How to Crack Management Trainee in Hospitality Industry

How to crack MT in Hospitality
Industry?
An old teacher’s perception (tacit
understanding) & perspective (personal
view point)

Please don’t study just so that:
• You can face an interview confidently.
• But also, because some day in near future, you
will have to select people for your own
company.
• This presentation is planned in that way!!!

My career began as;
• Management Trainee
• Sterling Holiday Resorts
• Kodaikanal, Tamilnadu
• My first boss, Mr. Rajesh Nayak, was from
Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development
(OCLD) General MT program.
• https://www.oberoigroup.com/learning-
programmes/ocld

I was not selected by the following
companies in campus interview;
• Taj group
• The Oberoi group
• Apeejay group (Park hotels)
• Leela group
• ITDC group
I did my industrial training at Taj Hotels, Goa (1992)
Honest disclosures for your trust.

Why do you wish to become...
• A Manager?
• Or, Management Trainee?

Are you convinced about your
decision?
• Have you seen these pictures before?
• On next slides...

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-
12644076
• Manager of a steel plant burnt alive (read the
article by clicking the link above)

https://www.timesnownews.com/india/article/mumbai-terror-attack-2008-karambir-kang-taj-
mahal-hotel-general-manager-wife-children-exemplary-courage-hero/519473
(read the article by clicking the link above)
Mr. Kang
lost his
wife and
two
children in
the terror
attack of
26/11

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Smith_(sea_captain)#:~:text=Ed
ward%20John%20Smith%20(27%20January,sank%20on%20its%20mai
den%20voyage.
Captain Edward Smith, went down with the Titanic! Read the article by clicking the
link above.

Read the shocking news…
• https://www.rediff.com/news/2004/dec/17ba
zee.htm
• Lewd MMS row: Baazee CEO arrested
• In a major development in the Delhi Public
School MMS case, police on Friday arrested
the CEO of auction
website Baazee.com, Avnish Bajaj, and got a
warrant issued against the boy student who
allegedly…

So why do you want to become a
Management Trainee?
• Money?
• Travel?
• Good food?
• Good perks and privileges?
• Glamour?
• Fame?
• Status?

But never forget, every career has a
price we must pay!
• Time, money, talent, hard work etc are the
essentials.
• However, sometimes, we may have to pay with the
most unthinkable things of our life, like our family,
reputation, permanent disability, own life,
imprisonment…
• This is called the “Occupational Hazards”!
• Most of us aren’t even aware they exist!
• No one likes talking about them either, because they
are afraid it will turn the fresh graduates into...
• scared chickens!!!

Then how come I am talking about
it?!!! Am I not afraid???
• I am.
• But I have two teen-aged sons and I want them to
learn all this.
• So that their struggle will be more informed.
• Struggle is the only path to success.
• I am not afraid of struggle now.
• I was afraid, once upon a time in my youth.
• Now, I know I have no choice but to fight the best
I can...

But why did you choose Hospitality
for a career?
Why you did not choose to become:
• A doctor?
• An engineer?
• An Army officer?
• A lawyer?
• A fashion designer?
• An actor?
• A sportsperson?
• A Salesperson?
• An administrative officer?

May be you liked something in
hospitality better!
• Eating out in a restaurant!
• Impressed by someone’s success in this
industry!
• Someone suggested it has a great future!
• You attended a career counselling meeting or
seminar!
• Parents were already working and they
convinced you!
• Some other attractions...

But if you really wanted to, and tried...
Could you have become:
• A film star!
• An engineer!
• A doctor!
• An Army officer!
• An administrative officer!
• A rich businessman!
• A popular writer like JK Rowling!

We know the answer, don't we?
• So, let me start with the theoretical
understanding of the general Recruitment &
Selection process in a profit seeking
organization, the Corporate? This covers the
entire process from campus interview to the
fancy induction party for newcomers into the
company!!!
• We will come back to dreams in the last part
of the presentation.

But before that, a brief presentation on
evolution of Management.
• Who is a Manager?
• Simplest description is, “A manager gets the
job done, through the efforts of others”.
• The ‘others’ here are the workers on the shop
floor, hotel, call centre, retail marts etc.
• The other also includes the immediate
supervisor, appointed to be present at the
place of work, to oversee the work of
employees, and reports to the Manager.

