HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
CHECK POINT 27: SCREENING AND TESTING OF APPLICANTS
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HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
CHECK POINT 27: SCREENING AND TESTING OF APPLICANTS
Please Select Any Topic In Check Point 27 Below And Click. |
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DO I NEED TO KNOW THIS CHECK POINT?
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WELCOME TO CHECK POINT 27 |
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HOW CAN YOU BENEFIT FROM CHECK POINT 27? |
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The main purpose of this check point is to provide you and your management team with detailed information about Screening And Testing Applicants and how to apply this information to maximize your company's performance. |
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In this check point you will learn: |
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• About the purpose of screening and testing of applicants.
• About the validity of references provided by previous employers.
• About the ten commandments for conducting a reference check of applicants.
• About various methods screening applicants.
• How to conduct a telephone or personal interview with applicants.
• About providing references for your former employees to other organizations.
• About the ten commandments for defensible references.
• How to test applicants in accordance with the equal employment opportunity laws.
• About general guidelines for testing of applicants and employees.
• About the test validation process, four types of tests... and much more. |
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LEAN MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FOR CHECK POINT 27 |
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You and your management team should become familiar with the basic Lean Management principles, guidelines, and tools provided in this program and apply them appropriately to the content of this check point. |
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You and your team should adhere to basic lean management guidelines on a continuous basis: |
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Treat your customers as the most important part of your business. |
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Provide your customers with the best possible value of products and services. |
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Meet your customers' requirements with a positive energy on a timely basis. |
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Provide your customers with consistent and reliable after-sales service. |
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Treat your customers, employees, suppliers, and business associates with genuine respect. |
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Identify your company's operational weaknesses, non-value-added activities, and waste. |
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Implement the process of continuous improvements on organization-wide basis. |
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Eliminate or minimize your company's non-value-added activities and waste. |
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Streamline your company's operational processes and maximize overall flow efficiency. |
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Reduce your company's operational costs in all areas of business activities. |
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Maximize the quality at the source of all operational processes and activities. |
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Ensure regular evaluation of your employees' performance and required level of knowledge.
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Implement fair compensation of your employees based on their overall performance.
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Motivate your partners and employees to adhere to high ethical standards of behavior. |
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Maximize safety for your customers, employees, suppliers, and business associates. |
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Provide opportunities for a continuous professional growth of partners and employees. |
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Pay attention to "how" positive results are achieved and constantly try to improve them. |
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Cultivate long-term relationships with your customers, suppliers, employees, and business associates. |
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1. THE PURPOSE OF SCREENING AND TESTING OF APPLICANTS |
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SCREENING AND TESTING OF APPLICANTS |
Business owners and managers must be able to conduct effective screening and testing of applicants to secure high quality of employees within their organization.
Upon completion of the job application form and submission of all required documents and references, the information should be verified by means of Screening And Testing Of Applicants.
Screening of applicants and evaluating their suitability for employment are essential elements of employee selection. This process entails gathering information about applicants, conducting reference checks, and finally, interviewing suitable candidates.
The main objectives of the applicants screening and testing procedures are outlined below. |
THE PURPOSE OF SCREENING AND TESTING OF APPLICANTS |
1. |
To assist the company further in evaluating the applicant and confirm the accuracy of the submitted information. |
2. |
To evaluate an applicant's background, character, professional competence, experience, and other important factors. |
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To minimize hiring mistakes that may be very costly to the company in the future. |
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ONLINE |
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2. WOULD YOU RE-HIRE THE APPLICANT? |
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WOULD YOU RE-HIRE THE APPLICANT? |
Willingness of the past or current employer to Re-Hire The Applicant may serve as an additional recommendation for employment. Such a recommendation, however, will be meaningful only if the person providing it can confirm the following as outlined below. (7) |
VALIDITY OF REFERENCES PROVIDED BY PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS |
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The reference provider had an adequate opportunity to monitor the applicant in similar job situations. |
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The reference provider is competent to evaluate the applicant's job performance. |
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The reference provider can express such an evaluation in a meaningful way to the prospective employer. |
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The reference provider is completely candid in his or her remarks. |
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3. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR A REFERENCE CHECK OF APPLICANTS |
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DO YOU NEED ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR
CONDUCTING A REFERENCE CHECK OF APPLICANTS? |
