Chapter 4 Employee Recruitment, Selection & Placement PDF

PSYCH 12: INDUSTRIAL – ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER 4: EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT, SELECTION AND PLACEMENT RECRUITMENT–the process of attracting, searching, and obtaining applicants that produce a pool of candidates where the right people will be selected for a certain job. It represents the first c...

PSYCH 12: INDUSTRIAL – ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER 4: EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT, SELECTION AND PLACEMENT RECRUITMENT–the process of attracting, searching, and obtaining applicants that produce a pool of candidates where the right people will be selected for a certain job. It represents the first contact an organization makes with potential employees. This is where many applicants will know the company and will decide if they desire to work on for it. The recruitment function is a continuous process, for every employee may eventually retire, leave for better jobs, or may sometimes die. This function stops only when the company ceases to exist. Theoretically, this process ends with the receipt of the application. Sources: o Internal: within the org, enhance employee morale and motivation. ▪ Methods Job Postings Career ladders utilization In-house magazine/newsletters Supervisor Recommendations Computerized career progression system Career development systems o External: outside the organization ▪ Methods Media/Internet Advertisement Referrals Campus Recruitment Professional or trade associations Open House/Walk-in applicants Competitors Private employment and executive search firms Head hunters Factors that Affect Recruitment – the recruitment process may sometimes be interrupted or aided by both external and internal factors. o External Factors – factors that exist outside the company involve: ▪ Supply and Demand – the current situation of supply and demand on specific skill sets or competencies affects the recruitment process. ▪ Unemployment Rate – if the unemployment rate is high, it is most likely to easily attract several people, which makes the recruitment process simple. ▪ Labor Market – the availability of manpower in a certain location or local area. ▪ Political-legal Factors – policies and laws developed by the state may also affect the recruitment processes. ▪ Sons of Soil – preference for local people may affect the recruitment process. ▪ Image – the perception of the job seekers about the company may also affect the recruitment process. o Internal Factors – different factors generated within the company, which involve: ▪ Recruitment Policy – sets of different policies developed to monitor and avoid unethical or mischievous recruitment practices. ▪ Human Resource Planning – manpower and organization considerations. Size of the firm – the bigger the size, the larger the number of applicants needed to acquire. fbp/psych12iopsych/2024-2025  Costs – recruitment processes must stay within budget and minimize costs as much as possible. Growth and Expansion – usually simplifies and increases the recruitment processes for the company will need to have more employees. Methods/Ways o Media Advertisements – Newspaper Ads, Blind Box, Electronic Media, Situation-Wanted Ads, Point- of- Point-of-purchase methods, Recruiters o Employee Agencies and Search Firms ▪ Employee Agencies: outsourced agencies that help the company with recruitment ▪ Executing Search Firms: the jobs they represent tend to be higher-paying, non-entry-level positions. ▪ Public Employment Agencies: designed primarily to help the unemployed find work, but they often offer services such as career advisement and resume preparation o Employee Referrals – current employees recommend someone for hiring; most effective but at risk for possible discrimination o Direct Mail – an employer obtains a mailing list and sends help-wanted letters or brochures to people through the mail o Internet – employer-based websites, internet recruiters o Job Fairs – designed to provide information in a personal fashion to as many applicants as possible o Nontraditional Population – developing recruitment strategies for minorities, inmates, PWDS, etc. o Passive Applicants – recruiters try to find ways to identify hidden talent and convince them to apply for a job with their company Realistic Job Previews o Involve giving an applicant an honest assessment of a job o Even though telling the truth about the job scares away many applicants, the ones who will stay will not be surprised about the job o Informed applicants tend to stay longer o Expectation-Lowering Procedure – lowers an applicant’s expectations about work and expectations in general. SELECTION – the process of choosing among the collected pool of applicants who applied for a certain position. It is the process in which the human resources or hiring department follows a structured series of steps that would help them decide on which among the recruits should be hired. - HRDO/HRMO determines the selection process, but