Reference no: EM132823513

Recruitment Staffing Measurements

In staffing, measurement is a process used to gather and express information about people in jobs in numerical form. It is important to understand that measurement is critical to staffing because, as far as selection decisions are concerned, a selection decision can only be as effective as the measures on which it is based.

Understanding the three key concepts of measurements is critical to understanding the importance of measurement in staffing. The first concept is that of the measurement itself, along with the issues raised by it, namely standardization of measurement, levels of measurement, and the difference between objective and subjective measures. The second concept is that of scoring and how to express scores in ways that help in their interpretation. The final concept is that of correlations between scores, particularly as expressed by the correlation coefficient and its significance. Calculating correlations between scores in a very useful way to learn even more about the meaning of scores.

The quality of measures involves issues of reliability and validity. Reliability refers to consistency of measurement, both at a moment in time and between time periods. Validity refers to accuracy of measurement and accuracy of prediction, as reflected by the scores obtained from a measure.

An important practical concern involved in the process of measurement is the collection of assessment data. Decisions about testing procedures (who is qualified to test applicants, what information should be disclosed to applicants, and how to assess applicants with standardized procedures) need to be made. The collection of assessment data also includes the acquisition of tests and test manuals.

External selection refers to the assessment and evaluation of external job applicants. A variety of assessment methods is used. Initial assessment methods are used to select candidates from among the initial job applicants. Initial assessment methods are used during the early stages of the selection sequence to reduce the applicant pool to candidates for further assessment. Some of the initial assessment materials that are reviewed are resumes and cover letters, application blanks, biographical information, letters of recommendation, reference, and background checks, and initial interviews. Initial assessment methods differ widely in their usefulness. The means by which these methods can be evaluated for potential use include frequency of use, cost, reliability, validity, utility, applicant reactions, and adverse impact.

Like many other components in the staffing process, the use of assessment methods requires a firm understanding of legal issues, including the use of disclaimers and the legal complexities surrounding reference and background checks.

Question:

1. Explain the ways that the following three initial assessment methods are similar and in what ways are they different: application blanks, biographical information, and reference and background checks? How does your organization utilize these assessment methods?
2. Explain the criteria by which initial assessment methods are evaluated. Are some of these criteria more important than others? What are some that your organization (or one that you are familiar with) uses?