Question 1

Which of the following is the most objective approach in making employee selection decisions?

Accepted Answer

The statistical approach is the most objective method for making employee selection decisions because it relies on data and quantitative analysis to assess the qualifications and potential performance of candidates, minimizing personal biases and subjective judgment.

Question 2

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. Which of the following does Canadian Fasteners need to do to gather information about its candidates?

Accepted Answer

Canadian Fasteners needs to gather résumés and applications and conduct interviews to effectively gather information about its candidates, ensuring they hire individuals with the prerequisite skills for the job.

Question 3

Scenario 6.2
Computer Direct Inc. is a mid-sized 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?

Accepted Answer

The clinical approach is reflected in the recruitment process at Computer Direct, where decisions are made based on personal judgments and subjective assessments by a committee, rather than through objective testing or statistical analysis.

Question 4

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?

Accepted Answer

This is known as a compensatory model because it allows a high score in one area to compensate for a low score in another area during the decision-making process.

Question 5

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?

Accepted Answer

A structured interview would work best for Canadian Fasteners because it allows for a consistent and fair evaluation of all candidates, focusing on the specific skills and competencies needed for the job. This approach can help reduce turnover by ensuring that new hires are a good fit for their roles.

Question 6

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?

Accepted Answer

Non-standardized questions can lead to inconsistent information being gathered from different candidates, making it difficult to compare applicants fairly and effectively.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

Requiring a date of birth on application forms can lead to age discrimination and is not always relevant to the application's purpose. It's important to only request information that is directly relevant to the application process.

Question 8

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?

Accepted Answer

The selection ratio refers to the number of job openings compared to the number of applicants. It is a measure used in recruitment to understand the competitiveness of a position or the difficulty of filling it.

Question 9

Research suggests that employers lose a majority of discrimination lawsuits.

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that employers tend to lose a majority of discrimination lawsuits that go to trial, with various studies showing that when employees take their discrimination claims to court, employers often end up on the losing side more frequently than they win.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

Employment interviews, while popular, have been criticized for their potential lack of validity in accurately predicting job performance, as they can be influenced by interviewer biases and the situational context.

Question 11

Scenario 6.2
Computer Direct Inc. is a mid-sized 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?

Accepted Answer

The statistical approach is the best option for more objective decision-making because it relies on quantifiable data and statistical methods to assess candidates, reducing personal bias and increasing fairness and accuracy in the selection process.

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

Online job applications often streamline the application process by allowing for quicker submission of resumes and cover letters, easier tracking of application status, and more efficient communication between employers and applicants.

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

This statement is incorrect. Reliability can refer to both the extent to which two methods yield similar results and the agreement between two or more raters.

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

Online applications allow for faster processing of candidate information, easier communication between recruiters and hiring managers, and more efficient screening and selection of applicants.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

Validity refers to the degree to which a selection procedure measures what it is intended to measure and how accurately it measures it.

Question 16

Applicants who "whiten" their names in their resumes stand a better chance to get called for interviews.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that applicants with ethnic-sounding names who "whiten" their resumes by changing their names to more Anglo-Saxon sounding names or omitting experiences that reveal their racial background tend to receive more callbacks for interviews compared to when their resumes highlight their ethnicity.

Question 17

A university uses several criteria for accepting students. There is a minimum score that students have to achieve on each of the criteria to get admitted. What type of selection model is being used?

Accepted Answer

The multiple cutoff model is used when there are minimum scores or criteria that must be met for each factor considered in the decision-making process. In this case, students must achieve minimum scores on several criteria to be admitted, fitting the description of a multiple cutoff model.

Question 18

Scenario 6.2
Computer Direct Inc. is a mid-sized 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?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Scenario 6.2
Computer Direct Inc. is a mid-sized...

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

A selection procedure's validity is not solely determined by whether it yields comparable data over time. Validity refers to the degree to which the procedure measures what it is supposed to measure and accurately predicts job performance. Other factors, such as the job analysis, the assessment tools used, and the criteria for success on the job, must also be considered in determining the validity of a selection procedure.

Question 20

What does a selection ratio of .9 mean?

Accepted Answer

A selection ratio of .9 indicates that 90 percent of the applicants applying for the position will be hired.

Quiz 6: Employee Selection