Various selection tools at the human resources management disposal help determine a candidate’s appropriateness for a job. The major selection tools used by human resource managers include personality inventory, background checks, and interviews. A personality inventory selection process evaluates applicants’ personality traits in relation to their potential for future work performance. The advantages of personality inventories include a better understanding of candidates, reduced selection bias, and a faster recruitment process (Sharma, 2020). Personality tests help employers filter candidates from a talent pool for a specific job description based on underlying personality traits.
Personality inventory eliminates bias as recruiters make hiring decisions based on candidates’ scores in the required competencies. The test is an online mode of assessment; thus, results can be achieved in real-time, increasing the recruitment process’s convenience (Sharma, 2020). However, the selection method is skewed as candidates respond desirably instead of exhibiting their true personality traits, thus misleading the recruiters. Customizing the personality tests to a particular job role is vital as each profile requires different personality traits. In addition, personality tests should not be the sole selection tools used for recruiting applicants; thus should be used in conjunction with other instruments.
A background check includes financial history, criminal history, social media usage, employment history, and identity verification. Advantages of background checks include improved workplace safety and avoidance of bad hires. Successful criminal background checks thus decrease the number of violent workplace incidents. In addition, background checks reduce the employer’s risk of legal complications and lack of job competence resulting from employment record fraud and identity theft (WalkMe Team, 2021). Background checks help avoid bad hires as it reveals information that can impact employee productivity and their ability to function as effective team members. Drawbacks to the background selection process include the increased cost and unfair bias to candidates. It takes time for a background check to be completed, a factor that increases costs where several candidates are involved. Background checks can increase hiring bias as they disqualify offenders who committed crimes but are reformed into competent, law-abiding citizens.
The benefits of conducting a background check outweigh the drawbacks, but certain legal considerations are critical in the hiring process. Employees have the right to know what the background check entails, provide written consent, and be furnished with the investigation revelations (WalkMe Team, 2021). Privacy concerns bars employers from investigating the employees’ family and medical histories unless the employee has been hired. The best practice regarding background checks is its uniform application across all candidates. This helps reduce bias and court litigations on the grounds of discrimination by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (WalkMe Team, 2021). In addition, it is prudent to investigate information that genuinely affects employee performance and security.
Advantages of interviews include easy correction of mistakes and misunderstandings as there is the physical presence of the candidate and selection panel. It initiates a relationship between human resource management and candidates, thus increasing mutual understanding between the parties. There is sufficient information collected through the interview process based on the interactions between the hiring party and candidates. Weaknesses of the interview selection tool include interviewer bias, time consumption, and reduced probability of selecting the right candidate (Maharjan, 2018). The selection panel’s biases can influence the interview process, where they cannot accurately evaluate a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. Interviews are time-consuming as the hiring committee has to be prepared to conduct and interpret the interview (Maharjan, 2018). In addition, the interviewee’s first impression does not translate to actual job performance. Best practices for a successful interview include basing interview questions on job criteria and taking notes to minimize selection committee subjectivity. Interviewers must be aware of the federal and state laws governing the questions acceptable in a job interview.
References
Maharjan, P. (2018). Strengths and limitations of interview. Businesstopia. Web.
Sharma, S. (2020). The advantages and disadvantages of a personality test. Mettl. Web.
WalkMe Team. (2021). Pros and cons of conducting a background check on employees. The Change Management Blog. Web.