Recruitment & Selection Recruitment & Selection for International for International

AssignmentsAssignments

ObjectivesObjectives

• To identify factors predictive of To identify factors predictive of success for a global managersuccess for a global manager

• To identify barriers to effective To identify barriers to effective recruitment and selectionrecruitment and selection

• To describe staffing issues in an MNETo describe staffing issues in an MNE

Recruitment:Recruitment:

The process of generating a pool of The process of generating a pool of capable candidates to apply for your capable candidates to apply for your job vacancyjob vacancy

Selection:Selection:

The process of choosing from the The process of choosing from the pool of applicants the person most pool of applicants the person most likely to succeed in the joblikely to succeed in the job

Underlying key principles.Underlying key principles.

• Individual differences Individual differences

• PredictionPrediction

Selection criteriaSelection criteria

• ReliabilityReliability

• ValidityValidity

Discrimination:Discrimination:

• DirectDirect

• IndirectIndirect

Two approachesTwo approaches

• Person specificationPerson specificationbased on asking yourself – how can I describe based on asking yourself – how can I describe the person who can fulfil this job description the person who can fulfil this job description ie description of duties/responsibilitiesie description of duties/responsibilities

• Job competenciesJob competencies identify knowledge skills and knowledge a identify knowledge skills and knowledge a person needs to adequately do a jobperson needs to adequately do a job

(Rees & Porter)(Rees & Porter)

Example of JD formatExample of JD format

• JOB DESCRIPTIONJOB DESCRIPTION

Job titleJob title

DepartmentDepartment

Responsible to:Responsible to:

RelationshipsRelationships

Purpose of job/overall objectivesPurpose of job/overall objectives

Specific duties and responsibilitiesSpecific duties and responsibilities

Physical/economic conditionsPhysical/economic conditions

Alec Rodger’s 7 point plan Alec Rodger’s 7 point plan (1970)(1970)• PERSONNEL SPECIFICATIONPERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

Physical characteristicsPhysical characteristics

AttainmentsAttainments

General intelligenceGeneral intelligence

Specific aptitudesSpecific aptitudes

InterestsInterests

DispositionDisposition

CircumstancesCircumstances

Five-fold grading system Five-fold grading system (Munro Fraser 1971)(Munro Fraser 1971)

• PERSONNEL SPECIFICATIONPERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

Impact on other peopleImpact on other people

Qualification and experienceQualification and experience

Innate abilitiesInnate abilities

MotivationMotivation

AdjustmentAdjustment

Issues (Rees & Porter)Issues (Rees & Porter)

To identify appropriate selection criteria:To identify appropriate selection criteria:

• existing good and bad employee match existing good and bad employee match • Totality of jobTotality of job• Over-specificationOver-specification• Over-reaction to previous failuresOver-reaction to previous failures• Choosing in one’s own imageChoosing in one’s own image• Emotional intelligenceEmotional intelligence• Danger of using historic performanceDanger of using historic performance• AttitudeAttitude• Working abroadWorking abroad

Information to collectInformation to collect

• ReferencesReferences

• TestimonialsTestimonials

• CVs/application formsCVs/application forms

• Assessment centresAssessment centres

• Psychometric testPsychometric test

• interviewinterview

Interviewing MethodsInterviewing Methods

• To predict performanceTo predict performance• To provide candidate with informationTo provide candidate with information• To sell the positionTo sell the position• ProblemsProblems

– Immediate judgement, Interviewer not Immediate judgement, Interviewer not listening, biaslistening, bias

– Lack of planning time, venue, wrong Lack of planning time, venue, wrong atmosphereatmosphere

Interviewing Methods (cont)Interviewing Methods (cont)

• Strategy – frank & friendly, problem Strategy – frank & friendly, problem solvingsolving

• IndividualIndividual• SequentialSequential• PanelPanel• Other MethodsOther Methods – presentation, test – presentation, test

case, in-tray exercises, psychological case, in-tray exercises, psychological profile, aptitude tests, assessment profile, aptitude tests, assessment centrescentres

Variations in selectionVariations in selectionCountryCountry I/VsI/Vs ApplicatiApplicati

on formon formReferencReferenceses

PersonalitPersonality testsy tests

CognitivCognitive testse tests

HandwritinHandwriting analysisg analysis

Belgium Belgium (F)(F)

