Chapter 6

Selection and Assessment

• Critical processes for organizations– selection is concerned with applying most suitable

assessment process for a particular job opening– assessment is broader: systematic measurement of

personal attributes relevant to job success

• Used for variety of purposes – recruitment, training, analysis of development needs,

performance assessment, talent selection in project work..

• Work psychology provides the scientific backbone, so that these processes are based on valid and reliable tests, methods, research..

Work psychology’s contributions

1. a detailed understanding of individual differences (intelligence, creativity, values..)

2. procedures and techniques to measure individual differences

3. knowledge about cognitive, social and cultural factors that influences decision making in selection, placement and assessment

Table 6.1 Three paradigms of selection and assessment

The dominant paradigm

Rooted in social psychology

Both parties should make informed decisions

Figure 6.1 Basic tasks in the selection process

The selection and assessment process

Job Analysis• methods of describing jobs and human attributes

necessary to perform them• skills, talents, personality characteristics required to

perform the role effectively

• Functional job analysis (FJA) identifies performance standards and training requirements and rates the job not just on personal data, but also on dimensions such as reasoning, mathematics, language.

• Critical Incident Technique (CIT) used for collecting direct observations where respondents typically are asked to tell a story about an experience they have had, and assessed on whether their contribution was effective in dealing with a problem’s root cause.

• Job Element Method (JEM) focuses on satisfactory workers, attempts to identify the characteristic work behaviors and their results rather than more abstract characteristics.

Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) – Despite its name, it is a interview schedule,

not a questionnaire.– A job analyst collects information both from

employees and supervisors– Jobs are rated on 194 elements, grouped in

six major divisions.– PAQ demonstrated high reliability (.79). – The elements represent requirements

that are applicable to jobs. – This allows many different jobs to be

compared with each other, however, it appears to be more applicable to lower-level jobs. For managerial and professional positions PMPQ developed.

The Most Commonly Used Methods

• Interviews with the current job holder and/or their supervisors or managers

• Exit interviews where the current job holder is leaving the organization

• Observation of the person or people doing the job• Analysis of job outputs such as reports, memos and

performance appraisals• Diary methods where the job holder is asked to complete a

detailed work log, identify critical incidents and explain particularly difficult aspect of the job

• Structured interviews or questionnaires such as the position analysis questionnaire (PAQ).

• Used widely as a selection tool

• Most managers place more importance on it than on information derived from psychometric tests

• Vary in length and type– one on one / board / serial interviews– unstructured interviews (low performance predictor)– structured (competency based are better)– situational interviews (presenting situational dilemmas)– behavioral interviews (asks what they did on previous job)

The Interview

Possible bias and inaccuracies

• Expectations and beliefs of the interviewer

• Primacy and regency effect

• Impression management

• Faking good

• Halo vs. ’horn’ effect

• Contrast and similarity effect

Excelling at an Interview• Suggestions for making your interviews

as an applicant successful : – Dress appropriately. – Do some homework on the company. – Get a good night’s rest the night before. – Arrive for the interview a few minutes early. – Use a firm handshake. – Maintain good eye contact. – Take the opportunity to have practice interviews. – Thank the interviewer at the end of the interview and

follow up with a thank you note.

Job DescriptionoWritten statement of what jobholder does, how it

is done, under what conditions and why.

o Common format: title; duties; distinguishing characteristics; environmental conditions; authority and responsibilities.

o Used to describe the job to applicants, to guide new employees, and to evaluate employees.

o Identification of essential job functions is needed to assure compliance with law (e.g. Disabilities Act)

Job Description: Tourism officerTypical responsibilities of the job include:•supervising staff, preparing tourist information, producing promotional material and displays, managing budgets, writing reports, business plans and press releases, making presentations, maintaining statistical and financial records, undertaking day-to-day management and administration, liaising with local businesses and the media, market researchKey skills for tourism officers•Interpersonal communication skills•Organizational skills•IT skills•Enthusiasm•Adaptability•Energy•Resourcefulness•ConfidenceQualifications and training required•Graduates with degrees in travel, tourism, leisure, business studies, marketing, management or journalism are normally at an advantage. Relevant work experience is essential, and can be gained via seasonal or vacation employment, or by working as a volunteer or paid assistant in a tourist information. Experience gained in museums or information work or any commercial area (sales, marketing, retailing) can also be helpful.

Competencies

• Personal: Accurate listening, Consistency, Reliability, Emotional control..

• Behavioral: Competitiveness, Customer orientation, Versatility..

• Personal Motivators: Aesthetic, Contributing to well-being of others, Individualistic/Political

Competency frameworks• A useful approach for selection and performance

appraisal as competencies are more closely related to behavior than vaguer characteristics like personality and cognitive ability

• Competencies are defined as learned ability to perform a task, duty or role adequately

• Sub-competencies are lower order tasks, which are not sufficient on their own for performance of a job.

