Chapter 6 Selection and PlacementCopyright ©.docx

Chapter 6
Selection and Placement
Copyright © 2016 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved.
No reproduction or distribution without
the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
Chapter 6 provides ways to minimize errors in employee
selection and placement, and in doing so improve the
organization's competitive position. The purpose of this chapter
is to familiarize you with ways to minimize errors in employee
selection and placement and, in doing so, improve your
company’s competitive position. The chapter first focuses on
five standards that should be met by any selection method. The
chapter then evaluates several common selection methods
according to those standards.
Learning Objectives
LO 6-1 Establish the basic scientific properties of personnel
selection methods, including reliability, validity and
generalizability.
LO 6-2 Discuss how the particular characteristics of a job,
organization or applicant affect the utility of any test.
LO 6-3 Describe the government’s role in personnel selection
decisions, particularly in areas of constitutional law, federal

laws, executive orders and judicial precedent.
LO 6-4 List common methods used in selecting human
resources.
LO 6-5 Describe the degree to which each of the common
methods used in selecting human resources meets the demands
of reliability, validity, generalizability, utility and legality.
*
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:Establish the
basic scientific properties of personnel selection methods,
including reliability, validity and generalizability.Discuss how
the particular characteristics of a job, organization, or applicant
affect the utility of any test.Describe the government’s role in
personnel selection decisions, particularly in the areas of
constitutional law, federal laws, executive orders and judicial
precedent.
4. List common methods used in selecting HR.
5. Describe the degree to which each of the common methods
used in selecting human resources meets the demands of
reliability, validity, generalizability, utility and legality.
Introduction
Organizations must take the utmost care with how it chooses
employees.
These decisions impact the organization’s competiveness, and

every aspect of the job applicant’s life.
Organizations make sure the decisions they make with respect
to who gets accepted or rejected for jobs promote the best
interests of the company and are fair to all parties involved.
*
The purpose of this chapter is to familiarize you with ways to
minimize errors in employee selection and placement and, in
doing so, improve your company’s competitive position. The
chapter first focuses on five standards that should be met by any
selection method then evaluates several common selection
methods according to those standards.
*
Selection Method Standards
Reliability
Validity
Utility
Generalizability
Legality

*
organization's competitive position. Personnel selection is the
process by which companies decide who will or will not be
allowed into organizations. Several generic standards should be
met in any selection process. We focus on five: (1) reliability,
(2) validity, (3) generalizability, (4) utility, and (5) legality.
*
Reliability
Reliability is the degree to which a measure of physical or
cognitive abilities or traits is free from random error.
Correlation coefficient is a measure of the degree to which two
sets of numbers are related.
A perfect positive relationship equals +1.0
A perfect negative relationship equals - 1.0
Test-retest reliability is knowing how scores on the measure at
one time relate to scores on the same measure at another time.
*
*
Much of the work in personnel selection involves measuring
characteristics of people to determine who will be accepted for
job openings.
Reliability is consistency of a performance measure; the degree

to which a measure is free from random error. If a measure of
some supposedly stable characteristic such as intelligence is
reliable, then the score a person receives based on that measure
will be consistent over time and in different contexts. We can
estimate reliability in several different ways, however; and
because most of these rely on computing a correlation
coefficient, we will briefly describe and illustrate this
statistic.Correlation coefficient is a measure of the degree to
which two sets of numbers are related. The correlation
coefficient expresses the strength of the relationship in
numerical form.True Scores and the Reliability of
Measurements—reliability is demonstrated by measuring height
at different times. Even though height is supposedly a stable
characteristic, slightly different results are generated every time
height is measured. Standards for Reliability—the more reliable
the measure, the more likely decisions can be made on score
differences.
Validity
Validity is the extent to which a performance measure assesses
all and only the relevant aspects of job performance
Criterion-related validation is a method of establishing validity
of a personnel selection method by showing a substantial
correlation between test scores and job-performance scores.
Predictive validation
Concurrent validation
*
*
all the relevant –and only the relevant- aspects of job

performance.Criterion‑related validation is a method of
establishing the validity of personal selection methods by
showing a substantial correlation between test scores and job-
performance scores. There are two types of criterion‑related
validity: Predictive validation is a criterion-related validity
study that seeks to establish an empirical relationship between
applicants’ test scores and their eventual performance on the
job. Concurrent validation is a criterion-related validity study in
which a test is administered to all the people currently on the
job and then correlating test scores with existing measures of
each person’s performance.
Concurrent Validation
*
the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education. Measure
all current job incumbents on attributeMeasure all current job
incumbents’ performanceFinally, obtain correlation between
these two sets of numbers
*
Figure 6.3 a graphic depiction of concurrent validation
Measure all job applicants on attributeHire some applicants and
reject othersWait for some period of timeMeasure all newly
hired job incumbents’ performanceFinally, obtain correlation
between these two sets of numbers
*
Predictive Validation