Manager is described as...
• a person responsible for controlling or
administering an organization, or group of staff.
• For example, "the manager of a bar"
• a person regarded in terms of their skill in
managing resources, especially those of a
household.
• "she was a good manager, and could make a
meal out of nothing"
• http://english.oxforddictionaries.com/manager

Is Manager the same as a Leader?
• leader
• /ˈliːdə/
• Noun
• the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or
country.
• "the leader of a protest group"
• Similar:
• chief
• head
• principal
• boss
• commander
• captain

The difference between a leader & a
Manager?!!!
• Imagine a plane has crash-landed in Amazon forest!
Every one is scared as hell and wants to reach the
nearest civilized human settlement, as soon as
possible!
• A leader will be someone who climbs the tallest
tree around, observe carefully and inform everyone
about the best way out.
• A manager will then find the ways and means to
exit in that direction, and make sure that group
moves, and stays safe.
• Every time the manager gets stuck, he consults the
leader.
• Leader again climbs the tallest tree, and offers
solutions.

A tribute to Dr. Stephen R. Covey
• This example is borrowed from the profound
and beautiful book, “Seven Habits of Highly
Effective People”, authored by Dr. Covey.
• I acknowledge the deep impact the book has
had on my life and career.
• I am still learning to be effective, though!
• Highly effective? Huh...
• ...miles to go...

Understanding Corporations & Limited
Liability Companies
• Companies are broadly of 3 types.
• Sole proprietorship, with unlimited liability
• Joint partnership, with one half of the
unlimited liability
• Private limited company & Public limited
company, only limited liability

What is limited and unlimited liability?
• If you own a company of unlimited liability,
you are liable to sell off all your personal
assets in order to pay-off the creditors, in case
your company goes bankrupt, and gets
liquidated by the government.
• In case of limited liability companies, your
(owners’) risk is limited to the amount of your
investment, which you hold in the form of
your equities, or shares.

Which company is safer?
• Limited liability company.

What is the process to make your company
into a limited liability company?
• Get your company incorporated.
• It is simply getting your company registered
with one of the Govt. departments (in India,
Registrar of Companies) according to the laws
(Act) of the country.

Why?
• This registration will force the company to
show its memorandum of association, by-
laws, premises, books of accounts, to the
Govt. auditors, officials, inspectors.
• This is to enforce financial, operational and
legal transparency in running of the company.
• Learn about “Shell companies” to better your
grasp on the issue.

What is the benefit?
• Company can now list itself on the share-
markets and attract a lot of investment from
all corners of the country and world.
• Moreover, if the company fails for reasons
other than fraud and incompetence,
promoters have a legal safety network
available to protect them from being hounded
by creditors, unions and investors.

Why Government does this?
• To encourage promoters, entrepreneurs who
can take risk, so as to create profitable
companies, that give huge revenue to the
govt. in the form of corporate tax, provide
employment to a large number of people, use
technology to find economical solutions to the
problems faced by the society, and contribute
to the overall prosperity and well being of the
nation.
• Every country has a very limited number of
risk-takers!!!

When did this idea start?
• After the Industrial Revolution in England.

What has all this to do with MT?
• The entrepreneurs wanted to minimize their
liabilities and risks even further.
• They came up with the idea of Managers.
• Managers are given executive powers to run
the company on behalf of the owner.
• Since the authority is transferred to a hired
manager, the responsibility is also placed on
the shoulders of an able manager.
• Managers work under unimaginable risks.
• That is why they are handsomely
compensated!

Is it the right thing to do?
• No. And, yes!
• No, because it allows the manager an almost
unlimited power, that may lead to corruption
and misuse of the powers.
• Yes, because a promoter may be emotionally
attached to his company and hence, unable to
take an objective decision at all times. It is like
a doctor treating herself, a mother teaching
her own child, a father coaching his own
daughter...

What is the right thing to do?
• The owner and manager run the company like
a complementary team.

What is the application of this information
into my goal of becoming an MT?
• Treat the company like your own.
• Constantly upgrade yourself to be able to
negotiate the ups & downs of a market economy.
• Do not become emotionally attached to the
company, co-workers, or your designation.
• Move on, when you think its the right thing to
do.
• Remember, all Nations depend on corporations
for wealth and solutions, including military ones.

Leader vs. Manager
• Leader is the entrepreneur, who risks almost
everything; to start a business for the first
time.
• A manager is a paid employee in the larger
organization.
• Leader commands, manager executes.
• Failure for manager means loss of chair.
• Failure for leader means starting from zero
once again! Sometimes, failure turns final...

When did Management start?
• Supervision has always existed in our society,
especially in agriculture and traditional
trading. Also, in governments.
• Management is a product of Industrial
Revolution, Industrialization, Science, Math,
Economics, Sociology, Anthropology, Political
Science, Law, Psychology and Evolutionary
Biology.
• Formal beginning is considered to be in early
20th century.