9191 7474 1515 3535 3030 22

Belgium Belgium (W)(W)

100100 9292 1212 2525 3232 1212

FranceFrance 9494 8989 1111 1717 77 1717

ItalyItaly 9696 4545 3232 88 88 00

GermanGermanyy

6060 8383 7676 22 22 00

UKUK 9191 7070 7474 1010 1212 00

Culture and job adsCulture and job ads

• 80% Swedish job ads emphasis 80% Swedish job ads emphasis interpersonal skillsinterpersonal skills

• Germany & UK – 65%Germany & UK – 65%

• France, Italy, Spain – 50% (but age France, Italy, Spain – 50% (but age often specified)often specified)

Cranet, 2010Cranet, 2010

Variations in recruitment Variations in recruitment methodsmethodsBrewster et al, 2011 (Cranet, Brewster et al, 2011 (Cranet, 2010) 2010) • Recruitment agencies most popular in UK, Recruitment agencies most popular in UK,

Australia, New Zeeland; unpopular in Australia, New Zeeland; unpopular in Germany, Norway, Sweden, GreeceGermany, Norway, Sweden, Greece

• Word of mouth common in Turkey, Greece, Word of mouth common in Turkey, Greece, FranceFrance

• Internal labour market dominant in Japan, Internal labour market dominant in Japan, USA, UKUSA, UK

• Both informal and formal methods used: Both informal and formal methods used: – formal- headhunting, cross-national advertising, formal- headhunting, cross-national advertising,

Internet, international graduate programmesInternet, international graduate programmes– Informal – family, friendsInformal – family, friends

SelectionSelection

• Assessment centres used un UK, Germany, Assessment centres used un UK, Germany, Netherlands, FranceNetherlands, France

• Psychometric testing popular in Spain, Italy, Psychometric testing popular in Spain, Italy, Denmark and Finland, Sweden; very unpopular Denmark and Finland, Sweden; very unpopular in Germany, Netherlands and Norwayin Germany, Netherlands and Norway

• Interview panels popular in UK, USA, Germany; Interview panels popular in UK, USA, Germany; used somehow in France and Japanused somehow in France and Japan

• Cross-cultural differences in interviews, Cross-cultural differences in interviews, assessment centres, psychological testing assessment centres, psychological testing

Influence of culture on R&SInfluence of culture on R&S Brewster et al, 2011 Brewster et al, 2011 • Anglo-Saxon tradition – individual factors used to predict Anglo-Saxon tradition – individual factors used to predict

performance; competencies frameworksperformance; competencies frameworks

• Australia – fir between the person and the organisation’s Australia – fir between the person and the organisation’s values and ways of doing thingsvalues and ways of doing things

• France – personal values not considered appropriate; France – personal values not considered appropriate; assessment of risk rather than predicted outcomesassessment of risk rather than predicted outcomes

• Latin America, Mexico, Peru – who the person is, Latin America, Mexico, Peru – who the person is, relationships, connectionsrelationships, connections

• Regional challenges: India – employee referrals, Regional challenges: India – employee referrals, succession planning and internal recruitment; ethnicity succession planning and internal recruitment; ethnicity important in Malaysia; Islamic principles – experience, important in Malaysia; Islamic principles – experience, decency etcdecency etc

Black & StephensBlack & Stephens

• ““Our research has found that the Our research has found that the successful completion of a global successful completion of a global assignment is linked more closely to assignment is linked more closely to the expat’s and the spouse’s the expat’s and the spouse’s adjustment to the new culture than adjustment to the new culture than to the expat’s adjustment to the new to the expat’s adjustment to the new work role.”work role.”

Selection StrategySelection Strategy

• Ethnocentric – Home Country biasEthnocentric – Home Country bias

• Geocentric – Best candidate on Geocentric – Best candidate on worldwide basis, no country biasworldwide basis, no country bias

• Polycentric – Host country biasPolycentric – Host country bias

• Regiocentric – Best candidate on Regiocentric – Best candidate on regional basisregional basis

International TransfersInternational Transfers

• For staffing needsFor staffing needs

• Management Development – eg Management Development – eg foreign management, technical skillsforeign management, technical skills

• Organizational DevelopmentOrganizational Development

• Problems eg repatriationProblems eg repatriation

Failure (in using Failure (in using expatriates)expatriates)