*
Figure 6.3 a graphic depiction of predictive validation
Content Validation
Content validation is a test-validation strategy performed by
demonstrating that the items, questions, or problems posed by a
test are a representative sample of the kinds of situations or
problems that occur on the job.
Best for small samples
Achieved primarily through expert judgment
*
*
problems that occur on the job. A test that is content valid
exposes the job applicant to situations that are likely to occur
on the job, and then tests whether the applicant currently has
sufficient knowledge, skill, or ability to handle such situations.
There are two limitations to content validation: (a) the person
who is hired must have the knowledge, skills, or abilities at the
time he or she is hired and (b) subjective judgment plays such a
large role in content validation.
GeneralizabilityGeneralizability is the degree to which the
validity of a selection method established in one context

extends to other contexts.Different situationsDifferent samples
of peopleDifferent time periods
*
*
Generalizability is the degree to which the validity of a
selection method established in one context extends to other
contexts. Validity generalization stands as an alternative for
validating selection methods for companies that cannot employ
criterion-related or content validation.
UtilityUtility is the degree to which information provided by
selection methods enhances the effectiveness of selecting
personnel.Utility is impacted
by:ReliabilityValidityGeneralizability
*
*
Utility is the degree to which the information provided by
personnel in organizations. Utility is impacted by reliability,
validity, and generalizability. Other factors will influence
utility even when the latter is constant. For example, the
selection ratio, which is the percentage of people tested versus
the total number of applicants, will impact utility as well as the
number of people selected, rate of employee turnover, and level
of performance among those who leave.

LegalityAll selection methods should adhere to existing laws
and legal precedents.Three laws form the basis for a majority of
suits filed by job applicants:Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
1991Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1991
*
*
Legality—All selection methods must conform to existing laws
and legal precedents. Three primary federal laws form the basis
for a majority of the suits filed by job applicants. First, the
Civil Rights Act of 1991, an extension of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964, protects individuals from discrimination based on race,
color, sex, religion, and national origin with respect to hiring as
well as compensation and working conditions. Second, Age
Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 if any neutral-
appearing practice happens to have adverse impact on those
over 40, the burden of proof shifts to the employer, who must
show business necessity to avoid a guilty. Third, ADA of 1991
protects individuals with physical and mental disabilities (or
with a history of the same), and requires that employers make
“reasonable accommodation” to disabled individuals whose
handicaps may prevent them from performing essential
functions of the job as currently designed. “Reasonable
accommodation” could include restructuring jobs, modifying
work schedules, making facilities accessible, providing readers,
or modifying equipment.
Avoiding LitigationPredictors of whether a firm becomes truly

diverse and avoids litigation include:
There is a specific person whose sole job is to monitor hiring
statistics
This person has the power to change hiring practices
This person is held strictly accountable in their own
performance appraisal for achieving quantifiable results
*
*
The best predictors of whether a firm becomes truly diverse and
avoids litigation is whether (a) there is a specific person (e.g., a
diversity compliance officer) whose sole job is to monitor
hiring statistics, (b) this person has the power to change hiring
practices, and (c) this person is held strictly accountable in their
own performance appraisal for achieving quantifiable results.
Civil Rights Act of 1991
Protects individuals from discrimination based on race, color,
sex, religion and national origin.
Differs from the 1964 act in three areas:
Establishes employers' explicit obligation to establish neutral-
appearing selection method.
Allows a jury to decide punitive damages.
Explicitly prohibits granting preferential treatment to minority
groups.
McGraw-Hill/Irwin ©2017 The McGraw-Hill Companies, All
Rights Reserved
*
Rights Reserved

The Civil Rights Act of 1991, an extension of the Civil Rights
Act 1964, protects individuals from discrimination with respect
to hiring as well as compensation and working conditions. The
1991 act differs from the 1964 act in three areas:It establishes
employers' explicit obligation to establish neutral-appearing
selection method.It allows a jury to decide punitive damages.It
explicitly prohibits the granting of preferential treatment to
minority groups. Most litigation is based on gender and race.
*
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967Outlaws
“mandatory retirement programs”Covers over age 40
individualsNo protection for younger workers
*
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 covers over age
40 individuals.No protection for younger workers.Outlaws
almost all “mandatory retirement” programs.(company policies
that dictate that everyone who reaches a set age must retire).
*
Americans with Disabilities Act
Protects individuals with physical or mental disabilities (or with
a history of the same).
Reasonable accommodations are required by the organization to
allow the disabled to perform essential functions of the job.
An employer need not make accommodations that cause undue
hardship.

