Employee selection

Employee selection is one of the most important steps in the recruitment process. The selection process gathers information about candidates for company members that help to predict how they will perform in a given position. Then, the selection of the person or persons most suitable for the vacant workplace is made. It is also important to carefully analyze the proposed job position and precisely define the duties related to it and competencies needed. Subsequently, the companies prepare tests that will measure the ability of the person concerned to perform specific duties. It is possible to conduct positive selection (selection of the best) or negative (rejecting the worst) .

Methods of employee selection

The most popular methods of recruitment are ads - on the Internet and in the newspapers. The employer can ask to find an employee a specialist companies or transfer the case to own human resources department. To find an employee for positions that do not require any specialist skills, it is sometimes enough to review the applications sent (usually via the Internet, which becomes the most popular source for both job seekers and employers) or a regular phone call. For strategic positions for the company, which the future of the company depends on, the recruitment and selection may last for months.

Recruiters may also look into the database created during each recruitment. Some candidates send their CVs not even for a specific advertisement, but "for later" if it turns out that the company in their industry is looking for new people .

Steps of employee selection

The first step in the employee selection is analysis of application documents. The motivation letter and the CV are analyzed most often. In the CV and the cover letter are rated their preparation, clarity and information contained in them. The most important elements are experience and education, but the priorities depend on the employer's requirements. Sometimes several hundred candidates apply for one post. For the selection to be effective and not involve the recruiting team for many days, the number of applications is reduced by a large number of applications. The professional experience and education of the candidate goes to the first fire. Everyone below the level expected by the employer is dropping out. Lack of required experience, experience in a different industry, education that does not have much to do with the expected, and even too good education may be the reason for rejecting an application .

The next step is an interview. It is a popular selection tool that often does not guarantee the candidate's success in the future. Judging people based on the first impression may be biased. To avoid being biased, the interview can be given a predetermined form. Questions can be prepared in advance and each candidate will answer the same question. This allows you to unify the conversation and evaluate the content of each question .

However, application forms prepared by specialists in company are becoming more and more popular. So the next step is to ask the candidate to complete the application form. This allows you to effectively gather information about the candidate's education, his professional experience and other work-related ones. Except the questions about the basic information such as education, experience and skills forms may contain questions about self-assessment and future plans. Typically, these forms are informally used to make a decision about further evaluation and are used to get acquainted with the work involved. An important tool for predicting employee successes on a given position are various types of qualifications tests, abilities, skills and knowledge, as well as tests for intelligence or personality traits. In addition, the tests must be scored and carried out uniformly. Each candidate should get the same advice, time and conditions .

Examples of Employee selection

• Interview: During the selection process, employers and recruitment specialists will typically conduct an interview. This is an opportunity for the employer to get to know the candidate better, ask questions and assess their suitability for the role. During the interview, the employer should ask questions about the candidate's background, experience, interests, and goals.
• Written Tests: Written tests are also a popular selection method used by employers. These tests can measure a candidate's aptitude, cognitive abilities, and knowledge. Some written tests also check for creativity and problem-solving skills.
• Personality Tests: Personality tests are used to measure a candidate's personality traits, such as their ability to work in a team, their leadership skills, and their willingness to take the initiative. These tests can also provide insight into a candidate's potential for career development and success.
• Reference Checks: Employers can also contact the candidate's former employers and colleagues to get an idea of the candidate's work ethic, performance, and aptitude. This can provide employers with valuable insight into a candidate's skills and abilities.

Advantages of Employee selection

Employee selection is one of the most important steps in the recruitment process. It provides numerous advantages to organizations. These benefits include:

• Increased productivity: Employee selection helps organizations to hire the best-suited candidates who can contribute to company’s success. This results in increased productivity and improved performance.
• Improved morale: By selecting the right candidate, organizations can create a workplace where employees are more motivated and satisfied with their work.
• Cost-effectiveness: Employee selection helps organizations to avoid the costs of wrong hiring decisions. It also helps to reduce the cost of training and onboarding.
• Reduced turnover: A well-structured selection process helps organizations to select the most suitable candidates for the job. This reduces the chances of turnover since the employees are already well-suited for their roles.
• Improved organizational culture: Employee selection helps organizations to create a workplace culture that is in line with their organizational values. This helps the organization to create a strong team of employees that are committed to the organization’s success.

Limitations of Employee selection

Employee selection is an important part of the recruitment process, but it has certain limitations that can hinder its success. These include:

• The selection process can be biased. Interviewers may form an opinion of a candidate based on their gender, age, race, or other personal characteristics, rather than their qualifications and experience. This can lead to unfair hiring decisions and legal consequences for the company.
• A lack of resources can limit the selection process. Companies may not have enough time or money to properly review all applicants and conduct thorough interviews. This can lead to rushed decisions that are not in the company’s best interest.
• The selection process may not be able to accurately measure a candidate’s potential. Tests and interviews can only provide a limited amount of information. It may be difficult to assess a candidate’s true ability to perform the job without actual experience.
• The selection process can be subjective. Interviewers may have different opinions on which candidate is the best fit for the job, leading to disagreements and confusion.

Overall, the employee selection process is an important step in the recruitment process, but it has certain limitations that can hinder its success.

Other approaches related to Employee selection

Introduction: In addition to the selection process described above, there are other approaches that can be used in the employee selection process:

• Competency-based interviews: Competency-based interviews involve assessing a candidate’s abilities, skills and knowledge in relation to the job requirements. This approach helps to identify how well the candidate will perform in the job and whether they are the right fit for the company.
• Behavioral assessments: These assessments measure a candidate’s behaviors, attitudes, and personality in order to identify how they will be likely to interact with others and perform on the job.
• Reference checks: Checking references from previous employers and colleagues can provide useful insight into a candidate’s ability to perform in the job.
• Personality tests: Personality tests measure traits such as creativity, ambition and willingness to take risks. This data can be used to help identify the best fit for a role.

Summary: In conclusion, there are several approaches to employee selection, including competency-based interviews, behavioral assessments, reference checks, and personality tests. Each of these approaches can provide valuable insight into a candidate’s ability to perform in a given role.

Employee selection — recommended articles

Work sample test — Employment history — Stress interview — Job analysis — Internal training — Letter of advice — Skills transfer — Profile of qualifications — Hard skills

References

• Abernethy M. A., Dekker H. C., Schulz A. (2015) Are Employee Selection and Incentive Contracts Complements or Substitutes? "Journal of Accounting Research" p. 633-668
• Derfler-Rozin R., Baker B., Gino F. (2018) Compromised Ethics in Hiring Processes? How Referrers’ Power Affects Employees’ Reactions to Referral Practices "Academy of Management Journal" p. 615-636
• Fisher D. M., Cunningham S., Kerr A., Allscheid S. P. (2017) Contextualized personality measures in employee selection: Extending frame-of-reference research with job applicant samples "International Journal of Selection & Assessment" p. 18-35
• Lievens F., Chapman D. (2010) Recruitment and Selection "The sage handbook of Human Resource Management" p. 135-143
• Searle R. (2009) Recruitment and Selection "Human resource management. A critical approach" p. 151-155
• Sekiguchi, T. (2004) Person-organization fit and person-job fit in employee selection: A review of the literature Osaka keidai ronshu, 54(6), 179-196.

Footnotes

Author: Weronika Cyganik