The bigger picture of Management
I, me,
myself
Family
Society
Biology &
Evolution
Governance &
Politics
Organized
Religion
Philosophy
Peer
Pressure
Share Market
Class Conflict
Law
Manager
Science &
Technology
Corporations
Economics
Global Economy
Anthropology
Psychology
Networking sites
Big data
Statistics
Mathematics
Ecology & Environment
Sustainable growth
History

Henri Fayol was the pioneer!
• Henri Fayol's "14 Principles of Management"
have been a significant influence on modern
management theory.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Fayol

Frederick Taylor & Scientific
Management
• Historical Perspective
• He started the
Scientific Management movement, and he and
his associates were the first people to study the
work process scientifically. ... In
1909, Taylor published "The Principles of
Scientific Management." In this, he proposed
that by optimizing and simplifying jobs,
productivity would increase.
• https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_Taylor.htm#:~:t
ext=In%201909%2C%20Taylor%20published%20%22The,to%20coope
rate%20with%20one%20another.

Elton Mayo & Human Resource
Management
• Mayo has been credited with making
significant contributions to a number of
disciplines, including business management,
industrial sociology, philosophy, and social
psychology. His field research in industry had a
significant impact on industrial and
organizational psychology.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_Mayo

Notable thinkers in Management
• https://www.bl.uk/business-and-
management/management-thinkers
• Great reads here.

Evolution of management as a subject.
• 1910s-1940s: Management as Science
Management as Science was developed in the
early 20th century and focused on increasing
productivity and efficiency through
standardisation, division of labour,
centralisation and hierarchy. A very ‘top down’
management with strict control over people
and processes dominated across industries.

• 1950s-1960s: Functional Organisations
Due to growing and more complex
organisations, the 1950’s and 1960’s saw the
emergence of functional organisations and the
Human Resource (HR) movement.
• Managers began to understand the human
factor in production and productivity and
tools such as goal setting, performance
reviews and job descriptions were born.

• 1970s: Strategic Planning
In the 1970’s we changed our focus from
measuring function to resource allocation and
tools like Strategic Planning (GE), Growth
Share Matrix (BCG) and SWOT were used to
formalise strategic planning processes. After
several decades of ‘best practice’ and ‘one size
fits all’ solutions, academics began to
developing contingency theories.

• 1980s: Competitive Advantage
As the business environment grew increasingly
competitive and connected, and with a blooming
management consultancy industry, Competitive
Advantage became a priority for organisations in
the 1980’s. Tools like Total Quality Management
(TQM), Six Sigma and Lean were used to measure
processes and improve productivity. Employees
were more involved by collecting data, but
decisions were still made at the top, and goals
were used to manage people and maintain
control.

• 1990s: Process Optimisation
Benchmarking and business process
reengineering became popular in the 1990’s,
and by the middle of the decade, 60% of
Fortune 500 companies claimed to have plans
for or have already initiated such projects.
TQM, Six Sigma and Lean remained popular
and a more holistic, organisation-wide
approach and strategy implementation took
the stage with tools such as Strategy Maps
and Balance Scorecards.

• 2000s: Big Data
Largely driven by the consulting industry
under the banner of Big Data, organisations in
the 2000’s started to focus on using
technology for growth and value creation.
Meanwhile, oversaturation of existing market
space drove to concepts such as Blue Ocean
Strategy and Value Innovation.

• Globalisation, advances in technology and
increased diversity have put organisational
challenges into hyper drive. Despite the
inspirational stories we read about companies
like Zappos, Innocent Drinks and Google, the
truth is that most of us are using out-dated
management practices and failing to get the most
out of our people. Not convinced? Consider this:
65% of people are unhappy at work, only 14%
understand their company’s strategy, and 75%
are seeking jobs as we speak. Now, what do you
think that does for your bottom line?.

What the future looks like?
• After a century of trying to control people,
processes and information, we have come to a
point in organisational history where we need to
recognise that what worked before just simply
isn’t enough anymore. Traditional Management is
fine if you want compliance, but if you want
innovation and growth, you need to engage your
people on a whole new level. Top down control is
a thing of the past. Succeeding in today’s
environment requires a management style that
inspires and is participatory.
• https://www.bmmagazine.co.uk/in-
business/advice/the-evolution-of-management/

Let us now talk about becoming a...
Management Trainee.

We cannot always get what we wish
for! Reasons…
• Really tough competition
• Lack of interest
• Lack of information
• Lack of preparation
• Parent’s pressure
• Influence of peers
• Laziness
• Lack of talent
• Lack of motivation
• Not qualified

To beat the competition...
• You must learn the game!
• Then master it.

