Team selection techniques

The project team is a group of several people called to work together on a project. Typically, it consists of experts from different fields. Knowledge, skills and experience of each member of the team is the key to success. The project is also supported by the capital and technical base, as well as a full range of methods, but the decisive element is its human capital. Therefore, selecting the right people becomes the most important phase of Project Management.

Creating project team

Fig.1. Team members selection - essential skills (radar chart)

Creating a project team is the process of matching groups of people who have different knowledge, experience, interests and aptitudes to the creation of an effective working team. Team members can be matched within a single enterprise and selected from the outside. The main purpose of personnel selection to the team is assigning tasks and responsibilities of a person with natural abilities corresponding to this task. The person responsible for the formation of the project team is the project Manager. He decides from which employees project team should be composed. To this end, he uses various methods of recruitment that are very close or even the same as the general methods of recruitment and selection of staff. Such basic methods are:

• Selection based on CV and motivational letter
• Interview
• Checking references

However, there are other methods that can more accurately determine the potential and optimal fit for a particular job or task in the project. They are:

• Predictive Index System
• Occupational Personality Questionnaire
• Thomas International
• Assessment Center
• MBS Method

These methods of personnel selection are just some examples of large variety of existing methods. They can be appropriately chosen in the development of the project team.

Examples of Team selection techniques

1. Interviews: Interviews are the most commonly used method for selecting team members. It is a direct, face-to-face method of getting to know the candidate and their skills and experience. During the interview process, the hiring manager can ask questions to learn more about the candidate and assess whether they possess the necessary knowledge and skills for the job.
2. Reference Checks: Another method of selecting team members is through reference checks. This involves contacting the candidate’s past employers and colleagues to get their opinion on the candidate’s skills and experience. This provides an unbiased perspective on the candidate and can provide insight into their past performance.
3. Online Assessment Tests: Online assessment tests are becoming increasingly popular as a method of selecting team members. These tests provide an objective way to assess the candidate’s skills and knowledge. The tests can be tailored to the job and can include questions related to the role, such as problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.
4. Work Samples: Work samples are a great way to assess the candidate’s skills in the context of the job. For example, if the job involves writing, the hiring manager can ask the candidate to provide a sample of their writing. This allows the hiring manager to get an idea of the candidate’s writing style, grammar, and writing ability.
5. Networking: Networking is an effective way to find potential team members. This involves reaching out to people in the industry who may know of potential candidates. Networking allows the hiring manager to get an idea of the candidate’s background and qualifications without having to interview them.

Advantages of Team selection techniques

Team selection techniques have a lot of advantages:

• They allow for a more comprehensive review of the candidate’s knowledge and skills, as the entire team can work together to evaluate the applicant's abilities.
• They provide the team with a greater insight into the individual's ability to work in a group, as the team can observe how the candidate interacts with the other members.
• They also help to identify the individual's strengths and weaknesses, as the team can assess the candidate's knowledge, skills, and communication skills.
• Team selection techniques also help to ensure that the best candidate is chosen for the job, as the team can evaluate the applicant's potential for success in the project.
• They can also create a more cohesive working environment, as the team can get to know each other better during the selection process.

Limitations of Team selection techniques

The selection of the project team members is a crucial part of the project management process. However, there are some limitations to the team selection techniques that should be taken into consideration before selecting the team. These include:

• Lack of objective criteria for selecting members - it is difficult to objectively evaluate the skills and experience of potential team members.
• Difficulty in balancing team member's expertise - it is difficult to identify the right mix of expertise required to complete the project.
• Risk of group think - it is important to ensure that the team is diverse enough to prevent group think and ensure a variety of perspectives.
• Difficulty in assessing team dynamics - the dynamics of the team are difficult to predict, as they are influenced by individual personalities and capabilities.
• Difficulty in assessing team member's commitment - it can be difficult to assess the commitment and dedication of potential team members.
• Risk of team member conflict - it is important to identify potential sources of conflict between team members and address them before the project begins.

Other approaches related to Team selection techniques

• A popular approach to team selection is using interviews, which allow to select the right people based on their knowledge, experience, and skills.
• Another approach to team selection is the use of psychometric tests, which provide objective measurements on the individual's abilities and skills.
• A third selection technique is the use of technical assessments, which help to identify the relevant skills needed for a particular job.
• The fourth team selection technique is to use references from former employers, which can provide insight into the individual’s work history, work ethic, and reliability.
• Finally, past performance evaluations can also be used to assess the individual’s capability to handle tasks and responsibilities.

In summary, team selection techniques involve the use of interviews, psychometric tests, technical assessments, references from former employers, and past performance evaluations to identify and select the right people for the project. These techniques help to ensure that the team has the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to effectively and efficiently complete the project.

Team selection techniques — recommended articles

Hard skills — Occupational Personality Questionnaire — MBS Method — Letter of advice — Predictive Index System — Work sample test — Profile of qualifications — Belbin team roles — Competency modeling

References

• Tidhar, G., Rao, A. S., & Sonenberg, E. A. (1996, December). Guided team selection. In Proceedings of the second international conference on multi-agent systems (p. 369-376).