BUS303 Week 2 Discussion 1 Employee Selection Methods

Selection is a critical function in any organization and involves complete synergy between the hiring department, HR and executive management. Selection seeks to get the right employee through the door of the organization. However, selection is not exactly as straightforward since an ideal employee would have to have particular KSAOs that perfectly align with all requirements of the job. For an employee with pre-hire experience, the evidence doesn’t support the idea that applicants with more experience will be better or longer-tenured employees than those with less. (Van Iddekinge,2019)

Owing to this expectation gap, selection has to be seen as the process through which an organization gets an employee who meets a particular minimum KSAOs that would allow that employee effectively carry out the critical roles of the job. Selection culminates in a pool from which the most suitable employee to the job as well as the organizational culture is chosen and creates a balance between job-person-organization. The downside of this position is that the organization’s cost for hiring skyrockets due to all the additional work that has to be done so as to settle on an employee.

Selection as a process includes activities such as sourcing, screening and interviewing. Organizations make use of a single, or a combination of different tools and techniques for each activity. Selection methods such as testing and interviewing can be compared and contrasted as follows:

Comparisons

Both interviews and testing can be standardized to all potential employees and also allows those interacting with the potential employees to focus on key areas critical to the job and organization.

Contrasts

Testing can not be used comprehensively as single technique to arrive at an employee since it focuses quite narrowly and specifically on the subject under examination but on the other hand, interviews can be broader and more fluid to allow the organization to get information on a number of focus areas and that information that can be expounded on if need be.

It is important to note that the employee’s first interaction with the organization happens during the selection process. Throughout the selection process, the potential employee is creating a perception as to the organization-values and objectives are insinuated. It is important that organizations align their objectives with their selection process so that as soon as the employee is brought into the organization, then the values resonate and they can assimilate faster into the organization’s culture.

Van Iddekinge, Chad & Arnold, John & Frieder, Rachel & Roth, Philip. (2019). A meta‐analysis of the criterion‐related validity of pre‐hire work experience. Personnel Psychology. 10.1111/peps.12335.

Youssef, C. (2015). Human resource management (2nd ed.). Retrieved from https://ashford.content.edu