''Organisations recognise the crucial part their peopleplay in achieving and sustaining a competetive edge , and they are therefore aware of the need to attract the people of the right calibre.'' Foot , M. and Hook , C. (2008)
The organisation that I am familiar with is Polish international transport company , AMRO Logistics. Having iterviewed the chief executive and one of the senior managers of the company , I gained informations about the three methods of the selection use in the company.
''It is amazing how many managers still claim to be good judges of character and ability based on very short acquaintance. These managers will tell you that within a few minutes the can tell whether they are going to get on with someone , and whether that person will do well in the job.'' Foot , M. and Hook , C. (2008)
The rec
First method is interview. The company uses it , when they want to meet the applicants that applied for their job positions through the internet or phone calls , and have no refferences or their refferences are not from reliable sources. What makes the interview a good method for the company is that it enables the interviewers meet the applicants personally and gain the informations regarding their refferences and not only.
The interviewers claimed to start their interviews with a small talk and some easy questions , and also said that when doing it , they always try to look and sound interested in what they say and remain eye contact. Thus , they create the proper atmosphere for the interview making the interviewed applicant show his true emotions. Carrying such interview , they are able to fairly assess their applicants as people without refferences have chance to show their communication and interpersonal skills , and also their body language and behavioural habits , whereas people with refferences looking like faked ones or being given from non reliable sources are being assessed in case of their sincerity and fairness in both life and workplace.
However , the interview has also cons of its efficiency. Interviewers are likely to gain positive or negative information to support their first impressions as the applicants may be trying to do everything they can to be hired , for example creating a false experience memories , or act the way they don't act naturally. Interview is not recorded , so there is a lack of comparison of fairness between carried interviews. It makes the interviewers able to hire in their own image. Thus , the interview is subjective as the aspects of an individual are not always fully assessed. What is more , the interview is likely to be interrupted if carried in the office.
Another selection method used by the AMRO Logistics is the psychological test. It is used , when the company is in need of a small number of new employees , but highly-qualified and there is a large amount of applicants for that positions. After interviewing them , the senior management of AMRO wants to gain more information about a range of individual abilities and traits.
What makes the pros of that method , is that the psychological tests are professionally developed and checked by proper organisation that AMRO has the experience of working with. They are administered and scored in a standardised manner. Through the right use of that tests , the senior management of AMRO Logistics is able to test both maximum performance and habitual performance , and the results (scores) can be compared to norms. There is a high level of fairness in psychological testing. All applicants answer the same questions in the same conditions and the scores of tests are not open to individual interpretation , whereas interviews are. Psychological testing covers a range of human characteristics and carrying such tests enables to assess personality , intelligence , ability , interest and motivation of applicants. Thus , the selection in AMRO Logistics , enables its managers to choose the right people on more fair basis than only after carrying the interview.
However , psychological testing has also it's cons. It is not a resonable source when used as the only selection method. It's impossible to assess interpersonal skills of applicants through that tests as it's easy for people to write that they can be very good in teamworking or customer service , when they have to answer questions on paper sheet , whereas for real , they might be shy and stressful most of the time.
''There is a vast amount of research that underpins the development of commercially produced tests , including proofs of their reliability and validity. If this is properly documented , the user of the tests can rest assured that the tests will improve the validity of the selection process.'' Foot , M. and Hook , C. (2008)
The third selection method used by AMRO Logistics is the criminal record check. Every single employee has to be checked in case of criminal records. Senior management of the company claims that they have to trust their personnel , and they never would , if they had a criminal record as they had a bad experience with giving people a second chance. There used to be an examples of stealing money , customers and database , that members of staff wanted to use against the company.
''Employers are entitled to ask potential employees the question: 'Do you have a criminal record?''' Foot , M. and Hook , C. (2008)
Learning from that experience , AMRO's managers treat the criminal record checks very seriously. The company cooperates with the Criminal Records Bureau , and the applicants are aware that they will be checked on the issue of criminal records. Such checks enable employers to see if their potential workers commited any crimes in their past and knowing about the contents of that records , or lack of contents provides employers with a knowledge , if the applicant has a trustworthy personality or not.
What is more , criminal record checks are the best selection method to use , if employers (like in AMRO) want to make sure that the applicants never had nothing to do with criminal organisations as such information is significant if company doesn't want to be stolen from , or have a member of a 'mafia' in their personnel.
On the other hand , criminal record checks have also disadvantages. If the company uses it to assess their applicants past cirminal records , it must be aware of a 'generality' of law. Some people can have serious crimes on their criminal records , as they had to take responsibility for their teenage children that have commited a crime. Using criminal record checks , companies must make sure that the applicant can explain some of the contents of the criminal records as some contents don't have to be as serious as written.
The interview I have taken part in and has a special place in my memory has been carried out when I was thirteen years old. That time I was already learning English for about seven years and I wanted to develop my skills in that school. It has been almost seven years since it happened , but I still remember that interview very clearly because I have been rejected. However , the principal of the school told my parents that they had to reject me because they had no such advanced classes in that age groups and they were not allowed to put me with much older students. Although , I still think that the interview for that class was very efficient.
