Question 1

Jacob applied for the position of correspondent at The News Curator, a news agency in New Orleans. At the beginning of his interview at The News Curator, Jacob had a few awkward minutes until he eventually regained his confidence. This led the interviewer to make a negative judgment about Jacob even though Jacob later performed well. The news agency did not hire him as it felt that he was not skilled enough for the job. Jacob then joined another news agency as a correspondent and won the best crime beat reporter award within a year. Which of the following selection errors did The News Curator most likely make?

Accepted Answer

The first-impression error occurs when an interviewer forms a quick opinion about a candidate (often based on initial moments of an interview) and allows that first impression to cloud their judgment for the remainder of the evaluation process. In Jacob's case, his initial awkwardness led to a negative judgment that overshadowed his later performance in the interview.

Question 2

In the context of designing a training and development program for an organization, which of the following is the next step after deciding between in-house versus outsourced training?

Accepted Answer

After deciding between in-house versus outsourced training, the next logical step is to decide upon the specific techniques to be used in the program. This involves selecting the methods and tools that will be employed to deliver the training content effectively, whether it's in-house or outsourced.

Question 3

Job posting is an external recruiting mechanism.

Accepted Answer

False

Question 4

In the context of selection techniques used by organizations, individuals participating in an assessment center are likely to be current managers who are being considered for promotion to higher levels.

Accepted Answer

Assessment centers are often used to evaluate current employees, typically managers, for potential promotion by assessing their performance in a variety of exercises designed to simulate the conditions of the higher-level position.

Question 5

In the context of popular selection techniques in employment decisions, which of the following provides a quick and inexpensive mechanism for gathering several kinds of objective information about an individual that can be easily verified?

Accepted Answer

Application blanks are designed to collect a wide range of information from job applicants in a standardized form, including personal data, educational background, and work history. This information is objective and can be easily verified by employers, making application blanks a quick and inexpensive tool for initial screening in the hiring process.

Question 6

Organizational development (OD) assumes that people rarely have an inclination toward being accepted by other members of the organization.

Accepted Answer

Organizational development (OD) typically assumes that people have a strong inclination toward being accepted and having a sense of belonging within their organization, as this fosters collaboration, commitment, and effectiveness.

Question 7

Mateo, a head chef in a popular restaurant in Los Angeles, recently conducted interviews to hire a pastry chef. He was really impressed with Farooq, one of the interviewees, as Farooq shared his passion for trance music. Despite the fact that many other candidates were better qualified for the position than Farooq, Mateo hired Farooq. Which of the following errors did Mateo most likely make?

Accepted Answer

Mateo likely made the similarity error by favoring Farooq over more qualified candidates due to their shared interest in trance music, which is irrelevant to the job's requirements.

Question 8

Research shows that unstructured interviews are much better predictors of subsequent job performance than structured interviews.

Accepted Answer

Research generally shows that structured interviews, where each candidate is asked the same set of questions in a consistent manner, are more effective and better predictors of job performance than unstructured interviews, which are more conversational and less standardized. Structured interviews help reduce bias and provide a more objective basis for evaluating candidates.

Question 9

Banding allows an organization to select an applicant from some underrepresented group in the organization while still ensuring high performance standards.

Accepted Answer

Banding is a method used in personnel selection that groups candidates based on their scores being within a certain range or "band." This approach allows organizations to consider factors such as diversity and representation of underrepresented groups without significantly compromising on performance standards, as all candidates within a band are considered similarly qualified.

Question 10

The fit criterion of selection involves hiring a person with the best qualifications.

Accepted Answer

The fit criterion of selection involves hiring a person who not only has the qualifications but also fits well with the company culture, team dynamics, and values.

Question 11

In the context of popular selection techniques, which of the following is an approach to selecting managers based on measuring and evaluating their ability to perform critical work behaviors?

Accepted Answer

An assessment center is a process used in the selection of candidates for a job. It evaluates individuals by putting them through a series of exercises and simulations that mimic the conditions of the job. This approach is particularly effective for selecting managers because it measures their ability to perform critical work behaviors relevant to managerial roles, such as decision-making, leadership, and problem-solving.

Question 12

In the context of employment tests, integrity tests attempt to assess an applicant's moral character and honesty.

Accepted Answer

Integrity tests are designed to evaluate a candidate's honesty, trustworthiness, and reliability to prevent hiring individuals who may engage in counterproductive work behaviors, such as theft or fraud.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is true of external recruiting?

Accepted Answer

External recruiting brings new perspectives and ideas into an organization by introducing employees who have different backgrounds and experiences.

Question 14

Development involves teaching operational employees job-specific knowledge and skills.

Accepted Answer

Development focuses on building the capabilities and broad skills of an employee for future responsibilities, while training typically involves teaching operational employees job-specific knowledge and skills.

Question 15

The process of designing a training and development program should begin with:

Accepted Answer

A needs analysis is the first step in designing a training and development program. It helps HR managers understand the organization's actual training needs, ensuring that the program addresses the right issues and targets the correct skill gaps.

Question 16

Barbara, a product manager at an organic soap manufacturing company, is supposed to interview a candidate for a new job opening in her department. The candidate arrives late to the interview, and therefore Barbara assumes that he will be tardy and uninterested in his job as well. Despite the fact that the candidate meets all the job requirements, Barbara rejects the candidate. Which of the following interview errors has Barbara most likely made?

Accepted Answer

Barbara has made the first-impression error by allowing her initial negative impression of the candidate's tardiness to overshadow his qualifications and potential as an employee.

Question 17

In the context of making hiring decisions, the best way an organization can avoid legal issues is by:

Accepted Answer

Asking for a person's age, gender, or marital status in the employment application can lead to discrimination claims. Avoiding such questions helps ensure compliance with equal employment opportunity laws.

Question 18

Alan, a content analyst, frequently attends seminars at his workplace. At one such seminar, a new content development position in Alan's department was announced. The management asked employees to refer friends or family members that they thought were suitable for the position. Alan referred Sam, a cousin with previous experience in content creation. After various selection processes, Sam was hired. In this scenario, which of the following recruiting methods did Alan's organization use?

Accepted Answer

Alan's organization used word-of-mouth recruiting by asking employees to refer friends or family members for the new position.

Question 19

Public employment agencies became a formal part of the recruiting process with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1991.

Accepted Answer

Public employment agencies have been a part of the recruiting process long before the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which primarily addressed issues related to employment discrimination.

Question 20

Apprenticeships involve a combination of on-the-job training and classroom instruction.

Accepted Answer

Apprenticeships are designed to provide individuals with practical on-the-job training as well as related classroom instruction to comprehensively prepare them for a specific trade or profession.

Quiz 7: Recruiting, Selecting, Training, and Developing Employees