HRML3 Anna

Question 1

What is the primary goal of personnel selection?

Answer 1

• Achieve a high person–job fit
• Recognise measurable differences that predict future job performance = assumption

Which instruments complement personnel selection to ensure optimal employee fit?
- Training
- Socialisation
- Job design

Question 2

What are key criteria when choosing a selection method?

Answer 2

• Predictive validity (accuracy for future performance)
• Incremental validity (additional predictive value)
• Cost–benefit ratio
• Fairness and legal aspects
• Applicants’ reactions
• susceptibility to faking

Question 3

Define an assessment centre.

Answer 3

• Multi-Trait, Multi-Method approach
• Candidates observed in multiple exercises by multiple observers
• Emphasises observable behaviour

Question 4

What is a behaviour description interview (BDI)?

Answer 4

• Focus on past behaviour
• Premise: past performance predicts future performance
• Uses detailed examples from previous experience

Question 5

What is predictive validity in selection methods?

Answer 5

• Extent to which selection scores correlate with future job performance
• Measured by correlation coefficient (r from 0 to 1)
• Higher r indicates stronger predictive power

Question 6

Which selection methods typically show higher predictive validity?

Answer 6

• Structured interviews (r ≈ 0.42)
• Job knowledge tests (r ≈ 0.40)
• Work samples (r ≈ 0.33)

Question 7

How is artificial intelligence changing personnel selection?

Answer 7

• Screening (analysing CVs) and assessment (video interviews)
• Raises questions about objectivity, efficiency, and applicants’ reactions
• Ongoing research and legislative developments

Question 8

Personnel Selection as a Process

Answer 8

1. Planning HR needs
2. Recruiting
3. Selecting Employees
4. Hiring

Question 9

Planning HR Needs

Answer 9

• Both an organization’s need for people and the supply of possible people to hire need to be considered (Spector, 2012)
• The need for people is determined by fluctuation (e.g., a cohort of retiring employees) and strategic developments of a company (e.g., a new branch of
  a company in India)
• Organizations can take a selection approach (external recruiting) or a training approach (internal) to deal with changing HR needs

Question 10

Personnel Selection as a Process (Selecting Employees)

Name six criteria for choosing a method.

Answer 10

• There are many different methods to select employees
• Criteria for choosing a method:
  – Predictive validity ➔ Does the method help to predict future job performance?
  – Incremental validity ➔ Does adding another method add predictive value?
  – Ratio of costs and benefits
  – Susceptibility to faking
  – Legal aspects/fairness
  – Applicants’ reactions

Question 11

Personnel Selection as a Process 2 (Hiring)

Answer 11

• Employers and candidates must agree on a contract
• Realistic job previews are related to more favorable decisions and performance
• It is favorable for the company if the candidates who are not hired…
  – do not spread negative information about the organization
  – continue to recommend the company
  – continue to buy their products
  ➔ Highlights the importance of a fair and sound personnel selection procedure

Question 12

Which Personnel Selection Methods are common in Switzerland? in%

Answer 12

• Analysis of application documents 99.6
• Interviews 99.4
• Reference checks 89.1
• Personality test 32.0
• Assessment centers (AC) 26.3

• Work sample tests 23.5
• Records of criminal history 23.1
• Ability tests 18.6
• Graphology 15.8
• Biographical questionnaires 12.7

Question 13

List all 5 Selection Methods

Answer 13

1. Biographical information
2. Psychometric tests
3. Work samples
4. Assessment centers
5. Job interviews

Question 14

Biographical Information

(List examples)

Answer 14

• Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Academic transcripts of records
• References

Question 15

Psychometric Test

Name two tested categories and sub-categories.

Answer 15

• Cognitive abilities, e.g.,
  – Intelligence
  – Numerical reasoning
  – Spatial reasoning
  – Verbal reasoning
• Personality, e.g., “Big Five”
  – Openness to experience
  – Conscientiousness
  – Extraversion
  – Agreeableness
  – Neuroticism

Question 16

Psychometric Test
Should be…

Name five points.

Answer 16

• Standardized: administered under controlled conditions
• Reliable: minimize and quantify any intrinsic errors
• Objective: not affected by examiners’ beliefs or values
• Non-Discriminatory against any group based on gender, culture, ethnicity, etc.
• Predictive: produce accurate predictions of performance

Question 17

Work Sample advantage and disadvantage

What is it and what are advantages and disadvantages?

Answer 17

• = Applicants are asked to perform observable, job-related task under standardized conditions
• Advantages:
  – High predictability of future job performance
  – Good insight into future job for candidates
• Disadvantages:
  – Can be costly to administer
  – Not able to measure every task (time restrictions)
  – Challenging to apply when applicants are not experienced

Question 18

Assessment Center

Answer 18

• Multi-Trait, Multi-Method: Multiple candidates run through:
  – … multiple exercises, while being observed by
  – … multiple observers on
  – … multiple competencies
• Focus on observable behavior
• Goal: objectivity, validity
• Feedback and recommendation for each candidate
• Final decision usually taken by management
• e.g. group discussion, oral presentation, simulation, in-basket/in-tray

In an assessment center, an In-basket (or In-tray) exercise is a simulation where you’re given a stack of tasks — like emails, memos, reports, meeting requests — that you might find in a real “inbox” at work.

