Best
practice recruitment and selection
Recruitment and Selection Analysis
This tool kit has been
developed to assist the community sector in the application of best practice in
the recruitment and selection process. This, in turn, supports the broader
objectives of meeting workforce capability needs.
This tool kit
represents an end-to-end best practice recruitment and selection process, from
planning to evaluation.
The tool kit comprises
an overview of the recruitment and selection process, information sheets, and
templates provided online.
This tool kit has been
produced to assist community sector staff in the application of best practice
in recruitment and selection. The templates can be adapted to suit specific
organisational needs.
Working in
collaboration, the SSA and the Office for the Community Sector (OCS) have
adapted this toolkit to suit the recruitment and selection needs of the
community sector.
The toolkit complements recent work completed on the Community
Sector Workforce Capability Framework as part of the Strengthening
Community Organisations Action Plan by the OCS, aimed at assisting
organisations to align their workforce with the environment in which they
operate.
The Framework is
intended to help identify the skills that organisations within the sector need
to undertake their work and is able to be used in the development of job
descriptions, identification of training requirements and to ensure that
organisations have the right range of skills and knowledge now, and in the
future to meet their organisational aims.
The State Services
Authority’s (SSA) publication Future directions for workforce planning:
actions to improve workforce planning outcomes across the Victorian Public
Sector
assessed the extent of workforce planning challenges facing the Victorian
Public Service (VPS) and the Sector and proposed six strategic goals. One of
these is to improve attraction and recruitment strategies.
Arising from the
recommendations outlined in the above report, the SSA undertook a project which
involved two components:
– a
literature review that identifies best practice and relevant models of
recruitment and selection processes
– development
of a methodology and tool kit to assist the VPS and the Sector with recruitment
and selection.
The SSA commissioned Monash University’s
Associate Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psycho-logical Medicine,
Sally A. Carless to undertake the literature review.
The research document Literature
review on best practice recruitment selection techniques (Carless Report)
identified best practice for each phase in the recruitment and selection
process.
The SSA with Deloitte
and SACS Consulting developed a methodology and tool kit based on best
practice. Information from the Carless Report was used to:
– analyse
current recruitment and selection practice in the VPS against identified best
practice
– develop
tools based on best practice to assist human resource practitioners.
The Victorian
Government has established the Office for the Community Sector (OCS), within
the Department of Planning and Community Development, in order to support the
long term sustainability of the not for profit community sector.
The OCS is working in
partnership with the community sector to implement the Victorian
Government’s Action Plan: Strengthening
Community Organisations.
Building the capacity
of community organisations through initiatives such as the development of the
Community Sector Workforce Capability Framework and this Best Practice
Recruitment and Selection Toolkit are key components of the Action Plan.
The Carless Report
outlines best practice as predicting who would be the best person for a role
using a variety of recruitment and selection methodologies. The best practice
approaches are discussed in the following sections.
The tips, tools and
techniques in this tool kit have been developed to assist in selecting the best
person for a role.
Applying
best practice indicates that only job related factors are considered in the
recruitment and selection assessment. Merit and other employment principles are
inherent in the best practice recruitment and selection process.
Best practice
recruitment and selection process
Figure 1 provides a
representation of best practice recruitment and selection processes based on
research in the Carless Report. The process is based on a clearly defined
methodology for recruitment and selection.
The process outlined
aims to ensure that all necessary steps are given due consideration and occur
in a timely and efficient manner to support an effective yet speedy selection
process.
Figure 1 illustrates
each stage of the recruitment and selection process as follows:
– Stages 1 and 2 include the activities that
occur prior to assessing candidates for selection i.e. planning the recruitment
and selection process, undertaking job analysis to determine the recruitment
and selection criteria and developing key selection criteria and position
descriptions based on the job analysis.
– Stage 2 outlines the attraction activities.
– Stage 3 includes the specific selection steps
which take place to make a selection decision.
– Stage 4 includes the steps that need to take
place to support the selection decision. Induction/orientation and evaluation
of the selection methods and process are integral to a good recruitment and
selection process.
The “activity” row
includes broad tasks associated with each step in the process.
The “tools” row
includes the references to the information sheets and templates available in
this tool kit to support the particular recruitment and/or selection step.
The timeline[1] outlined in Figure 1
provides a guide for each stage of the recruitment and selection process.
Basing recruitment
activity on these timeframes provides a more efficient process for the
organisation and also benefits applicants.
Image: Figure 1 Best
practice recruitment and selection process
What is the cost of a
poor recruitment and selection process?
A poor recruitment and
selection process increases the probability of a poor hire and this can have a
significant impact on the organisation financially and non financially.
The financial cost of
hiring a poor recruit extends beyond the costs involved in appointing the
person. It also extends to the ongoing salary costs of the person and, where a
probation period is not managed efficiently or where a position turns out to be
quite different to the position that was advertised, legal costs.
A poor recruitment
decision can also have a demoralising effect on staff as their roles may be
affected while time, money and effort are spent bringing the recruit up to
standard, impacting the motivation to carry out their own roles and possibly
the productivity of the organisation.
How to use this tool
kit
This tool kit builds
on the Community Sector Workforce Capability Framework (available online at
www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/communitysector) and provides a guide to best practice
approaches for each stage of the recruitment and selection process.
A glossary of terms and
a section outlining additional resources are provided in the appendices to this
document.
The tool kit also
includes:
– information sheets on each stage of the
recruitment and selection process. These information sheets provide practical,
detailed information about particular processes referred to in this document
and provide guidance on how organisations can best approach the recruitment and
selection process.
– electronic templates for recruitment and
selection processes which can be adapted to suit individual organisation’s
needs.
References to the
specific information sheets and templates are made throughout this document.
The following
sections, 2.1 – 2.9 provide an overview on the application of best practice as
well as a guide to the rationale behind each stage. It is important to note the
relationship between each stage and the effect that neglecting the initial
planning stages can have on the overall process in terms of the impression applicants
may form of the organisation and in terms of recruiting the right person for
the role.
These sections are
intended to provide a broad understanding of the process.
2.1 Planning the recruitment and selection process
Upfront planning
includes thinking about the steps in recruitment and selection early; and
scheduling the activity, resources and time to support the process. Planning is
essential in the recruitment and selection process as it ensures the best
possible process is followed. It helps to manage time constraints and
streamlines the recruitment and selection process for both the organisation and
applicant.
