Deck 6: Employee Selection

Question 1

Which term refers to the degree to which selection procedures yield comparable data over a period of time?

A) consistency
B) reliability
C) validity
D) conformity

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a reason why interviews are popular as a selection method?

A) Interviews are the most valid method of selection.
B) Interviews are practical for dealing with a small number of applicants.
C) Interviews function as a public relations tool.
D) Interviewers have faith in their ability to make selection judgments.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is appropriate to ask on an application form?

A) whether the applicant has prior arrests
B) whether the applicant is eligible to be bonded
C) whether the applicant has ever been in jail
D) whether the applicant has ever been caught stealing

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Organization Beta is hiring 20 new staff for front-line positions. The interview the company is using involves giving the applicant hypothetical incidents and asking how he or she would respond. What is this type of interview called?

A) a behavioural description interview
B) a panel interview
C) a situational interview
D) a structured interview

Question 5

Which of the following most accurately represents the typical steps in the selection process?

A) candidates participate in employment testing before being interviewed
B) supervisors interview candidates followed by individual interviews with the HR department
C) candidates are interviewed in the initial stages and again the late stages of the process
D) background investigations are carried out near the beginning of the process

Question 6

Which of the following types of test is increasingly being aided by computer simulations?

A) personality tests
B) physical ability tests
C) cognitive ability tests
D) work sample tests

Question 7

Which term refers to the degree to which inferences drawn from interviews, test scores, and other selection procedures are supported by evidence (such as good job performance)?

A) evidential
B) accuracy
C) reliability
D) validity

Question 8

Which type of interview allows the applicant the maximum amount of freedom in determining the course of discussion?

A) a nondirective interview
B) a depth interview
C) a situational interview
D) a structured interview

Question 9

Which of the following refers to an interview in which an applicant is given a hypothetical incident and is asked how he or she would respond to it?

A) a computer interview
B) a panel interview
C) a situational interview
D) a nondirective interview

Question 10

Which type of interview provides the greatest consistency or standardization with respect to the questions asked?

A) a nondirective interview
B) a situational interview
C) a structured interview
D) an unstructured interview

Question 11

Questions contained in structured job interviews should be based on which of the following?

A) job analysis
B) job design
C) job specialization
D) job utilization

Question 12

When an organization does not hire a person who is described as low in predicted success and low in job performance, what is the term for that situation?

A) the goal of selection
B) a miss
C) a hit
D) a successful selection system

Question 13

Which term refers to the use of selection tests to measure applicant KSAOs against competencies for the job?

A) employment equity compliance
B) person-job fit
C) person-organization fit
D) indirect expense

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the use of reference checks?

A) They are no longer used because organizations won't share information about previous employees for fear of litigation.
B) Their usefulness is limited because most managers will not share performance data.
C) Some organizations have detailed forms for previous employers to fill out in order to get the best information.
D) New human rights laws prohibit their use.

Question 15

Organization B is using an interview format that requires a panel of three interviewers. The company has found that about half of the time, the interviewers disagree in their ratings such that some members of the panel give the candidate a high rating, while others give the same candidate a low rating. What is the best way to describe the interview format that Organization B is using?

A) it is not content valid
B) it is lacking predictive validity
C) it is not valid
D) it is not reliable

Question 16

Organization Omega is hiring 20 new front-line employees. The company is using an interview that involves three people taking turns asking questions and then pooling their scores of the responses. What is this type of interview called?

A) a behavioural description interview
B) a panel interview
C) a situational interview
D) a structured interview

Question 17

Which of the following represents an essential factor in the selection procedure, regardless of the selection methods used?

A) lengthy and thorough
B) quick and efficient
C) reliable and valid
D) a positive experience for applicants

Question 18

Which of the following best describes credit reports?

A) Organizations must advise and receive written consent from the applicant when they request a credit report.
B) Organizations can request a report on any employee at any time without consent.
C) Organizations do not have to inform applicants if adverse decisions are made based on information in the report.
D) Organizations cannot make adverse decisions based on information in such a report.

Question 19

When would an applicant be rejected during the selection process?

A) after the preliminary interview
B) after completing the application blank
C) after selection test results are received
D) at any step in the procedure

Question 20

"Tell me about the last time you disciplined an employee" is an example of which of the following?

A) a behavioural description interview question
B) a panel interview question
C) a computer interview question
D) a closed response interview question

Question 21

Which of the following types of test measures dispositional characteristics such as extroversion, inquisitiveness, and dependability?

