Deck 5: Recruiting in Labour Markets

Question 1

Using a particular recruiting approach defines a subset of the labour force population that can be considered for job selection. Which of the following is the term usually associated with this subset?

A)applicant population
B)manpower pool
C)applicant pool
D)primary labour force

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Under which of the following conditions will an organization in need of well-qualified employees be most able to find them?

A)when unemployment is high
B)when employment levels are good
C)when the economy is strong
D)when the labour market is tight

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Clement is the recruiting specialist for a catalogue distribution company in a mid-sized town. He has used every type of recruiting technique available to him in an effort to fill 19 job openings. Exactly 19 applicants with the minimum qualifications have been found. Which of the following does this situation signify?

A)Clement does not have to go through a real selection process.
B)Clement can perfectly match jobs with people.
C)Clement has failed as a recruiter.
D)Clement is operating in a labour market that can be described as "loose."

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A pool of qualified applicants is generated for jobs within the organization. What is this the definition of?

A)acquiring
B)recruiting
C)requisitioning
D)selection

Question 5

In larger organizations, which of the following recruiting roles do managers usually fulfill?

A)auditing and evaluating recruiting activities
B)determining the KSAs needed from applicants
C)planning and conducting recruiting efforts
D)forecasting recruiting needs

Question 6

Which of these recruiting decisions does NOT affect reaching the applicant population?

A)the applicant qualifications required
B)the number of vacancies to be filled
C)the recruiting method
D)the recruiting message

Question 7

In order to become an "employer of choice," which of the following is most necessary for an organization to establish?

A)a reputation as having the highest compensation in the marketplace
B)an organizational "marketing strategy" that appeals to potential job applicants
C)a positive brand image for the organization
D)a group of satisfied employees who provide positive word-of-mouth information to prospective employees

Question 8

Canada is attractive to the United States for outsourcing, particularly with respect to call centres, for several reasons. Which of the following is NOT one of those reasons?

A)Wage rates are lower in Canada.
B)Productivity in Canadian call centres is higher.
C)Turnover rate in U.S. call centres is significantly higher than in Canada.
D)Canada is in close proximity to the United States.

Question 9

Which of the following is a typical responsibility of the HR unit in the recruiting process?

A)forecasting recruiting needs
B)providing information about job requirements
C)anticipating needs for employees to fill vacancies
D)determining KSAs needed from applicants

Question 10

One type of labour market is determined by the KSAs required for the jobs. Which of the following is it?

A)occupational
B)educational
C)global
D)geographic

Question 11

Collette is the director of HR for a large tax-preparation firm. The firm needs to hire large numbers of tax preparers for tax season, and Collette plans to outsource much of the recruiting process without excessively limiting her final hiring decisions. Which of the following would Collette NOT find it appropriate to outsource?

A)initial telephone interviews
B)face-to-face interviews
C)placement of advertisements
D)preliminary screening of applicants

Question 12

As director of recruiting for a large bank, Stacy has decided to focus her recruiting efforts for loan officers to publishing advertisements in the official journal of the Canadian Banking Association. Which of the following has she determined for the job of loan officer?

A)the applicant population
B)the labour force population
C)the recruitment pool
D)the applicant pool

Question 13

Which of the following factors does NOT affect the size of the applicant pool?

A)job specifications
B)information available
C)reputation of the organization
D)administrative procedures

Question 14

Kathleen is the director of HR for a resort-hotel that is opening in an area that already contains several hotels and casinos. The labour market for hotel employees of all kinds is tight. The resort-hotel owner has exhausted almost all of her capital in building the hotel and has told Kathleen that labour costs will be a major factor in the company's success or failure. How should Kathleen go about filling the lower-level hotel jobs?

A)Offer higher wages than the competitors and so "steal" trained employees from the other hotels and casinos.
B)Hire ex-convicts, long-term unemployed persons, and part-time workers.
C)Recruit employees from the Philippines and Jamaica.
D)Staff the hotel with only half the usual complement of employees, and rely on heavy use of overtime pay.

Question 15

Which of the following refers to all individuals who are available for job selection, if all possible recruitment strategies are used?

