Selection is the process used to select the best person for the position available. The purpose of selection is to gather as much information about the individual as possible then to evaluate that information and assess the candidate. There are many different methods of selection such as:
· Short listings from C.V’s
· Interviews
· Tests such as personality tests
· Assessment centres
· References
· Work Simulations
· Telephone screening
· Graphology
· Role play
· Problem solving activities
Different companies will use different selection processes and maybe even two or three. The company will choose the process which they believe is best for them and most cost effective.
B&Q uses the same process for both their part time jobs and full time managerial jobs. The process they use is a telephone screening. This is an automated voice which collects information about the individual and then asks a few questions which if asked correctly moves the individual on to the next stage of the selection process. There is a problem with this method because you are able to phone several times and keep going through the process until the questions are answered correctly. The next stage is a group interview where activities such as thinking of items B&Q sell for each letter of the alphabet after these activities individuals are then asked to stay behind for an individual interview. Then candidate will be asked about what hours they can work, their knowledge on different departments of B&Q and what their current situation is. Then the individual would be told if they have got the job or not.
In 2007 one of B&Q interviewers asked candidates to dance to ‘blame it on the boogie’ which was probably used as a process to make individuals more at ease to ensure optimum performance during the interview however for some it may have the opposite effect. Some saw it as an extremely offensive request saying ‘There is age discrimination - I wasn't even born when Blame it on the Boogie was released race discrimination - as an Irish man, my dancing is more Michael Flatley than Michael Jackson and, of course, on a more serious note, I'm surprised no-one has considered the implications for disabled applicants.’ An ex-employee describes the request as a way B&Q conveys its open, down to earth and fun culture.
In the three methods used by B&Q, telephone screening, group interview and individual interview there are benefits and disadvantages. Telephone screening is very impersonal and the same person may phone up several times until they eventually get through therefore it is not a very successful process. However it is a good method to keep numbers down and a cost effective method as no-one is being employed to communicate to the candidates. Group interviews make candidate feel less pressure and therefore you tend to see more personality and is an opportunity to allow the individuals to get a feel of the culture of the organisation. Group interviews are vital to see how people work with other individuals and within a team. However this method does not allow the candidate to produce a 2-way conversation which would give them an opportunity to express their personality more. This is why it is defiantly good that B&Q do an individual interview to confirm they have made the correct choose and the candidate can further impress the interviewer with past experiences or knowledge they have.
I have been involved in an interview for American Eagle a reasonably price fashion shop in America. I took the application form back and the manager read it and interviewed me there and then on the shop floor. It was not a formal interview and I did not realise I was going to be interviewed so was thrown in the deep end however it was really relaxed and I was able to be myself. I was asked questions such as how would I describe American Eagle to my English friends back home who had never heard of it. The interview system was not particularly professional however it showed how friendly and down to earth the employees of the shop were and conveyed a comforting yet fun atmosphere to work in. I then worked there until I left to come back and live in England and they were very flexible when I wanted time off to go visit places in America. Therefore the interview and selection was both positive for me and the employers and I was one of the staff that stayed there the longest, however it could have been the selection process that in turn resulted in such fast staff turnover. If the selection process was more thorough they may have employed staff that were more committed to their job and would stay for longer periods of time. To improve the selection of American Eagle a group interview should probably be given and fun activities should be set in place to show the candidate it is a fun company to work for and to try and draw out the individuals personalities. A short individual interview may want to be held with those chosen from the group interview to confirm they are the correct person for the job and then if suitable the job should be offered to them. This process would be held by the managers of each individual shop and therefore would not be expensive for the company to hold the selection process. As the process would be professional and the managers would have a selection of candidate to choose from the employees would be a lot more serious about their job and stay for longer.
A selection process can be very different in small businesses the selection process may be very quick with application forms being handed in and a short interview. However for large companies and high demanding jobs the company usually spends thousands of pounds on the selection process to ensure the correct employee for the job. These large selection processes may involve psychometric testing, interviews, telephone screenings and work simulations. Whatever the process it needs to be a fair system without discrimination and giving every candidate the same opportunity. Most methods of selection have pro’s and con’s and usually depend on the culture and background of the company to what process is chosen.
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