Unfortunately, some Written Recommendations issued to employees by their past employers are not sufficiently accurate. It may be useful, therefore, to follow specific guidelines when searching for additional information from references about prospective employees. These guidelines are included in the Ten Commandments For Conducting A Reference Check Of Applicants outlined below. (8) |
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
FOR CONDUCTING A REFERENCE CHECK OF APPLICANTS |
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Obtain written permission from job candidates to approach their previous employers for the reference check purposes. |
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Do not approach previous employers, if the job candidates do not give you a written permission to do so. |
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Request only the job-related information about the applicant from the reference provider. |
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Write down all relevant information to ensure that your subsequent hiring decision will be based on specific facts. |
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Examine the credibility of the source of the reference information. Remember, that evaluation by a past immediate supervisor will usually be more valid than evaluation by that company's human resources manager. |
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Make use of public records to evaluate on-the-job behavior or personal conduct, e.g. court, bankruptcy, driving records. |
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Avoid discussing subjective areas such as the candidate's personality, habits, or family matters. |
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Keep in mind that courts have ruled that a reference check of an applicant's prior employment record does not violate his or her civil right as long as information provided relates solely to work behavior and to reasons for leaving the previous job. |
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Remember that applicants usually gladly offer sources of reference which will provide positive information, while any potentially damaging references may not be provided at all. |
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Always exercise prudence and common sense. Remember, when information sounds "too good to be true"...maybe it is! |
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4. TELEPHONE OR PERSONAL INTERVIEW FORM |
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TELEPHONE OR PERSONAL INTERVIEW FORM |
One of the most effective methods of screening applicants is a telephone or personal interview with their former employers. Such interviews can be conducted by asking a broad range of questions or by using a Telephone Or Personal Interview Form. This form helps the interviewer ask relevant questions in an orderly manner without overlooking certain important issues.
A typical Telephone or Personal Interview Form for a small or medium-sized company is presented next. |
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ONLINE |
Please watch these excellent videos professionally narrated and produced by Anne-Marie Orrock: |
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© 2010 Anne-Marie Orrock. All rights reserved |
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5. SMALL BUSINESS EXAMPLE
TELEPHONE OR PERSONAL INTERVIEW FORM |
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6. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW WHEN YOU GIVE REFERENCES TO OTHERS? |
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DO YOU PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT REFERENCES? |
Sometimes other organizations request that business owners and managers provide References on former employees. In this instance, business owners and managers need to be familiar with what they can and cannot say about former employees.
Some of the Laws which affect the employment reference procedures are outlined below. |
LAWS WHICH MAY AFFECT THE EMPLOYMENT REFERENCE PROCEDURES |
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WHAT SHOULD BUSINESS OWNERS AND MANAGERS ALWAYS REMEMBER? |
Business owners and managers need to remember that Information which they provide to other organizations about former employees may eventually reach those employees. Hence, it is essential not to fall into a trap and provide any information that may be interpreted as defamatory. This will protect the organization from any possible legal action by former employees. |
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7. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR DEFENSIBLE REFERENCES |
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WHAT GUIDELINES SHOULD YOU FOLLOW WHEN GIVING REFERENCES? |
There are several guidelines which should be followed by business owners and managers while giving employment references to other organizations. Some of these guidelines, or the Ten Commandments For Defensible References, are summarized below. |
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR DEFENSIBLE REFERENCES |
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Find out exactly who is on the other end of the phone: company's name, person's name and position, and phone number. |
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Take all the above details and offer to call back later in the day, when it is convenient for you. |
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When you call back, do not volunteer the information, but try to provide concise answers on specific questions, related only to the former employee's work performance in your company. |
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Try to obtain consent from the former employee by requesting the prospective employer to fax you the consent form signed by that employee about releasing information. |
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Don't make any vague statements, which in any case do not provide a specific description of the former employee's performance on the job. |
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Make use of past Performance Appraisal Forms related to the former employee. |
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When providing potentially damaging or negative information about a former employee, be very specific and base your information on facts, or any other documented information. |
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Don't answer a trap question about re-hiring the former employee. |
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Don't answer any question which is asked "off the record". |
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Remember that we all live in a highly litigious society with a lot of attorneys who always need more business! |
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8. TESTING OF APPLICANTS |
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TESTING OF APPLICANTS |
In order to secure selection of suitable employees it is necessary on specific occasions to conduct preliminary Testing Of Applicants. The main objective of applicant's testing is to measure the applicant's suitability to present employment conditions and adaptability to future demands within the organization.
Many companies also require applicants to undergo additional pre-employment testing as follows:
• Background Check.
• Drug Testing.