Restrictions on pre-employment inquiries.
*
*
Examples of reasonable accommodations include restructuring
jobs, modifying work schedules, making facilities accessible,
providing readers, or modifying equipment. An employer need
not make accommodations that cause undue hardship such as
undue cost or danger to the safety of other employees. The
ADA does not require an organization to hire someone whose
disability prevents him or her from performing either critical or
routine aspects of the job nor does it require accommodations
that would cause “undue hardship.”
Executive Orders
Executive Order 11246 parallels the Civil Rights Act of 1964
and goes beyond by:
requiring affirmative action to hire qualified
protected group applicants, and
allowing the government to suspend all business
with a contractor during an investigation.
Office of Federal Contract Compliance and Procedures
(OFCCP) issues guidelines and helps companies comply.
Rights Reserved
*
Rights Reserved
but goes beyond it by: requiring affirmative action to hire

qualified protected group applicants, and allowing the
government to suspend all business with a contractor while an
investigation is going on. Not only do the executive orders
prohibit discrimination, they actually mandate that employers
take affirmative action to hire qualified minority applicants.
The executive branch of the government also regulates hiring
decisions through the use of executive orders.
*
Types of Selection Methods
Interviews
References, Application Blanks, Background Checks
Physical Ability Tests
Cognitive Ability Tests
Personality Inventories
Work Samples
Honest Tests and Drug Tests
*
*
Types of selection methods used to assess a person for
employment include interviews, honesty tests and drug tests,
work samples, personality inventories, cognitive ability tests,
physical ability tests, and references and biographical data.
Interviews
Selection Interviews
dialogue initiated by one or more persons to gather information
and evaluate the applicant’s qualifications for employment

Interviews should be structured, standardized, and focused on
goals oriented to skills and observable behaviors.
Interviewers should be able to quantitatively rate each
interview.
Interviewers should have a structured note-taking system that
will aid recall to satisfying ratings.
*
Interviews are the most widely used selection method, although
research suggests they can be unreliable, low in validity, and
biased against a number of groups. Selection interviews are
defined as a dialogue initiated by one or more persons to gather
information and evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for
employment. The utility of an interview can be increased by
the following suggestions:Interviews should be structured,
standardized, and focused on goals oriented to skills and
observable behaviors.Interviewers should plan to come out of
each interview with a quantitative rating on a small number of
dimensions that are observable (like interpersonal style or
ability to express oneself) and avoid ratings of abilities that
may be better measured by tests (like intelligence).Interviewers
should also have a structured note-taking system that will aid
recall when it comes to satisfying the ratings.
*
Situational InterviewSituational InterviewConfronts applicants
on specific issues, questions, or problems likely to arise on the
job.Interview consists of:Experience-based questionsFuture-
oriented questions
*

A situational interview is an interview procedure where
applicants are confronted with specific issues, questions, or
problems that are likely to arise on the job. They consist of
experience-based questions and future-oriented questions .
Some items are “experience-based” and require the applicant to
reveal an actual experience he or she had in the past when
confronting the situation. Other items are “future-oriented” and
ask what the person is likely to do when confronting a certain
hypothetical situation in the future.
*
Characteristics of Other Selection Methods
Individuals should manage their digital identity the same way
they manage their resume
Many U.S. employers search social networking sites
References and applications are weak predictors of job success
Criterion-related validities for physical ability tests can have an
adverse impact
*
they manage their résumé. Other selection methods such as
references, biographical data, and applications that gather
background information on candidate are, at best, weak
predictors of future job success. Typically, references are very
positive since only those who the applicants know will give
them a good reference are asked to do so. Many suits have been

filed against past employers’ revealing too much information
beyond job title and years of service. The biggest concern with
the use of biographical data is that applicants who supply the
information may be motivated to misrepresent
themselves.Criterion‑related validities tend to be quite strong,
although adverse impact on the disabled and women is highly
possible. For example, roughly two-thirds of all males score
higher than the highest-scoring female on muscular tension
tests.
*
Physical Ability TestsIs physical ability essential to perform the
job?Is it mentioned prominently in the job description?Physical
tests measure:Muscular tension, power,
enduranceFlexibilityBalanceCardiovascular
enduranceCoordination
*
Physical ability tests- tests of physical abilities may be relevant
not only to predicting performance but to predicting
occupational injuries and disabilities as well for many jobs that
require physical or psychomotor abilities.
Two Questions to Ask:Is physical ability essential to perform
the job?Is it mentioned prominently enough in the job
description?
Tests measure:muscular power and endurancecardiovascular
enduranceflexibilitybalancecoordination.
*