• Costs Costs – Cauldron: $250K-$1 million – Cauldron: $250K-$1 million depending on salary, location, depending on salary, location, dependentsdependents

• Black: 16-40% US ex-pats failedBlack: 16-40% US ex-pats failed

• Tung: found European and Japanese Tung: found European and Japanese failures lower. Are companies judging failures lower. Are companies judging by the same standards? Japanese by the same standards? Japanese placements longer than USplacements longer than US

Reasons for failureReasons for failure

• Mead Mead says less than 1/3 work relatedsays less than 1/3 work related

• Tung Tung ranks ex-pat failure in US in ranks ex-pat failure in US in descending order: managers’ inability descending order: managers’ inability to adapt to different physical/cultural to adapt to different physical/cultural environment; other family problems; environment; other family problems; overseas work; lack of technical overseas work; lack of technical competence; lack of motivationcompetence; lack of motivation

Culture ShockCulture Shock

• “ “ a sense of psychological disorientation a sense of psychological disorientation that most people suffer when they move that most people suffer when they move into a culture that is different from their into a culture that is different from their own.”own.”

• Can’t recognise cues ; perceptions differentCan’t recognise cues ; perceptions different

• SymptomsSymptoms – tension & frustration, – tension & frustration, alienation, need to be alone, depressionalienation, need to be alone, depression

• Study by Study by BlackBlack adjustment < 50 months adjustment < 50 months

Reverse Culture ShockReverse Culture Shock

• Reduced financial benefitsReduced financial benefits

• Less power, statusLess power, status

• Change in jobs & personnelChange in jobs & personnel

• Poorer housing, loss of domestic helpPoorer housing, loss of domestic help

• SolutionsSolutions – mentor, training, brief – mentor, training, brief managers on changes, debrief managers on changes, debrief managermanager

Selection Factors Predictive of Selection Factors Predictive of Expat Success Expat Success

• Strategic Factors – Control of Strategic Factors – Control of subsidiary, stage of development for subsidiary, stage of development for MNE, long term strategy vs reactionMNE, long term strategy vs reaction

• Exchange of critical information Exchange of critical information including technical dataincluding technical data

• Management developmentManagement development

Selection Factors (cont.)Selection Factors (cont.)

• Professional SkillsProfessional Skills – technical and – technical and interpersonalinterpersonal

• Management Skills Management Skills – able to manage – able to manage conflict, collaboration, trustconflict, collaboration, trust

• CommunicationCommunication – language proficiency, – language proficiency, 2-way conversation, cross-cultural ability2-way conversation, cross-cultural ability

• Individual characteristics Individual characteristics – flexibility, – flexibility, open minds, ability to cope with stressopen minds, ability to cope with stress

• Spouse & FamilySpouse & Family – language skills, – language skills, spouse’s career, education facilitiesspouse’s career, education facilities

Some Other SolutionsSome Other Solutions(based on Black, J.S. et al – “Global (based on Black, J.S. et al – “Global

Assignments”)Assignments”)

• Involve family early in processInvolve family early in process

• Most successful ex-pats are geo-centricMost successful ex-pats are geo-centric

• Candidate should be non-judgemental, Candidate should be non-judgemental, mature, willing to learnmature, willing to learn

• Experience in similar environment may help Experience in similar environment may help but Black found little relationship between but Black found little relationship between previous ex-pat work & ability to adaptprevious ex-pat work & ability to adapt

• Ethnic affinity Ethnic affinity

Other Solutions (cont.)Other Solutions (cont.)

• Professional & technical support at Professional & technical support at subsidiary and head officesubsidiary and head office

• Clarify duration to reduce uncertaintyClarify duration to reduce uncertainty

• Guaranteed career security on Guaranteed career security on repatriationrepatriation

• Career planning, promotion opportunitiesCareer planning, promotion opportunities

• Support for living eg medical, housing, Support for living eg medical, housing, insurance, social events, job for spouseinsurance, social events, job for spouse

SummarySummary

• Is recruitment necessary?Is recruitment necessary?

• Source of Source of bestbest not not easiesteasiest placement placement

• Concentrate on personal qualitiesConcentrate on personal qualities

• Focus on familiesFocus on families

• Consider cost & allow adequate timeConsider cost & allow adequate time

• Communicate, clarify progressCommunicate, clarify progress