Part 4

Staffing Activities: Selection

Chapter 09:
External Selection II

McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Copyright 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Staffing Organizations Model

Organization
Mission
Goals and Objectives

Organization
OrganizationStrategy
Strategy

HR
HRand
andStaffing
StaffingStrategy
Strategy

Staffing Policies and Programs

Support Activities
Core Staffing Activities
Legal compliance

Recruitment:

Planning

Selection:

Job analysis

Employment:

External, internal

Measurement, external, internal

Decision making, final match

Staffing System and Retention Management

9-2

External Selection II Outline

Substantive Assessment

Methods
Personality Tests
Ability Tests
Emotional Intelligence
Tests
Performance Tests and
Work Samples
Situational Judgment
Tests
Integrity Tests
Interest, Values, and
Preference Inventories
Structured Interview
Choice of Substantive
Assessment Methods

9-3

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

Learning Objectives for This

Chapter
Distinguish among initial, substantive, and

contingent selection
Review the advantages and disadvantages of
personality and cognitive ability tests
Compare and contrast work sample and
situational judgment tests
Understand the advantages of structured
interviews and how interviews can be structured
Review the logic behind contingent assessment
methods and how they are administrated
Understand the ways in which substantive and
contingent assessment methods are subject to
various legal rules and restrictions
9-4

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?

9-5

Assessment
Methods by
Applicant Flow
Stage
Substantive
assessment methods
Determining who
among the minimally
qualified will likely be
the best performers
on the job

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 individuals 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

9-8

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.
9-9

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 (reversescored).
At times I dont care about much of anything (reversescored).
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.
9-10

Ex. 9.2 Implications of Big Five

Personality Traits at Work

9-11

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

9-12

Exhibit 9.3 The Core SelfEvaluations Scale

9-13

Overview of Ability Tests

Definition -- Measures that assess an

individuals capacity to function in a certain

way
15 to 20% of organizations use ability tests
in selection
Two types
Aptitude - Assess innate capacity to function
Achievement - Assess learned capacity to

function

9-14

Overview of Ability Tests

Four classes of ability tests
Cognitive: perception, memory, reasoning,

verbal, math, expression

Psychomotor: thought/body movement
coordination
Physical: strength, endurance, movement
quality
Sensory/perceptual: detection & recognition
of stimuli

9-15

Exhibit 9.4 Sample Cognitive

Ability Test Items

9-16

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
9-17

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
9-18

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

9-19

Emotional Intelligence
The ability to monitor ones own and

others feelings, to discriminate among

them, and to use this information to
guide ones thinking and action
Self-awareness: Good at recognizing and

understanding ones own emotions

Other awareness: Good at recognizing and
understanding others emotions
Emotion regulation: Good at making use of or
managing this awareness

9-20

Emotional Intelligence
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

9-21

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 Managers Workshop)

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

& acceptance

9-22

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

9-23

Ex. 9.7: Example of Situational

Judgment Test Item

9-24

Integrity Tests
Two types (Exhibit 9.9)
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
9-25

Integrity Tests
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?

9-26

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

9-27

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?

9-28

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

9-29

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

9-30

Structured Interviews
(continued)
Situational - Assess

applicants ability to
project his / her
behaviors to future
situations. Assumes
the persons
goals/intentions will
predict future behavior

Research

Experience-based -

Assess past behaviors

that are linked to
prospective job.
Assumes past
performance will
predict future
performance

is inconclusive regarding which type is best

Individual interviews usually more valid than panel
interviews
9-31

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
9-32

Discussion questions
Describe the structured interview. What are

the characteristics of structured interviews

that improve on the shortcomings of
unstructured interviews?

9-33

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
9-34

Selection for Team

Environments
Interpersonal KSAs
Conflict-Resolution KSAs
Collaborative Problem-Solving KSAs
Communication KSAs

Self-management KSAs
Goal-Setting and Performance Management

KSAs
Planning and Task-Coordination KSAs

9-35

Exhibit 9.14 Evaluation of

Substantive Assessment
Methods

9-36

Discretionary 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
intuition
of decision maker
Factors other than KSAOs are evaluated
Assess person/organization match
Assess motivation level
Assess people on relevant organizational

citizenship behaviors

Should involve organizations staffing

philosophy regarding EEO/AA commitments

9-37

Contingent 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

Drug test results
Medical exam results

9-38

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

9-39

Ex. 9.16
Example of a Drug Testing
Program

9-40

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 applicants right to privacy
Review the program and validate the results
against relevant criteria (accidents, absenteeism,
turnover, job performance); conduct a cost-benefit
analysis
9-41

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
9-42

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?

9-43

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
9-44

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

9-45

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

9-46

Discussion questions
How should organizations apply the general

principles of the UGESP to practical

selection decisions?

9-47

Ethical Issues
Issue 1
Do you think its 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 its fair to use such tests? Why or
why not?
9-48