The next part of the staffing application paper is the selection plan

Posted: July 7th, 2022

The next part of the staffing application paper is the selection plan, which should be between 3-4 pages in the body of your final paper. There will be an additional 8-10 pages in the appendices of your final paper. In this section, identify at least three selection methods you wish to use (one of the methods must be a structured interview), and provide background on what information the technique provides, how they are used, scored, etc. Importantly, you should provide evidence of the validity of the selection techniques, from the research literature, for the job in question. In addition, address issues associated with test use, such as potential adverse impact, applicant reactions, cost, etc. For example, if you wish to use a cognitive ability assessment then you would discuss the adverse impact associated with it and why it is necessary for your selection system. In addition, construct a selection plan (include in the appendices section of the final paper) which outlines the targeted knowledge, skills, and abilities related to job behaviors, and determines which selection methods target each KSA (see Exhibit 8.2 on page 377 of the textbook). For the structured interview, you should prepare at least 3 behavioral and 3 situational interview questions. Each question should have a very specific KSAO target. Develop a scoring key for each interview question (this means you will have at least 6 scoring keys). The interview questions, KSAO target, and scoring keys will also be in the appendix of your final paper (see suggestions related to the interview questions below). Finally, provide 3 job-relevant sample items (from existing measures, which must be cited, or created) for each or the remaining selection methods in your selection plan (put in the appendices of your final paper).

For the structured interview (taken from Tanglewood Case 6):

The best interview questions have several key qualities. First, they are broad enough to actually allow variability in answers; in other words, not every applicant gives the same answers. Second, they are directly relevant to important elements of the job. Third, they do reflect knowledge or skills that a person could realistically acquire while on the job.
Situational interviews: the core to writing good situational interview questions is establishing a scenario that the applicant will react to. These can blend into work samples or problem-solving tasks related to the job. Good situational interview questions are realistic enough that the applicant will actually experience the same emotions you are trying to represent. For example, in a situational interview designed to assess customer service skills, an applicant might be asked to confront a manager pretending to be a frustrated shopper. In a situational interview designed to assess teamwork ability, an applicant might be asked how he or she would cooperate with a group of individuals to solve a difficult problem at work.
Behavioral interviews: these are interview questions that ask a person to explain previous experiences related to the KSAO required for the job in question. Many of these questions begin with “Tell me about a time you had to….” For example, an individual interviewing for a customer service job might be asked, “tell me about a time that you had to interact with an angry customer.” The key function of behavioral interviews is to obtain a more detailed picture of the experiences of a candidate and determine how well they can relate their experiences to the position at hand.
A scoring key is an extremely important part of the structured interview process. Most scoring keys are developed by describing behaviors on a graduated scale ranging from very poor to very good. A good scoring key is behaviorally specific and reflects real attributes that a person might possess and demonstrate on a job. The biggest problem with scoring keys is that they are often too easy or too hard, so actual scores end up being bunched together with no real variance. (See the example of a question from a structured interview with scoring key on p. 11 of the Tanglewood Case 6).
References (outside of your textbook) should be listed at the end of your assignment in the format of the references page that will be included in the final paper (remember that you need a minimum of 15 references for the final paper). Papers should adhere to APA reference requirements. A maximum of three internet citations may be used in the entire paper. (Internet citations are those that are not from peer-reviewed journals or the Society for Human Resource Management. Accessing peer-reviewed journals from the internet is acceptable for the 15 references. This restriction is not meant to direct you to books or paper documents. Rather, the internet citations that should be limited to 3 include things like the New York Times, blogs, LinkedIn articles, etc.)The sites listed below are not acceptable resources for internet citations.

Careerbuilder.com (or similar)
Wikipedia.com (or similar)
Students should spend 4-7 hours on this assignment.
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Sure, here is a selection plan for a software engineer position.

Selection Methods

Structured interview
Cognitive ability test
Work sample test

Background

A structured interview is a type of interview in which all candidates are asked the same questions in the same order. This helps to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly and that the interviewer is not influenced by personal bias.

A cognitive ability test is a test that measures a person’s ability to think and reason. These tests are often used to assess a person’s potential for success in a variety of jobs, including software engineering.

A work sample test is a test that measures a person’s ability to perform the tasks that are required for a particular job. In the case of a software engineer, a work sample test might involve writing code or solving a programming problem.

Validity

Structured interviews have been shown to be valid predictors of job performance in a variety of settings. For example, a study by Campion et al. (1994) found that structured interviews were able to predict job performance in a variety of occupations, including software engineering.
Cognitive ability tests have also been shown to be valid predictors of job performance in a variety of settings. For example, a meta-analysis by Schmidt and Hunter (1998) found that cognitive ability tests were able to predict job performance across a wide range of occupations, including software engineering.
Work sample tests have also been shown to be valid predictors of job performance in a variety of settings. For example, a study by McDaniel et al. (1994) found that work sample tests were able to predict job performance in a variety of occupations, including software engineering.

Adverse impact

Structured interviews can have adverse impact on certain groups of applicants, such as women and minorities. However, this can be mitigated by using a variety of techniques, such as using multiple interviewers and developing scoring rubrics that are job-related.
Cognitive ability tests can also have adverse impact on certain groups of applicants, such as women and minorities. However, this can be mitigated by using a variety of techniques, such as developing tests that are culture-fair and that do not contain any items that are biased against any particular group.
Work sample tests can also have adverse impact on certain groups of applicants, such as women and minorities. However, this can be mitigated by using a variety of techniques, such as using tests that are designed to be fair to all groups of applicants.

Applicant reactions

Applicants generally have positive reactions to structured interviews. This is because they know what to expect and they feel that they are being evaluated fairly.
Applicants generally have positive reactions to cognitive ability tests. This is because they believe that these tests are a fair way to assess their skills and abilities.
Applicants generally have positive reactions to work sample tests. This is because they believe that these tests are a fair way to assess their ability to perform the job.

Cost

The cost of a structured interview is relatively low. The only cost is the time of the interviewer.
The cost of a cognitive ability test is also relatively low. The only cost is the cost of the test itself.
The cost of a work sample test can be higher than the cost of a structured interview or a cognitive ability test. This is because the test must be developed and administered by a qualified professional.

Selection Plan

The following is a selection plan for a software engineer position.

Step 1: Review resumes and cover letters.
Step 2: Conduct structured interviews.
Step 3: Administer cognitive ability test.
Step 4: Administer work sample test.
Step 5: Review all test results and interview notes.
Step 6: Make hiring decision.

References

Campion, M. A., Palmer, D. K., & Campion, J. E. (1994). A structured interview that reduces adverse impact and predicts job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79(2), 250-257.
McDaniel, M. A., Whetzel, D. L., Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1994). The validity of work sample tests for predicting job performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 79(4), 525-536.
Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262-274.