A) personality tests
B) cognitive ability tests
C) physical ability tests
D) supervisory and managerial ability tests

Question 22

The "can do" factors of an applicant include which of the following?

A) knowledge, skills, and abilities
B) personality, values, and motivation
C) honesty and integrity
D) motivation

Question 23

Which of the following conditions represents a test that could be described as "construct valid"?

A) A professor puts one essay question on the final exam, and that essay question is drawn from the chapter that she feels is the most important.
B) A manager uses a work sample test used for selection that has facets that tap in to every major aspect of the job.
C) A researcher gives a test of "job satisfaction" to a group of participants and checks to make sure that his results correlate with other measures of satisfaction.
D) A manager assesses how effective his selection test is by checking the performance of successful candidates months after they are hired.

Question 24

In which process is a test or test battery administered to a different sample (drawn from the same population)for the purpose of verifying the results obtained from the original validation study?

A) redundancy validation
B) repeat validation
C) cross-validation
D) inferential validation

Question 25

Which of the following measures mental capabilities such as general intelligence, verbal fluency, numerical ability, or reasoning ability?

A) a personality and interest inventory
B) a physical ability test
C) a cognitive ability test
D) a job sample

Question 26

Intelligence, mechanical comprehension, and anxiety are examples of which of the following?

A) job requirements
B) job characteristics
C) theories
D) constructs

Question 27

What is currently the most effective way to assess a person's honesty during the selection process?

A) polygraph testing
B) graphology testing
C) background tests
D) integrity testing

Question 28

Why would an organization use an integrity test?

A) because even though such tests are not correlated with reduced disruptive behaviours, they have been correlated with reduced turnover
B) because such tests are designed to identify thieves
C) because these tests not only reduce theft, but also have been shown to have a relationship with performance on the job
D) because in using an integrity test, you can avoid the use of most other selection tests, since it has been shown that these are good stand-alone predictors

Question 29

Organization C has developed a new selection system. The company is interested in determining if the system predicts performance on the job, so Organization C gave the selection tests to 100 existing employees. What is the best way to describe this process?

A) assessing concurrent validity through a cross-validation study
B) assessing concurrent validity through a criterion-related validity study
C) assessing predictive validity through a criterion-related validity study
D) assessing predictive validity through a cross-validation study

Question 30

Why are biographical information blanks difficult for applicants to fake?

A) they require detailed answers
B) they rarely have obviously right or wrong answers
C) they are administered by extremely knowledgeable interviewers
D) they require applicants to respond quickly

Question 31

Giving applicants a clerical aptitude test and then tracking their performance six months later is an example of which of the following?

A) predictive validity
B) concurrent validity
C) content validity
D) correlational validity

Question 32

Which of the following types of test is the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)?

A) a cognitive ability test
B) a personality test
C) a physical ability test
D) an interest inventory

Question 33

Six months ago, Organization A used a new selection system to hire 100 front-line staff members. With six months of performance data in hand, Organization A is interested in determining if its new selection system predicts performance on the job. What is the best way to describe this process?

A) assessing concurrent validity through a cross-validation study
B) assessing concurrent validity through a criterion-related validity study
C) assessing predictive validity through a criterion-related validity study
D) assessing predictive validity through a cross-validation study

Question 34

Asking a candidate for an auto mechanic position to disassemble and reassemble a carburetor is an example of which of the following?

A) a work sample test
B) a job knowledge test
C) a physical ability test
D) an interest inventory

Question 35

Which of the following terms refers to the extent to which good performance on a test correlates with high marks on a performance review?

A) criterion-related validity
B) content validity
C) construct validity
D) cross-validation

Question 36

Which of the following best captures the current state of thinking on the use of biographical information blanks?

A) Personal questions are viewed as inappropriate in a selection setting.
B) It is very time consuming to score them, but they are considered valid in particular industries, such as health care.
C) They are not considered valid.
D) They are a very valid method of predicting job success.

Question 37

What is one of the most important processes in establishing validity?

A) criterion-related validation
B) correlation
C) cross-validation
D) content validation

Question 38

Which of the following is a legal means of screening out applicants who pose a security risk?

A) polygraph testing
B) a pencil-and-paper honesty test
C) a voice stress analyzer
D) deceptograph testing

Question 39

Which of the following best describes personality tests?