Recruitment And Selection: Concept,
Principles & Practices
• Objectives of staff recruitment & selection
• Introduction
• Some Definitions
• Essentials of Recruitment Policy
• The Process of Recruitment
• Methods of Recruitment
• Selection
• Selection Types
• Types of Tests
• Limitation of Selection Tests
• Interviews
• Physical Examination

Purpose of this Presentation:
At the end of the presentation you should be able to
understand and be able to judge for yourself:
• The need for clear job specification as the starting
point for selection
• Various sources available for attracting the required
manpower
• Various methods of recruitment
• Need for and the process of initial screening for
recruitment
• Process of application scrutiny
• Need for various psychological tests in the initial
assessment of candidates

What is ‘Job Description’?
• A job description is a document intended to
provide job applicants with an outline of the
main duties and responsibilities of the role for
which they are applying.
• The description is usually drawn up by the
individual in the organisation, responsible for
overseeing the selection process for the role,
often with the help of the company’s HR
department and/or an external recruiter.

Why is a Job Description Important?
• A job description is an essential part of the job
application process as, with the right
information, it should help applicants to
determine whether the role is in line with their
skill set and whether it is a job they actually
want to do.
• Ability, plus interest!
• https://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/application
-advice/job-applications/what-job-description

Job Specification Definition
• Job specification is defined as a statement
about qualification and characteristics of
employee required to perform the job task in
a satisfactory manner. It is derived from job
analysis and act as an important tool for the
recruitment and selection of employee.

Job Specification Meaning
• Job Spec is the skills, knowledge and abilities
required to perform a particular job is
articulated in job specification.
• It consists of information about requirements
such as experience, education and attributes
which will help the employee to reach the set
goals of the job.
• https://www.hrhelpboard.com/performance-
management/job-specification.htm

Objectives
• Purpose and types of interviews and their
limitations
• Understanding bureaucracy
• Understanding rising labour cost as a
percentage of total revenue
• Reconciling company goals (profit, growth
etc.) with workers aspirations (salary, growth
etc.)

Basic Terms Explained
• What is ‘Bureaucracy’?
• Modern bureaucracy has been defined as
comprising four features: hierarchy (clearly
defined spheres of competence and divisions
of labour), continuity (a structure where
administrators have a full-time salary and
advance within the structure), impersonality
(prescribed rules and operating rules rather
than arbitrary actions), and expertise (officials
are chosen according to merit, have been
trained, and hold access to knowledge).
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureaucracy

What is recruitment?
• The process of identifying possible and
suitable employees, inspiring them to apply.
It is a positive action as everyone is invited,
but no one is rejected.

What is selection?
• The process of examining the applicants, who
are willing to work in the organization, with
regard to their suitability for the given job.
• To select the best candidate would obviously
mean rejecting others. Hence this process is
negative in nature.

What is placement?
• It is the act of deciding the candidate best
suited for a job or; or, the job best suited for a
candidate.
• Right person, in the right place, at the right
time, at the right remuneration.

Induction
• It is a gradual introduction of an employee to
the job, and the organization.
• All of us become uncomfortable in a new
place, with new people, and new
circumstances.
• Without proper induction the chances of
employee leaving on the first day, first week,
first month, and first year is very high!

Essentials of recruitment policy
• Recruitment is a process to discover and
identify the best sources to find employees,
and the best method to contact them.
• The five elements of recruitment policy are;

The five elements;
• Recruiting organization/company (Mission &
Vision)
• The process of recruitment (clear steps &
stages)
• Forecast of manpower requirements
(replacements against retirements,
resignations, deaths, promotions)
• Development of manpower resources
• Techniques for utilizing these sources
(training, motivation, inspiration)

Recruitment policy should keep the
following affecting factors in mind
• Hopes and ambitions of the current batch of
employees
• The existing manpower mix and there internal
relationships (good, bad, indifferent)
• The law of the land
• Local community and it's culture
• Micro and macro political environment
• Micro and macro economic environment

Understanding Line and Staff function
in an organization
• Departments like production, operations,
marketing and sales are, directly involved in
the actual work that the organization does,
making things and selling them. This is the line
function.
• Departments like finance, human resource
that support the line function in achieving
their goals, are called the staff function.

Which department is the final
authority in decision-making?
• In any recruitment policy the line function
must be the last deciding authority in
selecting an employee for that department.
• For example sales manager will have the final
say in selecting the sales representatives.
• What will really seal the deal for an applicant
are skills, knowledge, experience and
enthusiasm.