Before the interview was carried out , I have been informed about the place and I could choose the date and time. There was more interviews that day and the school personnel , provided me with a suitable waiting area. Thus , there was a good first impression about that school taking care about it's potential students. The office , where the interview has been carried out , was big and there was a table with the same size of chairs , so there were no status barriers.
The interviewer , was a native English speaker , so it was clearly stated , that my English skills were going to be checked by a quaified person. He started a small talk and then asked some easy questions about my school and my skills at the begining and later he asked some more specified questions to test my reactions. After every question , the interviewer made sure that I understood what he meant and given me enough time to express myself. Creating a good atmosphere by remaining proper eye contact and asking a variety of questions , that interview was very efficient as interviewer gained needed information , and had given me the answer after a couple of minutes after finishing it.
The principal of that school was able to explain how the situation looked like when they had to reject me , as he had shown me and my parents the files and the results from my interview. The interview must have been efficient as the principal presented every point with the argument based on the interview results.
To improve selection process in AMRO Logistics , I would put more methods into their selection system. Despite already having interviews , psychological testing and criminal record checks , I would add work sample testing and further refference checks.
After the interview , employers get to know the applicants personally and develop their own impressions and opinions. Then , they choose a group of people that will take part in their psychological test. Having the scores of that test , AMRO's senior management decides who is the best for the job , and choose also a couple optional people to check their criminal record. After carrying out that checks , the managers take their final decision and offer a job to the chosen applicant.
In my opinion , it would be better if the senior management of the company would put a little more effort in getting to know its potential employees. After checking the criminal records , they should choose a group of applicants and put them into the work sampe testing. Getting the candidates to perform the full tasks or elements of tasks of the job , managers would have an opportunity to see how the applicants understand their job and what is the level of their real skills. Then , managers should arrange a meeting or call the previous employers of the applicants that attracted them the most to gain the last bit of information.
Carrying this two more selection methods would give much more information to AMRO's senior management and would surely improve it's selection process.
To sum up , organisations are using a range of selection methods to choose the proper people for their job positions. AMRO Logistics uses interviews , psychological testing and criminal record checks putting all of that method into a system enabling its senior management to choose the best applicants. However , all of that methods have both pros and cons of it's fairness. Interview , that I have taken part in , have been efficient thanks to the professionalism of the interviewer and the proper interviewing system preparation in that organisation. To improve the selection process in the organisations like AMRO , methods , such as work sample tests and further refference tests should be added. It would give even more information to the people responsible for selection and make their decision-making process easier.
Bibliography:
The organisation that I am familiar with is Polish international transport company , AMRO Logistics. Having iterviewed the chief executive and one of the senior managers of the company , I gained informations about the three methods of the selection use in the company.
''It is amazing how many managers still claim to be good judges of character and ability based on very short acquaintance. These managers will tell you that within a few minutes the can tell whether they are going to get on with someone , and whether that person will do well in the job.'' Foot , M. and Hook , C. (2008)
The rec
First method is interview. The company uses it , when they want to meet the applicants that applied for their job positions through the internet or phone calls , and have no refferences or their refferences are not from reliable sources. What makes the interview a good method for the company is that it enables the interviewers meet the applicants personally and gain the informations regarding their refferences and not only.
The interviewers claimed to start their interviews with a small talk and some easy questions , and also said that when doing it , they always try to look and sound interested in what they say and remain eye contact. Thus , they create the proper atmosphere for the interview making the interviewed applicant show his true emotions. Carrying such interview , they are able to fairly assess their applicants as people without refferences have chance to show their communication and interpersonal skills , and also their body language and behavioural habits , whereas people with refferences looking like faked ones or being given from non reliable sources are being assessed in case of their sincerity and fairness in both life and workplace.
However , the interview has also cons of its efficiency. Interviewers are likely to gain positive or negative information to support their first impressions as the applicants may be trying to do everything they can to be hired , for example creating a false experience memories , or act the way they don't act naturally. Interview is not recorded , so there is a lack of comparison of fairness between carried interviews. It makes the interviewers able to hire in their own image. Thus , the interview is subjective as the aspects of an individual are not always fully assessed. What is more , the interview is likely to be interrupted if carried in the office.
Another selection method used by the AMRO Logistics is the psychological test. It is used , when the company is in need of a small number of new employees , but highly-qualified and there is a large amount of applicants for that positions. After interviewing them , the senior management of AMRO wants to gain more information about a range of individual abilities and traits.
What makes the pros of that method , is that the psychological tests are professionally developed and checked by proper organisation that AMRO has the experience of working with. They are administered and scored in a standardised manner. Through the right use of that tests , the senior management of AMRO Logistics is able to test both maximum performance and habitual performance , and the results (scores) can be compared to norms. There is a high level of fairness in psychological testing. All applicants answer the same questions in the same conditions and the scores of tests are not open to individual interpretation , whereas interviews are. Psychological testing covers a range of human characteristics and carrying such tests enables to assess personality , intelligence , ability , interest and motivation of applicants. Thus , the selection in AMRO Logistics , enables its managers to choose the right people on more fair basis than only after carrying the interview.
