Chapter 7—Selecting Employees to Fit the Job and the Organization
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. _____ is the process of obtaining and using information about job applicants in order to determine who
should be hired for long- or short-term positions.
a.
Placement
b.
Selection
c.
Prospecting
d.
Hiring
e.
Qualifying
2. When done well, selection practices ensure that employees are:
a.
Capable of high productivity
b.
Motivated to stay with the organization for as long as the organization wants to employ
them
c.
Able to engage in behaviors that are consistent with the company culture
d.
Capable of contributing to successful implementation of the business
strategy.
e.
All of the above
3. As vice president of HR, you are participating in a top management meeting focusing on the firm’s
need to reduce costs wherever possible. The vice president of finance eyes you and says, “This fancy
assessment center you run costs us $150,000 annually. This is definitely an area which we can easily
cut.” Your reply should include:
a.
criticism of the finance vice president’s over staffed department
b.
how the cost of the assessment center is outweighed by the positive impact it has on job
applicants as an effective recruiting tool
c.
a discussion of the economic utility of the assessment center
d.
pointing out that your company’s major competitors also run assessment centers
e.
none of these is a logical argument
4. More expensive procedures for measuring a job candidate’s appropriateness for a position are justified
when:
a.
labor costs are variable and rise with productivity gains
b.
labor markets are tight
c.
tenure in the job is expected to be relatively short
d.
incremental increases in performance reap large rewards for the organization
e.
there are only a few applicants to choose from
5. Expensive procedures for measuring a job candidate’s appropriateness for a position might not be
justified if:
a.
progressively higher tax bites are associated with decreased company profits
b.
labor costs are variable and rise with productivity gains
c.
labor markets are loose, which makes it is more likely that the best candidates, once
identified, can be enticed to take the position
d.
incremental increases in performance reap large rewards for the organization
e.
all of the above
6. In the feature Managing with Metrics: Bank of America Uses Online Testing, Bank of America
considered which of the following issues in deciding whether online assessment was appropriate:
a.
Would the online assessments be valid predictors of future job performance and employee
retention?
b.
How serious was the potential problem of cheating?
c.
Could they ensure that technical issues would not create hassles that frustrated applicants
or caused them to not complete the survey?
d.
How much time and money could Bank of America save using the online method?
e.
all of the above
7. Calculating the economic value of any HR practice is:
a.
extremely difficult
b.
fairly easy
c.
unnecessary if the practice has a low dollar value
d.
necessary only if cost estimates must fall within budgetary constraints
e.
none of the above
8. Jessica has applied for a telephone sales position with your organization. She IS qualified, but the
interviewer did not like the way she was dressed and rejected her. The consequences of rejecting a
qualified candidate include:
a.
Current employees benefit from the rejected applicant’s performance
b.
Applicant may file discrimination suit
c.
Search costs are reduced
d.
Managers achieve their objectives
e.
Organization suffers consequences of poorly performing employee
9. The consequences of accepting an a unqualified candidate include all of the following EXCEPT:
a.
Employee performs poorly.
b.
Employee loses self-esteem
c.
Peers suffer consequences of poorly performing employee.
d.
Employee falls prey to the self-efficacy syndrome.
e.
Employee eventually must find new job, creating additional costs associated with
turnover.
10. Visualize a large communications company with integrated selection and placement activities. How
would such an organizational structure benefit job applicants?
a.
The application process is convenient because there is only one place within the
organization to apply.
b.
The culture in a centralized organization is bureaucratic and does not expect applicant
creativity.
c.
The centralized organization is flat, and the applicant is able to meet the people with
whom he or she would interact if a job offer is accepted.
d.
Centralizing the selection and placement activities removes any possibility of
discrimination.
e.
Centralizing the selection and placement processes reduces the number of tests the
applicant has to undergo.
11. Visualize a large communications company with integrated selection activities. How would such an
organizational structure benefit the employer?
a.