Planning is crucial as
it allows analysis and design of the position to be filled to be according to
what the organisation needs at the time and in the future. The departure of a
staff member provides an opportunity to consider and analyse whether the
position itself should change in order to provide increased benefit to the
organisation.
Good planning also
positively affects an applicant’s experience of the recruitment and selection
process and their perception of the organisation. When the recruitment process
is clear, it allows the recruiter to take a methodical and professional
approach to the task. This in turn, influences their likelihood to complete the
recruitment process and accept an offer of employment.
Reference to
‘planning’ and ‘the process’ in this tool kit includes the administrative
activities underpinning the recruitment and selection process, as well as how
applicants are managed.
Templates to assist in
planning your recruitment selection process are available online at www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/communitysector. A planning template
is available to record actions, and timeframes. An assessment plan template
provides guidance on planning recruitment and selection techniques that will be
used to capture necessary information to underpin an informed and appropriate
decision.
Job analysis involves determining
the knowledge, skills and attributes[2] (KSA) required to perform
in a particular role.
Job analysis is
critical to recruitment and selection because it is the foundation of a high
quality process and when done well identifies not only the skills and knowledge
required to perform a role but also the attributes, which can be used to assess
‘cultural fit’ within an organisation. Job analysis helps to identify the key
selection criteria and inform the position description, which are both key
aspects in attracting suitable candidates. A poor job analysis is likely to adversely affect the quality of
outcomes, irrespective of how well the rest of the selection process is
executed.
For example, without
proper job analysis, interviewers may develop incorrect beliefs about the
position requirements and hire a person unsuitable for the role.
2.3 Attraction
Attracting the right
candidates to apply for vacant roles is an important step in the recruitment
and selection process. It is important to understand how your attraction
strategy has worked by evaluating the process undertaken.
Attraction is the
result of a range of activities and processes, including employer branding,
employment value proposition, recruitment and induction. Attraction strategies
provide opportunities for an organisation to market and communicate the
benefits they can offer applicants.
The short-listing process involves determining
which applicants meet the minimum key selection criteria to perform the job
satisfactorily and/or ranking applicants to progress to the next stage of the
selection process.
Short-listing
candidates supports an efficient applicant assessment process through
ascertaining whether candidates meet the relevant criteria to reduce the
applicant pool to a manageable size.
Best practice
techniques in short-listing applicants include:
– using a standard application form. This form
should:
• standardise
the format and information collected from applicants to reduce potential
subjectivity in the assessment process
• contain
statements confirming that the form has been reviewed for fairness and equity
• communicate
who will see the information, privacy and how information will be used in the
recruitment and selection process and state that applicants may be required to
verify the information provided
– using a scoring procedure to evaluate whether
applicants meet the key selection criteria or determine ranking for the next
stage of the process
– developing, where possible, a talent pool (with
applicants’ permission) of those who were not successful for this particular
position, but who may be suitable for an alternative position.
Interviewing
Interviewing is the
most commonly used selection technique. It can be expensive, time consuming and
most organisations do not maximise its value. However, if used appropriately,
interviewing can be a good predictor of work performance.
Research suggests that
many organisations conduct unstructured interviews (i.e. have the person in for
a ‘chat’ to see what they are like). They may also simply ask the same
questions of each applicant believing this constitutes a ‘structured’
interview. This is only considered best practice if the structured questions
are behaviourally-oriented.
The aim of
behaviourally-oriented questions is for the applicant to demonstrate through
past behaviour that they meet the required KSC e.g. Please describe a time when
you had to raise funds for a particular purpose within an organisation. What
was the situation, what did you do and what was the result?
Interviewing that is
not behaviourally-oriented (structured or not) does not align with best
practice and is not considered an effective and consistent method of predicting
work performance. The key selection criteria arising through the job analysis
should be used to create the behaviourally-oriented interview questions.
Where a candidate does
not meet all criteria to the required level, the interview also provides an
opportunity for the organisation to consider the candidate’s potential to grow
into the role.
In order to assess
this potential, it is important to have questions that cover how the candidate
might gain the skills and knowledge necessary to fill the role, for example,
covering openness to further study or asking how the applicant learns best.
This may also provide an opportunity to sell the role to a larger pool of
candidates via learning and development opportunities.
In order to ensure
that assessments made during interviews are objective, it is advisable that
more than one person be involved in conducting the interview and in some
circumstances for someone external to the organisation, but with the
appropriate interviewing skill, to assist in this process. It is also important
to advise candidates who will be conducting the interview.
Using additional
assessment techniques
The Carless Report
indicates that additional assessment techniques can enhance the quality of
hire. Additional techniques add more value to structured,
behaviourally-oriented interviews by providing a higher level of accuracy in
predicting on-the-job performance.
Additional assessment
techniques may take a number of different forms. They could include
psychometric testing (personality or cognitive ability), work sampling, or job
knowledge testing. Additional assessment techniques should be aligned with the
role type and level.
The outcomes of the
additional assessment techniques should then be incorporated in making the
selection decision.
Note: The additional
assessment techniques outlined in this tool kit are best administered, and the
results analysed, by trained professionals, such as organisational psychologists.
Avoiding discrimination
For information on
avoiding discrimination in the recruitment process, refer to the Victorian
Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission guide,
2.6 Reference checking
Reference checks are
generally used to obtain the following information:
1. employment dates
2. appraisal of an applicant’s claimagainst the
key selection criteria
3. estimates of an applicant’s job performance
capabilities
4. employer’s willingness to re-hire the
applicant.
Professional referees
(i.e. a previous employer) should be contacted to provide information on the
applicant. If an applicant does not provide professional referees and does not
have a legitimate reason, this could indicate issues around their past
experiences. It is advisable to explore reasons as to why recent previous
employers’ details are not given.
Telephone reference
checks are the most frequently used method of reference checking. This method
has a number of advantages:
– high return rate
– allows the reference checker to ask follow up
questions for clarification
– it is inexpensive to conduct
– speed.
A structured approach
to reference checks improves its value. A standardised questionnaire that
requires referees to rate the applicant’s standing on a number of job relevant
attributes (rating scale 0–5) with a descriptively anchored response format
should be used.