The process of recruitment
A. Preparation for recruitment:
1. Physical specifications
2. Mental specifications
3. Emotional and social specifications
4. Behavioural specifications

Physical specifications include physical
features such as
– Height
– Corresponding body weight
– 6/6 eye-vision
– Finger dexterity
– Voice
– Poise
– Hand and foot coordination
– Age range

Mental specifications include IQ &
abilities such as;
• Intelligence
• Memory
• Judgement
• Ability to plan
• Ability to estimate
• To read
• To write
• To think and concentrate
• Scientific faculties
• Arithmetical abilities

Note: Different jobs require
different degrees of these abilities
and only the most important ones
should be specified in ‘Job
Specification’.

Emotional and Social specifications
Include characteristics which will affect how
employee works with others, such as:
Personal Appearance
Manners
Emotional Stability
Aggressiveness or Submissiveness

Extroversion or Introversion
Cooperativeness
Leadership
Initiative and Drive
Soft Skills in Dealing With Others
Sociability and Social Adaptability

Since hospitality is all about people,
this specification (social & emotional)
has special significance in the
recruitment and selection process.
A manager has to routinely deal with
people. Guests, boss, subordinates,
vendors, Govt. officials, union leaders,
community leaders…own family &
friends!

Behavioral Specifications
• May not be written down but it ought to be
understood.
• For example a senior member of an
organization is expected to behave in a
dignified and calm manner.
• These specifications would only be available
through an experienced person, coach or
consultant.

Sources of manpower
• Internal source: recruiting and selecting
people from within the organization.
• External source: getting and hiring
people from outside of your
organization.

Merits of sourcing manpower
internally:
• Motivates existing employees
• Improves morale
• Fosters loyalty towards organization
• Inspires internal competition among
employees for promotion and growth
• Less expensive
• ’Promotees’ can easily fit into the new role

Demerits of internal source:
• Discourages new blood and fresh ideas from
entering an organization
• Seniority being the only criteria some
capable people may be left out
• Encourage complacency and mediocre work
because of automatic seniority- based
promotion
• Discourages internal competition

Merits of external sources
• Best selection from a larger pool is possible
considering skills, training and education
• Brings new idea to the company
• It is an evergreen source that never dries up

Demerits of external sources
• Not easy to trust a newcomer
• Expensive
• Time taking
• Greater investment in training and induction

What is the best combination?
• A company should naturally never depend on
a single source and keep all its options open.
• The policy should keep the following factors
before deciding on the proportion between
internal and external recruitment;

The five factors affecting policy are:
• Effect of the policy on the attitude and actions
of all employees
• The level of specialization required of
employees
• The degree of emphasis on participation of
employees at all levels
• Need for, and availability of originality and
initiative within the organization
• Acceptance of seniority principle by both staff
and management.

Methods of recruitment
Direct methods
• Schools and colleges (on- & 0ff-campus)
• Employees personal contacts with the public
• Manned exhibits at conventions and
seminars, job fairs and mobile offices
• Waiting lists of past applicants and past
employees

Indirect methods
• Advertising in newspapers and
magazines, electronic media, websites, job
sites, trade journals etc.

Third party methods
• HR consultants
• Employment agencies, government agencies,
like employment exchange, boards etc.

Selection
• The selection process involves choosing the
best suitable candidate and rejection of an
unsuitable, or less suitable applicants.
• This makes it unavoidable to have a staggered
process for selecting people.
• The company places barriers to entry of a new
candidate, that must be overcome.

Successive hurdles in the selection
process
• These hurdles act like barriers that eliminate
unqualified and unsuitable applicant at every
stage of the selection process.
• A candidate is eligible to proceed to the next
round only after being cleared at the previous
round.
• Pareto’s 80:20 principle
• Few significant, many insignificant!
• Initial rounds have huge level of rejections!!!

Successive hurdles in the selection
process
• Preliminary interview
• Application form
• Second interview
• Testing
• Work history
• References
• Physical examination
• Interview with supervisor

Initial screening or preliminary
interview
In this stage applications are given the necessary
information about the nature of the job and also asked
for necessary information related to them such as
• Education
• Experience
• Skill
• Expected salary etc.
If there is a possible match only then
the candidate will be forwarded to the next stage. It is
done by a junior executive of the HR department,
sitting across enquiry counter of the company.

