CHAPTER 4.

EMPLOYEE SELECTION: RECRUITING AND Recruiters:

INTERVIEWING  Campus Recruiters - Companies send recruiters to
colleges to answer questions and interview students
Employee Recruitment: for job openings.
● Recruitment - The process of attracting employees  Virtual Job Fair - A job fair held on campus where
involves selecting individuals with the appropriate students can explore companies, ask recruiters
qualifications based on a job analysis. questions, and send their résumés electronically.
● External Recruitment - The process of hiring  Outside Recruiters - Many companies (over 75%)
employees from outside the organization, rather than use outside sources like private agencies, public
promoting existing staff, is a strategy that attracts agencies, and executive search firms to find
fresh talent, ideas, and diverse perspectives. employees.
● Internal Recruitment - Recruiting existing employees  Executive Search Firms - Also called "headhunters,"
within an organization helps retain experienced staff, these agencies specialize in helping companies find
boosts employee morale, and reduces hiring costs candidates for high-paying jobs.
and training time.  Outside Recruiters - Many companies (over 75%)
Internal promotions: use outside sources like private agencies, public
● Noncompetitive Promotions - Career progression agencies, and executive search firms to find
positions involve employees moving from a position, employees.
such as a faculty promotion from Assistant Professor
to Associate Professor and finally to Professor Employment Agencies and Search Firms:
● Competitive Promotions - Competitive promotions  Employment Agency - A company that helps people
involve multiple internal and external applicants find jobs and helps employers find workers.
competing for a limited number of higher positions  Executive Search Firms - Also called "headhunters,"
(i.e. 20 Walmart employees are competing for an they focus on finding candidates for high-level, high-
assistant manager position.) paying positions and work differently from regular
Media Advertisements: employment agencies.
● Newspaper Ads - Print ads in local or national  Public Employment Agency - A state or local
newspapers or professional journals are government-run service that matches job seekers with
a declining method for recruiting employees available job openings.
● Respond by calling - Recruitment ads in which  Employee Referrals - A recruitment method where
applicants are instructed to call rather than to apply in current employees recommend friends or family
person or send résumés. members for job openings.
● Apply-in-person ads - Recruitment ads that instruct  Direct Mail- A recruitment method where companies
applicants to apply in person rather send mass mailings to many
than to call or send résumés.  potential applicants through the mail.
● Send-résumé ads - Recruitment ads instruct
applicants to send their resumes to the company Internet:
instead of calling or applying in person.  Internet - A fast-growing method for recruiting job
● Blind Box - Recruitment ads that instruct applicants applicants using websites.
to send their résumé to a box at the newspaper;  Employer - Based Websites - Company websites
neither the name nor the address of the company is where an organization lists available jobs and the
provided. minimum requirements needed to apply to a particular
 Point-of-Purchase Methods - The point-of-purchase job posted.
recruitment method uses advertising principles similar  Job Boards - Websites run by private companies that
to point-of-purchase for job vacancy postings in list job openings from many employers and collect
visible ocations like store windows, bulletin boards, résumés from applicants.
restaurant placemats, and truck sides.  Social media - Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook,
 Labor Turn over - The labor turnover rate in an and Twitter are now important tools for job
organization is calculated by dividing the average recruitment, helping job seekers and recruiters
number of employees by the number of employees connect and network easily.
leaving in a year. (NAA PAY ISULAT TAN-AWA SA  Job Fairs - A recruitment event available at one
PPT) location, allowing applicants to meet and learn about
Steps in Selecting Employees: different job opportunities all at once.