Question 19

Assessment Center – Pros and Cons

Answer 19

• Advantages:
  – Assessment of actual behavior (verbal and non-verbal)
  – Less prone to self-report bias by applicants (i.e., selective revealing or suppression of information)
• Disadvantages:
  – Selective perception, observation errors
  – Time-consuming and expensive

Question 20

Job Interviews

What are the two types and name sub-types.

Answer 20

• Unstructured vs. structured interviews
  – Structured interviews are a better predictor of work performance than unstructured interviews
• Structured interviews
  – Situational Interview
  – Behavior Description Interview

Question 21

Situational Interview (Latham et al., 1980)

Answer 21

• Questions based on job analysis (Critical Incident Technique)
• Interview questions based on identified critical incidents
• Focus is on stated intentions
• Assessment of how candidates would behave (if…then)

Question 22

Situational Interview – Pros and Cons

Answer 22

• Advantages:
  – Candidates do not need any experience
  – Incidents can be tailored to specific job needs
• Disadvantages:
  – Candidates with good verbal reasoning skills perform better
  – Applicants can identify appropriate answers, and use them even if they don’t align with their true intentions

Question 23

Behavior Description Interview (BDI)

Answer 23

• Focus on actual behavior (past accomplishments or failures)
• „The best predictor for the future is the past.“
• Collection of detailed behavior descriptions of actual events from candidates’ job experience

Question 24

Behavior Description Interview – Example

Answer 24

• Guiding question/request:
  – „Please tell us about one of your projects that you did not accomplish in time.“
• Follow-up questions:
  – „What difficulties did you face during the project?“
  – „How did you cope with these difficulties?“
  – „What did you do to prevent such difficulties
  in the future?“

Question 25

Behavior Description Interview – Evaluation

Answer 25

- Notes taken during interview are used to **assess each dimension** - It is important to **separate observations from evaluations** - **Each dimension** is **evaluated separately** after the interview - And can be **weighted according to relevance**

Question 26

Behavior Description Interview – Pros and Cons

Answer 26

- Advantages: -- Focus on **actual behavior rather than** just on **intentions** - Disadvantages: -- Candidates **need to have relevant experience**

Question 27

6. Validity of Selection Methods ## Footnote Explain what it is and name the five most valid methods.

Answer 27

- Which of the many selection methods is best to use? - Predictive validity = **extent** to which **methods predict future** job **performance** - Comparison of predictor score (score in selection method) and job performance score (e.g., 12 months later) - Correlation coefficient (r) between prediction score and job performance score -- Range of r: -1.0 to 1.0 (perfect prediction) -- Predictive validity in reality mostly between 0 and 0.5 - **Structured interview** (.42) - **Job knowledge test** (.40) - **Empirically keyed biodata** (.38) - **Work sample** (.33) - **General mental ability test** (.31) ## Footnote würi lösche: Assessment Centers (.29) Reference check* (.26) Conscientiousness test (.19) Unstructured interview (.19) Years of education* (.10) Years of job experience (.07) Graphology* (.02)

Question 28

7. Personnel Selection in Remote Settings

Answer 28

- Globalization allowed in the past years to bring personnel selection to an **international talent pool** - Transition to **working from home** requires virtual setting - **Adaptation** in personnel selection - **Remote** … -- … job **interviews**? -- … **assessment centers**? -- … **work samples** or **tests**?

Question 29

7. Personnel Selection and AI ## Footnote Name four examples of current use. Name three implications.

Answer 29

- Current use throughout whole process, examples: -- **Outreach**: Writing job ads -- **Screening**: Analyzing resumes, letters of motivation (beyond keywords) -- **Assessment**: Analyzing video interviews (voice, facial expressions) -- **Facilitation**: Communicating with applicants, providing information - Implications? -- **(Lack of)** **Objectivity**: Less or more biased? -- **Applicants’** & human **recruiters’** **reactions**: Good or bad? -- **(In)****Efficiency**: Reductions in time-to-hire or additional effort? ➔ Ongoing debates and developments in research, legislation & practice

Question 30

Critical Incident Technique ## Footnote Whats the main idea?

Answer 30

- Instead of asking people general questions (“Are you a good leader?”), - You ask them to **describe specific incidents** where **they or others did something very effective** — **or** very **ineffective** — related to the job.

Question 31

How are questions for a BDI developped?

Answer 31

- Based on **Critical Incident Technique** - **Incidents** are grouped into **5 to 10 dimensions** (e.g., leadership, conflict management, time management) - **Questions** developed **for each dimension**