Operating managers would have the ability to provide a significant amount of time to the
decision process.
b.
The possibility of hiring an inappropriate job candidate would be eliminated.
c.
The organization can consider each job applicant for a variety of jobs, which is a very
efficient way to handle placement and selection activities.
d.
Testing for job applicants is expensive, and using centralized selection activities reduces
the needs for such testing.
e.
With centralized selection, hiring always becomes a year-round activity rather than
intermittent.
12. Which of the following is NOT a consideration in choosing a predictor?
a.
Alternative techniques
b.
Validity
c.
Reliability
d.
Legality
e.
Variance
13. In the text, Cirent, a joint venture between Lucent Technologies and Cirrus Logic, was faced with a
shortage of people in the local labor market who had the needed skills to staff its clean room
operations in Orlando, Florida.To address this problem, Cirent did which of the following
a.
sent newly hired employees to its other clean facilities to learn their jobs
b.
collaborated with a local community college to design a curriculum for an associate’s
degree program that would give technicians the needed skills
c.
expanded its relevant labor market search to include surrounding states
d.
transferred trained personnel from its other clean room facilities
e.
All of the above statements are actions that Cirent took to address the problem
14. Which of the following tasks of the selection and placement process is typically performed by line
managers?
a.
Line managers identify the jobs to be filled
b.
Line managers help to identify the qualifications employees must have to perform current
and future jobs.
c.
Line managers’ evaluations of employee performance may serve as a basis for the decision
about who should be asked to leave the organization.
d.
The involvement of line managers in the selection and placement processes helps to ensure
selection and placement is congruent with the internal and external environments of the
organization.
e.
All of the above statements about the tasks of the line managers during the selection and
placement processes are true.
15. The “build for within” philosophy at P&G means that:
a.
employees typically only stay with the company for few years.
b.
employees will be expected to develop new competencies and adapt to a changing
business environment
c.
the people they hire are not likely to stay more than a few months, so the culture
emphasizes doing a specific job well
d.
new hires’ expectations are realistic so that they don’t quickly become dissatisfied and
leave.
e.
All of the above statements about the “build for within” philosophy at P&G are true
16. The role of the human resource (HR) professionals in the selection process is to:
a.
gather detailed information about applicants,
b.
administer standardized tests to assess applicants’ competence
c.
monitor legal compliance
d.
decide which tools and procedures to use in evaluating candidates
e.
do all of the above
17. In the HR Triad, the responsibility for informing managers of any disabilities requiring
accommodation falls to __________.
a.
top management
b.
middle management
c.
HR professionals
d.
employees
e.
staff physicians
18. Why should employees be involved in the selection process?
a.
to make sure that organizational culture described to job candidates is as the HR
professionals perceive it to be
b.
to remove any possibility of competitiveness and job insecurity from the job candidate and
those with whom he or she will work
c.
to eliminate all stereotyping
d.
to support organizational team work efforts
e.
to pave the way for eventual job promotions for the job candidates
19. Which of the following statements about the steps in the selection process is true?
a.
The first step is to establish the criteria of interest.
b.
Valid predictors are chosen after the selection process has been designed
c.
Synthesis of information collected is the first step of the process.
d.
The development of the criteria of interest occurs once the employer sees the applicant
pool
e.
The first step is to establish the predictors to be used for inferring the type of person
needed for the open job.
20. When Hailey noticed that her colleagues are overloaded with work, she often offers to help them.
Hailey’s actions are an example of good __________________.
a.
criterion competency
b.
organizational leadership
c.
intragroup reliability
d.
organizational citizenship
e.
group-role credibility
21. The various pieces of information used to make a selection are referred to as ________.
a.
validity factors
b.
congruencies
c.
performance quotients
d.
partial criterions
e.
predictors
22. Which of the following statements are TRUE:
a.
Personalities are difficult to change, and interpersonal skills develop quickly.
b.