1. Job Analysis - The company defines the job
responsibilities, qualifications, and skills required. Special Recruit Populations:
2. Selection of Testing Methods- The employer selects Increasing Applicant Diversity - Organizations work to attract
the tests to evaluate candidates' abilities, skills, or more women and minority applicants by recruiting at
personality. historically black colleges (HBCs), offering special internships,
3. Test Validation - The company ensures that the tests using diverse recruiters, adding affirmative -action statements,
accurately measure the necessary skills or traits for and showing diversity in their recruitment materials.
the job. Non-traditional Populations - When usual recruitment
4. Recruitment - The company advertises the job methods don't work, companies
opening to attract potential applicants. look for candidates from nontraditional groups to fill job
5. Screening - The employer checks resumes and openings.
applications to remove candidates who are not Recruiting "Passive" Applicants - Besides active job
qualified. seekers, companies also try to attract high-performing
6. Testing - Shortlisted candidates are given tests to employees who aren’t currently looking for new jobs, making
measure their skills and abilities. them harder to find.
7. Selecting - The company reviews test results,
interview performance, and background checks to Evaluating the Effectiveness of Recruitment Strategies:
choose the best candidate.  Cost per Applicant - The total money spent on a
8. Hiring/Rejecting - The company either offers the job recruitment campaign, divided by the number of
to the chosen applicant or informs others that they people who apply for jobs because of that campaign.
were not selected.  Cost per Qualified Applicant - the total money spent
on a recruitment campaign, divided by the number of
qualified candidates who apply for jobs as a result of
the campaign.
  Realistic Job Previews (RJP) - A recruitment 1. Higher Validity - They are more accurate in
method where job applicants are given a balanced predicting job performance, even over the phone.
view of the job, including both its positive and 2. Legally Safer - They are based on job analysis,
negative aspects. This helps set realistic expectations making them defensible in court and less likely to face
about the job. legal challenges.
 Expectation-Lowering Procedure (ELP) - A specific 3. Lower Bias - They reduce discrimination based on
type of RJP where an applicant's expectations are race or gender.
intentionally lowered to prevent disappointment after 4. Fairer Evaluation - Focus on job-related skills,
starting the job. This is done by sharing less knowledge, and abilities, rather than just intelligence
favorable aspects of the job to ensure the candidate or education.
knows what to expect. 5. Consistent Results - Since all candidates are asked
 Effective Employee Selection Techniques - Once the same questions, evaluations are fairer and more
an organization successfully attracts many applicants, equal.
they need to use good selection techniques to choose
the best candidate. A strong selection process has Problems with Unstructured Interviews:
three important qualities: 1. Poor Intuitive Ability: Interviewers may rely on gut
feelings, which are often wrong.
1. Validity - The tests or methods used should be valid. 2. Lack of Job Relatedness: Many unstructured
This means: questions don’t relate to the job. Poor indicators for
 Content Validity - The test should be based on future success.
the actual tasks and responsibilities of the job. 3. Primacy Effect: First impressions can lead to
 Criterion Validity: The test should be able to incorrect judgments.
predict how well an applicant will perform on the 4. Contrast Effect: Comparing candidates to each other
job. can result in unfair judgments.
 Construct Validity: The test should measure 5. Negative-Information Bias: Interviewers may focus
what it’s intended to measure (e.g., skills, too much on one negative point rather than the
knowledge, or abilities). applicant’s strengths.
2. Legally Safe - The selection methods should comply 6. Interviewer-Interviewee Similarity: Interviewers may
with laws to avoid discrimination and respect the favor candidates similar to themselves.
privacy of the applicants. The tests should be directly 7. Appearance Bias: Candidates with better
related to the job to prevent bias. appearances may be rated higher, despite lacking the
3. Cost-Effective - The selection process should be right skills.
affordable. It should be reasonable to create, conduct, 8. Nonverbal Cues: Body language or tone may
and assess, considering the organization’s budget. influence decisions, even if they don’t reflect job skills.
4. Employment Interview - An interview method where
the interviewer asks questions to the applicant and Creating a Structured Interview:
makes a hiring decision based on both the answers Determining KSAOs in an Interview:
given and how the applicant responds to the 1. Knowledge: The facts and information required for
questions. the job. In interviews, this is tested by asking job-
related questions.
Types of Interviews by Structure: 2. Skills: The abilities gained through practice or
1. Structured Interview: training. In interviews, skills are tested by asking how
 Questions are based on a job analysis. applicants use their abilities.