A) They easily demonstrate job-relatedness.
B) They can inadvertently discriminate against individuals who would otherwise perform effectively.
C) They measure intelligence.
D) They measure an applicant's preference for certain activities over others.

Question 40

Which of the following best describes drug testing in the selection process?

A) It is conducted in most Canadian workplaces.
B) It is illegal in Canada.
C) It is conducted more frequently in Canada than in the United States.
D) It is conducted by very few Canadian organizations.

Question 41

A manager is examining the number of applicants for a job compared to the number of people needed to be hired. What is this figure called?

A) the yield ratio
B) the selection ratio
C) the base ratio
D) the validity coefficient

Question 42

Why has interest in person-organization fit been increasing?

A) because of organizations' increased need for teamwork and flexibility
B) because of the movement toward union-free hiring
C) because job descriptions are becoming more rigid
D) because of advances in selection tools

Question 43

Reliability refers to the extent to which two methods yield similar results, but not to the agreement between two or more raters.

Question 44

Which of the following should the selection decision focus on?

A) the strategic objectives of the organization's competition
B) the personality match of the applicant and the supervisor
C) the motivation of the applicant
D) both "can-do" and "will-do" factors of the applicant

Question 45

Scenario 6.1
Canadian Fasteners is an Ottawa-based packing firm that packages nuts, bolts, and screws for various Canadian furniture companies. The firm started operations in 2003 with 13 employees and has grown to over 150 employees today. Employees are paid hourly rates with benefits similar to other packing firms across Ontario. The work does not need previous experience. Canadian Fasteners has been struggling to recruit and hire the right employees to take the company into the new millennium. Part of the problem is that workers, especially floor workers, are hired by word of mouth with no formal application process or even an interview. As a result, the company faces a high turnover rate and spends valuable time training new employees who may not have the prerequisite skills to effectively do the job in the first place.
Refer to Scenario 6.1. Assume Canadian Fasteners designates a person to review the applications and conduct the interviews. Which of the following is NOT helpful to the interviewer?

A) non-standardized questions
B) understanding the job
C) establishing an interview plan
D) controlling the course of the interview

Question 46

Most organizations require application forms to be completed because they provide a fairly quick and systematic means of obtaining a variety of information about the applicant.

Question 47

Scenario 6.1
Canadian Fasteners is an Ottawa-based packing firm that packages nuts, bolts, and screws for various Canadian furniture companies. The firm started operations in 2003 with 13 employees and has grown to over 150 employees today. Employees are paid hourly rates with benefits similar to other packing firms across Ontario. The work does not need previous experience. Canadian Fasteners has been struggling to recruit and hire the right employees to take the company into the new millennium. Part of the problem is that workers, especially floor workers, are hired by word of mouth with no formal application process or even an interview. As a result, the company faces a high turnover rate and spends valuable time training new employees who may not have the prerequisite skills to effectively do the job in the first place.
Refer to Scenario 6.1. Canadian Fasteners is trying to implement a process to recruit and hire workers. Which of the following would work best in this type of organization?

A) a non-directive style
B) a structured interview
C) a behavioural description interview
D) a contextual interview

Question 48

If an organization's selection procedures yield comparable data over a period of time, the procedures are valid.

Question 49

Validity refers to what a selection procedure measures and how well it measures it.

Question 50

Scenario 6.2
Computer Direct Inc. is a midsized technology firm that specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling computers. The organization staff complement is very diverse, and most of the company's employees are in the development and design, sales, and marketing departments. Computer Direct has been using only one method to make recruitment decisions for all of its employees, from managerial to technical to clerical. Data is gathered on each candidate, and a committee assigns scores to candidates based on its understanding of the job. Candidates, however, are not given the opportunity to be tested and hired based on their respective scores. Essentially, decisions are made based on personal judgments.
Refer to Scenario 6.2. If Computer Direct wants to use more objective methods of decision making, which of the following is the best approach?

A) demonstrated approach
B) compensatory approach
C) subjective iterative approach
D) statistical approach

Question 51

Online applications can speed up the selection process, combine information, and disseminate promising leads to hiring managers more efficiently.

Question 52

Application forms should always require relevant dates, including date of birth.

Question 53

What does a selection ratio of .9 mean?

A) It means 90 percent of the applicants applying to the position will be hired.
B) It means 10 percent of the applicants applying to the position will be hired.
C) It means 9 percent of the applicants applying to the position will be hired.
D) It means 1 percent of the applicants applying to the position will be hired.

Question 54

Although widely used, employment interviews pose potential concerns about validity.