top executives approve these SOPs. - Every company uses a different Manpower Requisition Form for their manpower requirements. - The HRD has a functional authority to assist higher-ups in all related personnel functions. - It also has the functional authority to screen and refer qualified applicants to the requisitioning department head for their final decision to hire the applicant for the job. - The final decision to hire is left to the requisitioning department head. Effective employee selection techniques o 3 characteristics ▪ Valid – does it measure what it’s supposed to measure? Content-based on job analysis Criterion – predicts work-related behavior Construct – measures the construct it purports to measure ▪ Reduce the chance of a legal challenge if: fbp/psych12iopsych/2024-2025  Job-related (face validity) Does not invade privacy Adverse impact minimized – based on the equal employment opportunity legislation ▪ Cost-effective - to purchase administer score An Overview of the Selection Process o Step 1: Establishing the selection procedure – the establishment of the selection procedure to develop a clear understanding of the different job components to be assessed. o Step 2: Selection criteria, predictors, and instruments identification – consulting the job analysis results to develop a clear and precise job description and job specification. o Step 3: Collate and evaluate applicant information – where the different evaluation takes place. ▪ Preliminary Screening – it includes the initial interviews and preliminary screening techniques, for it only assesses obvious and observable factors such as communication skills, physical appearance and grooming, educational background, training, and experience. It provides a general impression of a certain individual or applicant. ▪ Application Form – This is done by assessing an applicant’s employment application forms, which were filled by those applicants who passed the preliminary screening it includes details such as Schools Attended, Skills and Talents, Training and Seminars Attended, Employment Data, and Professional Memberships. ▪ Testing and Assessment – where psychological and standardized tests were administered to serve as a measuring tool for a sample behavior and cognition. Psychological Tests – are structured written, visual, or verbal evaluations administered in a standardized condition to assess the cognitive, emotional, and other functions of an individual. o A measuring device is applied consistently and systematically to measure a sample of behavior. ▪ Characteristics of Psychological Tests: Standardization – administered following strict and systematic procedures and conditions. Objectivity – test results are assessed based on numerical representations and eliminate subjective prejudice and biases. Norms – a frame of reference is established where the obtained score is to be compared. Reliability – the overall consistency of the tests, where similar results will occur under consistent conditions. Validity – the degree to which a test measures what it purports to measure. Generalizability – the degree to which the measure retains its validity and reliability across various contexts. ▪ Test Administrations: Individual Testing – tests that are supposed to be administered with a single applicant or respondent. fbp/psych12iopsych/2024-2025  Group Testing – tests that are allowed to be administered with a certain number of applicants or respondents. Computerized Testing – tests that are administered with the help of electronic and technological processing units. Speed and Power Tests – a speed test has a fixed time limit to which all test takers must conform, it usually contains easy to moderate-level questions. A power test may not have a time limit, for it contains a much more difficult set of questions. Paper-and-Pencil Tests – tests where questions are written and printed in a questionnaire, and answers are recorded on an answer sheet. Performance Tests – usually take longer than a paper and pencil test, for it assesses the actual performance of an individual for a certain job or task. Objective and Subjective Tests – objective tests are tests that are guided by psychometric standardization, while subjective tests allow subjective evaluation that may include biases and prejudice. ▪ Types of Psychological Tests: Cognitive Ability Tests – usually termed intelligence tests, for it assesses an individual’s different cognitive processes. Interest Test – used to assess individual interests that may influence their performance for a certain job. Through this test, the placement officer can make sure that a certain employee is suitable and compatible with his/her current position. Achievement Tests – concerned with assessing an individual’s acquired knowledge either through formal or informal training and education. It measures how much knowledge an individual has for a definite discipline. Aptitude Tests – are tests that are used to determine a person’s ability in a particular skill or field of knowledge. It also