Selection Process

Task 2

Background study

In general, psychologists and laymen believe that the best predictor for future performance is past performance. Thus, if Sunsailors are going to recruit Chief Design Engineers (CDEs) and Junior Design Engineers (JDEs), the best applicant might be successful design engineers who held jobs which were similar to both CDEs and JDEs. There are more than one predictors to really differentiate and discriminate candidates with their competencies such as knowledge, ability, skill, experience, personality, interest, and character to some extent (Arnold, Silvester, Patterson, Robertson, Cooper & Burnes, 2010).

Bearing in mind past performance, the typical predictor that constitutes in a selection process is applicant’s training and education. A meta-analyses study on training and education; Roth, Bevier, Switzer and Schippmann (1996) indicate that a student’s GPA can predict job performance, training performance (Dye & Reck, 1989), promotions (Cohen, 1984), salary (Roth & Clarke, 1998) and also graduate school performance (Kuncel, Hezlett, & Ones, 2001). To certain degree, the use of GPA result in high levels of adverse impact (Roth & Bobko, 2000).

Selection process to recruit suitable candidates depends on candidates’ performances on many predictors such as predicting performance using applicant knowledge. Applicants’ knowledge could be tested through job knowledge test. Job knowledge test can be defined simply as how much a person knows about a job (Arnold et al, 2010). For instance, a JDE would be tested on how to work with computer-aided design systems. Schmidt and Hunter (1998) claimed that job knowledge tests have excellent content and criterion validity. On a different stand, job knowledge test has a high f...

... middle of paper ...

...Moscoso, S., Bertua, C., & De Fruyt, F. (2003) International validity generalization of GMA and cognitive abilities: A European Community meta- analysis. Personnel Psychology, 56, 573-605.

Schmidt, F.L. & Hunter, J.E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel

Psychology: Practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings.

Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262-274.

Schmidt, N., & Mills, A.E. (2001). Traditional tests and job simulations: Minority and majority performance and test validities. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86(3), 451-458.

Shoenfelt, E.L., & Pedigo, L.C. (2005). A review of court decisions on cognitive ability testing,

1992-2004, Review of Public Personnel Administration, 5(3), 271-287.

Whelchel, B.D. (1985). Use of performance tests to select craft apprentices. Personnel Journal,

65(7), 65-69.