self-management KSAs

Example Exh. 9.18: Example Items Assessing Teamwork KSAs

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

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Clinical AssessmentsClinical Assessments Psychologist makes a judgment about suitability of a

candidate for a job Typically used for selecting people for middle- and upper-

level management positions Judgments based on

Interview Personal history form Ability test Personality test

Feedback to company -- Narrative description of candidate, with or without a recommendation

Can be valid but depends on the psychologist and his/her processDiscuss pros and cons of this approach

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Discretionary Assessment MethodsDiscretionary Assessment Methods Used to separate people who receive job offers

from 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 evaluatedAssess person/organization matchAssess motivation levelAssess people on relevant organizational

citizenship behaviors Should involve organization’s staffing philosophy

regarding EEO/AA commitments

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Contingent Assessment MethodsContingent Assessment Methods “We offer you this job contingent upon ….”

Contingent methods not always used

Depends on nature of job and legal mandates

Might involve confirmation of

Degree

Valid license

Security clearance approval

Drug test results

Medical exam results

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Drug TestingDrug Testing Alcohol & drug abuse costs U.S. $60 billion/year Drug testing used by over 80% of major companies Characteristics and effectiveness Types of tests: body fluids, hair analysis, pupillary

reaction, performance tests U.S. Dept. of Health/Human Services sets guidelines Drug tests can be accurate & reduction of drug use

saves money and lives Smoking may be banned at work place but 1/2 of

states prohibit off-job smoking discrimination

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Example of a Drug Testing ProgramExample of a Drug Testing Program

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Medical ExamsMedical 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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Legal Issues: Uniform Guidelines on Legal Issues: Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (UGESP)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 impactin employment decisions

If adverse impact is found, mechanisms providedto cope with it

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Legal Issues: ADA and Drug TestingLegal Issues: ADA and Drug Testing

Selection under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)General principlesAccess to job application processReasonable accommodation

to testingMedical examinationsDrug testingUGESP

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

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Medical ExamsMedical 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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Ethical IssuesEthical Issues

Issue 1Do 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 2Cognitive 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?