The Right Match
Strategies for Realistic
Recruitment and Selection
Nancy S. Dickinson
NC Child Welfare Workers Say
Intention to remain on the job is related
significantly to:
Accurate job portrayal
Match between their skills and the job
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Agenda
Recruitment Strategies
Realistic Job Previews
Competency-Based Selection
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Recruitment Standards for
Supervisors in Child Welfare
Pursue recruitment opportunities
Participate in agency sponsored
recruitment activities
Maintain communication links with
prospective candidates and present the
agency in a positive light
Coordinate and support filed placements
and internships to attract qualified staff
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Realistic Recruitment
Presents an accurate picture of the job and
the organization
Promotes a more informed decision by the
applicant
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
How Realistic Recruitment Works
Vaccination
against unrealistic expectations
Self-selection
candidate makes a more informed choice
Coping
newcomer able to develop coping strategies
Personal Commitment
to the decision and the agency
Wanous (1992)
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Research-based Recruiting Practices
Recruitment source
Job survival was 24% higher for employees
recruited using inside sources than for employees
using outside sources (Wanous, 1992, in a summary of 12 studies).
Significantly more new hires who stayed 12
months had heard about the job from an inside
source, compared with new hires who left (Larson,
Lakin, & Bruininks, 1998).
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Promising Recruitment Practices
Increased prehire knowledge associated
with lower turnover (Williams, Labig, & Stone, 1993).
Use of inside recruitment sources results in
increased information about the job,
improving the extent to which prehire
expectations are met and improving job
survival (Saks, 1994; Taylor, 1994; Zottoli & Wanous, 2000).
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Promising Recruitment Practices
Using correlational research results—such as
“desire to help”—to craft recruitment
practices:
Colorado Association of Community
Centered Boards developed a statewide
recruitment campaign to look for people
who wanted to “make a difference in the
lives of others” (Collins, 2000 as reported in Larson &
Hewitt, 2005).
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Recruitment Strategies
Link to agency’s mission and public image
What specific values, vision, mission and
history set this agency apart from others?
What is important about this agency that
would attract potential job applicants?
What does this agency want to be known
for, in comparison with other community
agencies?
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Sample Advertisement
CW Agency is a fast paced, supportive and
stimulating place to work. We are looking
for child welfare workers who desire
challenging, meaningful work and welcome
the opportunity to make a difference for
families and children. If this describes you,
consider applying for a public child welfare
position at….
You’ll never be bored!
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
More Recruitment Strategies
Expand outreach
older workers, racial diversity, immigrants,
international
Expand strategies
print, TV, internet
Agency staff as recruiters
Streamline the process
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Best Practices in Streamlining the
Recruitment Process
South Carolina
Eliminated merit system
Central job bank of position announcements
Wisconsin
Continuous recruitment practices
Michigan and Delaware
Pool of pre-screened and trained workers
Federal government
On-the-spot job offers to candidates with needed skills
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Recruitment Strategies Checklist
Recruitment bonus for current employees
Hiring bonus for new recruits
Comprehensive and targeted marketing plan and
materials
TV and radio ads
Website recruitment
Marketing to nontraditional sources
Presentations about careers in human services
Open houses
Volunteer programs
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Expand the Pool of Recruits
Students
High school and young college students
Older workers
Applicants of color
Millenial/emergent workers
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Expand the Pool: Students
Agency/university partnerships
Internships: Paid and unpaid
Classroom visits/guest lectures
Service Learning
Loan forgiveness
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Expand the Pool: Older Workers
1.
2.
17% of 2010 workforce will be 55 and
older (BLS)
Many want to continue working (Civic Ventures,
2005)
3.
4.
Reasons: be productive, health benefits,
extra income, enhance well-being of
others (Pynes, 2008)
Older workers stay longer (Rosenthal, McDowell &
White, 1998)
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Strategies to Recruit/Retain
Older Workers
Targeted advertising (message & placement
of ad)
(Doverspike et al 2000)
Job security and benefits, phased
retirement plans
Flexible/reduced schedules, part-time
positions, telecommuting, job sharing
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Expand the Pool: Diversity
Client population: By 2025, 32% of US
population will be non-white (US Census Bureau,
2004)
Workforce: More than half of new entrants
to workforce in next 15 years will be nonwhite (Judy & D’Amico, 2007)
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Recruiting/Retaining a Diverse
Workforce
Leadership commitment (Pease & Associates, 2003)
Feature diversity in recruitment materials
(Doverspike et al, 2000)
Deploy diverse recruitment teams (New Haven, CT)
Develop a work environment that welcomes
diversity (El Paso County, CO)
Establish cultural competency as a qualification &
award salary differential(Sacramento County, CA )
Internships for minorities representative of local
area (426 funding)
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
What Emergent Workers Want
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Variety in daily work & exciting experiences
Fun atmosphere, friendly people, caring about
staff as individuals
Respect and seek their input
Game plan on how and when they will advance
Multiple training & development opportunities
Strong Leadership; Mentoring programs
A diverse workforce
Work/life balance
(Grubb, 2008)
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Recruiting Millenials – Embrace
Today’s Technology
Distribute flash drives w/ company information
Use text messaging to communicate w/ recruits
Accept video resumes
Create company Facebook and MySpace pages
linked to your website
Find a reason to be on YouTube
Conduct webinars to promote your company
Create blogs on your website
Host luncheons w/ local colleges where you
recruit
(Grubb 2008)
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Expand Recruitment Strategies
Comprehensive marketing campaign &
materials
Internet recruitment
Print ads linked to internet
TV and radio ads
Open houses
Volunteer programs
Inside recruiting
Recruitment bonuses
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Internet Recruitment Sites
www.monster.com
www.LiveDeal.com
www.CraigsList.com
www.CareerBuilder.co
m
www.HotJobs.com
www.MySpace.com
www.LinkedIn.com
www.StudentList.com
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Realistic Job Previews
Fewer unmet expectations=
higher retention
Research on Realistic Job Previews
RJPs improved retention rates by 9%-17% (McEvoy &
Cascio, 1985).