Personalities are easy to change, and interpersonal skills develop slowly.
c.
Personalities are difficult to change, and interpersonal skills develop slowly.
d.
Personalities are easy to change, and interpersonal skills develop quickly.
e.
None of the above are true
23. The term _____ refers to the usefulness of a predictor for correctly inferring the future job behavior of
applicants.
a.
validity
b.
congruency
c.
reliability
d.
effectiveness
e.
credibility
24. High validity is present when:
a.
low predictor scores translate into low scores on criteria
b.
high predictor scores translate into high scores on criteria
c.
low criterion scores translate into high scores on criteria
d.
a and b occur together
e.
b and c occur together
25. Content validation strategy:
a.
is a relatively new approach and is not commonly used
b.
can be based on competency modeling
c.
works best for jobs that have existed for as long as the organization has existed
d.
is based on an description of the ideal job candidate
e.
is accurately described by all of the above
26. In the text, Capital One used _______ validity to establish the usefulness of online test for selecting
call center representatives.
a.
context-related
b.
content-related
c.
criterion-related
d.
predictor-related
e.
differential
27. Content validation would be most appropriate for evaluating predictors of future job behaviors for
a.
any top management position
b.
all positions that have multiple quantifiable features
c.
a newly created position
d.
contingency workers with long-time relationships with the organization
e.
any lower-level or midlevel management position
28. _____ replaces subjective judgments about which predictors are most useful with statistical analyses
that demonstrate the usefulness of the criteria.
a.
content validation
b.
context validation
c.
validity generalization
d.
criterion-related validation
e.
job-analysis-derived validation
29. A private academy that tutors children with learning disabilities wanted to know if empathetic and
compassionate teachers would be better able to teach its students. The private academy could use
_____ to determine if strong levels of empathy and compassion would positively affect future job
behavior.
a.
content validation
b.
validity generalization
c.
criterion-related validation
d.
job-analysis-derived validation
e.
context validation
30. The _____ strategy assumes the results of criterion-related validity studies conducted in other
companies can be generalized to the situation in your company.
a.
context validation
b.
job-analysis-derived validation
c.
content validation
d.
validity resolution
e.
validity generalization
31. The _____ of a predictor (e.g., an interview, a mathematical reasoning test, or a work simulation) is
the degree to which it yields dependable, consistent results
a.
reliability
b.
congruency
c.
validity
d.
credibility
e.
constancy
32. Which of the following select techniques has the lowest validity generalization estimate:
a.
Biodata
b.
Job tryout
c.
Structured interview
d.
Unstructured interview
e.
Work sample
33. The three approaches commonly used for synthesizing the information gained during the applicant-job
match process are the:
a.
panel interview, work sample, and content validation
b.
structured panel interview, cognitive synopsis, and competency criteria
c.
structured approach, unstructured approach, and semi-structured approach
d.
multiple hurdles approach, compensatory approach, and combined approach
e.
selection committee, content validation, and comparative studies
34. When Tyler applied for the job of salesperson for a leading toy manufacturer, he participated in all the
testing the organization used in its selection process. He was not hired because his score on the
personality test indicated his people skills were lower than the levels of proficiency the company
required of its employees. Even though Tyler ranked above the fixed level of proficiency on his other
tests, he was not hired because the toy manufacturer uses a(n) _____ approach to synthesizing
applicant test results and choosing its new employees.
a.
compensatory
b.
multiple-hurdles
c.
structured
d.
semistructured
e.
combined
35. When Willow applied for the job of marketing research analyst with a large consumer products
manufacturer, she participated in all the testing the organization used in its selection process. Even
though she scored low in her personal interview, she scored high on her mathematical abilities and her
cognitive reasoning tests. She was hired by the consumer products manufacturer even though she did
poorly in one of its selection processes because the company used a _____ approach to synthesizing
applicant test results and choosing its new employees.
a.
compensatory
b.
multiple-hurdles
c.
structured
d.
semistructured
e.
combined
36. Which of the following statements about the strategies used to ascertain whether predictor scores can
be used to infer applicant’s future behavior on the job is true?
a.
