Selection: External I
Acquiring and Developing Talent
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Overview
• Logic of prediction
• Nature of predictors
• Selection plans
• Assessment method by applicant flow
• Initial assessment methods
2
Preliminary Issues
• Selection as process rather than event
• Guided by logic of prediction
• Implementation guided by selection plan and
selection sequence
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Heneman et al. (2015)
Logic of Prediction
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Heneman et al. (2015)
Nature of Predictors
• Content – what is being measured?
• Sign: A predisposition thought to relate to
performance (e.g., conscientiousness)
• Sample: Observing behavior thought to relate to
performance
• Criterion: Actual measure of prior performance
• Form – how is it being measured?
• Speed vs. power: How many versus what level?
• Paper / pencil vs. performance: Test in “writing” or in
behavior
• Objective vs. essay: Much like multiple-choice vs.
essay course exam questions
• Oral vs. written vs. computer: How data are obtained
Heneman et al. (2015)
5
Development of the Selection Plan:
Steps Involved
1. Develop list of KSAOs required for job
2. For each KSAO, decide if it needs to be
assessed in the selection process
3. Determine method(s) of assessment to be
used for each KSAO
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Heneman et al. (2015)
Assessment Methods by
Applicant Flow
•Initial assessment
methods
•Minimize the costs
associated with
substantive
assessment methods
by reducing the
number of people
assessed
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Heneman et al. (2015)
8-7
Resumes and Cover Letters
• Information provided is controlled by applicant
• Information needs to be verified by other predictors to
ensure accuracy and completeness
• Major issues
• Large number received by organizations
• Falsification and misrepresentation of information
• Lack of research exists related to
• Validity or reliability
• Costs
• Adverse impact
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Heneman et al. (2015)
Application Blanks
• Areas covered
• Educational experience
• Training
• Job experience
• Key advantage -- Organization dictates
information provided
• Major issue -- Information requested should
• Be critical to job success and
• Reflect KSAOs relevant to job
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Heneman et al. (2015)
Application Blanks
• Areas of special interest
• Educational requirements
• Level of education
• GPA
• Quality of school
• Major field of study
• Extracurricular activities
• Training and experience requirements
• Licensing, certification, and job knowledge
• Weighted application blanks (WABs) are better
• Unweighted correlation with performance from .10 to
.20
• Weighted correlations are substantially higher
Heneman et al. (2015)
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Biographical Information / Biodata
• Personal history
information of
applicant’s background
and interests
• “Best predictor of future
behavior is past
behavior”
• Past behaviors may
reflect ability or
motivation
• Measures
• Examples of Biodata
Items
• Biodata compared with
background checks
• Background check
• examines an applicant’s
background
• conducted through
records checks and
conversations with
references
• Biodata
• used to predict future
performance
• information is collected
by survey
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Heneman et al. (2015)
Evaluation: Biographical
Information / Biodata
• Test-retest reliability can be high
• Predictive validity: r = .32 to .37
• Issues
• Generalizability beyond first group?
• Although predictive validity exists, it is not clear
what these inventories assess
• Falsification can be problematic
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Reference Reports:
Letters of Recommendation
• Problems
• Inability to discern more-qualified from
less-qualified applicants
• Lack of standardization
• Suggestions to improve credibility
• Use a structured form
• Use a standardized scoring key
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Heneman et al. (2015)
Reference Reports: Reference Checks
• Approach involves verifying applicant’s
background via contact with
• Prior immediate supervisor(s), coworkers, and/or
• HR department of current of previous companies
• Over 90% of companies conduct reference
checks
• Potential problems
• Similar to letters of recommendation
• Reluctance to provide requested information due to
legal concerns
• Sample Reference Check
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Heneman et al. (2015)
Reference Reports: Reference Checks
• SkillSurvey, Inc. – Example vendor
• Hedricks et al. (2013)
• Acceptable internal consistency, inter-rater, and
test-retest reliability
• Higher reference response rate associated with
lower involuntary turnover
• Higher overall score associated with lower
involuntary turnover
• Higher overall score associated with higher
supervisor ratings of job performance
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Reference Reports: Background Testing
• Method involves assessing reliability of
applicants’ behavior, integrity, and personal
adjustment
• Type of information requested
• Criminal history
• Credit information
• Educational history
• Employment verification
• Driver license histories
• Workers’ compensation claims
• Key issues
• Limited validity evidence on some methods
• Legal constraints on pre-employment inquiries
Heneman et al. (2015)
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Evaluation of Reference
Reports
• Predictive validity: r = .16 to .26
• Validity depends on source providing
information
• HR department, coworker, or relative
• Supervisors
• Cost vs. benefit of approach must be considered
• Recommendations: obtain written authorization
from candidate, specify type(s) of information
collected, check state laws
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Initial Interview
• Characteristics
• Begins process of necessary differentiation
• Purpose -- Screen out most obvious cases of
person / job mismatches
• Limitation -- Most expensive method
of initial assessment
• Video and computer interviews
• Offers cost savings
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Heneman et al. (2015)
Evaluation of Initial Interview
• Minimal evidence exists regarding usefulness
• Guidelines to enhance usefulness
• Ask questions assessing most basic KSAOs
• Stick to basic, fundamental questions suitable
for making rough cuts rather than subjective
questions
• Keep interviews brief
• Standardization: ask same job-related
questions of all applicants
Heneman et al. (2015)
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Choice of Initial Assessment Methods
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