Mandatory checks (e.g.
police checks) are an important part of the recruitment and selection process.
These checks must be added into the recruitment and selection process as
relevant to the organisation.
It is common
throughout organisations to make subjective judgements to assess an applicant’s
suitability to the role. This does not align with identified best practice.
Best practice is to
use a scale (for example 0-5 with descriptors for each point of the scale) to
rate each assessment and then combine all ratings for each assessment activity
for each applicant throughout the recruitment and selection process to provide
the basis for a decision. This is an especially good method when more than one
selection technique is used. This approach means the selection decision is more
objective, removing the risk of bias or “gut feeling” which is not backed up by
evidence.
2.8 Induction/orientation
Induction/orientation
facilitates a new starter’s adjustment into an organisation. Effective
orientation is an investment in employee morale, productivity and retention.
Industry best practice
suggests induction/orientation should involve:
– conducting a structured induction process that
covers tactical and administrative issues
– using a buddy system
– obtaining formal feedback from new starters
after a specified time in the new role
– monitoring and managing probation.
2.9 Evaluation
Collecting accurate
information is essential to not only understanding what is taking place, but
also to ensure correct interpretation of the facts.
A gap analysis
assessment tool has been developed to provide a resource for the sector to
assess recruitment and selection processes against those defined as best
practice.
The tool is a
questionnaire based on the following dimensions:
– job analysis and key selection criteria
– short-listing
– interviewing and additional assessment
– induction/orientation
– the process (which includes evaluation of the
selection process).
This tool can help the
sector identify areas where they can improve their implementation of best
practice and also measure their improvement over a number of years through
annual assessments.
applicants are individuals who
apply for a vacant role.
attributes are the inherent
personal requirements that are additional to the ‘learned’ abilities of a
person.
behaviourally-oriented
questions
probe the applicant to recall a past behaviour to demonstrate their ability to
meet the knowledge, skills and attributes being measured.
best practice is based on
predicting who would be the best person for a role using a variety of selection
methodologies.
candidates are individuals who
are the target market and potentially may apply for vacant roles.
capabilities capabilities describe
the basic skills, knowledge and attributes people need to demonstrate in order
to do their work effectively.
cognitive ability test is a psychometric
test for measuring an individual’s abilities e.g. verbal and numeric.
descriptively anchored
rating scales (DARS) uses a description of the key selection
criteria to correspond with a numerical rating. They are used to rate
applicants’ responses to questions.
employee value
proposition (EVP) is a combination of benefits, image and
emotional messages to promote interest in employment.
Induction/orientation is the first step in
building a relationship between the organisation and the employee once
employment has commenced.
job analysis involves determining
the required knowledge skills and attributes to perform in a particular role.
key result areas outline the outcomes
of a role and why it is important. They are the business outcomes which are necessary
to have achieved in order for the new employee to be considered “successful”.
key selection criteria
(KSC)
are the criteria developed to assess whether candidates have the requisite
knowledge, skills and attributes in order to be able to perform in a particular
role.
knowledge the
information/understanding a candidate requires to perform a role.
knowledge, skills and
attributes (KSA) are the particular requirements the person
needs to successfully perform the tasks of a role.
orientation assists newcomers
adjust to their new surroundings and learn the behaviours, attitudes, and
skills necessary to fulfil their new roles and function effectively.
person-organisation fit is the extent to
which an individual’s values match those of the organisation.
short-listing is used to reduce a
large applicant pool to a smaller more manageable size.
skills the ability a
candidate requires to perform a role
talent pool involves seeking
expressions of interest from people to include their details in a database for
consideration for employment opportunities.
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Step 1
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Step 2
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Step 3
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Step 4
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Process
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Understand
the tasks
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Understand
the job
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Develop
selection criteria & decide techniques
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Review
position description
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Activity
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Develop a list of
tasks performed on the job by:
– observing or interviewing job experts
(such as the line manager and/or the incumbent); or
– using O*NET.
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Develop a list of KSA
for the role by:
– observing or interviewing job
experts;
– using the capability framework;
– asking job experts to rate job tasks
and KSAs most critical for effective performance.
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– Develop clear and unambiguous KSC to
assess the degree to which applicants possess the requisite capabilities.
– Select or develop recruitment
selection techniques that measure the KSC.
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Develop or modify
current position descriptions to reflect the KSC identified by job analysis.
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Tools
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O*NET
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Capability Framework
Information Sheets 2-3
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Information Sheet 4
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Information Sheets 5-6
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The key steps in job analysis are as
follows:
1. Understand the tasks related to the current job
– Observe
or interview job experts (i.e. the incumbent and the line manager) to develop a
list of tasks performed on the job. Alternatively, an online tool such as O*NET[3]
can be used to review the task descriptions.
– Tasks include role responsibilities and duties,
that is, what the person actually does in the role – such as assessing clients,
writing reports, and presenting to committees.
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Tip
1: In some cases, the incumbent may no longer be
in the organisation to assist with the job analysis. In such cases, the O*NET
tool is useful or the line manager may undertake the job analysis themselves
with assistance from staff responsible for recruitment.
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Tip
2: The job analysis process can be aided by the
use of the Community
Sector Workforce Capability Framework Capability Cards.
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2. Understand the capabilities (knowledge, skills
and attributes) required for the position
– Interview
or observe the incumbent, line management and/or members of the incumbent’s
team to develop a list of capabilities (knowledge, skills and attributes) that
the applicant must possess upon entry to perform the role effectively. This is
distinct from that which can be learnt on the job. Refer to Information
sheet 2: How to determine the required knowledge, skills and attributes and
Information sheet 3: How to determine job outcome or key result areas.
– Ask
the incumbent, line management and/or members of the incumbent’s team to rate
which job tasks and capabilities are most critical for effective performance.
3. Turn the capabilities (knowledge, skills and
attributes) into key selection criteria
– From
the capabilities that have been identified as necessary to perform in the role,
develop clear and unambiguous KSC to assess the degree to which applicants
possess the requisite capability. Refer to Information sheet 4:
How to develop key selection criteria for more
information.
– Select
or develop recruitment and selection techniques that measure the capability.
4. Review position description
– Develop
or modify current position descriptions to reflect the KSC identified by job
analysis. Refer to Information
sheet 5: Assessing person-organisation fit and Information
sheet 6: Developing/revising position descriptions
for more information.