Figure 6.2 Roe’s competence architecture model Source: Roe (2005)

Competency Sub-competencies

• Respectful and responsible: Managing emotions and having integrity

• Managing and communicating existing and future work

• Managing the individual within the team

– Being honest– In control of emotions – Considerate approach

– Proactive work management

– Problem solving– Participative/empowering

– Sociable – Personally accessible – Empathetic engagement

• Competency approach can be integrated with work motivation and provides a more complete picture

• both the ability and the desire to behave in a competent way

• motivational orientation such as goal setting and behavioral consistencies like conscientiousness

Figure 6.3 Kanfer and Ackerman’s model of work competence Source: Kanfer and Ackerman (2005: 348)

Competencies in Recruitment, Assessment, and Selection

• Describing desired competencies in recruitment announcements gives job seekers a clearer picture of what jobs entail. Competencies also provide the foundation for assessment and selection techniques, including exams, and interviews.

• Problem Solving (Resolves difficult or complicated challenges.)• Performance Statement Examples• Frames problems before trying to solve them. Breaks down problems and identifies all

of their facets, including hidden or tricky aspects.• Shows insight into the root-causes of problems. Generates a range of solutions and

courses of action with benefits, costs, and risks associated with each.• Probes all fruitful sources for answers, and thinks ‘outside the box’ to find options. Uses

the good ideas of others to help develop solutions. • Tests proposed solutions against the reality of likely effects before going forward; looks

beyond the obvious and does not stop at the first answers.• Evaluates the chosen course of action after it has been implemented to determine its

impacts.

• Writing (Conveys ideas and facts in writing using language the reader will best understand.)• Performance Statement Examples• Uses correct vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.• Composes clear, direct, concise, complete messages.• Chooses the most effective and meaningful form to express ideas and information. Uses bullet

points, tables, or other tools to organize and present detailed or complex information.• Adapts the content, tone, style, and form to suit the needs of the reader, the subject, and the

purpose of the communication. Uses plain talk to explain complex or technical concepts.• Organizes information so that facts or ideas build upon one another to lead the reader to a

specific conclusion.• Uses formal writing styles or advanced literary techniques and formats suited to the job.

• Self Management (Manages own time, priorities, and resources to achieve goals.)• Performance Statement Examples• Prioritizes tasks by importance and deadline. Discerns what is crucial from what is just urgent.

Adjusts priorities as situations change.• Focuses time and effort on key tasks. Groups related tasks to be more efficient. Easily

transitions between tasks and picks up where left off when interrupted.• Makes reasonable estimates of resource needs to achieve goals or complete projects.• Completes high volumes of work, keeping a rapid pace without sacrificing accuracy.• Meets and exceeds deadlines efficiently.

Selection and assessment criteria

• Selection and assessment methods are expected to be reliable, valid, fair and acceptable. Reliability and validity are the key criteria.

• Reliability: The ability of the selection tool to measure an attribute consistently and which applicants will be successful on the job. – test-retest reliability– inter-rater reliability– internal consistency

• Validity: Indicates how well a selection tool predicts a relevant criterion, such as job performance.

• The content of the test represents on the job situations .

• The degree to which a particular selection device accurately predicts the important elements of work behavior.

• Uses selection test scores of applicants to compare with their future job performance.

• Correlates the test scores of current employees with measures of their job performance.

• Criterion-related validity: The degree to which a particular selection device accurately predicts the important elements of work behavior. – Predictive validity uses selection test scores of applicants

to compare with their future job performance. – Concurrent validity correlates the test scores of current

employees with measures of their job performance.

• Content validity: The degree to which the content of the test represents situations on the job.

• Construct validity: The degree to which a particular trait is related to successful performance on the job.

Assessment and Development Centers• Focus on selection vs. focus on progress of people• Considered complex and costly selection method• Provides opportunities for practice, feedback and coaching

– leaderless group discussion (typically 5 to 7 people) and/or assigned role discussions

– role plays involving another participant– background or situational interview– in basket exercise (task: set priorities, organize working schedule, respond to

mail and phone calls within time limits)

– case analysis of a complex problem– occasionally peer assessment

Table 6.3 Key differences between assessment and development centers

The Role of Technology

• Computer based testing since the 1990s

• Computer adaptive testing (CAT) flexible, varies question difficulty and length according to the abilities of the person tested – provide immediate scoring and reporting – yet expensive and continual update of test banks

• Web-based testing – offers 24 hour access, without geographical boundaries – concerns about security, cheating, computer familiar issues

Selection and assessment methods in the work place

• Individual interview method – a team of job incumbents is selected and extensively interviewed on their competencies.

• Psychometric tests and personality questionnaire method – workers complete a specifically designed questionnaire.

• Observation method – job analyst watches employees directly or reviews film of workers on the job.

• Group exercise assessment – a number of job incumbents are interviewed and given tasks to complete simultaneously.

• Development centers –supervisors with an extensive knowledge of the job and trainees with high aspirations brought together.

•The best results are usually achieved with some combination of the methods.

Assignment• (a) Write a short paragraph describing your personality

as accurately as you can.

• (b) Write a second one, but this time describe someone who is the opposite of you (an untrue persona).

• Due date: November 18th, 2015 (Class hour)