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Chapter 5: Staffing

LESSON 3 Selection

In many companies, selection is continuous because of fast turnover, resulting in vacancies that have to be filled. Another reason for this is the review of applicants on the waiting list. The selection process typically includes the following steps:

1. Establishing the selection criteria – Selecting human resources in an organization requires understanding of the nature and purpose of the job position which has to be filled. Job design must be based on the objective analysis of position requirements and must meet both organizational and individual needs. Skills must also be considered depending on the job position and its position in the organizational hierarchy.

2. Requesting applicants to complete the application form – Application forms must be completed because these provide the needed information about the applicant. Management will find it easier to decide whether an applicant meets the minimum requirements for experience, education, etc., if the application forms are accurately filled out by the applicant.

3. Screening by listing applicants who seem to meet the set criteria – This involves the preparation of a shortlist of applicants who meet the minimum requirements of the job position to be filled. It is done to avoid wasting of time by conducting interviews with applicants who do not meet the set criteria for the job opening.

4. Screening interview to identify more promising applicants – Here, a shortlist of applicants is prepared. Included in the list are the applicants who will be asked to undergo formal interview by the supervisor/manager; applicants who are deemed to be the most fitted for the job opening belong to this shorter list.

5. Interview by the supervisor/manager or panel interviewers – Through formal interview of the most promising applicants, other characteristics of the applicants may be revealed or observed by the supervisor/manager or panel interviewers. Such characteristics include the applicants’ self-confidence, positive or negative self-esteem, honesty, ability to relate well with others, and positive or negative life experiences which may affect his or her job performance, among others. Interviewers must be trained so that they will know what to look for.

6. Verifying information provided by the applicant – To make sure that the applicant has not given false information about himself or herself, verification is necessary. Background checking must also be done to avoid the hiring of applicants with criminal record and to ascertain that he or she has good moral character.

7. Requesting the applicant to undergo psychological and physical examination – Having a healthy mind and a healthy body is important for good job performance. Hence, applicants must be requested to undergo psychological and physical examinations prior to hiring.

8. Informing the applicant that he or she has been chosen for the position applied for – Informing the applicant may be done verbally or in writing by the managers who give the final decision regarding the applicant’s hiring. Final instructions regarding the company’s rules and regulations for hiring an applicant must be given in this step.

Interviews are important in determining the qualifications of an applicant and gauging his or her ability to perform a job. Interviews may come in different forms.

Types of Job Interviews

Structured interview – the interviewer asks the applicant to answer a set of prepared questions—situational, job knowledge, job simulation, and worker requirement questions

Unstructured interview – the interviewer has no interview guide and may ask questions freely

One-on-one interview – one interviewer is assigned to interview the applicant

Panel interview – several interviewers or a panel interviewer may conduct the interview of applicants; three to five interviewers take turns in asking questions.

Similarly, there are different kinds of employment tests administered to measure or test an applicant’s specific skill or capacity.

Types of Employment Tests

Intelligence test – designed to measure the applicant’s mental capacity; tests his or her cognitive capacity, speed of thinking, and ability to see relationships in problematic situations

Proficiency and aptitude tests – tests his or her present skills and potential for learning other skills

Personality tests – designed to reveal the applicant’s personal characteristics and ability to relate with others

Vocational tests – tests that show the occupation best suited to an applicant.

Limitation of the Selection Process

In reality, there is no one perfect way to select a firm’s human resources. Predicting performance is difficult as there is a difference between what individuals can do at present and what they will do in the future. This is because a persons’ needs and wants change, and so do an organization’s climate and environment. The fact that many selection approaches and tests have been devised is enough proof that management experts are still in search of what could be done to improve the present selection process.

Definition of Terms

Selection – the process of choosing individuals who have the required qualifications to fill present and expected job openings

Interview – the determining of an applicant’s qualifications in order to gauge his or her ability to do the job

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