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Tip
3: Relying on existing position descriptions when
filling a vacant position is not best practice. Undertaking a structured job
analysis helps to identify what is really required for the position.
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Tip
4: Use job analysis to identify the parameters
you have for flexibility by:
– Providing
training to develop an applicant who demonstrates potential to meet the KSC
in time (i.e. if you do not get a candidate that meets all the job requirements)
– Redesigning
the job to meet the requirements of the applicant – this may include job
sharing, changing a full time role to part time, or making reasonable
adjustments for a person with a disability
– Offering
flexible work hours
– Providing
remote access to organisational systems to allow working from home.
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To
successfully perform the role there are certain capabilities (knowledge, skills
and attributes) that a person requires.
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Capabilities
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Knowledge
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Skills
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Attributes
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what the person needs to know in order to perform in the role
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the specific skill/ability needed to meet the required outcomes of
the role
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personal characteristics/ style/values relevant to perform in the
role and to align with the organisation
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e.g. industrial relations
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e.g. problem solving
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e.g. client/member focussed
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KSA
can be described as enduring skills or abilities and/or trait-like features.
The competencies and characteristics help identify which applicants are most
likely able to perform in a particular role.
The
table below provides a brief example of KSA which may relate to a position, it
is by no means an exhaustive list. The capabilities and personal attributes are
taken from the Capability Framework.
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Example of KSA for a Care Manager
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Capability streams used to establish
skills required
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Personal attributes
used to establish attributes required
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Required knowledge (K)
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Good understanding of theory and practice of aged
and disability service provision
Good understanding of assessment, counselling,
liaison, advocacy
Working
knowledge of high quality case management service/provision
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Required skills (S)
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Advocacy (to advance interests
of clients)
Communication (written and oral)
Effective liaison, networking and collaboration
Problem solving
Planning
and organising Interpersonal skills (active listening, empathy, social
awareness, emotional awareness)
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Partnerships and collaboration
Time management
Problem solving
Advocacy
Communication
Client member outcome
Knowledge of client issues
Interpersonal skills
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Required attributes (A)
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Client focussed (prioritises needs/aims for best
outcomes/follows through)
Committed to social inclusion
Team player
Empathetic
Respects difference
Manages
own time (to achieve goals/outcomes)
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Client member focussed
Culturally aware
Inclusive
Collaborative
Supportive
Self disciplined
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Developing knowledge, skills and
attributes
The
hiring line manager and incumbent should work together to determine which
capabilities are necessary to perform the role. In some cases, the incumbent
may no longer be in the organisation. The hiring line manager may determine the
capabilities themselves with assistance from staff involved in the recruitment
process.
Refer
to the existing position description, and add or remove capabilities after
assessing the current requirements of the role (this is done by the hiring manager
observing incumbents or interviewing incumbents to develop a list of tasks).
– use
the O*NET resource for guidance on what tasks are involved in the role. It is
available at www.online.onetcenter.org.
Use the O*NET resource for guidance on
what general capabilities are necessary
– O*NET
provides descriptors for occupations and the related tasks, knowledge, skill
and abilities/attributes, among various other categories of information on
occupations.
Use
the Community
Sector Workforce Capability Framework Capability Cards to determine which capabilities are required for the role:
– These
card sets assist in identifying the capabilities required to perform a specific
role. They can help determine:
• which
capabilities are critical to perform in the role (must haves)
• which are
desired for the role (nice to haves)
• which are
not necessary/not utilised in the role (not applicable).
– This
resource can also help determine the critical capabilities required before
starting in the role and those that can be learnt on the job.
Once
the capabilities for the job are determined, the next step is to understand
what the key outcomes or key result areas are for the role. That is, determine
how in time you will know the new employee has been a successful hire – refer
to Information
sheet 3: How to determine job outcomes or key result areas.
After
determining what tasks and capabilities are required for the role, it is
important to decide what the new employee is to achieve in this role. That is, determine what key result areas (or outcomes) are necessary in order for the new employee to be
considered “successful”.
The
outcomes of the role should be determined using the following goal setting
principle:
S = specific
M = measurable
A = appropriate
R = realistic
T = time-bound
An
example of a key result area is ‘Decrease workplace accidents by 5% over the
next 12 months’. This simple key result area matches the SMART principle.
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Tip: There is a need to move away from ‘recruitment to vacancy’
towards ‘recruitment to capability’. This requires a far greater emphasis on
planning for recruitment rather than waiting for vacancies to appear[4].
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Identifying
job outcomes or key result areas produces practical goals which research has
indicated enhances employees’ job satisfaction and engagement. It is also
important to identify key result areas that are typical of the role and are
flexible enough to evolve with the job or be transferable to other areas of the
organisation.
The
table below provides a set of example key result areas which may be related to
a Care Manager role. It is by no means an exhaustive list.
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Key result areas for a Care Manager
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Key result area
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Indicators
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Case manage a caseload at optimal level
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Care manager to maintain caseload of (insert number) clients
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Strengthen client’s community connections and greater independence
with input from clients where possible
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Aiming at (insert
number)% of caseload being linked into community
based support within 12 months and positive feedback from clients (Relaying
information to other care managers as their clients may have similar interests)
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Care plans developed in consultation with relevant parties
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Care plans up to date and relevant to ensure best provision of
service for clients
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Improve existing network contacts with key players in relevant
municipalities
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Have one contact per month by visiting centre or via telephone
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Obtain current information on the variety of client services and
relevant professional agencies in the municipalities of (list municipalities here) for use by this program
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Develop a resource list of the relevant services/agencies for
access by all care managers within (insert
number) months
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Increase knowledge and expertise in palliative care services
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Work on production of palliative care resource folder for all care
managers and visit (insert
number) palliative care services within (insert number)
months
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Increase knowledge and skills in middle management roles for care
managers
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Undertake learning opportunities and take on additional
responsibilities consistent with a line management role for 4 weeks per year
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Information
obtained from the job analysis process is used to develop the key selection
criteria (KSC) that is to be used to assess the
requisite capabilities.
KSC
are used to assess applicants on past behaviours and experiences in order to
determine whether they have demonstrated they have
the requisite KSA, as opposed to simply saying they meet the criteria.