Cognitive Ability Tests
Verbal Comprehension Quantitative Ability
Reasoning Ability
*
Cognitive ability has many different facets, although we will
focus only on three dominant ones:Verbal comprehension refers
to a person’s capacity to understand and use written and spoken
language.Quantitative ability concerns the speed and accuracy
at which one can solve arithmetic problems.Reasoning ability
refers to a person’s capacity to invent solutions to many diverse
problems.
*
Personality Inventories: “The Big Five”
There are five dimensions of personality
Extroversion
Adjustment
Agreeableness
Conscientiousness
Openness to experience
*
There are five major dimensions of personality, known as “The

Big Five” are shown here. Next we’ll look at each of these with
a corresponding list of adjectives that fit each dimension.
*
Emotional IntelligenceDescribes a person who is especially
effective and fluid in socially intensive contexts.Five aspects:
Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Self-motivation
Social skills
Empathy
*
*
“Emotional intelligence” is also important in team contexts and
has been used to describe people who are especially effective in
fluid and socially intensive contexts. Emotional intelligence is
traditionally conceived of as having five aspects: self-awareness
(knowledge of one’s strengths and weaknesses), self-regulation
(the ability to keep disruptive emotions in check), self-
motivation (how to motivate oneself and persevere in the face
of obstacles), empathy (the ability to sense and read emotions in
others), and social skills (the ability to manage the emotions of
other people).
Daniel Goleman noted that “in the new workplace, with its
emphasis on flexibility, teams and a strong customer
orientation, this crucial set of emotional competencies is
becoming increasingly essential for excellence in every job in
every part of the world.”

Work-Sample Tests
Work-sample tests attempt to simulate the job in a pre-hiring
context to observe how the applicant performs.
Assessment center - is a process in which multiple raters
evaluate employees’ performance on exercises.
*
*
context to observe how the applicant performs in the simulated
job. The degree of fidelity in work samples can vary greatly.
Assessment center is a process in which multiple raters evaluate
employees’ performance on a number of exercises.
Honesty Tests
Polygraph Act of 1988 banned the use of polygraph tests for
private companies except pharmaceutical and security guard
suppliers.
Paper-and-pencil honesty testing attempts to assess the
likelihood that employees will steal.
*
*
In 1990, the Office of Technology and Assessment released a
report on the validity of paper‑and‑pencil honesty tests. The
conclusion of the report was that existing research was

inconclusive to determine the effectiveness of the tests. Paper-
and-pencil honesty tests come in a number of different forms.
Some directly emphasize questions dealing with past theft
admissions or associations with people who stole from
employers. Other items are less direct and tap more basic traits
such as social conformity, conscientiousness, or emotional
stability.
Tests commonly gauge attitudes and perceptions about
professional behavior. The tests predict the level of risk of theft
for employees.
Drug Tests
Drug-use tests tend to be reliable and valid.
Tests should be administered systematically to all applicants
applying for the same job.
Testing is likely to be more defensible with safety hazards
associated with failure to perform.
Test results should be reported to applicants, who should have
an avenue to appeal.
*
*
Drug‑use tests tend to be reliable and valid, particularly when
the “screening tests" are followed up with more expensive
“confirmation” test.
applying for the same job. Testing is likely to be more
defensible when there are safety hazards associated with the
failure to perform. Test results should be reported to the
applicant, who should have an avenue to appeal. Employers
considering the use of drug tests would be well advised to make

sure that their drug-testing programs conform to some general
rules.
Three Major Controversies about Drug Tests
Invasion of Privacy?
Violation of Due Process?
Unreasonable Search
and Seizure?
*
The three major Controversies About Drug Tests are shown
here:
1. Is it an invasion of privacy?
2. Is it an unreasonable search and seizure?
3. Is it a violation of due process?
*
Summary
Job applicants and an organization’s viability are affected by
decisions regarding who is accepted and rejected for positions
Five standards should conform: reliability, validity,
generalizability, utility and legality
Managerial assessment centers use many different forms of tests
to learn about candidates

Validity associated with judicious use of multiple tests is higher
than for tests used in isolation
*
The lives of job applicants and the viability of organizations are
strongly affected by decisions regarding who is accepted and
rejected for positions. there is no need to use only one type of
test for any one job. These are some of the most important
decisions an organization is likely to make. There are numerous
alternatives for making such decisions, many of which have
been validated and supported by years of research, as
highlighted in this chapter. Five standards should conform:
reliability, validity, generalizability, utility and
legality.Managerial assessment centers use many different
forms of tests over a two or three day period to learn as much as
possible about candidates for important executive positions.
than for tests used in isolation.
*
organization's competitive position. The purpose of this chapter
is to familiarize you with ways to minimize errors in employee
selection and placement and, in doing so, improve your
company’s competitive position. The chapter first focuses on
five standards that should be met by any selection method. The
chapter then evaluates several common selection methods
according to those standards.
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:Establish the
basic scientific properties of personnel selection methods,
including reliability, validity and generalizability.Discuss how