 Every applicant is asked the same questions. 3. Abilities: Natural talents or capabilities to perform
 There’s a standardized scoring system to evaluate tasks. These are measured through situational or
answers. behavioral questions.
2. Unstructured Interview:
 Applicants are not asked the same questions. 4. Other Characteristics: Personal traits, attitudes, or
 No standard scoring system is used to evaluate values that affect job performance. These are
answers. assessed through behavioral questions.

Types of Interviews by Style:

1. One-on-One Interview - One interviewer talks to one Types of Questions:
applicant. • Clarifier: Clears up information on the résumé.
2. Serial Interview - The applicant goes through a • Disqualifier: A question where a wrong answer
series of individual interviews with different people disqualifies the applicant.
• Skill-Level Determiner: Measures the applicant’s
(e.g., HR manager, supervisor, etc.)
knowledge or skill.
3. Return Interview - Similar to a serial interview, but • Future-Focused Question: given a situation and
there’s a time gap between interviews (e.g., HR asks how applicants would handle they handle it.
manager first, then a week later, the vice president). • Situational Question: presented with a
4. Panel Interview - Several interviewers question and series of situations and asked how they
evaluate one applicant at the same time. would handle each one.
5. Group Interview - Multiple applicants are interviewed • Past-Focused Question: Focuses on the
applicant’s previous experiences.
together and answer questions in the same session.
• Patterned-Behavior Description Interview
(PBDI): Focuses on past behavior in jobs.
Types of Interviews by Medium: • Organizational-Fit Questions: Assesses
1. Face-to-Face Interview - Both the interviewer and how well an applicant fits with the company
applicant meet in the same room. Allows them to use culture.
visual and vocal cues to evaluate others.
2. Telephone Interview - Conducted over the phone,
typically for screening, and lacks visual cues.
3. Videoconference Interview - Done remotely using
video calls, allowing both to see and hear each other.
4. Written Interview - The applicant answers questions in Creating a Scoring Key for Interview Answers:
writing and sends them back via mail or email. 1. Right/Wrong Approach: Some questions are scored
based on whether the answer is correct or incorrect.
Advantages of Structured Interviews:
 2. Typical-answer Approach: Answers are compared Signature
to ideal, expert-approved answers to determine how • Use respectful closings like “Sincerely” or “Cordially.”
close the applicant’s response is. • Avoid casual closings like "Love" or "Peace."
3. Benchmark Answers: These are the standard • Sign your letter, and type your name, address, and
answers that job experts agree are the best phone number below.
responses to specific questions. Gege Beall’s Cover Letter Tips:
4. Key-issues Approach: Points are given for each part • Avoid sounding desperate or begging for the job.
of an answer that matches the key criteria or • Proofread for grammar and spelling mistakes.
important issues in the scoring guide. • Use simple and professional language.
Wriiing a Résumé
Conducting the Structured Interview:  Résumé - A formal summary of an applicant's
1. Build Rapport: Begin by making the applicant feel professional and educational background.
comfortable to reduce nervousness and create a  Views of Résumés
positive atmosphere  Life History: Lists all previous jobs, including
2. Explain the Process: Clearly explain the interview personal details like hobbies, marital status, and
process so the applicant knows what to expect. health. It tends to be lengthy.
3. Ask the Interview Questions: One person asks all  Skills Advertisement (Preferred): Focuses on skills
the questions, or in a panel interview, each member and experience relevant to the job. Shorter and more
asks specific questions. concise. Highlights only positive and job-related
4. Provide Job Information: Share details about salary, information.
benefits, promotion opportunities, and job
responsibilities. Characteristics of an Effective Résumé:
5. Invite Applicant Questions: Allow the applicant to 1. It should look attractive and be easy to read.
ask any questions or add anything they feel is 2. It must be free from typing, spelling, grammar, and
important. factual errors.
