Question 1

The selection process for hiring the assistant to the mayor of a large city includes giving the finalists three hypothetical crisis scenarios.One deals with a terrorist threat at a sporting event,another deals with a plane crash at the airport,and the third deals with a major earthquake.Each candidate must describe his/her approach to the crisis,which will be recorded and evaluated by a panel.This is an example of a

Accepted Answer

This is an example of situational interview as the candidates are presented with hypothetical scenarios and asked to describe their approach to the given crisis situations.

Question 2

The best candidate for the position of director of marketing has had a positive test for the presence of illegal drugs in a hair sample.As HR manager,you should

Accepted Answer

Asking the candidate to submit to a second type of drug test at another laboratory is a fair approach to ensure the accuracy of the initial test results before making a final employment decision. This respects the candidate's potential for a false positive and maintains the integrity of the hiring process.

Question 3

Which of the following is TRUE about the Fair Credit Reporting Act?

Accepted Answer

The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires employers to disclose that a credit check is being made and obtain written consent from the person being checked. A and B are false, as the use of credit reports for employment purposes is not illegal, and employers must have a legitimate reason for conducting credit checks on applicants. D is also false, as credit agencies are not liable for damages if false credit information is disclosed about a job candidate if they have accurately reported the information provided by the sources.

Question 4

Clarence is selecting questions for a structured interview he is designing.He wants to ask each candidate a question or two that will tap the applicant's motivation.All of the following would be good "motivation" questions EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

While describing a difficult problem and solving it may show motivation, it does not directly ask about what motivates them. The other three choices specifically ask about motivation by asking about rewards, measuring success, and excitement for certain projects.

Question 5

Angus is a bus driver for a tour bus company.He's had an excellent driving record for the 15 years that he's been working for the company.Last year Angus was on medical leave for 8 weeks for a back injury that has left him in chronic pain.Recently,Angus' co-workers have noticed that he has been behaving erratically and has been falling asleep in the employee lounge.If Angus has an accident while driving one of the tour buses because of the effects of his prescription pain medication and passengers are injured,the company might be liable for

Accepted Answer

Negligent retention refers to a situation where an employer fails to take appropriate action to address an employee's known misconduct or incompetence, which can result in liability for the employer. In this case, Angus has been exhibiting erratic behavior and falling asleep at work, indicating that he may not be fit for duty due to his chronic pain and medication. The company has a duty to address this issue and ensure that Angus is not endangering passengers or other drivers on the road. If the company fails to take appropriate action and Angus has an accident while driving, the company could be liable for negligently retaining him as an employee.

Question 6

The problem of ____ occurs when interviewers make a decision on the job suitability of applicants within the first four or five minutes of the interview and spend the balance of the interview looking for evidence to support it.

Accepted Answer

Snap judgments refer to the phenomenon where interviewers form an early opinion about the candidate's suitability for the job within the first few minutes of the interview and then spend the rest of the time seeking information that confirms their initial impression.

Question 7

Gisela has emerged from her interview with the managing editor of the large city newspaper.She is shaken and upset because the editor was insulting about her educational background,he pressured to answer confusing questions without time to collect her thoughts,and he asked her how she could deal with city politicians since she was a new graduate and "wet behind the ears." Gisela has experienced a ____ interview.

Accepted Answer

The description of the interview suggests that Gisela experienced a stress interview, where the interviewer intentionally puts the candidate under stress and pressure to observe their reactions and behavior. The insulting comments and confusing questions were likely deliberate tactics to test Gisela's ability to handle stress and difficult situations.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT legal for an organization to use as a source of background information on a job applicant?

Accepted Answer

Medical information, including hospitalizations for chronic illnesses, is protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and cannot be used as a basis for employment decisions. It is illegal for employers to discriminate against someone based on their medical history.

Question 9

Anthony was interviewing an applicant to be a volunteer docent (instructor and tour guide)for a large art museum.The applicant began to discuss her interest in introducing young children to museum-quality art.Anthony followed up with several questions about how young children react to art,why she felt early exposure to art was important,and how she would design situations for children to experience art.Anthony was conducting a ____ interview.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Anthony was interviewing an applicant to be...

Question 10

There is an opening in the marketing department at SixDee,Inc.All the applicants invited for an in-depth interview must walk past the marketing staff's cubicles,so each marketing employee can see each applicant.Steve,one of the employees,sees a man with gray hair walking into the marketing manager's office for an interview.Steve remarks,"What a geezer! I guess we're going to go after nursing home accounts." Steve's remark is most reflective of

Accepted Answer

Steve's remark reflects stereotyping, as he is making assumptions about the man's abilities and interests based solely on his age and appearance. This type of prejudice can be harmful and unfair, as it unfairly limits opportunities for individuals based on unfounded assumptions.

