Steps involved in selection process

[laji]

What are the steps involved in the selection process?

[nbm]

(1) Application Blank—The application blank is invariably used as one of the selection tools. The applications are the starting point of the selection process. Where application forms i.e., application blanks are used the data can become a part of the employee's record is hired. Further it provides factual information needed for evaluating the candidate's suitability. Application blank contains written record of the following informations:

(a) Identifying Information—Such a family background, date and place of birth, age, sex. height, citizenship, marital status etc.

(b) Information regarding Education—It includes information, his academic career, subjects taken at various school certificate and degree levels, grade, division or place awarded in school and college, technical qualification etc.

© Information regarding Experience—Giving full details of past jobs such as nature of work, job responsibilities, periods involved, designations, salaries with allowances, reasons for leaving the present assignment etc.

(d) Expected salaries and allowances and other fringe benefits.

(e) Information regarding Community Activities consisting of details regarding extra-curricular activities, hobbies, positions.

2. Preliminary Interview—Preliminary or initial interview is often held in case of "at the gate" candidates. This interview is usually of a short duration and is aimed at obtaining certain basic information with a view to identifying the obvious misfits or unqualified. If the candidate seems to be possessing the basic minimum requirements for efficient job performance, he is given an application form for being filled out by him.

3. Screening application forms—Information on application form is used for selection purposes. Sometimes, detailed information is sought for the prospective employees. The criteria for the contents of the application form are generally to get data that are primarily factual.

4. Employment Tests—An employment or a selection test is an instrument designed to measure selected qualities and abilities of a prospective incumbent in terms of job specifications. Such tests provide a sample behaviour that is used to draw inferences about the future behaviour or performance of an individual. The use of tests in wide spread and hence there is a long list of tests. A variety of tests are used as selection tools. They may be classified as intelligence tests, aptitude tests, achievement tests, interests tests and personality tests.

(a) Intelligence tests are a measure of the individual's capacity for reasoning, verbal comprehension, numbers, vocabulary, word fluency etc. They are used to eliminate candidates who are insufficiently intelligent for efficient job performance. Such tests aim to measure intelligence i.e. mental ability and alertness to make decision and judgment.

(b) Aptitude tests are measure of the individual's capacity or latent ability to learn a job if he is given adequate training. They are used to determine their ability for effective job performance after the completion of the training period. Such tests are more valid when an applicant has little or no experience along the lines of the job opening.

© Achievement tests are used to ascertain whether the individual actually knows what he claims to know. When a candidate claims that he knows some trade or art, these tests are administered to verify the veracity of his claim. Trade tests are the most common type of achievement tests. They are designed to measure knowledge or skill in a specific trade such as machinist, carpenter, plumber etc.

(d) Interest tests are used to predict whether a candidate is interested in a particular job or not. Interest test is an inventory of likes and dislikes of people in relation to hobbies, occupations and recreational activities. These tests measure interest of outdoor, mechanical, computational, scientific artistic, musical, clerical etc.

(e) Personality tests are designed to measure such personality characteristics as emotional stability, tolerance for conflict capacity to get along maturity and psycho neurotic and psychotic tendencies. These are generally used for the selection for executive jobs. In any case, they need trained experts for their administration and evaluation.

5. Interviewing- Interviewing is the most widely used selection technique by all kinds of organisations. It is relied upon to a great extent in accepting or rejecting a candidate. Despite the relative subjectivity and unreliability of interviewing as a selection technique, the fact remains that intangible personality variables left to be evaluated by the interviewer are important for job success and some evaluation is better than no evaluation. Interview enables the person responsible for hiring to view the individual and to appraise the person and his behaviour directly. The basic objective of the interview is to measure the applicant against the specific requirements of the job. It, being a two way communication, also permits the applicant to ask questions about the job and organisation.

6. Reference Checks—Reference checks serve as an important selection technique, if conducted properly. The applicant is asked to mention the names and addresses of his former employers and also of two or three persons known but not related to him. If references are checked in the correct manner, a great deal can be learned about a person that an interview or tests cannot elicit. Referees may be called upon to give detailed informations about candidate's capabilities.

7. Selection—If a candidate successfully overcomes all the obstacles or tests given above he would be declared selected. An appointment letter will be given to him mentioning the terms of employment, pay scales, post on which selected etc.