Question 55

It is estimated that at least 30 percent of applicants stretch the truth on their résumés.

Question 56

Scenario 6.2
Computer Direct Inc. is a midsized technology firm that specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling computers. The organization staff complement is very diverse, and most of the company's employees are in the development and design, sales, and marketing departments. Computer Direct has been using only one method to make recruitment decisions for all of its employees, from managerial to technical to clerical. Data is gathered on each candidate, and a committee assigns scores to candidates based on its understanding of the job. Candidates, however, are not given the opportunity to be tested and hired based on their respective scores. Essentially, decisions are made based on personal judgments.
Refer to Scenario 6.2. Which approach best reflects how decisions about recruiting are made at Computer Direct?

A) psychological approach
B) clinical approach
C) statistical approach
D) behavioural approach

Question 57

Although many organizations are encouraging applicants to apply for jobs online, this practice slows down the application process.

Question 58

Scenario 6.2
Computer Direct Inc. is a midsized technology firm that specializes in designing, manufacturing, and selling computers. The organization staff complement is very diverse, and most of the company's employees are in the development and design, sales, and marketing departments. Computer Direct has been using only one method to make recruitment decisions for all of its employees, from managerial to technical to clerical. Data is gathered on each candidate, and a committee assigns scores to candidates based on its understanding of the job. Candidates, however, are not given the opportunity to be tested and hired based on their respective scores. Essentially, decisions are made based on personal judgments.
Refer to Scenario 6.2. Which approach is considered superior and would best serve the needs of Computer Direct?

A) objective approach
B) clinical approach
C) statistical approach
D) personal judgment approach

Question 59

Scenario 6.1
Canadian Fasteners is an Ottawa-based packing firm that packages nuts, bolts, and screws for various Canadian furniture companies. The firm started operations in 2003 with 13 employees and has grown to over 150 employees today. Employees are paid hourly rates with benefits similar to other packing firms across Ontario. The work does not need previous experience. Canadian Fasteners has been struggling to recruit and hire the right employees to take the company into the new millennium. Part of the problem is that workers, especially floor workers, are hired by word of mouth with no formal application process or even an interview. As a result, the company faces a high turnover rate and spends valuable time training new employees who may not have the prerequisite skills to effectively do the job in the first place.
Refer to Scenario 6.1. Canadian Fasteners needs to do which of the following to gather information about its candidates?

A) administer a lie detector test
B) run background and credit checks on all employees
C) gather résumés and applications and conduct interviews
D) continue as it is currently doing things

Question 60

Organization T uses a decision-making model in which an applicant is allowed to score poorly in one area of the selection tests, as long as he or she scores very high in another area. What is this type of decision-making model called?

A) a statistical model
B) a multiple hurdle model
C) a compensatory model
D) a multiple cutoff model

Question 61

Since biographical information blanks rarely have obviously right or wrong answers, they are difficult to fake.

Question 62

Credit checks are the most common form of reference check.

Question 63

Employers are required by law to provide references for former employees.

Question 64

Typically, a computer interview requires candidates to answer a series (75-125)of multiple-choice questions tailored to the job.

Question 65

Data obtained from nondirective interviews are difficult to validate.

Question 66

Behavioural description interviews appear to be more effective than situational interviews, especially for higher-level positions.

Question 67

Aptitude tests measure what a person knows or can do right now.

Question 68

The situational interview is a variation of the unstructured interview.

Question 69

Situational interviews ask applicants how they would respond, while behavioural description interviews ask applicants how they did respond

Question 70

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)is an example of a cognitive ability test.

Question 71

Studies have shown that an objective scoring of biographical information blanks and application forms is one of the most potentially valid methods that can be used to predict job success.

Question 72

The premise of a behavioural interview is that "past performance is the best predictor of future performance."

Question 73

HRM specialists have found that panel interviews lead to higher reliability and faster decision times than one-to-one interviews.

Question 74

"Tell me more about your experiences on your last job" is an example of a nondirective interview question.

Question 75

The federal government relies extensively on employment testing in the selection process.

Question 76

Behavioural description interviews are based on hypothetical situations.

Question 77

Video interviews have the advantages of speed and cost-effectiveness.

Question 78

Written letters of reference are very valid in the selection of employees.

Question 79

A situational interview asks the applicant what he or she actually did in a given situation.

Question 80

"Tell me about the last time you disciplined an employee" could be a behavioural description interview question.