How to Improve your Selection and Recruitment Process

Part 3 of 11 of the CompetencyCore^TM Guide to Recruitment & Selection

This is the third in a 11 part series that looks at:

1. The Business Case
2. Key Advantages of Competency-based Selection
3. How Competencies Improve Selection
4. Top 3 Features of Best Practice Recruitment and Selection - #1
5. Top 3 Features of Best Practice Recruitment and Selection - #2
6. Top 3 Features of Best Practice Recruitment and Selection - #3
7. Common Tools: Job Postings & Behavioral Interviews
8. Common Tools: Track Record Review and Reference Checks
9. Common Tools: Standardized Tests, Part 1
10. Common Tools: Standardized Tests, Part 2
11. Tips for Implementing a Recruitment and Selection System

How Competencies Improve the Selection and Recruitment Process
Competencies are developed and validated with experts who know and understand the requirements for successful job performance.  They reflect the true requirements for good job performance and all selection and assessment tools are designed based on these requirements.  Competency-based selection, therefore, provides a means for reducing error in the selection process, thereby increasing the likelihood of getting a more reliable and accurate assessment of the candidate’s true capability to perform successfully.

Error is defined as the evaluation of candidate characteristics that are not related to job performance.  Error can result from poorly defined assessment criteria and / or not applying the assessment criteria appropriately. The more “error” is eliminated from this equation, the more reliable will be the rating, and the more likely it will be that the predictions about later candidate performance are accurate.

This is particularly relevant in the selection interview.  Until recently, the interview was thought to be a poor selection technique with relatively low predictive capability compared to other selection methods. However, researchers have found that the validity of the interview can be greatly improved by developing structured, systematic selection criteria and processes for selection that are based on clearly defined job requirements.

Competencies provide a clear definition of those requirements that lead to successful outcomes on the job.  They support the selection principles of fairness, equity and transparency.

• Fair: Decisions are made objectively, free from patronage, and reflect just treatment for all employees and applicants.
• Equitable: There is equal access to employment opportunities and selection and hiring practices decisions are free from systemic and attitudinal barriers.
• Transparent: There is open communication between the organization and employees / applicants about selection standards, processes and decisions.

Legislative and Regulatory Environment
In many jurisdictions around the world there are laws and rules around what can be said and done as part of the recruitment and selection process. Often privacy regulations constrain the type of interview questions to be asked. Criteria that are irrelevant to successful performance may be deemed “discriminatory” (e.g., race, religion, gender, sexual orientation) and prohibited under law. In many countries, legislation may exist to correct for past inequities for certain groups, or there may be laws that encourage increasing the representation of certain groups.

Organizations embarking on a recruitment and selection campaign must familiarize themselves with the regulatory environment for the jurisdiction in which they are located. Competency based systems that are related strictly to the requirements of the job are generally non- discriminatory and can be shown to be defensible in most jurisdictions.

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The next blog in this series examines the top features of a best practice recruitment and selection program. Sign up to our blog’s mailing list through the form on the right-hand side to receive the rest of the series in your inbox.

HRSG is a leader in competency-based recruitment and selection solutions and training. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

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Want to learn more? Download a Best Practice Guide to Improve the Effectiveness of your Interviewing Processes
Compared to unstructured interview approaches, the behavioral interview approach greatly increases your chances of making the best selection decisions. Download this guide to learn how to interview candidates to gather critical information about candidates’ past performance and accomplishments that you can use to predict their performance and accomplishments in the job that you are filling.