Application scrutiny
Candidates are asked to submit their
professional and relevant personal details,
either on a printed form, or a plain sheet of
paper. The critical information includes:
• Age
• Marital status
• Educational qualification
• Work experience
• References

Discrimination
However the following information are
considered discriminatory to ask of/from any
candidate
• Nationality
• Race
• Caste
• Religion
• Place of birth
• Skin colours

The Application Form serves the
following three purposes
• Ensures no information is missed
• Candidates may be compared easily
• The probability of success of an employee
maybe easily estimated
• This forms the basis for the starting point for
the interview
• Candidates can also be easily rejected if it is
found that they lack on a single criteria for
eligibility

Selection Tests
• A test is a sample of an aspect of an individual
behaviour, performance or attitude. Just as we
taste a sample from a freshly prepared food
item!
• It is also a systematic procedure for comparing
the behaviour of two or more persons.
• Jobs are limited, applicants are numerous.

Purpose of Selection Tests
• We assume that all candidates differ in their
job related abilities and skills.
• We also believe that it is possible for these
skills to be accurately measured.
• Tests also eliminate the possibility of
prejudice and bias on part of the interviewer
supervisor or manager.
• These tests also help find qualifications and
talents, that are not written on the
application form or the resume.

Types of tests used in selection
process
There are four categories;
• Achievement or intelligence test
• Aptitude or potential ability test
• Personality test
• Interest test

Achievement or intelligence test
• Also known as proficiency test, they measure
the skill or knowledge acquired through
training and work experience.
• They measure what the applicant can do.
These tests are of two types
• Test for measuring job knowledge
• Work sample test (Skill test)

Test for measuring job knowledge
• Job knowledge test, also known as trade test,
consists of oral interview with a series of
questions, which can only be answered by
someone, who has a clear understanding and
the thorough knowledge of the trade, or
profession. A well read candidate!
• In addition to oral test, written, picture and
performance based tests may also be
conducted.
• https://www.britannica.com/science/intellige
nce-test

Work sample tests
• This measures the level of skill in handling
equipment and performing a piece of practical
work, to check efficiency as well as
effectiveness.
• Efficient in terms of time, resources and
money.
• Effective in terms of quality of the output and
effort applied.
• https://services.anu.edu.au/human-
resources/recruitment/selection-
techniques/testing-and-work-samples

Aptitude and potential ability tests
• These tests measure the hidden or latent
ability of a candidate to learn a new job or a
new skill.
• These tests can detect peculiarities or defects
in a person's sensory, or intellectual capacity.
• The focus of attention is learning, reasoning
and mechanical or service attitude.
• https://www.criterion.co.uk/psychometrics/ability-
tests/#:~:text=Ability%20tests%20or%20aptitude%20tests,
perform%20in%20a%20work%20setting.

instruments used to measure these
traits are known as tests of
Intelligence, mental ability, mental
alertness, or simply as HR test.

These tests are of three types
• Mental test
• Mechanical aptitude test
• Psycho motor or skill test

Mental Tests
Measure IQ and overall intellectual ability. It
shows whether the candidate has the capacity
to handle new problems, with the available
knowledge. These determine an employee’s:
• Fluency in language
• Memory
• Induction (reasoning from detailed facts to
general principles)
• Reasoning
• Speed of perception
• Spatial visualization (judging distances)

Mechanical Aptitude Test
• Measures the capacity to learn a particular
type of mechanical work.
• Useful for apprentices, mechanics,
maintenance workers, and mechanical
technicians.

Psycho-motor or skill test
• Measures the ability to do a specific job.
• Administered to determine mental sharpness
or motor ability, and activities involving
muscular movement, control, and
coordination.
• Useful for workers who perform semi-skilled
and repetitive jobs.
• Example: assembly line work, packing, testing,
inspection etc.

Personality Test
They discover a person's;
• Value system (“what’s important to you?),
• Emotional reactions,
• Maturity and the characteristic mood
(happy/sad/angry/anxious),
• Motivation and ability to adjust to the
stresses of everyday life,
• Capacity for interpersonal relations, and
• Projecting an impressive image of oneself.