Key
considerations in developing KSC include:
– Has
a job analysis been conducted? The quality of job analysis has a direct and
significant impact on the development of KSCs.
– Is
the KSC critical to the role (i.e. a must have)? Or is the
KSC just an additional benefit if the applicant has it (i.e. a nice to have)?
– If
the KSC is not critical, it is not a key selection criterion and should not be included.
– KSC
should be stated in clear and unambiguous language.
– Is
the criterion succinctly described?
– All
types of candidates, irrespective of whether they are from the community sector
or the private sector, should be able to understand the language being used.
– Does
the KSC contain jargon?
– Five
or six KSC are usually sufficient to assess the requisite KSA
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Tip: While assessing candidates against KSC is important, it is also
important to ensure that the use of KSC does not place additional demands on
candidates, especially in a tight labour market. Therefore, consideration
should be given to whether candidates should be required to respond to KSC at
application or at a later stage in the recruitment and selection process.
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Person-organisation
fit is the extent to which an individual’s values
match those of the organisation.
Currently
there is no robust measure available to effectively assess an individual’s
degree of fit with an organisation, although there are methods that may offer
some insight as to the degree of alignment. These methods could include:
– clearly
stating organisational values or mission statements (where applicable) in the
position description, so candidates can self-assess their degree of fit with
the organisation
– using behaviourally-oriented interview
questions to determine person-organisation fit
• key
attributes determined through job analysis can assist in determining the level
of fit e.g. the attribute is ‘demonstrates a commitment to quality customer
service’
• the
following behaviourally-oriented interview question assesses the applicant – Please give
me an example of a complex client service issue you needed to deal with
recently – what was the issue and how did you resolve it?
– asking
pertinent reference check questions around an individual’s values: Please
describe a time when … demonstrated a commitment to customer service. Was this
typical of the way … dealt with clients?
Position
descriptions should be developed or revised each
time a position becomes vacant or a new one is created. This is due to the
evolution of positions through organisational change.
The
job analysis process should be used to inform the development/revision of the
position description (refer to Information sheet 1: Job analysis process flow
diagram). As previously described, undertaking the
job analysis determines the current tasks,
capabilities, and key result areas that go to forming the position description.
Key
considerations for the development of a position description are to:
– clearly
outline the tasks required of the role as determined through the job analysis
process
– clearly
outline the requisite capabilities as determined by the job analysis process
– include
key selection criteria (KSC) that measure the capabilities required for the
role in clear and unambiguous language with no jargon
– clearly
state organisational values so candidates can self-assess their degree of fit
with the organisation
– state
whether working with children checks or police checks are required for the role
– state
the job outcomes/key result areas in the position description. By doing this
applicants are made aware of the success measures for the role and therefore
understand what measures they will be assessed against.
A
sample position description is provided online at www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/communitysector as a downloadable template.
Best practice recruitment
and selection
Stage
2 – Attraction
Image: Victoria
The Place to Be / Department of Planning and Community Development Logo
In developing your attraction strategy, the following questions should be asked and answered[5]:
Develop a good understanding of your
target audience
– Who
is the target audience?
– What
non financial benefits may appeal to your target audience?
– What
are the key demographics of your target audience?
– What
are the media use habits of your target audience?
Understand the current labour market
– Do
you understand the general trends in supply and demand for the skills set you
are recruiting for?
– How
easy will it be to find candidates with the skills set in the current local,
regional, national and international labour market?
– How
strong is the demand for the skills set and/or the role you are recruiting for?
– What
does the current labour market offer in terms of salary and/or benefits for the
type of role you are recruiting for?
– What
do long-term talent supply trends look like? Are the skills set or position you
are recruiting for likely to get easier or harder to source?
– What
is happening in the international environment that may be influencing shortages
in the labour sector you are trying to reach?
– How
closely does your job description match the profile of candidates available on
the job market?
|
Tip: Understanding your current labour market will also help to inform
how you undertake your recruitment selection process. In a tight labour
market, for instance, a fair, transparent as well as speedy recruitment
process is important.
|
Know your competition
– Are
other organisations currently recruiting for or terminating employees for a
similar role?
– How
similar are other organisations’ position descriptions (i.e. are you competing
for the same talent)?
– Where
are other organisations typically sourcing for individuals of this profile?
– What salaries are other organisations offering
for a similar role?
Market the role
– Have
you undertaken a job analysis to identify the key requirements?
– Is
the language you use in the advertisement relevant to your audience?
– What
advertising/communication channels have you considered i.e. online, press,
radio, TV, donors/members, organisational newsletters, and/or specialist
magazines? Do they suit your target audience?
Market the organisation
– What
benefits does your organisation offer? How will you sell these benefits in your
attraction strategy?
– How
will you advertise the role?
Monitor and review
– Do
you keep a record of the recruiting methods used, the associated costs and the
appointment of candidates that directly correlate with the recruiting methods
used?
– Do
you collect data on the recruiting methods you use to measure the
return-on-investment in terms of number and quality of hires yielded relative
to source investment?
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Tip: Attraction methods for regional and rural recruitment will need to
be different to those for metropolitan areas. It is important to ensure that
you understand the particular factors facing regional and rural recruitment
prior to advertising.
For more information on regional and
rural recruitment go to
http://www.ssa.vic.gov.au/CA2571410025903D/WebObj/WFP_regional_final/$File/WFP_regional_final.pdf
|
The
point of writing good
recruitment advertising copy is to attract the
right person for the job and to promote a strong positive image for your
organisation.
Copywriting
is not about being clever with words. It is about getting a message clear in
your head and putting it across simply to your target audience.
Before you start writing
It
is important to find out as much as you can about the role that is being
advertised. Information
sheet 7: Factors for consideration in attraction
provides guidance on areas that should be considered prior to writing an
advertisement.
One main selling point or employment
value proposition
Always
remember that while you may know the benefits of the role, your target audience
may not.
Therefore
be clear and succinct in your selling point. There may be various selling
points to the role, however, focus on the main selling point. This selling point can be used as a main point for
the advertisement headline or sub-headline.
Writing your advertisement
When
starting to write the advertisement it helps to:
– think
about the job and the kind of person you would like to apply
– put
yourself in your target audiences’ position
– think
about the elements that will attract your target audience.