A)applicant pool
B)manpower pool
C)labour force population
D)applicant population

Question 16

A nursing home is opening in a mid-sized city in the Maritimes. In which of the following labour markets would it be most logical for the organization to recruit for patient aides?

A)province-wide
B)local
C)global
D)regional

Question 17

Which of the following strategies should an organization adopt during periods when its level of business is depressed?

A)Still recruit, but focus on applicants who will take lower wages, while laying off higher-paid employees.
B)Reformulate its organizational and HR strategies to reflect the change in the business cycle.
C)Suspend all recruiting efforts and focus on reducing the total workforce.
D)Reduce hiring, but keep in contact with outside recruiting sources.

Question 18

In one kind of pool, all persons who are actively evaluated for job selection are included. Which of the following is that kind of pool?

A)manpower
B)selection
C)recruitment
D)applicant

Question 19

Which of the following statements does NOT identify a consequence of successful organizational branding?

A)The employer has positive name recognition both inside and outside the company.
B)The employer's total labour costs will be lower than the costs of competing employers.
C)The employer is a top choice for high performers.
D)Former employees are more likely to return to the organization.

Question 20

Organizations attract employees from an external supply pool. Which of the following is used to describe this pool?

A)recruitment sites
B)labour markets
C)applicant pools
D)employment offices

Question 21

Which of these job classifications is most likely to have an abundance of designated group members?

A)technical
B)clerical
C)professional
D)managerial

Question 22

In its advertisements, an employer indicates that it is an equal opportunity employer. Which of the following statements provides the subtext for the employer's notice?

A)The employer has a policy of complying with employment equity regulations.
B)The employer will consider applicants on merit and in light of fair employment practices.
C)The employer is a federal or provincial agency.
D)The employer has been found liable in a discrimination lawsuit.

Question 23

One way of obtaining workers relies on using people who are not traditional employees. Which of the following identifies that approach?

A)professional employment organization
B)internal recruiting
C)flexible staffing
D)innovative sourcing

Question 24

Several reasons account for the failure to attract individuals from the Aboriginal labour force; however, which of the following is NOT a valid reason?

A)word-of-mouth hiring that excludes Aboriginals
B)lack of succession planning
C)little connection with Aboriginal employment agencies
D)lack of jobs suitable for Aboriginal applicants

Question 25

Which of the following statements represents an advantage for employees involved with employee leasing companies?

A)They are not required to pay taxes.
B)They can be regarded as self-employed for tax purposes.
C)They usually get many interesting assignments in a variety of start-up businesses.
D)They may receive better benefits than they would get in many small businesses.

Question 26

A vigorous recruiting campaign is aimed at hiring a given number of employees, usually within a short time. Which of the following is the best descriptor for such a campaign?

A)sporadic
B)intensive
C)continuous
D)targeted

Question 27

Angela is a self-employed graphic artist. Typically, she is hired by companies for special projects that may last anywhere from a week to six months. Which of the following terms best describes Angela?

A)leased employee
B)temporary worker
C)project-based professional
D)independent contractor

Question 28

Which of the following actions is a common way of monitoring recruiters' behaviours and actions?

A)conducting all interviews by telephone with HR monitoring the calls on a random basis
B)having HR staff sit in on recruiters' interviews
C)tape-recording all recruiting interviews
D)sending follow-up surveys to interviewees

Question 29

Several factors determine whether a working relationship can be characterized as an independent contractor arrangement. Which of the following does NOT need to be considered?

A)the worker's opportunity for profit
B)the level of control over the worker's activities
C)the worker's responsibility for providing the necessary equipment
D)the recruiting/hiring process used

Question 30

Several benefits are associated with outsourcing recruiting. Which of the following is NOT a benefit?

A)freeing up HR staff time
B)achieving a close fit of new hire to company culture
C)making recruitment faster and cheaper
D)reducing the number of HR staff needed

Question 31

An employer may wish to utilize the necessary skills and experience of visible minority professionals entering Canada. Which of the following recommendations should the employer ignore?

A)Ensure that staff have cross-cultural sensitivity.
B)Use exclusive recruiting methods.
C)Make employee orientation more supportive.
D)Facilitate access to the first job.

Question 32

Which statement does NOT apply to small businesses and recruiting?

