Assignment: Selection Tools
HRM/240
J. Scott Lodge
October 9, 2011
Axia College
Assignment: Selection Tools There are numerous selection tools that can be utilized when deciding if an applicant is the right fit for a position; and because there are so many unemployed people in today’s job market it is necessary for companies, especially the Human Resource Department to use selection tools that will allow for optimal results. In an instance such as choosing which selection tools to use for the hiring program of a supermarket; it will be assumed that in this program, a majority of the positions being filled are entry-level. It will also be presumed that this program is limited to only three selection tools. With those limitations in mind, the three selection tools that would yield the best results for this scenario would be; personality inventory (personality tests), criminal background checks, and drug testing. One selection tool is not better than another or more effective used alone. In fact, a combination of these three tools used in conjunction with each other would produce better outcomes for the employer using them. In a supermarket position it is safe to say that there will be numerous occasions in which the employee will have to interact with a customer or the general public. It is in the employer’s best interest to place workers in these positions that know and understand how to relate to others; hence the importance of personality testing. The advantage with personality testing is that it allows the employers a means to gage an applicant’s demeanor or temperament. If an applicant fails the required personality testing then it is pretty safe to assume that the candidate is not best suited for a position that deals heavily with customer service, and cannot be placed in such a job. Criminal background checks are another essential selection tool; no matter what field of business is hiring. According to the book Managing Human Resources, “state courts have ruled that companies can be held liable for negligent hiring if they fail to do adequate background checks. It also prohibits convicted felons from engaging in financial and security-oriented transactions” (Bohlander & Snell, 2007). So the advantage of this selection tool would be; if the supermarket were hiring for a position that handles money, or in the accounting department, and criminal background checks were not performed; the supermarket would be held liable for any theft or misappropriation of funds. Drug testing is another essential selection tool, even though these tests can be expensive. People with substance abuse problems are historically unreliable; constantly late or habitually absent from work altogether. There is also an issue if the employee has accessibility to cash or products being sold for profit; with a person under the influence of drugs or alcohol, there is no telling how they will react in or to any situation. So the advantage of drug testing is that an employer can stop the problem before it starts. If an applicant were to test positive on their drug screening then the employer will know that this candidate cannot be hired. The benefits of the drug testing far outweigh any upfront costs involved. The position of Franchise Owner/Operator is being explored for the final project in this course. The selection tools listed above; personality testing, criminal background checks, and drug testing, would only be some of the selection tools that would be used when going through the hiring process for the franchise owner/operator position. The process of selecting a franchise owner operator is very different, and yet very similar to that of any business hiring for a position within its company. A parent company can be more lenient of the requirements of its franchise owner, or it could in fact be more stringent with the qualifications a prospective franchise owner must have in order to be allowed to purchase the business. The selection process for this position of franchise owner/operator would consist of an interview, background investigation, checking references, drug testing, and the final hiring decision. The interviewing method that would be used for the final project will be the non-directive interview with situational questions intermingled. The questions that would be asked of the candidate would be: 1. Tell me about yourself and your background? 2. What made you become interested in this franchise? 3. Why do you think that this franchise would be a good fit for you? 4. What is the most difficult situation you’ve ever been involved in? How did you fix it? 5. What is your greatest weakness? 6. Is there a time when you failed at something? It is my belief that with non-directive questioning, it allows the candidate to be more comfortable. I think that a person is more likely to be honest when they feel comfortable; and after the first few questions it will allow them to feel more at ease depending on their personality. The last half of the questions will provide insight into how they handle themselves in certain difficult situations. While a structured interview method is good for a position where the duties are the same day in and day out; the position of franchise owner/operator changes almost daily, and I feel that the person in this position needs to be able to think on their feet. For this reason I feel that a non-directive approach works best for this interview situation. The considerations necessary for reaching a hiring decision in this scenario would be; first of all, to find out how devoted this person will be to the franchise. If there is even the slightest doubt of dedication on the incumbent’s part, then I would not consider selling them the franchise rights. The next thing to consider would be the person’s personality. Does this person have the gift of gab, or does he run in the other direction at the hint of confrontation? The answers to those questions will help to determine if this person has people skills, and can deal with customers who may be less than pleasant. The last thing to contemplate would be the person’s financial backing. In order to be a franchise owner, the person needs to have their finances in order, to cover the startup costs involved in opening a franchise. If they merely have a dream, but no cash to back them up; then that is all that it will ever be, a dream. All of the data that the applicant has provided will be reviewed, and the decision will be determined through a clinical approach. As with anything, there is always room for improvement. The selection process is no different. As with any process there are trials and errors that go along with development. In a human resource department, the processes are usually developed collectively, and improved upon until they feel they have the right process in order. It is important that they get it right because the hiring and training procedures cost the company money. If it is done incorrectly and the wrong people keep getting hired; it becomes very costly and time consuming. References
Bohlander, G. W., & Snell, S. A., (2007). Managing human resources (14th ed.). Florence, KY: Thomson Learning Higher Education.