Selecting the right employees for the right jobs is one of the greatest human resource challenges an organization may encounter. Inappropriate selection decisions and fallacies in designing the selection process will inevitably lead to substantial human and financial losses. Regardless of the industry, in which the organization currently operates, consistent, thorough, and robust selection decisions will yield remarkable organizational results, turning selection into a reliable source of sustained competitive advantage. Whether the organization is looking for a data analytics manager or an advanced practice nurse, the selection process must be aligned with its strategic goals and cultural principles, while allowing managers and employees to provide regular input in improving the quality of HR selection decisions.
In my organizational setting, selection is a routine process, mainly due to the high levels of turnover and the absence of a coherent, effective, and professional HRM function. According to Hendon and Lussier (2014), the selection process should incorporate a number of steps and components, which include but are not limited to application, preliminary screening, one or two face-to-face interviews, followed by a detailed background check and a job offer. In our organization, the selection process follows a different path. It begins with an application, which is followed by a preliminary check of the applicant’s skills, educational background, and readiness to become a member of our team. Eligible candidates are invited to pass a number of standardized tests online. Those who successfully cope with the task are also invited for a group job interview. Actually, a group interview is a distinctive feature of the selection process in our organizational setting. Our managers and HR professionals believe that group interviews are better suited to uncover the best and worst personal and professional features of each candidate. Those who have passed the group interview are also invited for an individual conversation with one or several HR managers. Successful candidates will undergo a thorough background check and receive a valid job offer, followed by a physical examination and hiring.
The selection process in our organization is highly collaborative. Nurse managers and HRM professionals constantly interact to bring the best people to the most suitable positions. HRM professionals are primarily responsible for applications, testing, and background checks. Once an appointment for a group interview is made, nurse managers come in. Group interviews in our organization typically involve three to four job applicants and two to three nurse and HRM interviewers (Penny, 2016). HRM professionals empower our nurse managers to make decisions as to which candidates have passed the job interview and should be invited for an individual conversation. Still, they take a lead in managing individual job interviews, conducting background checks, determining candidates’ eligibility and readiness to excel in a position they apply to, and making the job offer.
On the surface, the system looks quite effective. For instance, the use of group interviews adds novelty and provides more detailed information as to how job candidates will perform in a challenging situation. Group interviews also promise to uncover their talents, skills, and readiness to work in a team (Lipovsky, 2012). However, the biggest problem is that the HR managers who conduct group interviews also organize individual conversations with successful candidates. As a result, the risks of the horn and halo effects on the selection process become particularly pronounced (Erbasi, 2012). That is, the interviewers come to a personal conversation being prejudiced and biased by what they have seen during the group interview. For this reason, their selection decisions are not always objective. This is probably why the organization suffers from high turnover and loses talented applicants, who could succeed in the workplace. I would modify the process, by choosing different managers to conduct group and individual interviews.
As of now, we have a job offer for a registered nurse. The desirable applicant would have at least a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, a valid state license, at least 2 years of professional experience, and willingness to work during night shifts. However, apart from the ability-job fit, it is essential that the candidate possesses a set of personality features that make him or her suitable for the job, including passion for human interactions, readiness to be a member of a nursing team, and willingness to operate in a decentralized organizational environment, thus assuming greater responsibility for personal decisions in the workplace. Such person should also be resilient and ready to cope with stresses. Unfortunately, the job description does not provide any information as to how stressful the work of a nurse practitioner can be, particularly during night shifts. As a nurse manager, I will certainly monitor how candidates behave during the group interview. It is a stressful situation, and their behaviors will be helpful in evaluating their resilience and readiness to overcome difficulties. I will look for a person, who can preserve emotional stability and be thorough and consistent in his or her judgments, while other candidates keep struggling to create the most favorable image of themselves in the eyes of the interviewers.
To conclude, the quality and consistency of the selection process have profound implications for the quality of organizational outcomes, including employee turnover. Our organization has a well-developed system of employee selection. Still, even the best systems are not without weaknesses. The organization must ensure that individual and group interviews are conducted by different HR managers. Nurse managers should be actively involved in the process of selecting and hiring employees. HR professionals within the organization should be more objective describing the workplace functions and responsibilities to prospective employees.
- Erbasi, A. (2012). The effect of performance appraisal errors on employee performances. European Scientific Journal, 8(19), 1-13.
- Lipovsky, C. (2012). Fostering affiliation through humor in a job interview. Sociolinguistic Studies, 6(1), 149-172.
- Lussier, R.N., & Hendon, J.R. (2014). Human resource management: Functions, applications, and skill development. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.
- Penny, J. (2016). What to expect in group interviews. Best Job Interview. Retrieved from http://www.best-job-interview.com/group-interviews.html.
