Selection and Criteria for Selection

A scientific and logical selection procedure leads to scientific selection of candidates. The criterion finalized for selecting a candidate for a particular job varies from company to company.

Therefore, the selection procedure followed by different organizations, many times, becomes lengthy as it is a question of getting the most suitable candidates for which various tests are to be done and interviews to be taken. The procedure for selection should be systematic so that it does not leave any scope for confusions and doubts about the choice of the selected candidate.

Steps Involved in Selection Procedure

Brief details of the various steps in selection procedure are given as follows:

1. Inviting applications

The prospective candidates from within the organization or outside the organization are called for applying for the post. Detailed job description and job specification are provided in the advertisement for the job. It attracts a large number of candidates from vari­ous areas.

2. Receiving applications

Detailed applications are collected from the candidates which provide the necessary information about personal and professional details of a person. These applications facilitate analysis and comparison of the candidates.

3. Scrutiny of applications

As the limit of the period within which the company is supposed to receive applications ends, the applications are sorted out. Incomplete applications get rejected; applicants with un-matching job specifications are also rejected.

4. Written tests

As the final list of candidates becomes ready after the scrutiny of applications, the written test is conducted. This test is conducted for understanding the technical knowledge, atti­tude and interest of the candidates. This process is useful when the number of applicants is large.

Many times, a second chance is given to candidates to prove themselves by conducting another written test.

5. Psychological tests

These tests are conducted individually and they help for finding out the indi­vidual quality and skill of a person. The types of psychological tests are aptitude test, intelligence test, synthetic test and personality test

6. Personal interview

Candidates proving themselves successful through tests are interviewed per­sonally. The interviewers may be individual or a panel. It generally involves officers from the top management.

The candidates are asked several questions about their experience on another job, their family background, their interests, etc. They are supposed to describe their expectations from the said job. Their strengths and weaknesses are identified and noted by the interviewers which help them to take the final decision of selection.

7. Reference check

Generally, at least two references are asked for by the company from the can­didate. Reference check is a type of crosscheck for the information provided by the candidate through their application form and during the interviews.

8. Medical examination

Physical strength and fitness of a candidate is must before they takes up the job. In-spite of good performance in tests and interviews, candidates can be rejected on the basis of their ill health.

9. Final selection

At this step, the candidate is given the appointment letter to join the organization on a particular date. The appointment letter specifies the post, title, salary and terms of employment. Generally, initial appointment is on probation and after specific time period it becomes permanent.

10. Placement

This is a final step. A suitable job is allocated to the appointed candidate so that they can get the whole idea about the nature of the job. They can get adjusted to the job and perform well in future with all capacities and strengths.

Significance of Selection

Significance of selection might be brought to limelight, with reference to the following advantages, which it provides to the organization:

(i) Reduced labour turnover

Properly selected candidates feel like staying in the organization; as suitable work on matching jobs, assigned to them is a source of satisfaction to them. Hence, the phenomenon of unnecessary labour turnover is highly minimized making for a stable labour force in the organization. This benefits both the organization and the worker.

(ii) Lesser need for training

Properly selected personnel exhibit a lesser need for training; as their suitability for the jobs to be assigned to them, has already been verified through the selection-procedure. As such the necessity for arranging ‘routine-training programmes’ for such personnel is rules out saving organization’s time, efforts and costs involved in conducting such training programmes.

(iii) Self-motivation and high morale

When suitable candidates (i.e. ‘best-fits’) are assigned to matching jobs; such personnel feel self-motivated towards the best performance of’ their jobs. The constant state of self-motivation over a period of time helps in building high morale of such personnel, for the organization.

(iv) More and better production: Leading to profit maximization

A derivative advantage of the ‘self-motivation and high morale’ is that the production (or performance) turned out by ‘best fits’ is not only more in quantity; but is also of a superior quality. This phenomenon leads to profit maximization, for the enterprise, in the long-run.

(v) Good human relations

As a result of good selections, there is a better environment for working in the organization. Such environment helps to promote good human relations in the organization; which is one of the highly valued assets of the organization.