Selection

Find examples of three different selection methods used in an organisation with which you are familiar and identify when they are used and why, along with the pros and cons of each.

There are different types of selection methods used in order for companies to choose the best candidates for a job position. There are face-to-face interviews whereby the manager or someone in the recruitment department speaks with the potential employee. There are telephone interviews, whereby the person is interviewed over the phone and then there are also group interviews, this helps assess how well the person can work in a group.

Below is a listing the Pro’s and Con’s of each selection type.

Face-to-face interview -

Advantages:
Allows the candidate to express them selves fully and show the interviewer what they have to offer the company, by presenting the skills and qualifications they have acquired as well as describing their passion for that position.

Disadvantages:
Interviewees could be really nervous and may not like the fact that they are before a powerful person in the company. This could affect confidence level and in most cases loss of words. This method usually is broken down into steps and candidates normally have to come back for another interview.

Telephone interview –

Advantages:
Gives candidates the opportunity to express how they speak as well as being able to articulate there words over the phone. This method often involves reading a short piece of literature. This allows potential employees to show how well they read and speak in a professional manner. It is less nerve racking, cheap and a easy way for companies to select.

Disadvantages:
Since the interviewer can not actually see the person whom is on the phone, they don’t know if their personal appearance matches what they looking for. They may not have the practical skills required for the job and may not be sufficient in providing the quality of service to the company standard. Although it could be considered as cost effective, if there are no people who meet the standard of job position, then in fact it would have been a waste of money.

Group interview -

Advantages:
It gives the candidate the opportunity to express there team work and leadership, people skills. It also can help timid people come out of their shell and get involved in activities. This also is effective because the interviewer can analyse which people could manage and lead groups of people (potential team leaders) in the future

Disadvantages:
There will be loud and more dominant people in the group, who may over shadow the quieter ones. This will not be an advantage for the quieter ones as they may not be given the chance to participate. Less focus is made on individuals and they may have key skills beneficial to the company, which could be over looked. The size of the group is also a factor. When they are too large this does not help select strong candidates.

Describe an interview that you have taken part in. It may have been for a job, but could also have been within your school or university. Was the interview effective? If so, why. If not, why not.

An interview I was apart of was divided into two sections. First I participated in a telephone interview, where I had to express why I would be suitable for the job. I also had to read a piece of literature so that my reading was assessed. The second part of the interview was face to face, where I was asked questions about the work place and the job role. I was them given the opportunity to express the qualifications, skills and previous experience I had.

I think this was effective because I was given the chance to express myself over the phone as well as face to face. My speaking voice is very professional and so is my outward appearance. Therefore, both of the selection methods which were used were beneficial and very affective.

Interview a member of your family, or a friend not at university, to ask them whether they feel personality tests used within a selection procedure are advantageous. Describe and explain their views.

I asked this question to a family member and they felt that personality tests are not helpful because they don’t always relate to the individual whom the questions are directed to. the answers which are provided are not always true since the personality question does not relate to the person whom is taking part. Therefore, answers will be misleading or false. This in turn will affect the data which is being collected and the results will not correspond to what was expected.








In your own organisation or one with which you are familiar what recommendations would you make to improve selection processes?

Conclusion/ Recommendation

Selection process is very important and should be used in a correct manner so that companies can choose candidates fairly according to what the job role requires. Improvements such as allowing candidates to fully express them selves in group interviews is vital because there could be potential managers, supervisors and team leaders among that group. Therefore they need to show what skills they have to attract to eye of the interviewer. Group interviews should also be smaller in number so that partakers are given the chance to show what they have to offer the company. Since they are some times really large, there are too many people being observed, which is not helpful to the company.