Selection pt II

Question 1

What does the selection process assume?

Answer 1

That the performance today will be shown if the person is hired in the future. Assumes selection methods and the questions asked have content and predictive validity.

Question 2

What are Armstrong (2012)’s Interview Skills?

Answer 2

1) Establish rapport
2) Questioning and listening - over preparation is bad
3) Maintaining continuity
4) Keeping control
5) Observing body language - avoid looking down, fiddling
6) Keeping accurate records

Question 3

What types of questions might an interviewer ask?

Answer 3

Directive: closed, direct response

Non directive: open ended Qs

Situational: hypothetical scenarios, often one you might never have been in to see how you deal with pressure

Behavioural (competency-based): past behaviour examples, previous experience Qs

Question 4

What are probes in terms of questioning and listening skills (Armstrong, 2012)?

Answer 4

Asking additional questions to follow up the answers and understand better

Question 5

Why is keeping accurate records important according to Armstrong (2012)?

Answer 5

Interviewees can take subtle notes of key info in order to make the best decision. Can take immediately after rather than during.

Interviewers legally responsible to show how they made their decision so they have to take notes. They need to compare candidates so don’t want to forget candidates.

Question 6

What are structured interviews?

Answer 6

• Ask same questions to each candidate
• Criteria is the same
• Order is the same
• How you evaluate is the same
• Bias is minimised, has the most predictive validity

Question 7

What are the problems of structured interviews?

Answer 7

• Can’t probe
• Managers don’t like it as they lack control and cannot follow up questions
• Managers think that they know the best about the job and should be given a chance to get to know the candidate best
• Difficult to prepare it

Question 8

According to CIPD report, what are the important factors in selection?

Answer 8

• Promptness
• Sincerity
• Accurate CVs
• Good communication
• Responding promptly
• Realistic salary expections

Question 9

How is impression management used in interviews?

Answer 9

Presenting yourself in the most desirable way, may be seen as arrogant and insincere but research shows that promoting yourself works very well.

Question 10

How should people answer general attitude questions?

Answer 10

PIE

• Positive
• Interested
• Engaged

You have to be energetic, can’t seem bored, attitude very important. Stress interviews might be created to see if you can stay positive.

Question 11

How should people answer behavioural questions?

Answer 11

STAR

• Situation
• Task
• Action
• Result

Question 12

What is the expectancy effect as a criticism of interview preparation?

Answer 12

Expecting you to be good if you are from UoB for example, seeing a strong CV - high degree and expecting them to be smart. May judge them more harshly if expecting a lot from them.

Question 13

What is primacy as a criticism of interview preparation?

Answer 13

Preparation and initial impression effects lead to quick decisions during the interview and the actual interview becomes a confirmatory exercise. First and last info sticks in people’s mind.

Question 14

What are the criticisms of the duration of an interview?

Answer 14

• 30 second assessment, stereotyping, halo and horns effect
• Physical appearance influences interviewers
• Non verbal cues influence interviewers
• Similarity effects also bias judgements

Question 15

What are other general criticisms of traditional interviews?

Answer 15

More weight given to negative information. Interviewers suffer information overload and poor recall. Low reliability among interviewers.

Question 16

What are the common interviewer mistakes?

Answer 16

Preferences - our own habits, previous experiences
Perceptual baises
Decision making baises

Question 17

What are perceptual baises?

Answer 17

• Similarity: people like candidates that are similar to them
• Stereotyping
• Halo and horns effect: seeing one positive/negative characteristic and letting it overshadow the whole interview
• 30 second assessment: judgement made in first 30 seconds and this impression sticks in their mind

Question 18

What is contrast as a decision making bias?

Answer 18

Comparing candidates - it matters how you order them as may forget the first candidate and compare them to the last candidate that sticks in their mind

Question 19

What is reciprocation as a decision making bias?

Answer 19

Mostly happens in panel interviews, you like one person on a panel and everyone likes someone else and because another panel member backed your decision before, you reciprocate this and back their decision

Question 20

What is commitment and consistency as a decision making bias?

Answer 20

All previous decisions were effective so regardless of interview performance, a person can be hired anyway. People like to make consistent decisions because we believe our past decisions were good decisions.

Question 21

What is social proof as a decision making bias?

Answer 21

It happens a lot in panels, everyone on a panel wants a candidate except one person but the final person will just agree as there is “proof” because everyone else is supporting that person (groupthink)

Question 22

What is liking as a decision making bias?

Answer 22

Picking someone just because you like them, similar to similarity

Question 23

What is authority as a decision making bias?

Answer 23

CEO on panel interview: all subordinates crush to them, not sharing information, everybody goes with authority decision

Question 24

What is scarcity as a decision making bias?

Answer 24

A candidate having two job offers already and assuming they are more valuable because two other organisations decided that that candidate was good

Question 25

How can biases be minimised?

Answer 25

• Gather sufficient information - different methods to get richer info
• Structure the interview
• More than one interviewer, have variety on the panel
• Train the interviewer
• Allow sufficient time for interviews and questions, should aim to give enough information as well as get information

Question 26

How does the HR model fit into selection?

Answer 26

FIT + PC –> JS, WE, Org Commit –> Intentions to quit –> Absenteeism + Job performance –> org performance

Question 27

What are the negative impacts of a bad hire?

Answer 27

39% lost worker productivity
39% lost time to recruit and train replacement worker
33% negative impact on morale
19% impact on client solutions
11% lost sales to customers
9% legal proceedings

Question 28

What should interviewees do if they didn’t get the job?

Answer 28

Look at CV again
Ask for feedback
Self reflect on interview skills
Think about whether the job is right: get work experience