Significant characteristics include
• Self confidence
• ambition
• Tact
• Emotional control
• Optimism
• Decisiveness
• Sociability
• Fear
• Conformity

These tests predict potential performance and
success, for Supervisory & for Managerial jobs.
• Objectivity
• Patience
• Distrust
• Initiative
• Judgement
• Dominance
• Integrity
• Impulsiveness
• Sympathy
• And stability

The personality tests are basically of
three types:
• Objective test
• Projective test
• Situation test

Psychology in Selection
• Objective tests measure neurotic tendencies,
self sufficiency ,dominance, submission and
self confidence.
• Neurotic tendencies show if a person has
control over their mood and reactions or not,
especially when provoked or irritated.
• Neurotic tendencies may develop due to
emotional neglect and sexual abuse in the
childhood. (Source- Wikipedia, July 2, 2020)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurosis

Theory of Personality Projection
• Projective tests required the candidate to project his
or her own interpretation onto to certain standard
stimuli.
• The responses reveal candidates values, motives and
personality.
• The theory is that the candidate may only see that
idea/quality around which is already inside him, or
her.
• For example, if they lie, or cheat themselves, they
will project that onto the world by saying, “All men
are cheaters!”
• Interesting, isn’t it?!
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projective_test#:~:text
=In%20psychology%2C%20a%20projective%20test,th
e%20person%20into%20the%20test.

Group Dynamics & Leadership Theory
• Situation tests measure an applicant’s
reaction in a peculiar situation, the ability to
undergo stress, and demonstration of
ingenuity (The power of creative imagination)
under pressure.
• These tests are often held in groups that are
leaderless.
• A problem is assigned to the group and
members are asked to reach some conclusion
without the help of a leader.

Who becomes a leader?
• Who is followed by some or many people.
• But why?
• Because leader is able to get them something
which they want, but cannot get on their own.
• This means, the moment a leader starts to fail
in fulfilling the needs of his, or her followers,
the followers abandon the old leader for a
new leader.
• Tragedy of leadership!!!!

Interest Tests
• Designed to discover a person's area of interest
in order to identify the kind of work that will
satisfy them.
• Passion.
• Interest test are used for vocational guidance
and assessed in the form of answers to a well
prepared questionnaire.
• https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/notes/p
sychology-notes/educational-psychology-
psychology-notes/interest-meaning-types-and-
measurement-psychology/2668

Importance of Interest Tests;
• They help the company to place the applicant
in a work or department, that is beneficial to
both.

Limitations of selection test
• Even one hundred tests cannot confirm that 100%
accurate prediction of the candidate’s success on the
job maybe guaranteed.
• They only segregate the pool of applicants into those
who score above the cut-off, and those who
score below it.
• If not properly constructed , selected, administered,
the tests become useless.
• Use of these tests has been declining over the years as
many of the test could not withstand judicial/legal
scrutiny in terms of fairness and accuracy.

Precautions in using selection test
• Develop norms for the particular organization
and don't copy standards from elsewhere
blindly.
• Allow some warm up before actually holding
the test
• Validate the test with existing employees first.
• Test scoring, administration
and interpretation to be done only by
experts.

Interviews
• Personal interview is the most universally
used selection process.

Meaning and purpose
Interview is a conversation with purpose,
between two persons, or parties. It has three
purposes:
• Obtain information (about applicant)
• Give information (about company)
• Motivate the applicant to join (Company)

Types of interviews
• Informal
• Formal

Informal
• Informal is used during tight situations when
the company wants the workers badly.
• A few simple questions are asked, at any
place, anytime, and jobs offered.

Formal
• Formal interviews are planned interviews that
take place in the office with well structured
questions.
• Date, time, and place are fixed in advance.

Planned Interview
• Everything is planned from beginning to end
including time, information to be asked,
information to be given, the modality of
interview etc.
• A little flexibility is permitted

Patterned Interview
• Planned interview but planned to higher
degree of accuracy, precision, and exactitude.
• A list of questions and areas is carefully
prepared and interview just shoots them one
by one.
• Easy in comparing, when candidates of almost
equal capability are present.

Non-directive or free flowing interview
• May also be called unstructured interview,
and the candidate is given full freedom to
express, in order to sell their talent.

Depth Interview
• Designed to closely examine background and
thinking, the interviewer goes into great
detail on a topic of special interest to the
candidate.
• The theory is; if the candidate is good in their
area of interest, then chances are that they
would take serious interest in the job as well.
• Past habits are indicators of future habits.

Stress Interview
• Designed to test the candidate’s conduct and
behaviour, by putting him under stress, and
strain.
• If the job involves stress, then this type of
interview would definitely take place.
• The acts of stress could be like staring,
ignoring, not letting talk, interrupting, asking
insulting questions, mocking, ridiculing,
laughing etc. It may all look natural to the
candidate!

Group Interview
• Whole group is interviewed together, or given
a topic to discuss.
• The behaviour is then observed in terms of
who leads, how they communicate, how
they react to each other and how they
generally behave.
• It reveals the group (social/ anti-social)
behaviour of candidates.