All tests must be conducted in accordance with various federal and state laws, including The Civil Rights Act Of 1964 and The Age Discrimination In Employment Act Of 1967 which prohibit discrimination with respect to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, and age.
The main guidelines stipulated in The Equal Employment Opportunity Act Of 1972 related to testing of applicants are outlined below. (9) |
THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 1972
GUIDELINES RELATED TO TESTING OF APPLICANTS |
1. |
The employer must prove that specific testing of applicants relates to their potential success or failure on the job (validity test). |
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The employer must prove that specific testing of applicants does not unfairly discriminate against a protected group, i.e. women, minorities, and people with disabilities. |
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ONLINE |
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9. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR TESTING OF APPLICANTS |
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AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA) |
American Psychological Association (APA) established certain standards for educational and psychological tests for applicants in the work environment. |
AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (APA)
STANDARDS FOR TESTING OF APPLICANTS IN THE WORKPLACE |
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The testing of applicants is subject to privacy, confidentiality of test results, and the right to informed consent regarding the use of these results. |
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Applicants have the right to expect that only people qualified to interpret the scores will have access to them. |
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Applicants have the right to expect that the test is fair to all test-takers in the sense of being equally familiar or equally unfamiliar, so that the test results reflect the test-takers' abilities. |
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GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR TESTING OF APPLICANTS AND EMPLOYEES |
Employment Tests used in various industries are subject to general guidelines designed to ensure meaningful and effective testing results. These tests should be conducted and validated in accordance with the uniform guidelines on employee selection procedures approved by the EEOC in 1978. The two main issues which relate to testing of applicants and employees are:
- • Test validity.
- • Test reliability.
The main question which relates to Test Validity is:
“Does a particular test measure what it is designed to measure?”
Each selected test must be validated to ensure that it will provide the most accurate and relevant results regarding the potential performance of a particular employee.
The main question which relates to Test Reliability is:
“How consistent are the test results produced by a specific applicant or employee?”
Each applicant or employee, who is selected to undergo testing, may be subjected to take several tests, similar in nature, but at different times. If test results are inconsistent, i.e. the same applicant or employee produces different results after taking equivalent tests, this may indicate inconsistency of testing results and, therefore, produce unreliable testing outcome.
The Test Validation Process consists of five steps described below.(10) |
THE TEST VALIDATION PROCESS |
Step 1: Analyze The Job.
The first step is to prepare a job description for a specific position and in addition to summarizing all duties and responsibilities of the particular job, to outline specific human traits, which may be required to execute the job well. This may entail special mental abilities, such as strong mathematical skills or mechanical comprehension, or physical abilities, such as lifting heavy loads or being able to multi-task several assignments. Such requirements are called Predictors and they describe the human traits required for successful execution of a specific job. Moreover, it is necessary to develop a set of actual objectives for a specific job which must be met to ensure successful results. These goals, or “standards for success”, provide the benchmark for comparison of actual performance results and are called Criteria for the specific job.
Step 2: Select A Suitable Test.
The second step entails the actual selection of the most suitable test which should be administered for the specific job. Several tests are available to small business owners and managers and each will be discussed in more details later. The selection of the most suitable test is based on the past experience, on common sense, and on the specific requirements of a particular job.
Step 3: Conduct The Test.
The third step entails the actual testing of applicants or employees. In the case of new applicants, the test results will be used as a Predictive Validation and will be compared to these employees’ results at a later date. In the case of existing employees, the current test result may be compared with their present performance on the job and this is called Concurrent Validation.
Step 4: Compare The Test Predictors With The Actual Performance Results.
The fourth step entails the comparison between the actual scores achieved by an applicant or an employee, or the Predictors, and the actual performance results accomplished by that person on the job, or the Criterion. Obviously, a small variance between these two factors will indicate that the testing process was successful, while, on the contrary, a large variance between these two factors will indicate a failure of the testing procedure. This in turn, should draw the business owners’ attention to the level of efficiency of the testing process and a possible need to review and improve the testing procedures.
Step 5: Cross-Validation And Revalidation Of Testing Results.
The last step in the testing process entails cross-validation and revalidation of testing results by administering Steps 3 and 4 on additional employees. This process may uncover additional inefficiencies of the testing process or, on the contrary, it may indicate that there were certain mistakes made during the previous testing procedures, while the testing process in itself is sound and should not be changed. |
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10. TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT TESTS |
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EMPLOYMENT TESTS |
There are several types of Employment Tests used in industry. These tests should be conducted and validated in accordance with the uniform guidelines on employee selection procedures approved by the EEOC in 1978.
