SELECTION INTERVIEWS

& TESTS
LECTURE 8
SELECTION INTERVIEWS
3 basic definitions of the selection interview offered below:
 A face to face interaction between two or more individuals
with a motive or a purpose
 A conversation with a purpose
 A procedure designed to predict future performance based
on applicants' oral response to oral enquiries
 The popularity of the interview is largely because of its
flexibility as a selection tool. Interviews can be used to
examine candidates' knowledge, skills, abilities and
attitudes. In other words it can be used to assess many
different competencies
Use of Interview
 An interview can also be used in a number of ways
in the selection process.
 In recruitment it provides a mutual preview allowing
the employer to collect data about a potential
employee, but at the same time allowing candidates
to gather data about a potential future employer.
 Itcan also be used as part of the negotiation
process where issues such as training and
development needs and salary requirements can be
discussed. The interview is often crucial to ensuring
that selection is a two-way process.
Popularity of the Selection Interview
 Over 90% of UK and US organisations use interviews for
management selection. In larger organisations, interviews
are often one of a battery of selection tools used in the
selection process. However, for small and medium sized
enterprises, the interview plays a major part in the
selection process, with perhaps biodata (collected via an
application form) being the only other information
collected and used in the decision-making process. This
means that any occupational psychologist who becomes
involved in selection needs to have a strong understanding
of the selection interview.
Popularity of the Selection Interview

 Interviews are perceived to be relatively cheap to

conduct and many managers feel that they have
the knowledge and skills to conduct an interview.
The widespread use of interviews inevitably
results in a great deal of diversity in practice. All
interviews are not the same, and the way they are
designed and carried out can have a major impact
on their reliability, validity and fairness.
Structured vs Unstructured Interviews
 Structured interviews are systematic , developed from the results of a job
analysis, controlled and have a logical and consistent order of questions. All
candidates are required to answer the same questions delivered in the same way.
 Structuring an interview is one way of forging strong links between the results of
a job analysis and the interview content. The competencies (knowledge, skills,
abilities, attitudes and other qualities) identified in the job analysis can be
probed through bespoke interview questions. This makes interviews an extremely
flexible and useful part of the selection process
  Unstructured interviews are not carefully planned, tightly controlled (e.g.
different candidates may be asked different questions) and the link between
these questions and job performance is not always clear. This can cause major
problems. If nothing else lack of structure compromises the link between the
content of the interview and the job analysis. It also means that different
candidates are being assessed in different ways, compromising the
standardization of the assessment.
2 types of structured interview questions - experienced based and
job related situational questions
 Experience based situational questions focus on situations that have
happened in the past that have relevance to the future demands of the job
role. An example of such a question is:
 "Describe a time when you were faced with completing an important, but
boring task. How did you deal with this situation?"
 Job relevant situational questions require the candidate to apply their
qualities to dealing with situation that might occur within the job role. These
can be past-orientated (experience-based), or future orientated, for
example:
 "You are the personnel officer in a manufacturing plant and the heating
system is not working properly. The temperature has dropped below the
legal minimum, and shop floor staff are threatening to walk out any minute.
Production is already behind. What do you do?"
Overcoming Problems associated with
structured interviews
 Highly structured interviews can be restrictive and some authors have
identified the usefulness of semi-structured interviews. Multimodal interviews
are designed to offer the best of both the psychometric and social exchange
approaches to interviewing.
 These interviews are divided into distinct stages, or phases, that have
different objectives. Some parts of the interview are designed to help build
rapport, some stages offer the candidate a chance to ask questions, other
sections offer a realistic job preview, while other parts of the interview are
tightly controlled containing job-related situational questions.
Experienced based and Job related situational questions

 Pulakos and Schmitt (1995) found that experience based

questions may be the better predictors of future
performance (although future-orientated job-related
questions showed modest predictive validity). Reviewing
the literature, Salgado (1999) confirmed that in terms of
predictive validity there appeared to be a substantial
advantage in using questions that were experience based
and required the candidate to describe their behaviour in
job-related situations (validity co-efficient of around .5
could be achieved).
Single vs Panel Interview
 Some interviews are carried out by a single interviewer others by a
panel of several interviewers.
 There are advantages and disadvantages of both approaches.
 With a single interviewer there is a chance that their biases have a
major impact on the process, and they may experience cognitive
overload as a result of conducting the interview and collecting data
simultaneously.
 The panel interview is frequently justified by claims that it reduces
biased decision making but research findings show that interview
panels do not make significantly better decisions than individual
interviewers. One reason may be that power and politics are prevalent
and one powerful individual on an interview panel exerts an influence
on the selection decision almost equivalent to what it would be if they
were conducting a single interview.
Single vs Panel Interview
 There is an onus of responsibility on the
interviewer(s) to conduct the interview in an
ethical and responsible way. This should include
affording the candidates adequate time and
opportunity to raise any issues that are important
to them. However, the different objectives of
different parts of the interview need to be
explained to the candidate
BEST PRACTICE IN SELECTION INTERVIEWING