the particular characteristics of a job, organization, or applicant
affect the utility of any test.Describe the government’s role in
personnel selection decisions, particularly in the areas of
constitutional law, federal laws, executive orders and judicial
precedent.
4. List common methods used in selecting HR.
5. Describe the degree to which each of the common methods
used in selecting human resources meets the demands of
reliability, validity, generalizability, utility and legality.
The purpose of this chapter is to familiarize you with ways to
minimize errors in employee selection and placement and, in
doing so, improve your company’s competitive position. The
chapter first focuses on five standards that should be met by any
selection method then evaluates several common selection
methods according to those standards.
*
organization's competitive position. Personnel selection is the
process by which companies decide who will or will not be
allowed into organizations. Several generic standards should be
met in any selection process. We focus on five: (1) reliability,
(2) validity, (3) generalizability, (4) utility, and (5) legality.
*
*
Much of the work in personnel selection involves measuring
characteristics of people to determine who will be accepted for
job openings.
Reliability is consistency of a performance measure; the degree
to which a measure is free from random error. If a measure of
some supposedly stable characteristic such as intelligence is
reliable, then the score a person receives based on that measure
will be consistent over time and in different contexts. We can
estimate reliability in several different ways, however; and
because most of these rely on computing a correlation

coefficient, we will briefly describe and illustrate this
statistic.Correlation coefficient is a measure of the degree to
which two sets of numbers are related. The correlation
coefficient expresses the strength of the relationship in
numerical form.True Scores and the Reliability of
Measurements—reliability is demonstrated by measuring height
at different times. Even though height is supposedly a stable
characteristic, slightly different results are generated every time
height is measured. Standards for Reliability—the more reliable
the measure, the more likely decisions can be made on score
differences.
*
all the relevant –and only the relevant- aspects of job
performance.Criterion‑related validation is a method of
establishing the validity of personal selection methods by
showing a substantial correlation between test scores and job-
performance scores. There are two types of criterion‑related
validity: Predictive validation is a criterion-related validity
study that seeks to establish an empirical relationship between
applicants’ test scores and their eventual performance on the
job. Concurrent validation is a criterion-related validity study in
which a test is administered to all the people currently on the
job and then correlating test scores with existing measures of
each person’s performance.
*
Figure 6.3 a graphic depiction of concurrent validation
*
Figure 6.3 a graphic depiction of predictive validation
*
problems that occur on the job. A test that is content valid
exposes the job applicant to situations that are likely to occur
on the job, and then tests whether the applicant currently has

sufficient knowledge, skill, or ability to handle such situations.
There are two limitations to content validation: (a) the person
who is hired must have the knowledge, skills, or abilities at the
time he or she is hired and (b) subjective judgment plays such a
large role in content validation.
*
Generalizability is the degree to which the validity of a
selection method established in one context extends to other
contexts. Validity generalization stands as an alternative for
validating selection methods for companies that cannot employ
criterion-related or content validation.
*
Utility is the degree to which the information provided by
personnel in organizations. Utility is impacted by reliability,
validity, and generalizability. Other factors will influence
utility even when the latter is constant. For example, the
selection ratio, which is the percentage of people tested versus
the total number of applicants, will impact utility as well as the
number of people selected, rate of employee turnover, and level
of performance among those who leave.
*
Legality—All selection methods must conform to existing laws
and legal precedents. Three primary federal laws form the basis
for a majority of the suits filed by job applicants. First, the
Civil Rights Act of 1991, an extension of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964, protects individuals from discrimination based on race,
color, sex, religion, and national origin with respect to hiring as
well as compensation and working conditions. Second, Age
Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 if any neutral-
appearing practice happens to have adverse impact on those
over 40, the burden of proof shifts to the employer, who must
show business necessity to avoid a guilty. Third, ADA of 1991
protects individuals with physical and mental disabilities (or
with a history of the same), and requires that employers make