assesses an individual’s propensity to succeed in a given task. Motor Ability Tests – applicable for some jobs that require good muscular coordination, finger dexterity, and precise eye-hand coordination. Personality Tests – measures personal attributes such as emotional stability, conformity, agreeableness, etc. Some personality tests are administered either through self-report inventories or projective tests. Self-report Inventories – items that deal with specific characteristics, symptoms, or feelings in which they are asked to indicate how well each item describes them or how much they agree with it. fbp/psych12iopsych/2024-2025  Projective Tests – when an ambiguous stimulus is presented to an individual, and he/she is asked to describe the given stimuli. ▪ Advantages of Psychological Tests: Improves selection process. Provides objectivity. Precise quantification of results. Provides a great amount of information in a short period. Valid and reliable tests. Predictive quality. ▪ Limitations and Dangers of Psychological Tests – it is influenced by the inability of a certain test administrator to administer the test appropriately and to discriminate between good and poor tests. Unfair Rejection or Acceptance of Applicants – even psychological tests have their margin of error and may provide ambiguous and inadequate results. o False Negative – the rejection of a qualified applicant. o False Positive – the acceptance of an unqualified applicant. Faking Test Responses – Applicants always tend to choose favorable statements and answer some questions erroneously that would likely produce an inaccurate result. Attitude Towards Testing – Many people react with uneasiness, anxiety, or even fear of test taking, this may be mixed with suspicion and hostility, which might influence the results of each test. o Over acceptance o Test Familiarity ▪ Interviews– a procedure designed to obtain in-depth information through personal and oral inquiries. Styles ▪ One-on-one Interview – involves a single interviewer and an interviewee. ▪ Serial Interview – involves a series of interviews from the hiring officer up to the department head. ▪ Return – similar to serial interviews, with the difference being a passing of time between the first and subsequent interviews ▪ Panel Interview – involves several interviewers, usually with three or four members and an interviewee. ▪ Group Interview – multiple applicants were interviewed at the same time ▪ Serial-Panel-Group – series of panel and group interviews Medium ▪ Face-to-Face - both the applicant and interviewer are in the same room fbp/psych12iopsych/2024-2025  ▪ Telephone – often used to screen applicants but do not allow the use of visual cues ▪ Videoconference – the applicant and the interviewer can hear and see each other, but the interview is remote ▪ Written – involves the applicant answering a series of written questions Structures ▪ Structured or Directive Interview – an interview following an identified procedure and sequencing of questions. Questions are based on the results of the job analysis, with a standardized scoring key provided to evaluate each answer, and are all job-related questions. ▪ Unstructured or Nondirective Interview – an unstructured conversational pattern in which an interviewer may pursue points of interest that are unrelated to his/her job application. Unstructured interviews have some problems, which include: Poor Intuitive Ability – hiring decisions were based on gut feelings and subjective evaluations. Primacy Effect – also known as the first impression effect or halo effect, which early information influences the overall perception of the interviewer throughout the interview procedure. Contrast Effect – the performance of one applicant affects the perception of an interviewer towards the following applicants. Interviewer-Applicant Similarities – applicants with similar characteristics or cultural backgrounds to the interviewer may receive higher scores than other applicants. Negative-Information Bias: negative information weighs more heavily than positive information Interviewee Appearance – when attractiveness bias influences an interviewer's decision in the hiring process. Non-verbal Communication – appropriate and inappropriate nonverbal cues may influence interview results. ▪ Stress Interview - An interview in which the applicant is made uncomfortable by a series of often rude questions. This technique helps identify hypersensitive applicants and those with low or high stress tolerance. Types of interview questions ▪ Clarifier – includes clarifying questions about the information provided in the resume and application forms to fill in gaps and obtain the necessary information. ▪ Disqualifiers – includes questions that may disqualify an applicant from a wrong answer. ▪ Patterned Behavior Description/Behavioral/Past Focus – is considered the best predictor of future performance. It focuses on what the applicant has done rather than what they can do. fbp/psych12iopsych/2024-2025  ▪ Situational/Future Focus – can tap an