Keep the text short, simple and informal
in your advertisement. Following are other tips:
– short
paragraphs give added impact and short sentences make it easier for your reader
to understand your message
– avoid
using bullet points. They take up a lot of space and they are not very friendly
to read. If you’ve got a list of points to get across, link them in a sentence,
or a number of sentences
– think
about the tone of voice you are using. Think of your advertisement as a
conversation between you and your ideal applicant
– keep
it informal. Use ‘you’ rather than ‘the applicant’ or ‘the candidate’
– try to avoid using clichés.
When you have to write an
advertisement in a hurry
For
those times when you are stretched for time, here is a quick checklist you can
follow to make sure your advertisement covers the basics:
– Who
is your target audience?
– Do
you really know what motivates them and why they will want to apply for this
job?
– What
is your main message in the advertisement?
– What
are the most important details about the role (e.g. organisation details,
location of role, qualifications, skills and benefits)?
– Have
you verbally communicated the vacancy? (Telling a friend or colleague about the
role may help you write your advertisement.)’
– Is
the text in your advertisement short, simple and informal?
Best practice
recruitment and selection
Stage 3 –
Recruitment and selection
Image: Victoria
The Place to Be / Department of Planning and Community Development Logo
Short-listing is used to reduce the number of applicants for a vacant position
into a smaller, more manageable pool.
Using
a standard application form allows for an equitable short-listing of applicants
(i.e. comparison of applicants is based on content of their application). The
use of a standard application form provides a more transparent and objective
approach to recruitment than traditional résumé screening as it reduces the
risk of assessing applicants on non-job relevant criteria e.g. résumé
style/presentation.
Question design
Questions
contained in the application form should be:
– fair
and unbiased
– observe
equal opportunity laws by not containing potentially discriminatory questions,
such as the candidate’s gender, and date of birth. Further information can be
found at:
http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/pdf/recruitment%20guidelines.pdf
– related
to job success.
Suggested areas to include in the
application form which will assist in short-listing are:
– education: qualifications obtained
– employment/work
experience: with sections to outline previous
position title, responsibilities and achievements in job roles
– competency
based questions: questions requiring candidates to
demonstrate how they meet the key selection criteria (KSC)
– referee
details: ideally these should be work-related
referees who in some way managed the individual (i.e. not a peer).
|
Tip: Ideally short-listing should be undertaken by the same panel
members who are interviewing for the vacant position.
|
A ranking method can be
used to assist in shortlisting. This is where each KSC for the vacant position
is given a weighting (refer to Information Sheet 11: how to use a descriptively
anchored rating scale) and each application is
scored against the weighted KSC.
Other
methods for short-listing are:
– Interviews
(telephone or in-person).
– Psychological
testing (in conjunction with another method). This method is used often for
large numbers of applications.
Interviewing is the most commonly used selection technique. It can be expensive,
time consuming and most organisations do not maximise its value. However, if
used appropriately, interviewing can be a good predictor of work performance.
Ideally, interviews are conducted by a panel of people.
People involved in the interviews
The hiring line manager should form part
of the interview panel as they:
– will
have an in-depth knowledge of the job
– are
well placed to identify high calibre applicants due to their level of
involvement in the job analysis process.
All
interviewers should be appropriately skilled/experienced in interviewing
techniques and understand their roles and responsibilities in the process. Any
training prior to the interview should:
– specify
how to conduct a structured, behaviourally-oriented interview, how to provide
effective feedback, instructions on note taking, how to avoid interviewer bias
and how to select applicants based on merit
– be
conducted regularly to update/refresh interviewers on interviewing skills.
The
interviewing panel should be diverse e.g. including male and female
interviewees. It may also be beneficial to include interviewers who do not
belong to the organisation, but with knowledge of the organisation on the panel
in order to reduce the possibility of bias in assessment.
Preparing questions and conducting
interviews
Interview
questions should be behaviourally-oriented and based on each of the critical
key selection criteria (KSC), as determined through the job analysis process.
Behaviourally-oriented
interview questions are recommended (e.g. asking an applicant what they would
do if presented with a particular situation) as past behaviour is the best
predictor of future performance.
|
Tip: Avoid asking questions of a discriminatory nature for example,
about pregnancy, parental, or carer responsibilities, or age. For further
information refer to:
http://www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au/pdf/recruitment%20guidelines.pdf
|
KSC should be used to
develop appropriate behaviourally-oriented interview questions. The aim of behaviourally-oriented questions is for the applicant
to demonstrate through past behaviour that they have the required KSC.
Requisite
knowledge, skills, and attributes (KSA) are turned into a KSC by making them
behaviourally based. For example, if the job analysis process determines that
experience recruiting volunteers is a key requirement of the role, then this
can be turned into a behaviourally based KSC by adding “please give an example”
in front of the requirement i.e. “please give an example of a time when you
recruited volunteers. What means did you use to ensure they had the capacity to
undertake the task?”.
This
KSC can then be used as a behavioural interview question. For example:
– if
‘knowledge of recruitment practices’ is deemed critical to perform effectively
in the role, a behavioural interview question developed to support this could
be as follows:
• Please describe a time when you had to manage a
campaign involving the recruitment of various roles. What was the situation,
what did you do and what was the result?
Interviewers should note applicant
responses in the following areas:
– Situation
– Task
– Action
– Result
Further examples of
behaviourally-oriented questions that encourage STAR based responses include:
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STAR
|
Example
questions
|
|
Situation or Task
|
– Describe
a situation when...
– Why did
you ...?
– What were the circumstances
surrounding ...?
|
|
Action
|
– Exactly
what did you do?
– Describe
specifically how you did that?
– Describe
your specific role in the project?
– Walk me through the steps you took?
|
|
Result
|
– What was
the result?
– How did
that work out?
– What
problems/success resulted from ...?
– What feedback did you receive?
|
Scoring
interviews
Interviewers should assess applicant
responses using a descriptively anchored rating scale.
– A
descriptively anchored rating scale uses descriptors to help define the
numerical ratings (refer to Information sheet 11: How to use a descriptively
anchored rating scale for more information).
The
use of a descriptively
anchored rating scale is considered best practice
as it provides a greater level of rigour to the assessment process as it helps align
interviewers’ scores and removes some of the subjectivity of rating.
These
rating scales use a description of the KSC to correspond with a numerical
rating. They should be developed for each interview question to assist
interviewers in rating interviewee responses.
