3. Employee Selection

 

Selection can be defined as the process of determining from among the applicants which ones can best fit the job specification and should be offered positions in the organization (Sisay, 2011). In this definition, selection involves deciding, if an applicant has the personal qualities that match the job requirements.  (Armstrong, 2003) defines selection as "the process of picking (out of the pool of job applicants) with requisite qualifications and competence to fill the job in the organization".

However, the selection is much more than just picking the "best athlete". Hence, selecting the right set of knowledge, skills, and abilities which comes in package in human being - in an attempt to get a "fit" between what the applicant can do and wants to do and what the organization needs (Millmore, 2007).

Selection Responsibilities

The process of searching for a new employee is customarily initiated by managers who decide that they need to add to staff or to replace someone who is leaving the organization (Brahman, 2001). The position to be filled is defined in terms of its job description and job specification as obtained from job analysis (Millmore, 2007). The hiring activity should be integrated with the HR plans of the company. These plans should forecast departments that are expected to grow and those that may decline (Sisay, 2011). (Mesignson, 1981) states that "selection is a shared responsibility". According to him, in theory, "selection involves a division of labor. The organization in which I work, the division of labor works this way:

• The human resource department does recruitment, handles the detailed steps in the selection procedure except for the final employment interview, and then recommends to the operating department that a given individual for final selection.

• Group Chief Corporate and People Officer does the final interviewing and makes the decision to select or reject a given applicant.

Gaps between employment skills and requirements of the job are common factors that lead to the rejection of applicants. He continues to show the variation in the current practices that personnel managers are now being brought in on the final decisions, because of their expertise in the matter, their important input in the position, salary, and benefits be offered to new employees (Sisay, 2011).

The personnel/HR department usually assumes the responsibility for employee selection, including conducting the initial screening interview, administrating appropriate selection tests and employment interviews, referring top candidates to line managers for an interview, and evaluating the selection process (Yu-Ru, 2004). Line managers also play an important role in the selection process, such as participating in the selection process as appropriate, interviewing final candidates, and assisting in final selection decisions (Yu-Ru, 2004).

Employee Selection Process

The selection process is essentially a series of methods of securing potential information about the applicant (Flippo, 1988). At each step, we can learn more about the prospective employee (Flippo, 1988). The information obtained can then be compared with the job specification and the standard of personnel (Sisay, 2011). If the applicant qualities better, he or she advances to the next step. The steps constitute how the applicant's qualification can be compared with the minimum requirements established in the job specification (Sisay, 2011).

According to (Jackson & Schuler, 2005) which is adapted in figure 02, below several steps need to be completed for initial evaluation. Many of these initial steps are for information gathering purposes and can be used in a selection model. Overall, according to the model, the selection process may have five (or more) steps including:

Figure 02- Process of Selection

                                         Source - (Jackson & Schuler, 2005)

The information can then be analyzed and a decision is made to reject, hold, or make an offer to the candidate. The next steps in the process are to follow. Up with the selected candidate if there is interest.

To state the example in this context in the telecommunication industry where I work always selects those whom they think are most preferable. Once they have selected a candidate, they carry out a reference check and background investigation. If everything is ok then they start salary negotiation. For an entry-level position, they offer the standard salary according to their company policy. And for the upper-level position, candidates will be selected from internal sources and salary will be negotiated in the interview selection panel. Once the salary negotiation is done, the HR department then chooses the position.

References

1.      Armstrong, M. (2003). A handbook of personnel Management practice,.

2.      Brahman, J. (2001). "Practical Manpower Planning". Personnel Management Handbook. London.

3.      Flippo. (1988). Human Resource Management. McGraw-Hill Book Company.

4.      Jackson, S. E., & Schuler, R. S. (2005). Hnman Resource Planning: Challenges for Individual/Organizational Psychologists.".

5.      Mesignson. (1981). PersOlmel Management: A Human Resource Approach.

6.      Millmore, M. (2007). Strategic Human Resource Management.

7.      Sisay, O. (2011). Assessment of the Human Resource Planning Recruitment and Selection Practices and Challenges in Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation.

8.      Yu-Ru, H. (2004). Recruitment and selection and human resource management in the Taiwanese cultural context.