Effective Recruitment and Selection Practices - Essay Example

UMАN RЕSОURСЕ МАNАGЕMЕNT - SЕLЕСTIОN РАСKАGЕ Name: Course Instructor’s name Institution Date INTRODUCTION Many different kinds of formal assessment are in existent that an institution can use to select employees. In selecting or developing a method of assessment for an assistant professor, it first needs to understand the requirements the job needs of the candidates to perform as well as the kind of knowledge, skills and abilities which must be possessed by individuals so as to perform the job effectively. This is achieved by conducting an analysis of the job. Job analysis based on KSA focuses on what an applicant for a given task ought to possess to in order to be effective for the job. First the task that the applicant (either assistant professor or associate assistant professor) need to be identified by the human resource department as well as identifying the selection method then identify the KSAs that are required to perform effectively those tasks (Compton, et al, 2009). KSA’s KSAs which may be required to do this tasks include capability of speaking clearly, eye contact and gestures for emphasis, the capability to keep a professional appearance and demeanor at all times, the capability of remaining calm and level- headed under stress, ability of critical thinking, ability to teach and also to learn at different situations, ability of cooperating with other individuals or departments and organizations. Information analysis of a job is applied as a means of establishing assessments. In particular assessments are done to quantify the most crucial KSAs that occur as a result of the analysis of the job. Such assessment will entail samples of work that arouse job responsibilities and necessitate the candidates to prove that they can effectively do the tasks. Therefore job orientated data on job analysis are employed as a basis for establishing these kind of assessment since they directly focus on assessing how best the candidates for the job can do critical job responsibilities. The other assessment methods focus on quantifying KSAs that are needed to perform the job responsibility effectively, they include mental abilities, personality traits, and physical abilities among other characteristics which are in line with the job requirements of an assistant or associate professor. In a nutshell, job analysis based on KSAs data is to be employed as a ground of developing methods of basement which concentrate their focus on the underlying capabilities of the candidates to carry out the significant tasks of their job. SELECTION PROCESS The selection of the assessment will entail the following steps. First step is to interview or observe experts of the job to establish the most crucial duties done on the job. Second entails interviewing job experts to establish a KSAs list which candidates ought to have in order to effectively do the job tasks. Step three will entail sufficient and wide survey of representative samples from job candidates or the respective supervisors by getting a rating for the KSAs and job tasks for which are critical most for job performance that is more effective (Shen and Edwards, 2004). The fourth step will involve analysis data from the survey so as to put priority on the tasks that are most crucial and KSAs for the given job. The fifth step is to develop or select assessments that quantify the most critical KSAs or tasks for the job. SELECTION TOOLS Personality tests Personality tests which assess the characteristics that are relevant to the performance of the given job. This have proved as a predictor that is effective of subsequent performance of job. In this method the most frequent assessed personality factors in job situations are consciousness, agreeableness, extraversion, emotion stability and openness to experience. Research shows out that consciousness is the most significant predictor of performance over many diverse jobs, even though some of the other factors of personality have indicated to be important performance predictors in particular kinds of jobs (Shen and Edwards, 2004). Inventories on personality contain many multiple choice items that quantify each factor of personality. Just like the knowledge test and cognitive ability, they are likewise administered in a computer format or paper and pen format. Structured interview This is the most obvious selection tool used in many institutions and they are mostly unstructured. The questions which the interviewee is to be asked are up to the interviewer to make decision and there are no standards that are agreed upon for evaluating the performance of the applicant in the course of the interview. However research shows that unstructured interviews particularly are not useful in predicting the performance of a job. On the other hand structured interviews entail a particular set of questions which are developed so as to assess the crucial KSAs which are needed for a job. The questions of structured interview may be designed to assess most of KSAs, however they are employed most frequently in assessing softer skills for instance interpersonal skills, leadership, organizing, communication skills, adaptability and planning and many others. A significant characteristic of a structured interview that is effective is that if offers a criteria of standardized rating to assist interviewers to decide the effectiveness and quality of the responses that are given the ones interviewed (Schweyer, 2010). To perform well the interviewer ought to be trained on how to properly give out the structured interview, invoke for extra information in addition to applying the criteria for rating systematically and properly in assessing the candidates for the job. (Refer appendix) Biographical data This is the biodata inventories, which ask the candidates for the job questions that cover their personal characteristics, background and interests. This has proved to be an effective job performance predictor. In this method past performance is taken as the best performance in determining the future performance. Hence biographical data questions focus in evaluating effectively the manner in which the candidates for the job performed in the previous job in the fields that are highly related or identical to that which they are expected to perform on the job in which they are being taken into account. They entail items of multiple choice which are given