Content validation is an objective strategy.
b.
The criterion-related validation strategy is the least expensive of the three strategies used
for this purpose.
c.
The legal credibility of the validity generalization has not been sufficiently tested in the
courts.
d.
The criterion-related validation strategy is a subjective strategy.
e.
All of the above statements about the strategies used to ascertain whether inferences about
applicant’s behavior on the job is based on predictor scores are true.
37. Personal history assessments are based on the fact that:
a.
A picture is worth a thousand words
b.
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior
c.
You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink
d.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks
e.
None of these. They are all just adages.
38. Two commonly used methods of assessing a job applicant’s personal history are:
a.
panel and structured interviews
b.
reference checks and background verifications
c.
application blanks and biodata tests
d.
cognitive tests and resumes
e.
resumes and structured interviews
39. Application blanks:
a.
allow the employer to determine if the applicant meets the minimum job requirements
b.
often ask for details of educational achievements
c.
may be used simply as an additional document that’s useful for keeping track of applicants
d.
may ask applicants if they are willing to work split shifts, weekends, or overtime
e.
are accurately described by all of the above
40. You are the owner of Webb’s Greenhouse. All of your employees must have a valid drivers license
because they may be called upon to deliver plants purchased by customers. Which of the following is
NOT a good choice to ask applicants on a job application?
a.
Ask about essential skills to do the job
b.
Ask for proof of current drivers license can be provided upon request
c.
Ask about preferred hours of work
d.
Ask about personal financial credit
e.
Ask if there is anything that would keep applicant from performing the job
41. You will be working as the manager of a souvenir shop this summer. You have received several
applications from people who want to work in the shop. As you look at the applications, you should
know that most distortions and inaccuracies on the forms have to do with the job applicants’:
a.
educational achievements
b.
physical health
c.
date of birth
d.
willingness to work overtime
e.
length of previous employment and previous salary
42. Previous employers sometimes do not give references on past employees because they fear a(n) _____.
a.
EEOC lawsuit
b.
ADA lawsuit
c.
class action lawsuit
d.
involuntary self-disclosure lawsuit
e.
defamation of character lawsuit
43. What kind of a test would a real estate company give a newly licensed real estate agent if the company
was concerned about the ability of the applicant to interact with potential home buyer clients?
a.
ability test
b.
knowledge test
c.
personality test
d.
biodata test
e.
interest and preference inventories
44. Research has shown that most aspects of the personality can be captured using only a few basic
dimensions. Which one of the following is NOT one of those dimensions?
a.
emotional stability
b.
creativity
c.
extraversion
d.
conscientiousness
e.
openness to experience
45. Joni has applied for a job working in a store that rents scuba diving equipment. One of the measures
used to determine whether to hire her was an underwater test of how well she could scuba dive herself.
The owner of the store used a(n):
a.
biodata test
b.
work simulation
c.
cognitive test
d.
perceptual test
e.
off-site interview
46. Leon has applied for a mechanic’s job at a trucking firm. As part of the selection process, he was given
three hours to repair a truck’s engine that was running unevenly using parts available in the firm’s
workshop. The trucking company gave Leon a(n) _____ test.
a.
knowledge
b.
interest and preference
c.
work simulation
d.
biodata
e.
unstructured
47. Assessment centers:
a.
customarily have six to twelve attendees
b.
use in-basket exercises, business games, and leaderless group discussion
c.
provide participants with feedback that can be used in their career planning
d.
tend to be used in managerial selection
e.
are accurately described by all of the above
48. In a(n) _____, assessment center participants are given a wide variety of tasks that a manager may
have to perform in any given day. Participants are given a limited amount of time to prioritize these
tasks and note any actions that should be taken.