A)Small businesses need to become more closely aligned with education officials and students.
B)Small businesses utilize Internet recruiting more than larger organizations.
C)Small businesses need better training in HR management.
D)Small businesses do not have the same staffing abilities as larger organizations.

Question 33

Recruiting efforts may be viewed in two ways. Some efforts are continuous. How are other recruiting efforts best described?

A)as targeted
B)as sporadic
C)as continual
D)as intensive

Question 34

In which of these situations does the use of temporary workers probably make sense?

A)The industry has a history of high turnover.
B)The work is subject to seasonal or other fluctuations.
C)The organization wants to reduce its benefits costs.
D)The employer is a federal contractor.

Question 35

Which of the following statements outlines a benefit of a professional employer organization?

A)It allows HR managers and staff to focus on recruiting.
B)It handles the complexities of HR.
C)It supplies employers with applicants.
D)It saves employers money on payroll costs.

Question 36

Which of the following options does NOT exemplify flexible staffing?

A)hiring temporary workers
B)providing internships
C)using employee leasing
D)choosing independent contractors

Question 37

One type of agency gives support to small-business owners by writing paycheques, paying taxes, preparing and implementing HR policies, and keeping all the required records for a fee. Which of the following terms is used to describe such an agency?

A)payroll vendor
B)employment agency
C)third-party employer
D)professional employer organization

Question 38

Which work-leaving behaviour characterizes a person who is mid-life career changer?

A)leaves due to technological obsolescence
B)leaves through downsizing or other displacement
C)leaves through normal retirement or early retirement
D)leaves voluntarily before normal retirement age

Question 39

Which of the following statements expresses a disadvantage of recruiting internally?

A)Assessing the candidate's abilities is difficult.
B)The company has to hire only at the entry level.
C)"New blood" may disrupt the organization's culture.
D)A management development program is needed.

Question 40

In which of the following would promotion from within be most suitable?

A)an organization that is dynamic and high-tech
B)an organization that is in an environment where change is slow
C)an organization that is expanding into a new product market
D)an organization that draws heavily on independent contractors

Question 41

An executive search firm charges a fee only after a candidate has been hired by a client company. Which type of firm is it?

A)commission
B)retainer
C)contingency
D)contract

Question 42

Which of the following statements expresses an identified disadvantage of external recruiting?

A)A stronger management development program is needed.
B)New hires won't have "political supporters" already in the organization.
C)Internal candidates not selected may develop morale problems.
D)Inbreeding will result.

Question 43

The vice president of HR for a large magazine publisher is creating an internship program for students in university degree programs in journalism and communication. Which of the following elements does he NOT need to include in the program?

A)paying the interns well
B)creating a favourable impression of the company through "wining and dining"
C)treating the interns as though they were new employees
D)requiring meaningful work from the interns

Question 44

Which statement most accurately reflects employer observations about campus recruiting?

A)Establishing a presence and showing support on a campus will likely lead to better recruiting results.
B)Campus recruiting is one of the least expensive recruitment methods.
C)Applicants with high marks are an almost universal screening criterion.
D)The cost of training campus recruits decreases due to educational preparedness.

Question 45

Which of the following statements accurately characterizes the practice of recruiting friends and family of current employees?

A)Many qualified people can be reached at low cost.
B)Current-employee referrals can reduce the risk of human rights issues.
C)Workers recruited through current employees have high rates of turnover.
D)Current employees are reluctant to refer their family and friends.

Question 46

Unions have traditionally supplied workers to employers in certain industries. Which of the following businesses is an example?

A)heavy manufacturing
B)law enforcement
C)construction
D)publishing

Question 47

Which of the following do recruiters seem to value more than high marks in the students they interview on campus?

A)poise, communication skills, and appearance
B)extracurricular activities
C)part-time and summer work experience
D)family connections and networking possibilities

Question 48

In terms of recruiting, which is an advantage of organizational databases?

A)They provide job candidates with more confidence because they minimize the possibility of personal bias.
B)They maintain background and KSA information on existing employees.
C)They permit employers to comply more easily with the numerous EE rules.
D)EE guidelines recommend non-biased, automated systems.

Question 49

Which of the following actions represents a way unions can benefit employers?

