The aim of selection is to gather information about each candidate and ultimately choose the best person for the job. Three examples of different selection methods are: shortlisting from application forms, interviews, and assessment centres.
An application form contains questions relating to personal experience, education, and references. This can be done either online or written by hand; it usually requires the same information as a CV, however the questions are written by the recruitment centre. According to the website, Prospects: ‘employers use application forms to assess your motivation and skills (and your spelling, grammar and punctuation), questions are designed to assess specific attributes, so applicants can be compared systematically’. An application form is used at the very first stages of selection. For example, when I applied to work for Waitrose, the very first thing I had to do was log onto their website and fill in an application form. This consisted of a lot of multiple-choice questions, as well as open questions. It was very time-consuming and I do not believe it was a valid way of testing whether I was right for the job. The limitations of an application form are that it cannot show a person’s personality and has poor predictive validity as it is impossible to tell how the candidate will act in a real work environment. However, it is very easy for the company as they are able to write a set of questions then use the computer to tell them which candidates are suitable, without having to manually read through the forms. It can also give them quantitative data, which can show them who is most suitable and who they should invite for an interview. I think an application form is suitable for a lower-skilled job, which has a lot of potential candidates. However, maybe not so suitable for a higher-skilled job like a manager.
An interview can be done one-to-one, or as a group; this helps the employers to see the candidates’ personality as they can ask further questions and sometimes may ask the candidate to do a presentation. However, there are some limitations to doing an interview as a method of selection; it is a very artificial environment, meaning that it is not possible to see how the candidate would act in the real work environment. It also puts the candidate under a lot of pressure, and can be a very scary experience, meaning their true personality will not be shown. It can also be very subjective and have poor predictive validity, meaning it is hard for the interviewer to find out what they really want to know (e.g. how well the candidate is suited to the job). An interview is usually conducted after an application form or a CV is handed in, the recruiters select the most suitable applicants then invite them for a job interview, which is more personal. Recently I filled out an application form online, and a few days later received an email inviting me to attend an interview.
An assessment centre usually happens over a whole day or a period of days; Pearson Educations definition of an assessment centre is: ‘a set of performance-simulation tests designed to evaluate a candidate’s managerial potential’. A group of candidates are brought together and assessed by a group of observers; tasks can either be set to be done individually or as a group. One benefit of an assessment centre is that a wide range of skills can be assessed; for example, a group exercise can assess team work and leadership skills, whereas an individual task can assess presentation and communication skills. Assessment centres can provide a more comprehensive overview of an individual’s strengths and limitations than any single selection method, they are standardised so everyone who takes part in the same exercise has the same opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities, they are more objective than an interview alone which can depend on just one person’s interpretation, they allow a candidate to show a range of abilities in a variety of situations, and feedback on performance may help you understand your own strengths and development needs. A limitation is that they are very time consuming and expensive, however, a quicker decision can be reached and shared by decision makers as they have a fuller overview of each candidate.
The only interview which I have taken part in was an interview for Waitrose; I had previously filled in an application form online and was invited along to a group interview at the branch. There were about 5 other candidates in the interview. First we were asked to think about something which we had achieved in the past 12 months and do a short presentation to the rest of the group; this was quite nerve-wracking but was good as it showed the recruiters our presentation and communication skills, and also told them a little bit about ourselves. We were then given a list of products to find in the store, this helped us to learn our way round the shop floor and showed the recruiters whether we preferred to work alone or as a team, as they did not specify how we should complete the task. This group interview was very informal, and quite short. I do not think it was very productive as the recruiters did not find out much about us and could not see how we would have worked in a real situation. I was then invited for a second interview which was one-on-one. This interview was a bit more successful as more questions were asked about how I would personally go about different tasks. This interview was also very informal, and more like a general chat than a job interview. I think the way they made the interview informal was a good thing as the candidates were less nervous, therefore showing their personality more.
To make this selection process more effective I would recommend they conduct role-play within the group interview. For example; the candidate could be asked a question about where a certain food is on the shop floor, and the candidate would have to react in the way which they think is correct. This would definitely benefit the selection process; for example, if the candidate turned round to the pretend customer and said “I don’t know”, instead of, “sorry I’m not actually sure but I’ll take you to another employee who can help”, then the recruiters would know that they are unsuitable for the job.
In conclusion I think there must be several stages in the selection process for it to be effective. There are benefits of having an application form as the first stages as it is easy and cheap for the company, and can quickly determine who is not suitable for the job at all. It may be a bit unfair to the candidates as their true personality cannot show, but I think it is a suitable process for lower-skilled jobs. I think a group interview or assessment centre is good for the second stage of the selection process as the recruiters can see a wider overview of each candidate; however I think a one-to-one personal interview also needs to be conducted in an informal manner. There also should be an element of role-play as this is the best way to see how a person would act in a real work environment.
References:
Dransfield, R. (2000) Human Resource Management. Oxford: Heinemann.
Koster, M. (2002) Human Resource Management: Classic selection methods and alternatives. Germany: Grin Verlag.
Pearson Education, student resources. Glossary. [online] Available from: http://wps.pearsoned.co.uk/ema_uk_he_robbins_orgbeuro_1/151/38825/9939244.cw/content/index.html [Accessed on: 14/03/12]
Prospects. Job Application Advice. [online] Available from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/job_applications_your_application.htm [Accessed on 14/03/12]
