Selection process

Selection is a process that been undergo by a firm or organization of choosing individual whom have relevant qualifications to fill any existing or projected job opening (Bohlander & Snell, 2013). Human resource department in the firm is the department that hold the formal responsibility to design on the selection program however, line managers is the person in-charge in making final decisions about the people hired into the units or department (Bohlander & Snell, 2013). The number and the sequence in a selection process may be vary depending on the firms, type and level of jobs to be filled by the candidates. The steps that typically involve in selection process are first, preliminary screening, application blank and interview. It then proceeds to employment interview and employment test. Once complete, reference checks and recommendation will take place. Then, selection decision and the final steps is physical examination (Ivancevich, 2013). Preliminary screening, application blank and interviews been used by employers to try to determine if an applicant will be successful on the job. It includes resumes, cover letters and online and application form. Well-written cover letters are important if a requirement of the job is having good written communication skills (Bohlander & Snell, 2013). There is no set format in writing a resume that may be vary from person to person. Most of the giant company are accepting online application as it helps in recruiting candidate and fill the job opening much faster. Meanwhile, application form provides quick and systematic means of obtaining information about the applicant. Based on my personal experience, both company I have been working with, Mammoth Empire Estate Sdn. Bhd. (MEE) and Richard Tan & Associates (RTA) are using resume and cover letter that been upload through jobstreet which the website been used by the jobseeker to apply for the vacancy in a company. The application form then be forwarded to my e-mail to be fill which consist of name, race, home address, education background and expected salary. Employment interview can be divided into two (2) which are structured and unstructured. In a structured interview, there are two (2) types which behavioural description and situational. There is no script or protocol in unstructured interview. Meanwhile, structured interview has set of standardized questions and established set of answers against which applicant response can be rated (Ivancevich, 2013). In my experience, RTA applying unstructured interview in which the interview process is conduct in a less formal and the question is random and more into identifying the candidates’ ability in doing accounting jobs. Whereas, MEE applying the structured interview and be conduct in a formal situation and the question given is more presentable. The interviewer provides a situation and ask on how as an employee, I should react with the particular situation which also known as a situational interview. Besides situational interview, behavioural description interview is also one of the 1 structured interview. It is an interview in which applicant ask question about what the applicant actually did in a given situation (Bohlander & Snell, 2013). An employment test is a mechanism which attempt in measuring certain characteristic of individuals where it is range from aptitudes such as manual dexterity, to intelligence to personality (Ivancevich, 2013). In MEE, the applicant be test on their personality and interest inventories. This test is measuring on disposition and temperament and used to understands the future employee’s personality (Bohlander & Snell, 2013). Meanwhile, RTA give the job knowledge test as the job is more on the practical of knowledge in accounting jobs. Thus, it requires their candidates to answer several questions based on the working paper of a financial statement of a company. In Colgate Palmolive and Panasonic, before been call for the interview, the human resource department will be forwarded a question which consist of 50 – 60 question in multiple choice question (MCQ) format. It is known as a cognitive ability test which it measures mental capabilities such as general intelligence, verbal fluency, numerical ability and reasoning ability (Bohlander & Snell, 2013). In application form, there is a section in which the applicant need to provide a list of people whom the organization could contact to get any relevant information which known as a reference check and recommendation (Bohlander & Snell, 2013). In both companies, I have joined there is no reference check been done by the manager towards my previous employer. However, for several positions in MEE which involved in operation department such supervisor, attendant, operation executive and etc. the manager will do the reference check with the previous manager as it is a crucial role in the property industry. The reference check usually main to check on the candidates’ personal attitude. In a selection decision, the hiring manager needs to decide which of the finalist should receive the offer of employment. There are two (2) major approach used by the firm in the selection decision which first multiple-hurdle, process of reaching a selection decision by requiring job candidate to meet basic minimum requirement on each stage of the process. Meanwhile, compensatory model which a very high score on one of the selection test can make up for a low score on another test (Ivancevich, 2013). For example, a candidate may gain a low score in interview however, he or she manage to gain a high score in job knowledge test. Thus, it is important for a firm to have a person whom able to do the job in a right way rather than an individual who only done great in talk. The final stage, physical examination can be used to screen out unqualified individuals but generally should be required only after a conditional offer of employment has been made (Ivancevich, 2013). It is important as physical examination, medical examination and drug test is taken to ensure that the health of an applicant is adequate to meet the job requirements. It 2 can only be given to candidates after they have been extended job offers (Bohlander & Snell, 2013). In MEE, it is compulsory for the employees to undergo medical examination to ensure they fit to be on the site and able to perform their job well. In my opinion, in preliminary screening, application and interview, resume and cover letter is the platform for the applicants to show their abilities in writing and explain their personalities in details compared to the online application as the column and question is limited. It will be difficult to the applicant to explain and provide enough information. The process then proceeds with employment interview where I believe the structured interview will able to test the candidate more precisely than unstructured. Structured interview helps in identify and analyse the candidates’ potential while facing certain situation and it makes the interviewer ready and know what is actually they are expecting by having the session. To further evaluate the candidates, a firm should have a reasonable test either to challenge the knowledge or analyse the individuals attitude. I would preferably choose the cognitive ability test as it would help us to see the candidates point of view in different or vary perspective. The manager then may have the summary of the candidates by having the application form to be fill by the applicant before the interview. At the end of the form, the manager may comment and suggest some recommendation in regards of the candidates before being forwarded to human resource department for further action. The reference check may be important however, some of the employer have a bad relationship with the employees thus it might share or talk bad about the candidates. It is an unfair treatment and I may not take this into consideration. As the candidates perform in all stage, he come to the selection decision stage where the manager should decide which of the candidates should accept the letter of offer for the employment. It is a crucial and critical stage as the managers need to think wisely on the decision that they decided to make. If I am the person in-charge I would love to see in the compensatory model to decide as it is impossible to have an individual which is strong in all area. I am preferred to have the individual with high knowledge as to grow we need ideas and critics from others. Lastly, as a manager I need my employees to have medical examination and drug test as it is important especially if they involved in the operation level which require them to do heavy task. By having it, if the individual found not fit to be in the section as the person with a power I would change him to be in another area which fit his ability. As a conclusion, selection process is play important role in help the organization to be success as it is the stage where the manager need to identify and evaluate the individual to join the firm. It is important for the growth of a company to decide whom to be part of them as employing the employees is a cost where firm have to bear thus in return, it should give the firm profit or it would bring loss to the company due to hiring a wrong person to sit on the chair. 3