Panel Interview
• An interview board or selection
committee takes the interview and it is
generally held for supervisory and managerial
positions.
• A panel will ensure that individual prejudices
cancel each other out, and the experience of
each expert contributes in identifying the
most suitable candidate.
• Often, it is the last round.

Interview Rating
• Important aspects of personality can be
categorized under the following 7 main
headings

This is the seven point plan.
• Physical makeup- health, physique, age, appearance,
bearing, speech.
• Attainments- education, occupational, training, and
experience.
• Intelligence- basic and effective (applied in problem
solving)
• Special attitude- written and oral fluency of
expression, numeracy, organizational
ability, administrative skill
• Interests- intellectual, practical, physically active, social,
artistic
• Disposition (happy or sad)- self reliance, nature (natural
tendency), motivation, acceptability
• Circumstances- domestic, social background and
experience, future prospects

Rating Grades or Points
• Outstanding
• Good
• Average
• Below average
• Unsatisfactory

limitations of interview
• Balance of power in favour of interviewer
• Candidate may try to put on a fake, or phony
behaviour to impress
• Open ended questions like, “Tell me about
yourself”, may make the candidate uneasy, and
they may simply try to avoid or just give a
superficial answer.
• Horn effect (hating candidate for one reason)
• Halo effect (loving for just one reason)
• Misplaced association between a single trait and
total personality
• Overconfidence of the interviewer on some
pseudo-scientific tools of character analysis

Qualities of a good interviewer
• Knows the job being filled
• Emotionally mature and stable
• Sensitive to interviewees feelings, and a
sympathetic attitude
• Extrovert behaviour
• Physical and mental stamina

Guidelines for improving interviews
• Definite time schedule with enough time
• Not impersonal and insensitive
• Should have necessary privacy
• Interviewer pays attention and records responses
immediately
• Facial expressions, body language, tone of voice,
mannerisms are also given attention to
• Not prolong interview, if enough data is collected
• The standing of the candidate may be clearly and
quickly communicated. (yes/no)

Pseudo-scientific methods of selection
• Phrenology- a person’s mental caliber, and
characteristics, are believed to be indicated by
prominent bumps, on certain parts of the skull of the
candidate.
• Physiognomy- believe that a definite correlation exists
between facial features and psychological functions and
behaviour. For example thin lips indicate
determination, broad jaws signify tenacity and so on.
• Graphology- a belief that there is a close relationship
between a candidates handwriting and personality.
None of these three methods
have been scientifically verified. Not to be used!

Physical Examination
• Indicates fitness for the job
• Discovers disabilities and creates a record which
may be needed in future, if company has to pay a
sum of compensation after an accident at the
workplace
• Prevents people with infectious, communicable
and contagious diseases from entering
• Helps in correctly placing qualified employable
people, but with disabilities.

Contents of physical examination
• The applicant’s medical history
• Physical measurements like height & weight
• General examination of skin, musculature, and joints
• Special senses- visual and auditory activity
• Clinical examination- eyes, ears, nose, throat, and teeth
• Examination of chest and lungs
• Check up of blood pressure and heart
• Pathological tests of urine, blood etc
• X ray examination of chest and other parts of the body
• Neuro-psychiatry examination, particularly when medical
history, or doctor’s observation indicate an adjustment
problem.

Reference Checks and Final Decision
• The applicant is asked to mention on the
application, the names and addresses of two to
three people, who know him well.
• For example, employers, friends, professional
colleagues, or college professor.
• Company approaches these people by mail and
telephone, to request for a frank opinion, without
any legal liability.
• The questions may be general, or about a specific
point.
• However, no response is considered as favourable
response.

What happens to our childhood
dreams?
• Each career has an entry barrier, like
qualification, experience etc.
• Each carrier is packaged into opportunity and
threats, strengths and weaknesses, cost and
benefits.
• We have to pursue a single career.
• Choice is for us to make. Consequences, for us
to bear!
• Always take your parents into confidence.
• Search for information. Save money to invest
in personal development.

As a CEO, you can decide upon your
own salary?
• Naturally, people get generous, sometimes,
may be too generous!
• Use this money to become an entrepreneur
yourself, and find a solution to one of the
serious problems that needs urgent attention,
which you are aware of.
• Fortune favours the brave!

The last word before you say
‘Goodbye’
• “You better get what you love. But if you can’t
get what you love, then better love what you
get!”
• Accept.
• Continue the struggle...of survival of the
fittest!

Presentation by:
• Praveen Jha
• Senior Lecturer
• Institute of Hotel Management
• Hajipur, Patna
• Bihar
•India

How to Crack Management Trainee in Hospitality Industry

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