C234 Workforce Planning: Recruitment and Selection - Set 2 - Part 1

Correct Answer: Asking all candidates the same predetermined questions for fair comparison

A structured interview asks each candidate the same job-related questions evaluated with consistent criteria, improving fairness and predictive validity.

Correct Answer: Consistent questions and scoring reduce bias and improve prediction

Standardized questions and rating criteria make evaluations comparable and job-relevant, substantially improving the interview's ability to predict job performance.

Correct Answer: Asking candidates to describe how they handled past situations

Behavioral questions ask candidates to describe specific past experiences, on the premise that past behavior predicts future behavior in similar situations.

Correct Answer: Situation, Task, Action, Result responses to behavioral questions

The STAR method structures behavioral responses by covering the Situation, the Task, the Action taken, and the Result, producing complete and comparable answers.

Correct Answer: Asking how a candidate would handle a hypothetical job scenario

Situational questions present a hypothetical job-related scenario and ask how the candidate would respond, assessing judgment and problem-solving.

Correct Answer: The degree to which the method actually predicts job performance

Validity measures whether a selection method accurately predicts subsequent job performance, which is the fundamental test of a method's usefulness.

Correct Answer: The consistency of results across raters or occasions

Reliability is the consistency of a measure, such as different interviewers reaching similar ratings or a test producing stable results over time.

Correct Answer: A method that produces inconsistent results cannot consistently predict performance

An inconsistent measure cannot reliably relate to performance, so reliability is a necessary condition for validity, though it does not guarantee it.

Correct Answer: General mental capabilities such as reasoning and problem-solving

Cognitive ability tests measure reasoning, verbal, numerical, and problem-solving capabilities, and are among the strongest single predictors of job performance.

Correct Answer: Having candidates perform tasks representative of the actual job

A work sample test has candidates perform tasks that mirror the real job, providing a direct and highly valid demonstration of relevant ability.

Correct Answer: They directly demonstrate the candidate's ability to do the actual work

Because candidates perform actual job tasks, work samples closely predict job performance and are among the most valid and legally defensible selection methods.

Correct Answer: A process using multiple exercises and assessors to evaluate candidates

An assessment center uses several exercises such as simulations, group tasks, and interviews, scored by trained assessors, to evaluate candidates against defined competencies.

Correct Answer: Evaluating traits relevant to job fit and performance

Personality assessments measure traits such as conscientiousness that can relate to job performance and fit, though they are generally weaker predictors than ability or work samples.

Correct Answer: Verifying past performance and employment information

Reference checks confirm employment history and gather insight into past performance and behavior from people who have worked with the candidate.

Correct Answer: Credentials, employment history, and relevant records

Background checks verify factual claims such as education, employment, and, where job-relevant and lawful, criminal or credit records, confirming candidate representations.

Correct Answer: Using several complementary valid methods for a fuller picture

Combining complementary valid methods, such as a work sample plus a structured interview and ability test, predicts performance better than any single method alone.

Correct Answer: A selection practice that disproportionately excludes a protected group

Adverse impact occurs when a neutral selection practice disproportionately screens out members of a protected group, which may be unlawful unless job-related and justified.

Correct Answer: It supports fairness and legal defensibility

Selection criteria must relate to genuine job requirements to be fair and legally defensible, ensuring decisions are based on ability to perform the work.

Correct Answer: Ensuring hiring decisions are based on merit, not protected characteristics

Equal employment opportunity requires that employment decisions rest on job-relevant qualifications rather than characteristics such as race, gender, age, or disability.

Correct Answer: A characteristic reasonably necessary to perform a particular job

A BFOQ is a narrow exception permitting an otherwise prohibited characteristic when it is genuinely necessary to perform the essential functions of a specific job.