When
this rating scale is used, the level of reliability between raters increases.
This in turn increases the validity of the selection technique (i.e. there is a
better alignment between ratings given by interviewers).
An
example of a descriptively anchored rating scale is as follows:
1 = much less than acceptable. Applicant did not at
all demonstrate how they [insert KSC being measured]
2 = less than acceptable. Applicant insufficiently
demonstrated how they [insert KSC being measured]
3 = acceptable. Applicant demonstrated sufficient
evidence of how they [insert KSC being measured]
4 = more than acceptable. Applicant demonstrated
detailed evidence of how they [insert KSC being measured]
5 = much more than acceptable.
Applicant significantly demonstrated in great detail how they [insert KSC
being measured]
The
use of additional
assessment techniques significantly enhances the
selection process and increases the likelihood of a successful hire.
The
following section provides an overview of what additional assessment can be
used and in which setting. An overview of ‘why, what, who and how’ each
additional assessment technique may be best employed appears below[6].
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Tip 1: Research shows that work related assessment tests are received
well. However, the use of additional assessments should be balanced against
factors such as the cost of the assessment, benefits of using the assessment
and labour market forces (i.e. in a tight labour market additional assessments
may prevent candidates applying).
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|
Tip 2: When testing for skills, ensure any particular needs of
applicants (e.g. language needs or disabilities), are taken into account and
flexibly applied[7].
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Psychometric assessment
Psychometric
assessment is widely considered an important component of best practice. The
type of tests typically used for selection purposes are personality, cognitive
ability, work styles and motivation. Research indicates that combining
cognitive ability tests with a personality test measuring conscientiousness
will provide a better prediction of work performance than cognitive ability
alone.
All
psychometric assessments need to be administered and interpreted by a qualified
professional (i.e. a psychologist, and an accredited human resources
professional), however the following information provides an indication as to
what assessments are available.
Cognitive ability
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Why
|
|
Research indicates that cognitive ability or general mental
ability is well-established as the most important predictor of work
performance. Testing for cognitive ability is important because it has a
direct effect on job knowledge acquisition – individuals who have higher
cognitive ability acquire more job knowledge, are able to acquire it faster
and are able to compute complex information quickly and accurately.
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|
What
|
|
Generally, the recommended cognitive ability tests are those that
test for numerical and verbal reasoning. These tests should have been peer
reviewed (i.e. tested by other researchers in the field).
The Australian Council for Educational Research publishes tests
which have been peer reviewed and are available to most human resources
professionals.
|
|
Who
|
|
Cognitive ability may be assessed for roles at any level. The use
of appropriate norm groups will help assess the aptitude of an applicant in
relation to similar others (i.e. scores for an individual applying for an
administrative role should be compared against an ‘administration’ norm
group).
For higher level roles, more difficult tests can be used. For
lower level roles, easier tests can be used.
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|
How
|
|
Cognitive ability results can be interpreted by someone with
relevant qualifications. Many psychological/HR consulting firms have access
to cognitive ability instruments and can administer and interpret the results
for you. Alternatively, organisations may consider accrediting suitable
internal staff in certain instruments to build internal capabilities in this
area. It is not recommended, however, that an individual without appropriate
qualifications/accreditation administer these tests or interprets results.
|
Personality assessment
|
Why
|
|
Personality assessment provides insight
into an applicant’s personal style i.e. how conscientious they are, how well
they cope with stress, how they cope with frustration and anger, etc.
|
|
What
|
|
A highly recommended personality
assessment is the NEO PI-R. This inventory
is based on a 5-factor model of personality and is the most widely validated personality instrument. There is considerable research evidence that suggests that the 5-factor model of personality is a strong predictor of performance on the job[8]. |
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Who
|
|
Applicants’ personality should be
assessed for roles at any level. It can be an important assessment for
applicants who may move into, or are already in, positions of leadership and
management. This is due to the unique insight it provides into how a person
is likely to lead others.
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How
|
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Personality inventories can only be
interpreted by qualified/accredited individuals. Many psychological/HR consulting
firms have access to instruments such as the NEO PI-R and can administer and
interpret the profile for you. The NEO PI-R in particular should be
interpreted by a psychologist; however, there are other personality
instruments that non-psychologists can obtain accreditation in. Suitable
individuals may be eligible for accreditation, which would create internal
capabilities in this area.
|
Work sample and job
knowledge assessment
|
Why
|
|
Work sample tests and job knowledge tests
can be used to ascertain specific skill levels required before beginning a
position (i.e. skills that cannot be learnt on the job). These two types of
tests are quite similar in nature. Job knowledge tests measure critical
knowledge areas needed to perform a job effectively and are generally used to
assess specific skill sets i.e. technical skills such as IT programming. Work
sample tests assess the actual execution of the critical knowledge i.e. they
are practically based rather than knowledge based.
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|
What
|
|
Given the work sample or job knowledge
test is unique to the role, there is generally no ‘off-the -shelf’ solution.
Tests of this nature need to be specially developed. Ideally, these tests
should be developed by an organisational psychologist, and administered and
scored by trained human resources specialists. Scoring work sample tests
involves trained experts observing and rating behaviour, whereas job
knowledge tests are written tests that have right/wrong response options.
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Who
|
|
These tests may be used for technically
oriented roles where specialist skills are required prior to entry into the
role.
|
|
How
|
|
A trained specialist who scores the test
or observed behaviour should be the one to interpret the results. Written
results can then be provided to the hiring line manager.
|
Best
practice recruitment and selection
Stage
4 – Induction/Orientation/ Evaluation
Image: Victoria
The Place to Be / Department of Planning and Community Development Logo
Reference checking is an essential part of the recruitment process and occurs to
confirm information the candidate has included in the application.
Professional
referees should be provided by the applicant at the request of the recruiter
and it is preferable that these referees managed the candidate. Where an
applicant is not able to provide professional referees and is not able to
provide a legitimate reason, it is advisable to explore why.
Questions
used in reference checking should be scored using a standardised questionnaire
using a descriptively anchored ratings scale (for example 1-5 with each measure
containing a descriptor explaining what the measure means) in order to reduce
the risk of non evidence based assessments. An example of such a scale is
provided in
Information sheet 11 how to use a descriptively anchored rating scale.
