Selection I: Applicant Screening

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

Chapter Learning Outcomes

After reading this chapter you should:

Be able to differentiate between employee
screening and employee selection
Know the advantages and disadvantages
associated with widely used screening tools,
including the use of information collected from
application forms, biographical information
blanks, reference/background checks, rsums,
video rsums, social networking sites, and
virtual job auditions
Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

Chapter Learning Outcomes

Be able to cite the legal status of these screening
tools and the extent to which they are predictive
of performance in the target job
Be able to design an effective multiphase
screening program appropriate to the position
requirements for any target job

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

Applicant Screening

Screening: the first step of the selection

process; involves identifying individuals
from the applicant pool who have the
minimum qualifications for the target
position(s)
Candidates passing this first hurdle then
undergo more extensive assessments

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

Applicant Screening

Minimum qualifications (MQ): knowledge,

skills, abilities, experiences, and other
attributes and competencies deemed
necessary for minimally acceptable
performance in one or more positions;
designed for making the first cut in
screening job applicants; sometimes
referred to as selection criteria

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

Applicant Screening

Designated targeted groups: the four

groups (women, visible minorities,
Aboriginal peoples, and people with
disabilities) designated in the federal
governments Employment Equity Act that
receive legal protection in employment
policies and practices because of their
underrepresentation in the workplace

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

Recruitment, Screening, and

Selection

Selection ratio: the proportion of applicants

for one or more positions who are hired

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

Figure 7.1: The Relationship

among Recruitment,
Screening, and Selection

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

Recruitment, Screening, and

Selection

False positives: individuals who are

predicted to perform successfully in a given
position (based on pre-selection
assessment scores), but who do not
perform at satisfactory levels when placed
on the job

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

Recruitment, Screening, and

Selection

False negatives: individuals who are

predicted to perform unsuccessfully in a
given position (based on pre-selection
assessment scores), but who would perform
at satisfactory levels if hired

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Screening Methods

Application Forms (Blank)

Weighted Application Blanks
Biographical Data
Biodata
Biographical Information Blank (BIB)
Rsums
Reference Checks
Background Checks

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Class Activity

What do recruiters look for in a rsum

and a covering letter?

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Application Blanks

Application blank: a form completed by job

candidates to provide an employer with
basic information about their knowledge,
skills, education, or other job-related
information

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Weighted Application Blanks

Weighted application blanks: a method for

quantitatively combining information from
application blank items by assigning
weights that reflect each items value in
predicting job success

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Weighted Application Blanks

Benefits
Good predictors for many types of work
behaviour

Concerns
May not adequately represent a jobs complex
performance domain

When to Use
Often used for rapid screening and may be
combined with other predictors

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Biographical Data

Biographical information blank (BIB): a preselection questionnaire that asks applicants

to provide job-related information on their
personal background and life experiences

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Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Recruitment and Selection Today 7.1 (contd)

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Biodata

Biodata: biographical data for job applicants

that have been gathered from BIBs,
application blanks, or other sources

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Biodata

BIB dimensions: based on the view that past

behaviour is the best predictor of future
behaviour
Dimensions appear relatively stable
Explain why certain applicants are more
successful than others

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Concerns Over the Use of Biodata

Questions of legality, invasiveness,

affability, and generalizability
Many BIB items may request personally
sensitive information on family background
and experiences that borders on violating
human rights legislation

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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When to Use BIBs

Appropriate for organizations hiring large

number of employees
For similar kinds of jobs
Where large numbers of applicants are
competing for few positions (e.g., when
there is a low selection ratio)

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Rsums

Intent of the rsum is to introduce the

applicant to the organization through a
brief, written self-description
Applicants voluntarily provide autobiographical
information in their rsums
Rsums are not standardized
Rsums are unique
Electronic rsums are more popular today

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First Impressions with

Rsums/Covering Letters

Rsums create the first impression of the

applicant and they should be accompanied
by a well-written covering letter

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Writing a Rsum

A rsum should include:

The applicants name, address, and phone
number
Education and training
Employment history
Names of references and their contact
information
A brief statement of employment goals and
objectives
Information on hobbies and interests

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Writing a Rsum

It should be well organized

It should highlight key information
It should use a typeface size (usually a 12point font) that is easy to read

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Recruitment and Selection

Notebook 7.1

Five Steps to Writing an Effective Business

Rsum
1. Complete a self-assessment and create a skills
inventory
2. Define your accomplishments: use the STAR
method (situation, time, action, result)
3. Use rsum sections/headings to emphasize
your value

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Recruitment and Selection

Notebook 7.1
4. Ensure your rsum is easy to read and errorfree; review the packaging, positioning, power
information, personality, and professionalism
5. Ensure your rsum reflects exactly what you
want to represent to the employer. Consider:
Does my rsum reflect the brand I want to
represent, and does it effectively communicate
this brand to employers?
Note: a Facebook URL is not recommended because Facebook is a
social network rather than a professional organization

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Screening Rsums

Difficult today because of the volume of

rsums
Organizations have had to develop procedures
for efficiently and systematically processing
rsums

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Recruitment and Selection

Today 7.3

What to Look for When Examining a Rsum

Unexplained gaps in work or education
chronology
Conflicting details or overlapping dates
Career regression, or a downward trend
Use of qualifiers such as knowledge of and
assisted in to describe work experience

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Recruitment and Selection

Today 7.3
Listing of schools attended without indicating
receipt of a degree or diploma
Failure to provide names of previous supervisors
or references
Substantial periods in a candidates work history
listed as self-employed or consultant

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Reference Checks

Reference check: information gathered

about a job candidate from supervisors,
coworkers, clients, or other people named
as references by the candidate
The information is usually collected from the
references through telephone interviews

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Recruitment and Selection

Notebook 7.3

Guidelines for Avoiding Negligent Hiring

Train staff on selection and hiring
Implement a hiring and reference check policy
Require applicants to sign an authorization form
Conduct reference checks in keeping with
employment and human rights legislation
Ask about past job performance
Ask questions on recent job performance

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Recruitment and Selection

Notebook 7.3
Verify all licences (e.g., driving records)
Verify degrees/certificates
Check references by telephone
Verify gaps in rsum (e.g., work experience)
Use qualified professionals or trained staff to
check references
Avoid invasive/discriminatory questions

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Summary

Organizations must be staffed with people

capable of doing the job well

Screening categorizes job applicants as

either acceptable or unacceptable
Selection gives greater emphasis to
identifying the degree to which applicants
will be successful

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Summary

Screening devices yield predictions about

future job performance based on past
behaviour, interests, and experiences
Screening devices are relatively inexpensive,
administered quickly, and easy to interpret

Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Discussion Questions
1.
2.

3.

What are the differences between

employee screening and selection?
What are the advantages and
disadvantages of using the following
screening devices: biographical data,
application forms, rsums, and
background reference checks?
What is negligent hiring? Provide an
example. What can employers do to guard
against this?
Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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Discussion Questions
4.

5.

6.

How best can an employer avoid legal

challenges arising against its use of
screening procedures?
Describe an effective screening program
that you could use to deal with a large
number of job applicants for the position
of public bus operator.
What are applicant behaviours that give
rise to positive (or negative) employer
impressions of job applicants?
Copyright 2016 by Nelson Education Ltd.

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