Problems in Effective Selection
The main objective of selection is to hire people having competence and commitment. The quality of employees you hire depends on an effective recruitment and selection strategy. However, the process isn’t always smooth sailing. Employers face tangible problems such as the cost of advertising job openings and intangible obstacles such as improving communication between recruiters and hiring managers. This objective s often defeated because of certain barriers. The impediments, which check effectiveness of selection, are perception, fairness, validity, reliability and pressure.
Perception
Our inability to understand others accurately is probably the most fundamental barrier to selecting the right candidate.
Selection demands an individual or a group of people to assess and compare the respective competencies of others, with the aim of choosing the right persons for the jobs. But our views are highly personalized. We all perceive the world differently. Our limited perceptual ability is obviously a stumbling block to the objective and rational selection of the people.
Fairness
Fairness in selection requires that no individual should be discriminated against on the basis of religion, region, race or gender. But the low numbers of women and other less privileged sections of the society in middle and senior management positions and open discrimination on the basis of age in job advertisements and in the selection process would suggest that all the efforts to minimize inequity have not been effective.
Validity
Validity, as explained earlier, is a test that helps predict job performance of an incumbent. A test that has been validated can differentiate between the employees who perform well and those who will not. However, a validated test does not predict job success accurately. It can only increase possibility of success.
Reliability
A reliable method is one, which will produce consistent results when repeated in similar situations. Like validated test, a reliable test may fail to predict job performance with precision.
Pressure
Pressure is brought on the selectors by politicians, bureaucrats, relatives, friends and peers to select particular candidates. Candidates selected because of compulsions are obviously not the right ones. Appointments to public sectors undertakings generally take place under such pressures.
Expenses
The cost to hire and replace hourly workers is approximately six months’ wages; the cost to replace salaried personnel is the salary for a year and a half, according to 2007 figures analyzed by management consultant firm The Hay Group. Recruitment costs include advertising space, professional memberships, job fair sponsorship and college recruiting trips.
Conclusion:
To conclude, recruitment problems can happen to the most experienced recruiters, but there are strategies that can significantly reduce these errors in order for you to save time, money and energy.
Keeping up to date with trends, recognizing growth potential in your existing employees and utilizing a psychometric test to uncover natural strengths are ways to hire the best for the job and to ultimately enhance your human capital.
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