Some
areas that should be covered in the reference check are employment dates,
confirmation of a candidate’s claims in their application, estimates of an
applicant’s job performance capability and the former employer’s willingness to
re-hire the applicant.
Similarly
to the interview, it is advisable to use a combination of open and closed
questions when conducting reference checks.
Conducting
any necessary checks such as police checks or working with children checks
should also occur at this stage. Organisational policy should cover whether
this is a requirement.
Induction should be a structured process for all new starters. It is the
first step in building a relationship between the organisation and the
employee. Research outlines that the transition to the new workplace is made
easier and more effective for both the new starter and the employer if there is
an effective induction/orientation process.
The
potential benefits of a structured induction process are:
– alignment
of new starters with the organisation’s mission, vision, and values
– an
improved understanding of the organisation and where they fit into the
organisation’s plans and goals for new starters
– retention
of staff.
Induction content
Content of the induction process should
cover both administrative and tactical issues, such as:
– organisational
vision, mission and values should be communicated
– organisational
business plan should be communicated
– learning
and development and performance management programs
– administrative
forms (such as payroll information) which should be distributed and completed
prior to the new starter’s orientation.
Common mistakes
In designing the induction process,
research9 indicates the following are common and costly
mistakes:
– trying
to fill up 20 hours of information into four hours of orientation
– running
an unstructured induction believing that doing so has no negative impact
– providing
the new employee with a range of publications but no explanation as to why they
may find them helpful
– making
new starter orientations boring
– introducing
new employees into the organisation without appropriate support and coaching.
A
sample induction checklist that may be considered in preparing an induction
process for new starters is online at www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/communitysector.
The
buddy
system is designed to support and provide new
starters with guidance and information to assist their transition into their
new role. It is also an opportunity for the assigned buddy to directly (and
positively) effect the experience new starters have with organisation.
The potential benefits of the buddy
system are:
– faster
integration of new starters into the organisation’s culture and processes
– increased
employee satisfaction and morale.
Buddy relationship
The
assigned buddy should be from the same peer group level as the new starter and
have enough organisational experience to competently assist the new starter in
the initial phase of their employment.
Important aspects of the buddy’s
relationship with the new starter include:
– confidentiality
and trust
– the
development of rapport and respect
– continuous
interest in and communication with the new starter
– accessibility
of the buddy to the new starter
– sharing
knowledge and experience
– ensuring
that the new starter is working effectively and achieving the goals of the
business.
The relationship of a buddy is ongoing.
It is expected that, within the first month of commencement of employment, the
reliance on the buddy relationship will be stronger.
However,
as the new starter becomes more familiar and confident within the workplace,
the buddy’s responsibilities will become less evident.
Buddy responsibilities
The
following are suggested guidelines and expectations of the assigned buddy for
the first three months of the new starter’s employment.
Prior to commencement
– call
the new starter to welcome them to the team; check if they have any questions
before they commence
– organise
a catch up for the new starter’s first day in the organisation and invite other
team members
– ensure
you have time put aside in your diary (in line with the new starter’s schedule)
to dedicate to your buddy.
First day
– be
available to greet the new starter following their induction (if attending) or
first thing in the morning
– organise
a catch up with team members on their first day in the organisation
– introduce
new starter to key contacts/team members
– provide
guidance on completing first common system requirements
– refer
new starter to the online induction material (if available).
First month
– continue
to introduce the new starter to members of the wider organisation and be
available to assist them in settling in
– ensure
the new starter is invited to specific meetings with the organisational support
staff
– where
possible, provide on-the-job training on organisational processes, procedures
and policies
– provide
assistance with business tools that the organisation may use.
First three months
– continue
to provide support and assistance as required
– where
possible, continue to provide on-the-job training on the organisation’s
processes, procedures and policies.
Managing new starter
expectations is critical to enhancing the success
of an applicant’s placement in the organisation. Assessing and understanding
whether employees are culturally, intellectually and emotionally aligned with
the organisation provides a stronger connection between the employer and
employee.
A
psychological contract is the degree of alignment between the communicated role
requirements and expectations with the reality of what is actually experienced.
Where misalignment of expectation and reality is high, an increased likelihood
of resignation exists.
The potential benefits of managing new
starter expectations and reality are:
– reduced
risk of resignations
– improved
workplace productivity and morale.
Confidential communication
To
align new starter expectations with reality, a formal feedback process should
be obtained from new starters after a specified period of time in the new role.
Feedback should:
– be
collected by an external, independent person
– be
treated confidentially.
Any
individual information provided to the organisation by the third party must be
authorised by the new starter on a signed consent form.
Feedback focus
The feedback sought should focus on:
– understanding
what initial promises or statements were made during the selection process that
led to developing the new starter’s particular expectations
– obtaining
the new starter’s perception on:
• their
ability to realise the promises that were made to them
• career
opportunities within the organisation
• values that are important to the organisation.
The
probation
period is critical to ensuring the role and
organisation is right for the new starter.
It
provides an opportunity for the new starter to understand and appreciate job
requirements and expected work standards, their fit with the organisation, and
for the employer to address any issues during the probation period.
The
potential benefits of actively managing probation periods are savings in
resources otherwise required for supervision, counselling, training and
management of underperforming people.
It
is recommended that meetings are scheduled with the new employee at regular
intervals leading up to the conclusion of the probation period. These meetings
should be used to assess how the new employee is performing and coping with the
role. These provide an opportunity to clarify responsibilities and tasks and
make sure that any support required is offered.
Factors
to consider for probation periods include:
– when
planning the job and undertaking the job analysis:
• think
about the application of probation periods, considering the nature of the job
• advise applicants that probation periods will
apply and the estimated duration during the recruitment process.
– once
the selection decision is made:
• set the probation period, reflecting on the
successful new starter’s experience, expertise, and so on.
– on
job commencement:
• discuss the probation period with the new
starter, including intent and structure.
– during
the probation period:
• regularly monitor new
starter’s performance during the probation period and be clear about who is
responsible for monitoring (typically, the hiring line manager is responsible
for monitoring probations and confirming the appointment of employees)
• meet with the new starter regularly regarding
performance and probation.
– at
the end of probation period:
• complete probation report
• notify the new starter and
human resources of the probation decision (i.e. confirm appointment, extend
probation or annul employment).
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