“reasonable accommodation” to disabled individuals whose
handicaps may prevent them from performing essential
functions of the job as currently designed. “Reasonable
accommodation” could include restructuring jobs, modifying
work schedules, making facilities accessible, providing readers,
or modifying equipment.
*
The best predictors of whether a firm becomes truly diverse and
avoids litigation is whether (a) there is a specific person (e.g., a
diversity compliance officer) whose sole job is to monitor
hiring statistics, (b) this person has the power to change hiring
practices, and (c) this person is held strictly accountable in their
own performance appraisal for achieving quantifiable results.
The Civil Rights Act of 1991, an extension of the Civil Rights
Act 1964, protects individuals from discrimination with respect
to hiring as well as compensation and working conditions. The
1991 act differs from the 1964 act in three areas:It establishes
employers' explicit obligation to establish neutral-appearing
selection method.It allows a jury to decide punitive damages.It
explicitly prohibits the granting of preferential treatment to
minority groups. Most litigation is based on gender and race.
*
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 covers over age
40 individuals.No protection for younger workers.Outlaws
almost all “mandatory retirement” programs.(company policies
that dictate that everyone who reaches a set age must retire).
*
*
Examples of reasonable accommodations include restructuring
jobs, modifying work schedules, making facilities accessible,
providing readers, or modifying equipment. An employer need
not make accommodations that cause undue hardship such as
undue cost or danger to the safety of other employees. The
ADA does not require an organization to hire someone whose
disability prevents him or her from performing either critical or

routine aspects of the job nor does it require accommodations
that would cause “undue hardship.”
but goes beyond it by: requiring affirmative action to hire
qualified protected group applicants, and allowing the
government to suspend all business with a contractor while an
investigation is going on. Not only do the executive orders
prohibit discrimination, they actually mandate that employers
take affirmative action to hire qualified minority applicants.
The executive branch of the government also regulates hiring
decisions through the use of executive orders.
*
*
Types of selection methods used to assess a person for
employment include interviews, honesty tests and drug tests,
work samples, personality inventories, cognitive ability tests,
physical ability tests, and references and biographical data.
Interviews are the most widely used selection method, although
research suggests they can be unreliable, low in validity, and
biased against a number of groups. Selection interviews are
defined as a dialogue initiated by one or more persons to gather
information and evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for
employment. The utility of an interview can be increased by
the following suggestions:Interviews should be structured,
standardized, and focused on goals oriented to skills and
observable behaviors.Interviewers should plan to come out of
each interview with a quantitative rating on a small number of
dimensions that are observable (like interpersonal style or
ability to express oneself) and avoid ratings of abilities that
may be better measured by tests (like intelligence).Interviewers
should also have a structured note-taking system that will aid
recall when it comes to satisfying the ratings.
*
A situational interview is an interview procedure where
applicants are confronted with specific issues, questions, or

problems that are likely to arise on the job. They consist of
experience-based questions and future-oriented questions .
Some items are “experience-based” and require the applicant to
reveal an actual experience he or she had in the past when
confronting the situation. Other items are “future-oriented” and
ask what the person is likely to do when confronting a certain
hypothetical situation in the future.
*
they manage their résumé. Other selection methods such as
references, biographical data, and applications that gather
background information on candidate are, at best, weak
predictors of future job success. Typically, references are very
positive since only those who the applicants know will give
them a good reference are asked to do so. Many suits have been
filed against past employers’ revealing too much information
beyond job title and years of service. The biggest concern with
the use of biographical data is that applicants who supply the
information may be motivated to misrepresent
themselves.Criterion‑related validities tend to be quite strong,
although adverse impact on the disabled and women is highly
possible. For example, roughly two-thirds of all males score
higher than the highest-scoring female on muscular tension
tests.
*
Physical ability tests- tests of physical abilities may be relevant
not only to predicting performance but to predicting
occupational injuries and disabilities as well for many jobs that
require physical or psychomotor abilities.
Two Questions to Ask:Is physical ability essential to perform
the job?Is it mentioned prominently enough in the job
description?
Tests measure:muscular power and endurancecardiovascular
enduranceflexibilitybalancecoordination.
*
Cognitive ability has many different facets, although we will

focus only on three dominant ones:Verbal comprehension refers
to a person’s capacity to understand and use written and spoken
language.Quantitative ability concerns the speed and accuracy
at which one can solve arithmetic problems.Reasoning ability
refers to a person’s capacity to invent solutions to many diverse
problems.
*
There are five major dimensions of personality, known as “The
Big Five” are shown here. Next we’ll look at each of these with
a corresponding list of adjectives that fit each dimension.
*
*
“Emotional intelligence” is also important in team contexts and
has been used to describe people who are especially effective in
fluid and socially intensive contexts. Emotional intelligence is
traditionally conceived of as having five aspects: self-awareness
(knowledge of one’s strengths and weaknesses), self-regulation
(the ability to keep disruptive emotions in check), self-
motivation (how to motivate oneself and persevere in the face
of obstacles), empathy (the ability to sense and read emotions in
others), and social skills (the ability to manage the emotions of
other people).
Daniel Goleman noted that “in the new workplace, with its
emphasis on flexibility, teams and a strong customer
orientation, this crucial set of emotional competencies is
becoming increasingly essential for excellence in every job in
every part of the world.”
*
context to observe how the applicant performs in the simulated
job. The degree of fidelity in work samples can vary greatly.
Assessment center is a process in which multiple raters evaluate
employees’ performance on a number of exercises.
*
In 1990, the Office of Technology and Assessment released a

