Assessment Methods in Recruitment, Selection & Performance: A Managers Guide to Psychometric Testing, Interviews and Assessment Centres

320 Pages·2005·2.89 MB·English

by  Robert Edenborough

Assessment Methods HP 31/8/05 10:25 am Page 1
ASSESSMENT
METHODS
IN RECRUITMENT,
SELECTION &
PERFORMANCE
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Assessment Methods TP 31/8/05 10:25 am Page 1
ASSESSMENT
METHODS
IN RECRUITMENT,
SELECTION &
PERFORMANCE
A manager’s guide to psychometric
testing, interviews and assessment centres
Robert Edenborough
London and Sterling, VA
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To all the people whom I have studied, assessed and counselled over the last 40 years
Publisher’s note
Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in
this book is accurate at the time of going to press, and the publisher and author
cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, however caused. No
responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting, or refraining
from action, as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the
editor, the publisher or the author.
First published in Great Britain and the United States in 2005 by Kogan Page
Limited
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or
criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
1988, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any
form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the publishers, or
in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms and
licences issued by the CLA. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside these
terms should be sent to the publishers at the undermentioned addresses:
120 Pentonville Road 22883 Quicksilver Drive
London N1 9JN Sterling VA 20166-2012
United Kingdom USA
www.kogan-page.co.uk
© Robert Edenborough, 2005
The right of Robert Edenborough to be identified as the author of this work has
been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act 1988.
ISBN 07494 4294 8
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Edenborough, Robert.
Assessment methods in recruitment, selection, and performance : a manager’s
guide to psychometric testing, interviews, and assessment centres / Robert
Edenborough
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7494-4294-8
1. Employees--Rating of. 2. Employees--Recruiting. 3. Employees--Psychological
testing. 4. Psychometrics. 5. Employment interviewing. I. Title.
HF5549.5.R3E32 2005
658.3’125--dc22
2005005136
Typeset by Datamatics Technologies Ltd, Mumbai, India
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Creative Print and Design (Wales), Ebbw Vale
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Contents
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xiii
1 Why selection and performance management? 1
Introduction 1
Selection and performance management 2
Psychometrics, assessment centres and structured interviews 2
A range of settings 3
Individual differences 7
Inputs and outputs 9
Competency 9
The importance of objectivity 13
Plan of the book 14
2 Historical perspectives 15
Psychometrics 15
Interviews 18
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vi Contents
Assessment centres 21
Standard setting 22
Performance management 22
3 Testing explored 26
Personality measurement 30
Ability, aptitude and attainment 33
Interest inventories 39
Motivation 40
Educational testing 41
Clinical testing and its relation to performance 42
A special case: integrity testing 43
How psychometric tests are used in selection today 44
Introduction to practical issues in control and interpretation 45
Summary 46
4 Statistics and standards in psychometrics I 47
Introduction 47
Validity and reliability 48
Interpreting test results 51
Summary 66
5 Statistics and standards in psychometrics II 67
Regulatory issues 67
Competence and qualifications 69
Data protection 73
Equal opportunities 75
Disabilities 79
Copyright 79
Test design and construction 80
Afterthought on regulation 81
Summary 82
6 Tests and selection – the developing context 83
Mass testing to trial by sherry 83
Some favourite measures – club membership to age 84
Job definitions 90
Summary 95
7 Psychometrics and selection – the practice 96
Large-volume recruitment applications 96
One-off and shortlist assessment 112
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Contents vii
Psychometrics and internal selection 117
Summary 119
8 Implementing psychometrics 121
Introduction 121
Information flows – building the picture 121
Other assessment methods 131
Further practical issues 131
9 Assessment centres 141
Scope and use 141
Exercise types 145
Summary 159
10 Other aspects of assessment centre technology 161
Assessor choice and training 162
Preparation and training programmes: assessors 163
Preparation for other roles in the assessment centre 167
Development centres 169
Practical issues about using assessment centres in
reorganization 176
Valuing diversity in assessment centre operations 178
Assessment centre elements used independently 179
Summary 179
11 Structure in interviewing: the scope of structured
interviews 181
The focus on behaviour 185
Deriving interview models 186
Criterion-based, competency-based and critical incident
interviews 190
Summary 195
12 More on structured interviews 197
Structured psychometric interviews (SPI) 197
The extended interview 205
The board or panel interview 206
Feedback and follow-up interviewing 208
Conclusion 210
Summary 210
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viii Contents
13 Performance management – background and approaches
to measurement 211
The meaning of performance management 211
The performance context – business plans and management
of people to realize them 211
Practical issues in competency modelling 213
Stakeholder views – customer measures and 360
degree assessments 216
Rewards as drivers of performance 223
Role of the development centre in managing performance 224
Performance management day to day – controls
and feedback 225
Other considerations 226
Summary 226
14 A variety of one-to-one interactions in performance
management 228
Introduction 228
Appraisals 230
Performance improvement and disciplinary interviews 233
Staff development 234
Mentoring, coaching and counselling in performance
management 235
Summary 239
15 Supplier and client relationships in assessment and
performance management 241
16 The use of information and communication technology
in assessment and performance management 250
Number crunching to norms 250
Selection and generation of items 251
Guidelines 252
Remote delivery 252
Assessment centres 253
Feedback 254
Use of the internet 258
360 degree 260
Summary 260
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Contents ix
17 Current issues and future trends 262
Constructing teams for major change 262
Assessments linked to private equity initiatives 265
Future directions: integrating and optimizing contributions 269
Coda 272
Glossary and technical notes 273
References 280
Further reading 290
Index 297