However , psychological testing has also it's cons. It is not a resonable source when used as the only selection method. It's impossible to assess interpersonal skills of applicants through that tests as it's easy for people to write that they can be very good in teamworking or customer service , when they have to answer questions on paper sheet , whereas for real , they might be shy and stressful most of the time.
''There is a vast amount of research that underpins the development of commercially produced tests , including proofs of their reliability and validity. If this is properly documented , the user of the tests can rest assured that the tests will improve the validity of the selection process.'' Foot , M. and Hook , C. (2008)
The third selection method used by AMRO Logistics is the criminal record check. Every single employee has to be checked in case of criminal records. Senior management of the company claims that they have to trust their personnel , and they never would , if they had a criminal record as they had a bad experience with giving people a second chance. There used to be an examples of stealing money , customers and database , that members of staff wanted to use against the company.
''Employers are entitled to ask potential employees the question: 'Do you have a criminal record?''' Foot , M. and Hook , C. (2008)
Learning from that experience , AMRO's managers treat the criminal record checks very seriously. The company cooperates with the Criminal Records Bureau , and the applicants are aware that they will be checked on the issue of criminal records. Such checks enable employers to see if their potential workers commited any crimes in their past and knowing about the contents of that records , or lack of contents provides employers with a knowledge , if the applicant has a trustworthy personality or not.
What is more , criminal record checks are the best selection method to use , if employers (like in AMRO) want to make sure that the applicants never had nothing to do with criminal organisations as such information is significant if company doesn't want to be stolen from , or have a member of a 'mafia' in their personnel.
On the other hand , criminal record checks have also disadvantages. If the company uses it to assess their applicants past cirminal records , it must be aware of a 'generality' of law. Some people can have serious crimes on their criminal records , as they had to take responsibility for their teenage children that have commited a crime. Using criminal record checks , companies must make sure that the applicant can explain some of the contents of the criminal records as some contents don't have to be as serious as written.
The interview I have taken part in and has a special place in my memory has been carried out when I was thirteen years old. That time I was already learning English for about seven years and I wanted to develop my skills in that school. It has been almost seven years since it happened , but I still remember that interview very clearly because I have been rejected. However , the principal of the school told my parents that they had to reject me because they had no such advanced classes in that age groups and they were not allowed to put me with much older students. Although , I still think that the interview for that class was very efficient.
Before the interview was carried out , I have been informed about the place and I could choose the date and time. There was more interviews that day and the school personnel , provided me with a suitable waiting area. Thus , there was a good first impression about that school taking care about it's potential students. The office , where the interview has been carried out , was big and there was a table with the same size of chairs , so there were no status barriers.
The interviewer , was a native English speaker , so it was clearly stated , that my English skills were going to be checked by a quaified person. He started a small talk and then asked some easy questions about my school and my skills at the begining and later he asked some more specified questions to test my reactions. After every question , the interviewer made sure that I understood what he meant and given me enough time to express myself. Creating a good atmosphere by remaining proper eye contact and asking a variety of questions , that interview was very efficient as interviewer gained needed information , and had given me the answer after a couple of minutes after finishing it.
The principal of that school was able to explain how the situation looked like when they had to reject me , as he had shown me and my parents the files and the results from my interview. The interview must have been efficient as the principal presented every point with the argument based on the interview results.
To improve selection process in AMRO Logistics , I would put more methods into their selection system. Despite already having interviews , psychological testing and criminal record checks , I would add work sample testing and further refference checks.
After the interview , employers get to know the applicants personally and develop their own impressions and opinions. Then , they choose a group of people that will take part in their psychological test. Having the scores of that test , AMRO's senior management decides who is the best for the job , and choose also a couple optional people to check their criminal record. After carrying out that checks , the managers take their final decision and offer a job to the chosen applicant.
In my opinion , it would be better if the senior management of the company would put a little more effort in getting to know its potential employees. After checking the criminal records , they should choose a group of applicants and put them into the work sampe testing. Getting the candidates to perform the full tasks or elements of tasks of the job , managers would have an opportunity to see how the applicants understand their job and what is the level of their real skills. Then , managers should arrange a meeting or call the previous employers of the applicants that attracted them the most to gain the last bit of information.
Carrying this two more selection methods would give much more information to AMRO's senior management and would surely improve it's selection process.
To sum up , organisations are using a range of selection methods to choose the proper people for their job positions. AMRO Logistics uses interviews , psychological testing and criminal record checks putting all of that method into a system enabling its senior management to choose the best applicants. However , all of that methods have both pros and cons of it's fairness. Interview , that I have taken part in , have been efficient thanks to the professionalism of the interviewer and the proper interviewing system preparation in that organisation. To improve the selection process in the organisations like AMRO , methods , such as work sample tests and further refference tests should be added. It would give even more information to the people responsible for selection and make their decision-making process easier.
Bibliography:
- Foot , M. , Hook , C. (2008) Introducing Human Resource Management. Fifth Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited , pp.142-219.
- Rostowski , K.B. , Bartkowiak , W. Selection Process in AMRO Logistics. [Interview] Buckinghamshire New University with K.Rostowski. 3rd April 2011.
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