A2 The Selection Process
The selection process is the series of steps taken by organisations to appoint the most appropriate candidate for a job vacancy. This process varies from organisation to organisation but typically involves;
Advertising the position
Reviewing application documents (e.g. application forms and CVs)
Shortlisting
Interviewing
Selection and appointment
The Initial Selection Process
The first stage of the selection process is to remove any applicants who do not meet the basic requirements for the role. This is often referred to as initial screening and is aimed at reducing the number of applicants being considered for the role. Reducing the number of applicants to be considered allows managers to focus more on the suitability of each candidate that does meet the criteria.
The initial screening process will usually be conducted by HR staff who will assess whether the applicants have the essential skills, qualifications and experience from the person specification.
Initial screening methods include telephone screening interviews and short online tests. The process will be adapted depending on the role being recruited for.
Different roles require different processes in recruitment. For positions that require specialist skills or qualities, may add stages that include opportunities to demonstrate these. For example, somebody applying for a job as a software developer may need to demonstrate their coding ability in a task as well as their face-to-face interview. Somebody applying for a role in an organisation where they will make strategic decisions that will have a big impact face a recruitment process with many stages to test out the necessary skills and abilities to do this well. This may include role plays for team work, leadership and problem solving as well as face-to-face interviews.
Selection Activities
Psychometric testing is a method of assessing a person’s cognitive abilities and personality traits. The results from psychometric testing may be used by recruiters to inform their judgement of an applicant’s ability to perform a job role and how well they may fit into an existing team.
Telephone interviews are conversations between HR staff or managers and candidates who have applied for a job. This is usually an early part of the screening process rather than in place of the face to face interview itself. This has the benefit of not wasting time travelling and conducting an interview with somebody who is unlikely to be offered the position but also has the drawbacks of not being able to fully communicate attributes.
Group interviews are situations where managers interview multiple candidates at the same time. This is a good opportunity for managers to see first-hand how they interact with others which can give them a better impression of how they will fit into a team than if they were to interview them alone. Problem solving scenarios can be set for the group to solve as a team which allows managers to see any natural leaders that emerge, how different people deal with conflict, attitudes to work and any other traits managers feel are important.
Short tests at interviews may be used by some employers if they feel they would add value to the process or if there is a specific set of skills or knowledge the recruiter would like the candidate to demonstrate. The candidates may be given a task that is related to their job role such as the preparation of a report or checking a document for errors. Managers can see how well they write communicate effectively and their attention to detail. Some employers may feel that it is important for candidates to have a certain level of industry knowledge and feel it is helpful to give a short test at interview to assess this.
Presentations at interview are an opportunity for a candidate to showcase a range of skills and industry knowledge. Candidates may be asked to present a subject to a small or large group of staff on a given subject. This could be about why they are suitable for the position or it could be on an aspect of the role that they are applying for. For example, when recruiting a new marketing manager, they may be asked to present ideas for a marketing campaign to a given target market. Skills that can be demonstrated in a presentation include the ability to work to a brief, to engage an audience, industry knowledge and attention to detail. Candidates have more freedom of what to include that in an interview so can use this as an opportunity to showcase their knowledge, experience and passion for a subject. Managers may give the candidates the subject of the presentation in advance to give them time to prepare but if they want to observe their ability to respond under pressure, they may give them the subject on the day with shorter preparation time.
Assessment centres (assessment day) is a range of tasks designed to assess a candidate’s suitability for a role. They usually consist of a range of individual and group tasks where candidates have the opportunity to demonstrate the skills related to the job they are applying for.
Exercises include group discussion, written exercises, in-tray exercises, role plays and case studies.
Benefits of Assessment Centres
Focus on job specific skills
Candiates can demonstrate a broader skill set than in interviews and traditional tests
Equal opportunities to all candidates through standardisation
Give employers a good picture of future job performance
Candidates get a good insight into the role
Drawbacks of Assessment Centres
Expensive
Time consuming
Need for specially trained staff to assess
Bias of observers
Favours extroverts
Communicating with Prospective Employees
Are the channels easy to access, can the process be monitored?
Are the recruitment documents high quality?
Is the process effective?
How does the recruitment process link to business efficiency and success?
How is technology used in the recruitment process? Online applications, uploaded CVs or use of post?