applicant’s problem-solving ability, experience, and common sense. A problematic situation will be given, and the interviewee will suggest things that can solve the problem presented; ask what they would do in a particular situation. ▪ Skills or Knowledge Focus/Determiners – questions that focus on the knowledge of the interviewee about his/her chosen discipline or career; tap an interviewee’s level of expertise ▪ Organizational Fit Focus – designed to assess how an applicant could fit in the organization. ▪ Reference Checking – references are important to obtain necessary information from either previous employers or acquaintances with noble credentials. This checks an opinion either orally or through written expression or checklist regarding the applicant’s ability, previous performance, habits, character, and potential for future success. ▪ Physical Examinations – this examination determines the physical fitness of an applicant for the job. It also screens out applicants with communicable diseases, physical problems, and those who are influenced by drugs. o Step 4: Decision to select or reject – after a series of screening procedures, which were primarily conducted by HRD personnel, the decision to select or reject usually rests with the decision of the operating department head. HRD personnel usually use the following shortlisting method before they present it to the department head: ▪ Selection Rules Top Down Selection – selects an applicant in straight rank order according to their test scores. The Rule of Three – the names of the top three applicants were given to the department head. Passing Score – all shortlisted applicants obtained a passing score for each screening procedure. Multiple-Cutoff Approach – the applicants would be administered all of the tests at one time. Multiple Hurdle Approach – the applicant is administered one test at a time Banding – attempts to hire the top scorers while allowing some flexibility for affirmative action PLACEMENT – When an applicant successfully passes each screening procedure, he/she may now be assigned to a certain department that would best suit his/her qualifications. - concerned with matching individual skills, knowledge abilities, preferences, and personality to a job. - a person is assessed for their skills, qualities, and personality and supported to find a place in an organization they will be happy with. Employee placement benefits include: o Increased retention o Decreased absence o Increases productivity o Increases loyalty fbp/psych12iopsych/2024-2025 JOB SEARCH SKILLS Successfully Surviving the Interview Process o Scheduling the Interview ▪ Arriving late will have lower scores o Before the Interview ▪ Learn about the company ▪ Dress neatly and professionally (adjust your style as necessary to fit the situation) o During the Interview ▪ Firm handshake, eye contact, smiling, and head-nodding ▪ Ask questions, do not ask about salary, do not speak slowly, and do not hesitate when answering questions After the Interview o After the Interview ▪ Thank the interview for the opportunity and time Writing Cover Letters o Cover Letters – tell an employee that you are enclosing your resume and would like to apply for a job ▪ Salutation – name of the person to whom you want to direct the letter ▪ Paragraphs – The opening should be one or two sentences long, communicating that your resume is enclosed, the name of the job you are applying for, and how you know about the opening ▪ Signature ▪ Avoid sounding so desperate ▪ Avoid grammar and spelling errors ▪ Avoid officious words or phrases ▪ Don’t discuss personal circumstances ▪ Tailor your letter to each company ▪ Don’t write your cover letter on the stationery of your current employer Writing a Resumé o Resumes – are summaries of an applicant’s professional and educational background. o Views as a history of your life or an advertisement of your skills o Must be attractive and easier to read o It cannot contain typing, spelling, grammatical, or o factual mistakes o Should make the applicant look as qualified as possible o Types of Resumé ▪ Chronological Resume – list previous jobs in order from the most to least recent ▪ Functional Resume – organizes jobs based on skills required to perform them rather than the order in which they were worked ▪ Psychological Resume – contains the strengths of both the chronological and functional styles and is based on psychological theory and research. o Begin with a summary of strength – take advantage of the impression-formation principles of priming, primacy, and short-term memory limits. o Contains information on education or experience. Unusual information should be included when possible. o Averaging versus Adding Model of Impression formation – implies that activity quality is more important than quantity. References/Sources: fbp/psych12iopsych/2024-2025 Aamodt (2016), Levy (2017), Howes & Muchinsky (2019), Riggio (2013), McShane & Glinow (2018), Dessler (2017), Cummings & Worley (2009), Mondy & Martocchio (2016) fbp/psych12iopsych/2024-2025