Minimizing Hiring Recruitment Problems

Empirical validity is the ultimate goal of the hiring agents of a human resources department while undergoing recruitment activities. This is established by applicants who receive high scores on their selection method examinations and turn out to be better job performers. (Luis R Gomez-Mejia) The ways that a Human Resources department can minimize interviewing unqualified job applicants are:

1. Hiring current employees – lateral or upward mobility

2. Referrals from current employees

3. Hiring former employees

4. Hiring former military

5. Hiring customers

The common characteristic among this list is familiarity with the company, its culture and values. Although former military members may not be totally familiar with the particular company they are applying for they have a high motivational standard of conduct. Hiring internally is less costly and “internal recruits are already familiar with the organization’s policies, procedures, and customs”. (Luis R. Gomez-Mejia) Customers are also familiar with the organization and can offer added value to the organization. A good cost saving measure to reduce interviewing unqualified candidates is to conduct a process of elimination entry level examinations. Although someone that does well on exams does not guarantee that they will do well with the actual job performance but it is a good indicator and predictor of job performance. A reliable cognitive ability test should be performed before the interview process begins.

Two interview questions that I would use to screen out undesirable job applicants are:
1. How do feel your skills or past experience qualify you for this job?
2. What interested you about this job opening?

Both questions are open ended with an intention of looking for the candidates motivational reasons for applying at the company. Since the candidate has already been pre-screened for cognitive and performance abilities the motivational factors of the candidate could be determined by the candidate’s answers to these questions. This would help in completing the formula of Performance = Ability X Motivation. (Luis R. Gomez-Mejia, The Motivation Factor )

Works Cited

1. Luis R Gomez-Mejia, David B. Balkin, Robert L. Cardy. "Validity." Luis R Gomez-Mejia, David B. Balkin, Robert L. Cardy. Managing Human Resources . Upper Saddle River : Prentice Hall , 2010. 171.
2. Luis R. Gomez-Mejia, David B. Balkin, Robert L. Cardy. "External Versus Internal Candidates ." Luis R. Gomez-Mejia, David B. Balkin, Robert L. Cardy. Managing Human Resources . Upper Saddle River : Prentice Hall , 2010. 169.
3. Luis R. Gomez-Mejia, David B. Balkin, Robert L. Cardy. "The Motivation Factor ." Luis R. Gomez-Mejia, David B. Balkin, Robert L. Cardy. Managing Human Resources . Upper Saddle River : Prentice Hall , 2010. 163.

 

Source:

Shalik, Daniel (2010). Minimizing Hiring Recruitment Problems, [on line],Colorado : newsvine.com. http://dfirefox.newsvine.com/_news/2010/03/22/4054045-minimizing-hiring-recruitment-problems. Accessed 11 April 2011