Employment tests are designed to measure four main factors related to applicants or employees outlined below.
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FOUR MAIN FACTORS MEASURED DURING THE EMPLOYMENT TESTS |
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Cognitive
Or
Mental Abilities |
Motor
And
Physical Abilities |
Level
Of
Interest |
Personality
Traits |
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The four main employment tests used in various industries are outlined below. |
FOUR MAIN EMPLOYMENT TESTS |
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The
Intelligence
Test |
The
Aptitude
Test |
The
Interest
Test |
The
Personality
Test |
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11. THE INTELLIGENCE TEST |
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THE INTELLIGENCE TEST |
The Intelligence Test is an important instrument in assessing general intelligence level, reasoning ability, verbal comprehension, word fluency, and memory.
The intelligence test, also known as IQ Test, is particularly useful in the process of identification and selection of management-level employees. This test measures general intellectual abilities of selected candidates and provides fairly good prediction of their potential performance in the future.
Some of the most popular intelligence tests include:
The Wonderlic Personnel Test, for example, is frequently used in many small and medium-sized companies. This test is relatively easy to administer. It comprises a four-page Questionnaire with about 50 questions and it takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. The final scoring result is determined by adding up all correct answers provided by an applicant. |
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12. THE APTITUDE TEST |
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THE APTITUDE TEST |
The Aptitude Test is used to establish and to evaluate the specific mental ability of a person to learn and to understand a given job, inductive and deductive reasoning, verbal comprehension, numerical ability and memory.
The aptitude test can be useful in evaluating the applicant's or employee's capacity for future learning performance. Consider, for example, an aptitude test for a machine operator. Such test may include evaluation and assessment of the applicant’s understanding about a specific machine, or equipment, or manufacturing process. Additional tests which relate to mechanical comprehension include Mechanical Reasoning Test and the SRA Test of Mechanical Aptitude.
In addition to aptitude tests, it may also be necessary to measure an applicants’ or employees’ motor abilities, or physical abilities, which relate to the person’s ability to meet specific job requirements, such as heavy lifting, or fast movement, or coordination of multi-tasking requirements. |
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13. THE INTEREST TEST |
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THE INTEREST TEST |
The Interest Test is used to evaluate the similarity of interest levels between a specific applicant or employee and the actual series of tasks related to a particular job.
The interest test is useful in evaluating the future performance potential by an employee. It is important to remember that employees will do their work more effectively if there is a strong similarity of interests between them and their work within the organization.
During the interest testing procedure applicants or current employees will be required to compare their own interests with a list of typical interests, or Interest Inventories, which may relate to people in specific professional designations, such as accounting, operations, marketing, or general management.
One example of an Interest Test is Strong-Campbell Inventory. This test will provide applicants or current employees with a report which will compare their personal interests with typical interests of people in various occupations. As a result of this test the business owners and managers will be able to identify and measure the correlation between the applicant’s or the employee’s specific interests and those which relate to a given job or position within the company. This, in turn, may help business owners to improve the overall performance of the organization and increase its profitability. |
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14. THE PERSONALITY TEST |
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THE PERSONALITY TEST |
The Personality Test is used to evaluate the adaptability of a specific applicant or employee to other employees within the organization.
It is essential to recognize the importance of the personality test for supervisory or management employees, who are usually in a position of leading, motivating, and controlling subordinates. This test is also useful for sales employees who interact with clients and potential clients.
One of the popular tests which may help business owners to evaluate the performance and behavior potential of future employees is the Predictive Index Evaluation. This type of test is equally useful for small, medium-sized and large companies alike and it can be administered with ease.
The Predictive Index measures a broad range of personality traits, drives, and behavior factors of a specific applicant or employee. The Predictive Index Test comprises of a two-column table which includes a list of words that may best describe a particular person. This test can be scored very easily with a template and it may provide valuable information about the potential or current employee.
Several personality test have been developed since 1920's and some of these test still remain popular at present, including:
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
• Tests Based On Big Five Personality Traits
Some companies also offer computerized testing programs, which may be very useful for small business owners. |
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15. FOR SERIOUS BUSINESS OWNERS ONLY |
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ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS TODAY? |
Reprinted with permission. |
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16. THE LATEST INFORMATION ONLINE |
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LESSON FOR TODAY:
The Closest Most People Come To Perfection Is When They Fill Out A Job Application!
Don L. Griffith |
Go To The Next Open Check Point In This Promotion Program Online |
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