report on the validity of paper‑and‑pencil honesty tests. The
conclusion of the report was that existing research was
inconclusive to determine the effectiveness of the tests. Paper-
and-pencil honesty tests come in a number of different forms.
Some directly emphasize questions dealing with past theft
admissions or associations with people who stole from
employers. Other items are less direct and tap more basic traits
such as social conformity, conscientiousness, or emotional
stability.
Tests commonly gauge attitudes and perceptions about
professional behavior. The tests predict the level of risk of theft
for employees.
*
Drug‑use tests tend to be reliable and valid, particularly when
the “screening tests" are followed up with more expensive
“confirmation” test.
applying for the same job. Testing is likely to be more
defensible when there are safety hazards associated with the
failure to perform. Test results should be reported to the
applicant, who should have an avenue to appeal. Employers
considering the use of drug tests would be well advised to make
sure that their drug-testing programs conform to some general
rules.
The three major Controversies About Drug Tests are shown
here:
1. Is it an invasion of privacy?
2. Is it an unreasonable search and seizure?
3. Is it a violation of due process?
*
The lives of job applicants and the viability of organizations are
strongly affected by decisions regarding who is accepted and
rejected for positions. there is no need to use only one type of
test for any one job. These are some of the most important
decisions an organization is likely to make. There are numerous
alternatives for making such decisions, many of which have

been validated and supported by years of research, as
highlighted in this chapter. Five standards should conform:
reliability, validity, generalizability, utility and
legality.Managerial assessment centers use many different
forms of tests over a two or three day period to learn as much as
possible about candidates for important executive positions.
than for tests used in isolation.
*
Critical Thinking Assignment # 3 (Week 4, 25 points)
Hiring a Personal Banker
Directions: For this exercise, you are acting as a Retail Bank
Manager and are charged with the task of interviewing and
hiring an induvial for a part time Personal Banker position.
The bank has 12 branch offices and 250 employees.After
reading the assignment incorporate your answers to the
questions in a complete paper. You must include a cover page,
an abstract and a maximum of three pages of text.
Applicant Background
Anna has multiple sclerosis. Until 10 months ago she was able
to walk with the aid of a cane. Now she uses a wheel chair to
get about, but she can stand, unassisted for very short periods of
time. She has recent experience as a cashier in a local cafeteria,
which when out of business a few weeks ago. She worked part-
time at the cafeteria for six years and was highly regarded by
the manager and staff as a pleasant hardworking person. Anna
left when the establishment closed. Before that she worked as a
concierge in a local hotel for five years. She speaks English
and Spanish fluently. Her credit rating and work background
are impeccable and she has excellent references.
Anna answered the following advertisement in her local
newspaper for the position of Personal Banker with a large,
well-known bank in the Southeast:

Personal Banker (P/T)
The ideal candidate must be available to work a flexible
schedule. Good communication skills, positive customer
service attitude, and professional manner a must. Qualified
candidates must have 1-year recent cash handling and customer
service experience. Bilingual (English/Spanish) required. We
offer a pleasant working environment, competitive salary. Call
Monday after 9:00AM.
Anna called and, after answering a few basic questions about
her previous work experience, spoke with Dave, the branch
manager. He asked her some additional questions about money
handling. Dave asked her to come in for an interview.
Bank Background
This office is a one of 12 branch offices serving a community of
100,000 people. The manager likes to maintain a pool of five
Personal Banker. Dave attempts to schedule them around peak
times to best serve the customers. Competition is fierce with
five other banks to serve the community. High customer service
is a driving force in the organization. The manager prides
himself in leading the company in customer service. Personal
Bankers perform a variety of tasks at their stations and also
cover the drive-through window. The drive-through window is
two steps below the rest of the bank floor. Historically, the
manager has had difficulty finding qualified people who are
bilingual to fill this vacancy.
The Interview
Anna arrives for her appointment 15 minutes early. She is
eager to make a good impression and needs to get back into the
workforce. She has many ideas and thoughts about how to

