Pre and Post Criteria for Selection

According to Harold Koontz, “Selection is the process of choosing from the candidates, from within the organization or from outside, the most suitable person for the current position or for the future positions.”

Dale Yoder said, “Selection is the process by which candidates for employment are divided into classes those who will be offered employment and those who will not.”

David and Robbins said, “Selection process is a managerial decision-making process as to predict which job applicants will be successful if hired.”

According to R.M. Hodgetts, “Selection is the process in which an enterprise chooses the applicants who best meet the criteria for the available positions.”

Selection is the process of choosing from a group of applicants those individuals best suited for a particular position.

Most managers recognize that employee selection is one of their most difficult, and most important, business decisions.

This process involves making a judgment -not about the applicant, but about the fit between the applicant and the job by considering knowledge, skills and abilities and other characteristics required to perform the job Selection procedures are not carried out through standard pattern and steps in this.

The process can vary from organization to organization some steps performed and considered important by one organization can be skipped by other organization.

Personnel Selection is the methodical placement of individuals into jobs. Its impact on the organization is realized when employees achieve years or decades of service to the employer.

The process of selection follows a methodology to collect information about an individual in order to determine if that individual should be employed. The methodology used should not violate any laws regarding personnel selection.

Steps in Selection Process

The selection process typically begins with the preliminary interview; next, candidates complete the application for employment.

They progress through a series of selection tests, the employment interview, and reference and background checks. The successful applicant receives a company physical examination and is employed if the results are satisfactory.

Several external and internal factors impact the selection process, and the manager must take them into account in making selection decisions.

Typically selection process consists of the following steps but it is not necessary that all organization go through all these steps as per the requirement of the organization some steps can be skipped while performing the selection process.

1. Initial Screening

The selection process often begins with an initial screening of applicants to remove individuals who obviously do not meet the position requirements.

At this stage, a few straight forward questions are asked. An applicant may obviously be unqualified to fill the advertised position, but be well qualified to work in other open positions.

The Purpose of Screening is to decrease the number of applicants being considered for selection.

Sources utilized in the screening effort

Personal Resume presented with the job application is considered a source of information that can be used for the initial screening process. It mainly includes information in the following areas:

• Employment & education history.
• Evaluation of character.
• Evaluation of job performance.

Advantages of Successful Screening

If the screening effort is successful, those applicants that do not meet the minimum required qualifications will not move to the next stage in the selection process. Companies utilizing expensive selection procedures put more effort into screening to reduce costs.

2. Completion of the Application Form

Application Blank is a formal record of an individual’s application for employment. The next step in the selection process may involve having the prospective employee complete an application for employment.

This may be as brief as requiring only an applicant’s name, address, and telephone number. In general terms, the application form gives a job-performance-related synopsis of applicants’ life, skills and accomplishments.

The specific type of information may vary from firm to firm and even by job type within an organization. Application forms are a good way to quickly collect verifiable and fairly accurate historical data from the candidate.

3. Employment Tests

Personnel testing is a valuable way to measure individual characteristics.

Hundreds of tests have been developed to measure various dimensions of behavior. The tests measure mental abilities, knowledge, physical abilities, personality, interest, temperament, and other attitudes and behaviors.

Evidence suggests that the use of tests is becoming more prevalent for assessing an applicant’s qualifications and potential for success. Tests are used more in the public sector than in the private sector and in medium-sized and large companies than in small companies.

Large organizations are likely to have trained specialists to run their testing programs.

Advantages of using tests

Selection testing can be a reliable and accurate means of selecting qualified candidates from a pool of applicants.

As with all selection procedures, it is important to identify the essential functions of each job and determine the skills needed to perform them.

4. Job Interview

An interview is a goal-oriented conversation in which the interviewer and applicant exchange information. The employment interview is especially significant because the applicants who reach this stage are considered to be the most promising candidates.

Interview Planning

Interview planning is essential to effective employment interviews.

The physical location of the interview should be both pleasant and private, providing for a minimum of interruptions. The interviewer should possess a pleasant personality, empathy and the ability to listen and communicate effectively.

He or she should become familiar with the applicant’s qualifications by reviewing the data collected from other selection tools. In preparing for the interview, a job profile should be developed based on the job description.

5. Conditional Job Offer

Conditional job offer means a tentative job offer that becomes permanent after certain conditions are met.

If a job applicant has passed each step of the selection process so far, a conditional job offer is usually made.

In essence, the conditional job offer implies that if everything checks out such as passing a certain medical, physical or substance abuse test the conditional nature of the job offer will be removed and the offer will be permanent.

6. Background Investigation

Background Investigation is intended to verify that information on the application form is correct and accurate.

This step is used to check the accuracy of application form through former employers and references. Verification of education and legal status to work, credit history and criminal record are also made.

Personal reference checks may provide additional insight into the information furnished by the applicant and allow verification of its accuracy.

Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. It is important to gain as much information as possible about past behavior to understand what kinds of behavior one can expect in the future.

Knowledge about attendance problems, insubordination issues, theft, or other behavioral problems can certainly help one avoid hiring someone who is likely to repeat those behaviors.

Background investigations primarily seek data from references supplied by the applicant including his or her previous employers. The intensity of background investigations depends on the level of responsibility inherent in the position to be filled.

7. Medical/Physical Examination

After the decision has been made to extend a job offer, the next phase of the selection process involves the completion of a medical/physical examination.

This is an examination to determine an applicant’s physical fitness for essential job performance.

Typically, a job offer is contingent on successfully passing this examination.

For example, firefighters must perform activities that require a certain physical condition. Whether it is climbing a ladder, lugging a water-filled four-inch hose or carrying an injured victim, these individuals must demonstrate that they are fit for the job.

8. Permanent Job Offer

Individuals who perform successfully in the preceding steps are now considered eligible to receive the employment offer. The actual hiring decision should be made by the manager in the department where the vacancy exists.

Notification to Candidates

The selection process results should be made known to candidates—successful and unsuccessful—as soon as possible.

Any delay may result in the firm losing a prime candidate, as top prospects often have other employment options. As a matter of courtesy and good public relations, the unsuccessful candidates should also be promptly notified.