RJPs increased retention of employees 12% for
agencies with annual retention rates of 50% and
24% for those with rates of 20% (Premack & Wanous, 1985).
RJPs delivered after a job offer has been made,
but before decisions, are more effective in
reducing turnover than earlier in the process
(Phillips, 1998).
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Developing and Using RJPs
Up-to-date and complete job description
Positive and negative job characteristics
What do you like best about your job?
What is the hardest part about your job?
What do you wish you had known about your
job before you started working here?
Select the most important topics and
strategy to enable an informed decision
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
RJP Strategies
Structured observation
Meetings with current workers
RJP video
Photo album or scrapbook
Booklet or brochure
Web-based multimedia RJP
Panel of agency staff
Internships or volunteer opportunities
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
RJP Design Principles
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Purpose of the RJP must be clear to the applicant
Must use credible information (real people and events;
not actors and scripts; testimony from job incumbents
rather than a discussion with supervisors)
Should include info about how current employees feel
about their jobs
Positive and negative information should be balanced to
reflect actual experiences
Should be presented before or at the time that a job
offer is made.
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Impact of a Realistic Job Preview:
University of Michigan
Workers who saw the RJP were significantly more
likely to:
Indicate a commitment to remain in child welfare for
five years
Say that the application and selection process helped
them cope with job pressures
Say that the agency’s honesty made them feel more
loyal, and
Less likely to say they would “never have taken
the job if they had known what it was like.”
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
NC Realistic Job Preview DVD
On the Recruitment and Retention website
http://ssw.unc.edu/jif/rr/rjp.htm
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Child Welfare Worker Selection
Attract the best, screen out less
qualified
Selection Standards for Supervisors
in Child Welfare
Know and comply with law and policy
related to fair hiring processes
Participate in selection interviews
Select people who are able to demonstrate
the competencies needed and whose values
are consistent with the agency’s mission
Justify and document hiring decisions using
job-related criteria
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Competency-based Selection
The better the fit between the requirements of
the job and competencies of the jobholder…
The higher job performance
and retention will be.
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Search & Hiring Model
To do this job
In this
organization
Requires this
person
Job duties,
reporting
relationships
Organizational
structure,
climate, staffing
mix
Skills, knowledge,
competencies
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Best Practice in Screening
Job related
validity
Objective
focus on
competencies
Multiple
assessments
Consistent
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Validity of Research-based Selection
Strategies (Hermelin & Robertson, 2001)
Structured interviews: High
Cognitive ability as assessed by standardized test: High
Biographical data: Medium
Personality and integrity tests: Medium
Work sample tests or assessment centers: Low to medium
Unstructured interviews: Low to medium
The “big five” personality traits: Low
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Focus on Underlying
Competencies
KSs
Attitudes & Values
Motives &
Traits
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Entry Level Competencies
Predict long term success
Difference between average and
outstanding
Most difficult to change
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Underlying Competencies
Interpersonal Relations
Adaptability
Communication Skills
Observation Skills
Planning and
Organizing Work
Analytic Thinking
Motivation
Self
Awareness/confidence
Sense of Mission
Teamwork
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Multiple Job Related Assessments
Standard Interview
Fact Finding Interview
Written Exercise
Reference Check
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Consistency: Structure
Time
Questions
Opportunity
Rating
Criteria
Order
All
Components
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Standard Interview
Opinion Questions: thinking & selfawareness
Past Behavior: past behavior predicts future
performance
Situational: future intentions
Follow ups and probes
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Purpose of Standard Interview
Not only looking for answers but also
insights into the competencies
Including:
Thinking processes used
What motivates the candidate to behave in
certain ways
Candidate’s self-awareness, including ability to
reflect on and learn from experiences
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Consistency in Rating
Scoring guides: Examples of unacceptable,
average and outstanding answers
Use Subject Matter Experts to develop
Rate competencies: Behaviors to Look for
Consensus discussion
(Bernotavicz, 2008)
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work
This Presentation
Is brought to you by the R&R Project
A part of the Jordan Institute for Families
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill School of Social Work
Funded by grant #90CT0114/05 US DHHS
Administration for Children and Families,
Children’s Bureau
Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits
Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work