6. End on a Positive Note: Thank the applicant, 3. It should show the applicant’s qualifications honestly,
mention when to expect feedback, and close the without lying.
interview warmly. 4. Types of Résumés:
7. Calculate the Interview Score: Sum up the scores • Chronological Résumé: Lists of jobs from the most
from the interview questions to get the final interview recent to the oldest.
score. • Functional Résumé: Groups jobs by skill or
function instead of by date.
Job Search Skills • Psychological Résumé: Organizes information to
Types of Interviews leave a stronger, more positive impression based on
Successfully Surviving the Interview Process: how people remember things.

1. Scheduling the Interview: CHAPTER 5 " EMPLOYEE SELECTION: REFERENCES

• Be flexible and professional when arranging the AND TESTING "
interview.
• Double-check the interview details (date, time, Predicting Performance Using References and Letters of
location). Recommendation
• Always be on time.
2. Before the Interview: Reference check - The process of confirming the accuracy of
• Dress professionally (blouse or collared shirt resume and job application.
with slacks/skirt).
• Keep your hair neat and avoid extreme colors. Reference - the expression of an opinion, either orally or
• Research the company’s history, values, and through a written checklist, regarding an applicant's ability,
news. previous performance, work habits, character or potential for
3. During the Interview: future success.
• Greet with a smile and firm handshake.
• Make eye contact and show confidence. Letter of Recommendation - a letter expressing an opinion
• Be polite and well-prepared. regarding an applicant' s ability, previous performance, work
4. After the Interview: habits, character, or potential for success.
• Thank the interviewer for their time and
express gratitude. Confirming Details on a Resume
• Reflect on your performance and identify
areas for improvement. Resume Fraud - the intentional placement of untrue
information on a Resume.
Writing Cover Letters: Checking for Discipline Problems – Negligent Hiring - A
• Cover Letter: A letter that goes with your résumé to situation in which an employee with a previous criminal records
apply for a job. It should be no longer than one page. commits a crime as part of his/her employment.
• Salutation - If you know the recipient's name, use Discovering New Information About the Applicant - helps
"Dear Mr./Ms. [Last Name]." If you don’t know their employers understand word habits, personality, and skills
name, use "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear Human issues with references maybe biased or inaccurate online
Resources Director." searches (google, social media) are increasingly used for
Paragraphs: additional screening. ex: 70 % of organizations eliminated
1. Opening Paragraph: Mention your résumé is candidates due to negative online presence.
enclosed, state the job you're applying for, and how Validity coefficient - the correlation between scores on a
you found out about the position. selection method (e.g., interview, cognitive ability test) and a
2. Second Paragraph: Highlight your qualifications and measure of a job performance (e.g., supervisor rating,
why you’re a good fit (give about three reasons, don’t absenteeism)
just repeat your résumé). Corrected Validity - a term usually found with meta-
3. Third Paragraph: Explain why you're interested in analysis, referring to a correlation coefficient that has
the specific company. been corrected for predictor and criterion reliability
4. Closing Paragraph: Thank them, mention the best and for range restriction. Corrected Validity is
times to contact you, and express your interest in sometimes called true validity.
further discussion.
 Negligent Reference - An organization's failure to LEADERLESS GROUP DISCUSSION - applicants meet in
meet its legal duty to supply relevant information to a small groups and are given a job-related problem to solve or a
prospective employer about a former employee' s job-related issue to discuss.
potential for legal trouble. STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS - a type of job interviews where
Knowledge of the Applicant - reference writers may every candidate is asked the exact same set of questions, in
not know the applicant well. For example, a university the same order, and is scored using a standard rating system.
professor in Manila might be asked to write a PERSONALITY AND ABILITY TEST - used to measure who
recommendation for a student they barely interacted you are (your personality) and what you can do (your abilities).
with, leading to generic or inaccurate assessments. They help employers understand how well someone might fit
Reliability - the extent to which is a score from a test into a job or a team.
or from an evaluation is consistent and free from Business games - are exercises that allow the applicant to
error. demonstrate. Such attributes as creativity, decision making,
Extraneous factors - factors unrelated to an and ability to work with others.
