Foundations of Personnel Selection Work Psychology Understanding Human Behaviour in the Workplace

SLIDE 4.2

The Selection Process

Job Analysis

Identify Selection Criteria Choose Selection Methods

Attract Candidates

Implement Selection Methods and Make Selection Decisions Evaluation & Validation

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.3

Definitions of Competency
A competency is defined as the specific characteristics and behaviour patterns a job holder is required to demonstrate in order to perform the relevant job tasks with competence. Trend towards more worker-oriented job analyses where job tasks are described with reference to the relevant person attributes. Main aim of competency analysis is to derive a competency model for the target role.

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.4

The Purpose of Job Analysis & Competency Modelling

Job analysis is conducted to define the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes & abilities for performance in the target job role. Applications include; Recruitment & selection (self-selection) Induction Performance management Career development, counseling Organisational change, diagnosis The existence of a competency model has implications for equal opportunities legislation
Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.5

Job Analysis: data collection

Identify competencies by gathering behavioural data from job incumbents & existing data sets Job incumbents define the role, such as: senior managers managers direct reports/subordinates colleagues customers/ user group

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.6

Example Job Analysis Methods

Observation Work diaries Stakeholder interviews Expert panels Behavioural Event Interviews Critical Incident Technique (Flanagan,1954) Repertory Grid Technique

Focus Groups Repertory Grid Technique (Kelly, 1969) Behavioural Checklists Work Profiling questionnaires (e.g.PAQ) Hierarchical Task Analysis Behavioral Mapping

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.7

Criteria for Choosing a Method

Worker or task orientation (precise tasks or psychological factors) Level of knowledge required for researcher Qualitative vs. quantitative Job proximity (observed vs. self-report) Capacity to generate usable outcomes Cost (time & resource) Sensitivity & access Sample size?
Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.8

Research issues
Multi-method, multi-level analysis is best - findings should converge Analysis informs Person Specification & Job Description Competencies and job roles are not static JA arises from Person-Job fit assumption In todays organisations large scale recruitment is often into newly created jobs so traditional techniques may be redundant

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE4.9 4.9 SLIDE

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE SLIDE4.10 4.10

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.11

Reliability & Validity

Reliability: the extent to which the selection instrument measures consistently under varying conditions.

Validity: the extent to which the selection instrument measures what it claims to measure.

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.12

Reliability
Does the selection instrument measure consistently under varying conditions? Test-re-test reliability (stability) coefficient Parallel Forms - e.g. same items of equal difficulty Internal Reliability e.g. split-half method, alpha coefficient, etc.

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.13

Validity
Faith Validity Face Validity Content Validity Criterion Validity Predictive Validity Concurrent Validity Retrospective Validity Construct Validity

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE SLIDE4.14 4.14

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005

SLIDE 4.15

Issues in Validation Studies

Rarely conducted adequately Problems of prediction Criterion problem (error & bias) Restriction of Range Small sample size

Arnold: Work Psychology, 4th edition Pearson Education Limited 2005