perform the job.
Dave is under pressure to fill this position. He has not been
impressed with the previous applicants. He is impressed with
Anna’s resume and her references. Her work experience
appears to be more than adequate. Dave does not know that
Anna uses a wheelchair and has never interviewed a disabled
person. Dave’s secretary escorts Anna into Dave’s office.
Dave: So, you must be Anna. I’m Dave, the branch manager.
Come on in.
Anna: Thank you. I hope I’m not too early.
Dave: No, not at all. Let’s begin the interview, shall we? You
indicated on the phone that your previous job was that of a
cashier in the cafeteria, correct?
Anna: Yes, that’s right. I usually worked the peak shift from
8:00 am until 2:00 pm on my designated days. In addition, to
the usual register duties, such as keeping track of my cash
balance. I also was responsible for the writing and placement of
the daily specials menu boards, iced beverage stock count, and
the general care and cleanliness of the condiments/register area.
Dave: Tell me, Anna, how did you manage to work at a register
for six hours?
Anna: Well I usually took a break after the coffee break crowd
left but before the lunch crowd arrived.
Dave: That’s not exactly what I meant. I mean, well, let’s talk
about the job here as Personal Banker. All Personal Banker
here have to work their stations and share the drive-through
station. They don’t only sit or stand at their stations. They
also have to run signature cards and research items. When a

customer arrives at the drive-through, which is ever teller is
free first automatically moves to that station. During peak
times it gets pretty hectic behind the counter. It’s hard to
imagine your being able to keep up with all of this. We cannot
afford to slow the pace.
Anna: If you’re asking me how I would be able to perform
under the situation you described, I have some ideas about how
I can work both stations. I thought about this after we
scheduled the interview, and I think there are some practical
ways to work it out.
Dave: I’m glad that you thought about this ahead of time. That
is quite commendable. But, on to another demand of the job.
We are very proud of our customer service record. In fact, we
enjoy the best customer service reputation in the community.
We deliver quality work in a timely manner. We know that our
customers don’t want to waste time waiting in line. So we
strive to meet their needs. And we deliver what they have come
to expect, great customer service. That’s why we schedule for
peak times, even though the hours are somewhat irregular for
employees. How do you see yourself fitting into our
environment?
Anna: I understand the flexible schedule and don’t mind
working that way. In fact, after we spoke on the phone to set up
this interview, I spoke with a teller at my bank so as to
understand what you meant in the ad by a flexible schedule.
Also I don’t believe that there was ever a complaint about my
work or my not being able to keep up with the workflow when I
worked at the cafeteria. I am very quick with transactions and I
enjoy meeting the customers. I got to know most of the regulars
pretty well at the cafeteria.
Dave: Well, I think this about wraps up the questions that I
have. Is there anything else that I can answer for you before we

finish up?
Anna: Do you want to know about my ideas for doing the job?
Dave: I think that might be a bit premature. We can talk about
that if you are one of the finalists for the position. Anything
else?
Anna: No, I think I am about finished here. Thank you for the
appointment.
Dave: Certainly, we will let you know of our decision soon.
Good-bye.
Anna: Good-bye.
Dave is in a quandary. He realizes that Anna is qualified for
the position, but he does now know how to approach the issue
of her using a wheelchair. No other candidate to-date is as
experienced with both money handling and the language
requirement as she. The main office wants Dave to make a
decision within the next two days. The prospects for the
remaining interviews do not look promising. Dave decides to
interview everyone who has applied before making a decision.
Over the next two days Dave talks to two of his best friends
instead of the Bank’s Human Resource department. They are
professionals in their fields and are managers as well. Dave
still has not interviewed anyone as highly qualified as Anna, but
has reservations about hiring her. Dave’s friend Ben is in real
estate and owns a small firm. Ben advises Dave to follow his
gut feeling and not take the risk.
Carl, an insurance actuary, advises Dave to rethink the situation
and develop, alternatives for Anna since she is the most
qualified to perform the job. Carl’s main point is that the

adjustments to the work environment might not be costly and
the positive impact to customers could work to the bank’s
advantage.
Dave decides to hire another person, Nancy. Even though
Nancy does not speak Spanish fluently, Dave decides that she
can get by and, if necessary, use another Personal Banker to
handle intricate transactions in Spanish. Dave feels that he has
made the right decision and secretly hopes he does not lose
another Personal Banker in the near future.
Anna receives a letter of thanks from Dave who states that she
is not going to get the job. Anna feels that she did not get an
opportunity to explain her ideas about performing the job. She
wrestles with the thought of legal action. After a few days she
contacts an attorney to discuss the incident. The attorney
recommends that they file suit against the bank.
As you prepare your assessment consider the following
questions:
· Do Anna and her attorney have a case? If so, explain your
reasoning.
· If so, what is the basis for the discrimination?
· Could Anna perform the essential functions of the job?
· What could the bank do to accommodate Anna’s disability?
· Would you consider the accommodations reasonable?
· Would this accommodation for Anna create an undue hardship
on the bank?
· What is your assessment of her employment interview?
· What if anything did Dave do correctly?
· Could you defend Dave’s selection of Nancy for the teller
position?
· What are the legal implications of Dave’s actions?
Look at the facts of this case carefully. Think critically.

The questions above should be incorporated into your paper.
Do not present your paper as a series of questions and answers.

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