applicant’s actual abilities, such as letter length and Evaluation of Assessment Centers - Research indicates that
specific wording, can influence how recommendations assessment centers have been successful in predicting a wide
are perceived. In a Filipino culture, flowery language range of employee behavior.
and indirect communication are common, which may
affect the clarity and accuracy of reference letters. Predicting Performance Using Applicant Skill
Ethical Issues- because providing references and Experience Ratings - basis for experience ratings is
letters of recommendation is a rather subjective the idea that past experience will predict future
process, several ethical problems can arise involving experience.
their use. Raynes (2005) lists 3 ethical guidelines that Biodata - is a selection method that considers an
reference providers should follow: applicant’s life,
1st: explicitly state your relationship with the school, military, community, and work experience.
person you are recommending
2nd: be honest in providing details. Predicting Performance Using Prior Experience
Finally: let the applicant see your reference 1. Gathering employee information: File Approach:
before sending it. Using personnel records (e.g.,past work experience,
education, performance reviews).
Predicting Performance Using applicant knowledge Questionnaire Approach: Administering a survey to
Job knowledge test - A test that measures the amount of job current employees and applicants.
related knowledge an applicant possesses. 2. Choosing an appropriate criterion: The chosen
criterion should be relevant, reliable, and objective
Predicting Performance Using Applicant Ability (e.g., absenteeism, tenure, supervisor ratings).
Cognitive Ability - abilities involving the knowledge and use of 3. Comparing employee data to criterion groups:
information such as math and grammar. Employees are divided into groups based on the
● Cognitive ability test - tests are designed to chosen criterion (e.g., long vs. short tenure).
measure the level of intelligence or the amount of Vertical percentage method
knowledge possessed by an applicant. For scoring biodata in which the percentage of
 Wonderlic Personnel test - the cognitive ability unsuccessful employees responding in a particular
test that is most commonly used in industry. way is subtracted from the percentage of successful
● Perceptual Ability - measures of facility with such employees responding in the same way.
processes as spatial relations and form perception. A biodata instrument is developed through the following steps:
● Psychomotor ability - includes finger dexterity, 4. Assigning weights to biodata items: Weights are
manual dexterity, control precision, multimember assigned based on how well each item differentiates
coordination, response control, reaction time, arm good from poor performers.
hand steadiness, wrist finger speed, and speed of 5. Validating the biodata instrument: Ensuring that the
limb movement. biodata scores correlate with the chosen performance
● Physical ability tests - are often used for jobs that criterion.
require physical strength and stamina, such as
police officer, firefighter, and lifeguard. Problems with creating the instrument
To create a reliable and valid biodata instrument, it is desirable
Passing scores - passing scores for physical ability tests are to have data from hundreds of employees.
set based on one of two types of standards: relative or Derivation sample - A group of employees who were used in
absolute. creating the initial weights for a biodata instrument.\
Relative standards - indicate how well an individual scores Hold-out sample - A group of employees who are not used in
compared with others in a group such as women, police creating the initial weights for a biodata instrument but instead
application, or current police offices. are used to double-check the accuracy of the initial weights.
Predicting Performance Using Personality, Interest and
In contrast, absolute passing scores are set at the minimum Character.
level needed to perform a job. a. Tests of Normal Personality - measure traits exhibited in
everyday life, such as extraversion, assertiveness, and
Predicting Performance Using applicant skill friendliness. They are categorized based on their design:
Work sample - with a work sample, the applicant performs ● Theory-based tests: Derived from a theorist’s
actual job related tasks. framework (e.g., Myers-Briggs Type Indicator based
Assessment Center - A method of selecting employee in on Carl Jung; Edwards Personal Preference Schedule
which applicants participate in several job related activities, based on Henry Murray).
at least one of which must be a simulation, and are rated by ● Statistically-based tests: Created using factor
several trained evaluators. analysis (e.g., 16PF by Raymond Cattell).
In basket technique - an assessment center exercise ● Empirically-based tests: Developed by grouping
designed to simulate the types of information that daily answers of individuals with known traits (e.g., MMPI-
come across a Managers or employees desk in order to 2).
observe the applicant’s responses to such information.