A)supporting closed-shop agreements
B)implementing apprenticeship programs
C)ensuring less competition for skilled workers
D)establishing wage scales for job candidates

Question 50

Which of the following is an example of an external recruiting source?

A)labour unions
B)job postings
C)friends of current employees
D)former employees

Question 51

All but one of the following are drawbacks of promoting from within. Which is the advantage?

A)Vacancies created by internal promotions must be filled.
B)Moving protected-class individuals up through the organization may be slower.
C)Creativity and new approaches to problems may increase because of the sense of security that promotion from within generates.
D)An employee's good performance on one job may not predict performance on another job.

Question 52

Recruiting is a major reason companies are involved in school-to-work programs. Which of the following is another major reason for company involvement?

A)to inspire students to gain advanced education
B)to keep students off the street after school hours
C)to inculcate a strong work ethic in the students
D)to tutor the students in reading and math skills

Question 53

An employer considers several things in choosing the colleges and universities at which it will conduct interviews. Which of the following is NOT a major determinant?

A)reputation of the schools
B)organizational budget constraints
C)experiences with previous graduates of the schools
D)faculty attitudes toward the employer's industry

Question 54

Which of the following is the equivalent of giving a signing bonus to a top recruit?

A)giving a retention bonus to a top current employee
B)offering performance bonuses to the top 10 percent of company employees
C)raising the salary of the best employee in each department
D)providing stock options to all current employees

Question 55

Sphere Ltd. has been experiencing much internal movement of employees. Individuals will be hired for entry-level jobs, but within six months, most will have transferred or been promoted to other positions. This job-changing activity is also high in the middle ranges of the organization. Some disruption and downtime have resulted as job-changers learn their new duties. In order to retain the benefits of internal selection, but reduce the turmoil, which of the following ideas might Sphere's HR director propose?

A)posting jobs internally on the same date that jobs are advertised externally
B)requiring that individuals stay in the same job for a minimum time before applying for a new internal job
C)posting only a small proportion of vacancies available and using external recruiting for the remaining vacancies
D)halting internal recruiting for one year while employees catch up with their duties

Question 56

Which of the following is an identified advantage of external recruiting?

A)need to hire only at entry level
B)better assessment of applicants' abilities
C)possible bringing of industry insights
D)shorter adjustment or orientation time for employees

Question 57

Ariel Ltd. wishes to motivate its current employees to stay with the company and to develop and advance within it. It plans to take the following actions to contribute to this goal. Which of the following ideas does NOT fit with its ambition?

A)recruiting top talent through professional and trade associations
B)increasing commitment to employee development
C)filling job vacancies internally
D)developing an organizational database

Question 58

Which of the following statements sums up the main advantage of hiring former employees?

A)Their performance and capabilities are known.
B)The internal politics of the organization remain smooth.
C)Most managers are eager to welcome back former subordinates.
D)They usually cost less in terms of salary and benefits.

Question 59

Which of the following statements regarding job posting and bidding is FALSE?

A)Employees who bid for jobs but are not selected feel grateful for having the opportunity.
B)In a unionized organization, job posting and bidding often are formally outlined in the labour agreement.
C)Jobs generally are posted before any external recruiting is done.
D)Job posting and bidding allow each employee an opportunity to move to a better job within the organization.

Question 60

Which of the following statements identifies an advantage of internal recruiting?

A)It promotes fresh ideas and approaches.
B)It is cheaper and faster than training professionals hired from outside the organization.
C)It allows better assessment of applicants' abilities than external recruiting does.
D)There is no need for an expensive management development program.

Question 61

Which of the following explains what figuring average time from contact to hire allows the firm to do?

A)identify which recruiting sources fill openings most quickly
B)calculate the "float time" in the recruiting process
C)estimate the efficiency of recruiters
D)calculate the quality of applicants

Question 62

Valley View Medical Centre is recruiting for an emergency room physician. Where could it advertise most effectively?

A)on a professional website
B)targeted emails to emergency room physicians working in the area
C)on a job board
D)on its employer website

Question 63

Which of the following is NOT a measure of applicant quality generated by recruiting efforts?

A)the appropriate mix of designated group members
B)performance of applicants after hire
C)months until promotion of new hires
D)failure rate of new hires for each recruiter

Question 64

Which of the following identifies the primary usefulness of job fairs ?

