A step-by-step guide to best practice selection methodology. This presentation, given in the late 90's across New Zealand, is still relevant nearly 20 years on.

1. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Optimising Selection Success
through Best Practice
OPRA Consulting Group

2. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Selecting for the firm
• Collecting evidence: The different selection techniques.
• The usual suspects: Getting the right people to apply.
• Not all evidence is equal:
The predictive power of selection method & determining the weighting
of evidence.
• Using the evidence to make a verdict:
Combining selection methods.
• Let only the guilty serve time:
Maximising a successful selection decision in the absence of all the facts.
• Does crime pay: The role of cost in selection.

3. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Framing the case
The Case
• To select the person who is most likely to perform well on the job.
• To identify how to bring out the best in that person
The Facts
• The perfect person rarely exists
• There is always the likelihood that you will get the selection
decision wrong.
• The cost of hiring the wrong person and missing out the correct
one can be high
The Keys
• Maximise the chances of correct decision making.
• Design a selection process that incorporates the principle of
developing an individual within the role.

4. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Psychometric
Test Categories
• Maximum Performance
• General Mental Ability
(numerical, verbal, abstract)
• Specific Ability
(mechanical, spatial, memory, visual acuity,
spelling, manual dexterity, clerical)
• Typical Performance
• Personality
• Interests
• Values

5. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Other types of
Assessments
• Assessment Centres
• References / Reference Checks
• Curriculum Vitae’s
• Trainability tests
• To predict success in training
• Work-Sample tests
• To assess ability in actual work
related activities
• Interviews

6. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Controversial Methods
• Phrenology
• Bumps on the head
• Graphology
• Dotting i’s and crossing t’s
• Astrology
• All in the stars
• Dubious Questionnaires
• Faith validity

7. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Determining Dollar
Value Benefits
𝑼 = 𝒕𝒓𝑺𝑫𝒚 − 𝒄

8. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
User Friendly
Value Analysis
1. Incremental Validity
2. How the Predictor is used
3. Cost
4. Tenure
5. Value between Good and Bad performers

9. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Not all evidence
is equal
Point to Point Theory
• For every KSA/Competency in the job,
there is a corresponding point in selection
Selection
Process
The Job
Knowledge Knowledge
Skill Skill
Ability Ability
Competency Competency

10. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Not all evidence
is equal
Selection Measure High Validity
Work Sample Test .54
General Mental Ability .51
Interview (Structured) .51
Peer Ratings .49
T & E Behavioural Consistency .45

11. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Not all evidence
is equal
Selection Measure Medium Validity
Job Tryout .44
Integrity Tests .41
Interviews (Unstructured) .38
Assessments Centres .37
Biodata .35
Reference Checks .26

12. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Not all evidence
is equal
Selection Measure Low Validity
Job Experience (years) .18
University Grades .11
Years of Education .10
Interests .10
Graphology .02
Age -.01

13. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Everything is
NOT as it seems!
Selection Measure Combined Validity
Integrity (.41) +GMA .65
Work Sample Test (.54) +GMA .63
Interview (Structured .51) +GMA .63
Peer Ratings (.49) +GMA .58
Job Tryout (.44) +GMA .58

14. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
What are the Costs?
However, cost depends greatly on the specific situation.
In General – According to Muchinsky (1990) and Me
Work Sample Test (.53) High
General Mental Ability (.51) Low
Interview (Structured .51) Medium
Peer Ratings (.49) Low
Job Tryout (.44) High
Assessment Centre (.37) High
Personality (?) Medium

15. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
• Weighting/Multiple Regression
• Multiple Hurdle
• Multiple Cutoff
• Top Down
• How Selective You Can Be
• The number of suitable applicants that apply
• How selective you can be with suitable applicants
How is the
Predictor Used?

16. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Putting a few
things together
Job
Performance
Selection Process

17. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Job
Performance
Selection Process
Introducing the Cutoff
Cutoff
Putting a few
things together

18. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Job
Performance
Selection Process
Introducing Performance
Cutoff
Acceptable
Performance
Putting a few
things together

19. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Job
Performance
Selection Process
Increasing Validity
Cutoff
Acceptable
Performance
Putting a few
things together

20. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Job
Performance
Selection Process
Decreasing the Validity
Cutoff
Acceptable
Performance
Putting a few
things together

21. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Job
Performance
Selection Process
Increasing the Cutoff
Cutoff
Acceptable
Performance
Putting a few
things together

22. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Job
Performance
Selection Process
Decreasing the Cutoff
Cutoff
Acceptable
Performance
Putting a few
things together

23. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Job
Performance
Selection Process
Increasing Performance
Cutoff
Acceptable
Performance
Putting a few
things together

24. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Job
Performance
Selection Process
Cutoff
Acceptable
Performance
Putting a few
things together
Decreasing Performance

25. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Job
Performance
Selection Process
Cutoff
Acceptable
Performance
Putting a few
things together
Decreasing the
Performance and Cutoff

26. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
Getting the right
people to apply
• The often forgotten fact:
• You can only select from the people that apply
• Key questions:-
• What are you getting from your recruitment firm?
• Are they qualified to select potential?
• How up-market is your university recruitment
programme?
• Do you provide realistic job previews?
• How in touch are you with the current market
place?
• Would you WANT to work for your firm?

27. Excellence in Business.
Excellence in People.
A Best Practice
Selection Model
• The Application Blank
• The Structured Interview
• The Cognitive Test
• The Personality Test
• The Work sample
• The Reference Check
• Get tactical with your selection by using statistical modelling
• Give utility analysis a go (It’s easier than it looks!)
• Keep it in house as much as possible to keep costs down and
to monitor and modify your selection process
Initial Hurdle
Depending on the job
Depending on the job