out through pencil and paper format or computer formats (Shen and Edwards, 2004). Accomplishment record is the other kind of inventory biodata. Through this kind of evaluation, the candidates will need to prepare an account that is written of their best performance accomplishments in central ability and skill areas which are useful for the job required. For instance organizing, planning, conflict resolution and customer service. In addition the candidate will need to provide the name of a person for example past supervisor, who can give details to ascertain the accomplishments. Assessors are trained to judge the achievements in a manner that is consistent by use of the criteria of standard rating. Evaluation based on this criteria has proved to be predictors that are effective for succeeding performance in the job. Tests on work sample They consist of work activities or responsibilities which reflect the responsibility that are expected to be performed by the candidates for the job to perform. The samples of work can be employed to quantify almost any responsibility in the job yet they are precisely developed to measure technical oriented responsibilities. Tests on work samples generally entail having the applicants of the job to perform the duties of interest whereas their performance is monitored and marked by evaluators that are trained. Likewise to tests on job knowledge, tests on work samples could only be employed in conditions where the candidates are required to have the knowledge of performance before getting into the job. This therefore implies that in the event that training is to be offered to after selection, it would be inappropriate to use the work samples. Tests on cognitive ability These evaluations measure a range of mental abilities for example verbal, reasoning ability, reading understanding, and mathematical ability. This has proved to be the very important predictors in the performance of a job and hence are frequently employed in making judgments for selection in different kinds of job (Schweyer, 2010). The overall score shows the level of the mental ability. Test on job knowledge These evaluation measure the crucial knowledge fields that are required to effectively perform a job. For this instance such tests are essential for in circumstances where the candidates ought to already possess a vast knowledge such as a professor before entry into a job. This criteria is not appropriate in the condition that a candidate need to be trained after being selected. EVALUATION The advantages of the this selection package are that it may result in a turnout that is lower especially if the selection of the applicants are based on traits which are highly linked with employees with a more prolonged existence in the institution. Also it can show out additional information concerning the interests and abilities of the applicant. In addition it can aid in identifying interpersonal traits which may be needed or useful for particular jobs. The interviewer can get additional information concerning the interviewee. It is important in determining whether the applicant has the required social or communicative skills which are significant for the job. It can also be used to appraise the verbal fluency of the candidate in addition to accessing the job knowledge of the applicant. In the event of applicants that are equally qualified it can be used in making decision on the most suitable candidate. It also assists the supervisor to establish whether compatibility there is compatibility amid the candidate and the staff members in the institution or other employees. It provides opportunity for the applicant to pose questions that might unearth extra information that will be significant in making a decision for selection (Compton, et al, 2009). Further the interview might be tailored in a manner as required so as to obtain significant information. The disadvantages include difficulty in measuring personality traits which might not be well outlined. Also the experience and trainings of the applicant might have a greater influence on the job compared to the personality of the applicant. Also the responses made by the applicant might be altered by the desire of the applicant to respond in a manner the feel may end in them being selected. In addition absence of diversity might result in the event that all the applicant possess the traits of personality. Further the cost may be a hindrance for both the test as well as results interpretation. Further the lack of evidence for supporting the viability of use of tests on tests of personality and subjective assessments may be made. Judgements be likely to be established within the interview’s first few minutes to make a justification or validation of the decision that was initially made. Also interviewers may form stereotypes regarding the traits that are need to succeed on the job. Research indicates disproportionate rates in the selection amid minority and majority members by use of interviews. In addition information that is negative tend to be regarded more. Further no much evidence of viability of the procedure of selection and also it is not reliable compared to the tests. Selection and use of effective evaluation procedures can greatly improve the productivity and quality of the workforce of an institution. It is unfortunate that many professionals in HR have fallacy over the worth of formal evaluation and the kind of evaluations which have shown to be effective. Through offering a basic comprehension of main assessment criteria and procedures for evaluating information related to assessment and expertise then a positive stride is taken towards better equipping the HR. References Compton, R.L., Morrissey, W.J., Nankervis, A.R. and Morrissey, B., 2009. Effective recruitment and selection practices. CCH Australia Limited. Schweyer, A., 2010. Talent management systems: Best practices in technology solutions for recruitment, retention and workforce planning. John Wiley & Sons. Shen, J. and Edwards, V., 2004. Recruitment and selection in Chinese MNEs. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 15(4-5), pp.814-835. Appendix Table of typical interview questions Excellent (5) V. good (4) Good (3) Average (2) Poor (1) Why do you want to work for this institution? Have you done this kind of work before? What kind of training or qualifications do you have? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Read More