A)filling a large number of jobs quickly
B)assessing the current state of the labour market
C)identifying who is currently on the job market
D)comparing salaries with competing firms

Question 65

Organizations seek information on job performance, absenteeism, cost of training, and turnover by recruiting source. Which of the following explains what this information helps organizations do?

A)produce a realistic job preview
B)attract job candidates
C)develop recruiting sources
D)evaluate effectiveness of recruiting efforts

Question 66

How is a "passive" job seeker best characterized?

A)as a marginally employable individual who cruises job boards looking for a job or a better position
B)as an introverted individual who must be actively targeted by the recruiting company or employment agency
C)as someone who puts little energy into a job search
D)as a person with a good job not actively looking to change

Question 67

Which of the following is a probable impact of the "digital divide"?

A)an increase in the number of applicants from U.S. versus global labour markets
B)a higher proportion of applicants from lower socio-economic brackets reached
C)less diversity reflected in applicants recruited via the Internet.
D)the perpetuation of the "glass ceiling" for women

Question 68

Which of the following is the term usually associated with the number of persons hired divided by the number of applicants?

A)selection rate
B)hit rate
C)yield ratio
D)success rate

Question 69

Omicron Inc. uses a private employment agency to locate engineering staff. Omicron pays a set monthly fee whether the agency has provided any new candidates or not. Which type of agency is Omicron using?

A)a fee-for-service firm
B)a contingency firm.
C)a retainer firm
D)a professional society

Question 70

The Internet can be used for recruiting. Which of the following statements does NOT belong on a list of identified advantages of this approach?

A)It reduces workloads for HR staff.
B)It can target specific audiences.
C)It generates an expanded pool of applicants.
D)It saves much time in the recruiting process.

Question 71

Under which circumstances are creative and unusual methods of recruiting most appropriate?

A)when the unemployment level is high
B)when recruiting for individuals who can "think outside the box"
C)when labour markets are tight
D)when entering global markets

Question 72

Which of the following statements accurately characterizes job board use?

A)Many people accessing the boards are not serious job seekers.
B)A high proportion of applicants using job boards are unemployable.
C)Much of the information companies provide on job boards is intended to mislead competitors.
D)Many applicants using job boards falsify or inflate their qualifications.

Question 73

Evaluating the success of recruiting efforts is important. Which of the following statements explains why?

A)It provides input to the HR unit's compensation system.
B)It is the primary way to find out whether the efforts are cost effective.
C)It indicates how the employer measures up against competitors.
D)It is the best way to measure the firm's reputation on college campuses.

Question 74

Which of the following is the least common method for Internet recruiting?

A)job boards
B)online newspaper classified ads
C)professional websites
D)employer websites

Question 75

Which of the following statements does NOT reflect a legal concern about Internet recruiting?

A)Ascertaining who is really an applicant can be difficult.
B)Designated group members and older applicants may be excluded from the process.
C)Incomplete records lead to problems when reporting data for employment equity purposes.
D)General informality online can lead to discussions that might be deemed improper if the person does not get the job.

Question 76

What is it called when the number of applicants at one stage of the recruiting process is compared to the number at the next stage?

A)success ratio
B)yield ratio
C)hit rate
D)selection rate

Question 77

Given that the goal is to create an effective job advertisement, which of the following elements should be addressed?

A)awareness, attention, interest, and action
B)action, notice, interest, and retention
C)attention, interest, desire, and action
D)attraction, notice, desire, and action

Question 78

Which of the following criteria is the best for determining how effective an advertisement for applicants was?

A)number of applicants hired
B)cost per applicant
C)performance level of applicants hired
D)total number of applicants generated

Question 79

Recruiters may want to easily and accurately track responses to advertisements in various media. Which of the following statements outlines the best method?

A)Ask applicants where they learned of the position.
B)Rotate job advertisements in different media.
C)Use different contact names, email addresses, or phone numbers in the ads.
D)Advertise different jobs in different media.

Question 80

Employers may recruit through professional and trade associations. Which of the following is a primary advantage of this approach?

A)access to specialized professionals needed in an industry
B)ability to obtain competitors' secrets
C)more competitive salaries
D)enhanced motivation of recruits moving on to another position in the same industry