 In terms of interview design it is essential that the interview questions are

based on a thorough job analysis.
 The results of the job analysis should also be used to construct the rating and
scoring processes for the interview itself.
 To secure good psychometric properties for the interview, interviewers should
use clearly defined rating scales and rating criteria.
 Ratings should be based upon evidence collected during the interview (usually
written notes of candidate performance).
 Overall, the information gathering process should be standardised (Dipboye,
1997).
BEST PRACTICE IN SELECTION
INTERVIEWING
 In order to conduct the interview effectively, interviewers
should be trained to be aware of the biases that can
impact upon the observation, recording and evaluation of
information about candidates, as this can significantly
improve interviewing. This training should include clear
guidance and training on effective questioning, listening
and observation. Training can also be used to make
interviewers aware of the negative impact that biases and
prejudices can have on selection decisions.
BEST PRACTICE IN SELECTION INTERVIEWING
 A key to controlling an interview lies in gathering and retaining
pertinent information. A candidate may transmit quite a lot of
information.
 To retain the information and use it in decision-making requires a
good short-term memory and practice on the part of the interviewer.
 Most, if not all, interviewers will forget at least some of the
information they have obtained in an interview, even if they are
tested immediately after the interview (Arvey & Campion, 1982).
 The longer the time lapse between the interview and recall, then the
worse is the memory.
 Some interviewers do not take notes on the basis that it is distracting
for candidates. It is better, however, to have notes in order to
maximise accuracy and objectivity.
Control over the selection interview
process
 In the contemporary context, all data gathered on a person should be
available for scrutiny, according to the Data Protection Act (1998). Therefore
it is essential to keep a set of well ordered and clear interview notes
available. However, Middendorf and Macan (2002) found that the act of note-
taking, in the employment selection context, may be more important for
interviewer memory and legal reasons than for improving the decisions made
by interviewers.
 An unequivocal finding from the research on interviews is that interviews
should be structured and control over questioning remains with the
interviewer. Control devices that can be legitimately used by interviewers
include:
 summaries that allow clarification and confirmation and avoid awkward
silences;
 using a variety of questioning techniques, such as open and closed questions,
as appropriate.
Summary on selection interview
 The reliance on humans to manage the interview process and evaluate the candidate
raises the possibility of bias. Although well-designed and executed interviews might
not have the highest validity, because they are a relatively inexpensive and flexible
selection technique, they can have good utility (i.e. are cost-effective).
 However, problems of bias can be managed through careful design of the interview
process and comprehensive interviewer training. Interviews can show good reliability
and validity, particularly if they are structured and contain job-related questions.
 There is an important public-relations element to selection interviews. They are
consistent with the expectations of both current and prospective employees.
Interviews provide an effective means of securing person-organisation fit through
facilitating a two-way decision-making process.
 The interview is also extremely flexible as interview performance can be indicative
of personality, intelligence, motivation, social skills and so on. It can also be used to
assess signs and samples of performance.The usefulness of the interview is then
often determined by issues of cost and practicality.
SELECTION TESTING
 An employer may use a variety of assessment methods to
determine an applicant’s suitability for a position.
 Psychometric tests may be used in the selection process in
addition to other assessment methods such as interviews,
a range of assessment centre activities, presentations,
and reference checking.
 Psychometric assessment involves pencil and paper tests
and/or computer‐based applications, usually in the form
of multiple choice questions. Assessments are generally
grouped into tests of cognitive performance or tests of
personality characteristics, but can also include interest
inventories and motivations questionnaires.
SELECTION TESTING
 Organisations may use a variety of tests to assist them in assessing the
suitability of applicants, as well as their potential for success in the tasks that
will be expected. Generally, these written tests are measuring some or all of
the following:
 General mental ability (verbal, numerical and spatial)
 Personality factors (introverted or extroverted, objective or intuitive, logical
or emotional, decisive or hesitant etc)
 Aptitude (how quickly you are likely to learn and master particular kinds of
tasks)
 Achievement (tests how much you know about a particular topic)
 Creativity (tests lateral thinking, innovative approaches to problem solving
etc)
 Interests (these are often called inventories and assess what career, hobby or
activity interests you have which might be relevant)
Benefits of Selection testing
 Research shows that tests offer greater reliability and
validity than less objective assessments like interviews.
Many companies feel they can rely on test results more
than on subjective ratings of applicants, although such
ratings will probably always have a role in selection.
 The "objectivity" of tests derives from their
standardisation, which means that all applicants sit the
same assessment and are scored according to the same
criteria. For companies recruiting nationally, this is very
appealing.
 Test results are usually used to confirm or dispute other
information that applicants have provided, and
impressions created at interview or reported by referees.
Types of Employment Tests and Selection Procedures