Question 11

When interviewing an applicant for a position as financial director of the city's symphony orchestra,the recruiter is strongly impressed by the fact that the applicant was a professional musician with a prestigious European orchestra for 10 years.The recruiter is suffering from the

Accepted Answer

The recruiter is strongly impressed by one positive aspect of the applicant's background (being a professional musician with a prestigious European orchestra) and it is influencing their perception of other aspects of their suitability for the position as financial director. This is an example of the halo effect, where one positive characteristic of a person influences the evaluator's overall impression of them.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a company may require applicants to take a drug test at any time in the pre-employment process, including before a conditional job offer has been made. However, a positive drug test result may not be used to discriminate against an applicant based on a disability or medical condition that is being treated with prescription medication.

Question 13

The main legal reason for performing a thorough background check of all applicants is

Accepted Answer

Performing a thorough background check on all applicants helps protect the employer from charges of negligent hiring. Negligent hiring is a legal claim that can arise if an employer hires someone who they knew or should have known posed a risk to others in the workplace, and that person causes harm to someone else while on the job. A background check can help uncover any red flags or potential risks that an applicant may pose, which can help the employer make a more informed hiring decision and avoid potential legal liability. While compliance with immigration and anti-discrimination laws are also important reasons for conducting background checks, the most significant legal risk to employers is negligent hiring.

Question 14

____ occurs when the candidate gives responses that are believed to be socially acceptable rather than factual.

Accepted Answer

Cultural noise occurs when individuals provide answers they think the interviewer wants to hear or that are socially acceptable, rather than being completely honest. This can distort the accuracy of the information provided.

Question 15

Amanda is applying for a job.She has taken a number of selection tests,but refuses to ____ because this is illegal before she has been given a conditional job offer.

Accepted Answer

A stair-step test for endurance is a physical test that could be considered a medical examination, which is illegal to require before a conditional job offer under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Question 16

Which of the following interview questions is MOST useful?

Accepted Answer

This question is the most useful as it directly pertains to the job and the responsibilities that may be expected of the candidate. Understanding the candidate's management style can provide insight into how they may handle situations and interact with colleagues and subordinates. A candidate's major in college or whether they enjoy challenging work may not necessarily be as relevant to the job at hand. "Tell me all about yourself" is an open-ended question that may not provide specific information related to the job.

Question 17

Glibb Design's interior decorators,designers,and architects work together in self-managing work groups.This structure is key to the organization's culture and it is important that new hires fit in with the work group to which they are assigned.In this case,it would be wise to use

Accepted Answer

Team interviews would be the most appropriate choice in this scenario as it allows the potential candidate to meet and interact with the team they will be working with. This will give both the candidate and the team an opportunity to assess if there is a good fit between the candidate's personality, working style and the team's culture.

Question 18

Carrie has phoned an applicant's former supervisor for a reference.The supervisor refuses to give any information about the former employee.What mistake may Carrie have made?

Accepted Answer

Carrie should have obtained a signed consent form from the applicant releasing the former supervisor from liability before contacting them for a reference. Without the signed consent form, the former supervisor may refuse to provide any information due to concerns about potential lawsuits.

Question 19

A school district hired a school bus driver without doing a multi-state criminal background check.It checked only in the state in which the school is located.Subsequently,the school bus driver was convicted of kidnapping one of the children who rode his bus.The prosecution in the case revealed that the driver had been convicted ten years earlier of possession of child pornography in another state.The school district is guilty of

Accepted Answer

The school district is guilty of negligent hiring as they did not perform a multi-state criminal background check and hired someone with a history of child pornography possession, which poses a risk to the safety of the students he transports.

Question 20

WeStorIt,Inc.,requires all candidates who receive conditional job offers to take a physical ability test that requires them to be able to lift 50 pounds from the ground to a height of three feet for 30 minutes at a time,to be able to push a trolley loaded with 500 pounds of weight for 100 yards,and to walk up three flights of stairs,among other requirements.This test is required for warehouse workers,warehouse supervisors and office managers.Which of the following statements about this test is TRUE?

Accepted Answer

The test may not be clearly linked to the job requirements for all positions, such as office managers, making it potentially discriminatory and not job-related.

Quiz 7: Selecting Human Resources