Simulation - an exercise designed to place an applicant in
a situation that is similar to the one that will be encountered on Big Five Personality Traits:
the job.
 1. Openness to Experience – Curious, creative (e.g., ● Credit History - According to a survey by the Society
Filipino artists and designers excelling in innovation, for Human Resource Management, 47% of employers
such as Kenneth Cobonpue in furniture design). conduct credit checks for at least some jobs.
2. Conscientiousness – Reliable, disciplined (e.g., Call ● Graphology- an interesting method to select
center agents needing strict adherence to protocols employees is handwriting analysis, or graphology
and time management).
3. Extraversion – Sociable, energetic (e.g., Sales Predicting Performance Limitations Due to Medical and
professionals in the Philippines who engage Psychological Problems
customers in malls and bazaars). ● Drug testing - is one of the most controversial testing
4. Agreeableness – Cooperative, kind (e.g., Filipino methods HR professionals use.
nurses known worldwide for their compassion and ● Psychological Exams - In jobs involving public
teamwork). safety (e.g., law enforcement, nuclear power,
5. Emotional Stability – Calm, resilient (e.g., Filipino transportation).
OFWs who work under pressure in foreign ● Medical Exams - In jobs requiring physical exertion,
environments). many employers require that a medical exam be
taken after a conditional offer of hire has been made.
b. Tests of psychopathology
(abnormal behavior) determine whether individuals have Rejecting Applicants
serious psychological problems such as depression, bipolar Rejection letter - A letter from an organization to an applicant
disorder, and schizophrenia. informing the applicant that he or she will not receive a job
 Objective Tests: Have structured responses offer.
(e.g., MMPI-2, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory ● A personally addressed and signed letter
(MCMI-III), Personality Assessment Inventory ● The company’s appreciation to the applicant for
(PAI)). applying for a position with the company
 Projective Tests: Require open-ended ● A compliment about the applicant’s qualifications
responses, such as the Rorschach Inkblot Test ● A comment about the high qualifications possessed
and Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). by the other applicants
● Information about the individual who was actually
hired. A wish of good luck in future endeavors
The Dark Triad refers to Machiavellianism, narcissism, and ● A promise to keep the applicant’s résumé on file
psychopathy. Employees with these traits tend to be
manipulative, self-centered, andunempathetic.

Faking in Personality Inventories - personality tests can be

faked, research shows that applicants rarely do so to a degree
that affects test validity. Asking about work personality rather
than general personality improves the accuracy of these tests.
Projective tests - provide the respondent with unstructured
tasks such as describing inkblots and drawing pictures.
Rorschach Inkblot Test - A projective personality test.
Thematic Apperception Test(T.A.T) - a projective personality
test in which test-takers are shown pictures and asked to tell
stories. It is designed to measure various need levels.
Interest inventory - A psychological test designed to identify
vocational areas in which an individual might be interested.
Integrity tests - (also called honesty tests) tell an employer
the probability that an applicant would steal money or
merchandise.
Types of Integrity Tests:
● Overt Integrity Test - A type of honesty test that asks
questions about applicants’ attitudes toward theft and
their previous theft history.
● Personality-Based Integrity Test: A type of honesty
test that measures personality traits thought to be
related to antisocial behavior.

Integrity tests
● Polygraph - electronic test intended to determine
honesty by measuring an individual’s physiological
changes after being asked questions (illegal for gen
● Voice stress analyzer - electronic test to determine
honesty by measuring an individual’s voice changes
after being asked questions.
● Overt integrity tests - are based on the premise that
a person’s attitudes about theft as well as his previous
theft behavior will accurately predict his future
honesty.
● Shrinkage- The amount of goods lost by an
organization
● as a result of theft, breakage, or other loss.
● Personality-based integrity tests - are more general
in that they tap a variety of personality traits
● Conditional reasoning Test - are designed to
reduce faking by asking test-takers to select the
reason that best explains a statement.