 Examples of employment tests and other selection procedures, many of which

can be administered online, include the following:
 Cognitive tests assess reasoning, memory, perceptual speed and accuracy,
and skills in arithmetic and reading comprehension, as well as knowledge of a
particular function or job;
 Physical ability tests measure the physical ability to perform a particular task
or the strength of specific muscle groups, as well as strength and stamina in
general;
 Sample job tasks (e.g., performance tests, simulations, work samples, and
realistic job previews) assess performance and aptitude on particular tasks;
 Medical inquiries and physical examinations, including psychological tests,
assess physical or mental health;
Types of Employment Tests and
Selection Procedures
 Personality tests and integrity tests assess the degree to which a
person has certain traits or dispositions (e.g., dependability,
cooperativeness, safety) or aim to predict the likelihood that a person
will engage in certain conduct (e.g., theft, absenteeism);
 Criminal background checks provide information on arrest and
conviction history;
 Credit checks provide information on credit and financial history;
 Performance appraisals reflect a supervisor’s assessment of an
individual’s performance; and
 English proficiency tests determine English fluency
Employer Best Practices for Testing and Selection

 Employers should administer tests and other selection procedures without

regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age (40 or older), or
disability.
 Employers should ensure that employment tests and other selection
procedures are properly validated for the positions and purposes for which
they are used. The test or selection procedure must be job-related and its
results appropriate for the employer’s purpose. While a test vendor’s
documentation supporting the validity of a test may be helpful, the employer
is still responsible for ensuring that its tests are valid under UGESP.
 If a selection procedure screens out a protected group, the employer should
determine whether there is an equally effective alternative selection
procedure that has less adverse impact and, if so, adopt the alternative
procedure. For example, if the selection procedure is a test, the employer
should determine whether another test would predict job performance but
not disproportionately exclude the protected group.
Employer Best Practices for Testing and
Selection
 To ensure that a test or selection procedure remains predictive of
success in a job, employers should keep abreast of changes in job
requirements and should update the test specifications or selection
procedures accordingly.
 Employers should ensure that tests and selection procedures are not
adopted casually by managers who know little about these processes.
A test or selection procedure can be an effective management tool,
but no test or selection procedure should be implemented without an
understanding of its effectiveness and limitations for the
organization, its appropriateness for a specific job, and whether it
can be appropriately administered and scored.
Cognitive Performance

 Tests of cognitive performance aim to assess:

 aptitude for learning as well as using and
understanding information
 general intellectual functioning
 ability to deal with certain types of information
 critical thinking/reasoning
Assessment Centres

 Some organisations run extended selection procedures

lasting one to two days or longer called assessment
centres. Usually these  occur after first interviews and
before the final selection, although they can be used as an
initial method of choosing candidates to interview. They
are normally held at an employer's premises or a hotel and
many organisations value them as a way of choosing
candidates. Several different assessors get to see you over
a period of time and have the chance to observe how you
deal with different situations. 
Assessment centres vary widely but typically include:

 Social/informal events
 A good chance for applicants to find out more about the employer and vive
versa
 Selection Tests and exercises
 Working individually or in groups applicants will have to answer questions, cope
with problems, make  decisions and extract  information from different
sources.
 Giving a presentation
 Participants to speak to their audience, and not just read notes out, keep to
the time limit, speak clearly and confidently.
 Group tasks and case studies
 Usually with six to eight people. Lead or chair a group, make sure you get
everyone involved.
 Interviews