The applicant is the center of our universe.Janice Bryant Howroyd, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The ActOne Group
In this chapter, we will examine the how to conduct assessments and carry out the selection process according to organisational requirements. We will examine ways to assess the candidate against selection criteria and how to conduct referee checks. We will examine how to prepare recommendations for appointments to the relevant stakeholders.
By the end of this chapter, you will understand:
- How to conduct the assessment and selection process
- Ways to assess candidates against specified selection criteria and referee reports
- How to prepare recommendations
To be the preferred candidate, the organisation's recruitment and selection process must be adhered to and be in line with the required legislative requirements. There are many ways of selecting the right candidate based on the job or position description. Some organisations use a weighting system to score each task requirement against the candidate's response questions in an interview. Other organisations use situational analysis questions to determine how the candidate responds to a specific scenario or situation.
Before an interview, or once a shortlist of candidates has been chosen, organisations may also use other skills assessments such as psychometric and skills testing programs for recruitment. Often, these tests use measurable, objective data that gives details of an applicant's skills and suitability for a position, including their potential cultural fit and behaviour requirements.
Another key part of conducting assessments before selecting a candidate is to conduct an identity check. It is imperative to have policies and procedures to help keep inappropriate people from working at the organisation. As part of the recruitment process, we must be able to ensure that we employ the right person for the role within the organisation.
Consistent messages about rigorous identity, referee and probity checks should be undertaken to deter individuals with a history of inappropriate behaviour or criminal offences. An identity check is defined as a process by which an individual's identity is verified to ensure that they are who they claim they are.
Verifying the candidate's identity underpins all other verification and is fundamental to understanding the candidate's background and may be used to undergo working with children checks and police checks.
Identity verification is a necessary process that ensures a person's identity matches the information that the applicant has provided.
The identity verification process should ensure that there is a real person behind the application for a role and should be able to prove that they are the one that they are claiming to be.
An explanation of the types of rigorous identity checks should be described in all aspects and documents as part of the recruitment process.
An example of a checklist for the recruitment process to confirm the identity of an individual is provided below:
| Questions | Yes or No |
| Does the recruitment process verify the applicant's identity | |
| Does the identity check ensure they are who they say they are? For example, conduct a 100-point check? | |
| Does the identity check request original documents? | |
| Does the identity check have a process for identifying and verifying name changes? For example, marriage, divorce or by the births, death and marriages name change registration process? | |
| Does the identity check include viewing the applicant's passport or driver's license to check that the name is the same? | |
| Does the identity check include conducting internet searches to verify the identity of the applicant? | |
| Does the identity check a process of checking social media accounts? |
Checking Social Media
Checking social media accounts and conducting internet searches are widely used by human resources practitioners and managers to assist with the verification of an individual's identity. Many employers use search engines and social media to discover information about applicants and may use social media information from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You must be mindful that there may be potential discrimination issues involved in conducting searches and not be biased but use the information and data to confirm the applicant's identity. The searches may confirm that the individual is who they say they are. Other information obtained can be used to evaluate their character, personality, values and suitability for the role at the organisation.
In some cases, social media accounts and internet searches may verify potential reasons not to engage the applicant due to their disturbing behaviours, comments, posts, and photographs that have been uncovered due to the searches that have been undertaken.
The searches may demonstrate various unethical behaviours that the individual has shown, such as allegations against the individual or pending court proceedings that were not uncovered during a police check.
In the real world
A local community organisation undertook a police check on an applicant. The applicant only provided two of the four documents that were required to conduct a background check. Numerous follow-ups were conducted with the candidate to obtain copies of their identification after the verification through the Document Verification Service (DVS) failed. A staff member conducted various social media and internet searches and discovered that there were several different spellings of the applicants name being used. The staff member also discovered disturbing new paper articles in relation to alleged fraudulent activities with a local community group. After several weeks, the applicant finally provided sufficient information to confirm their identity via the DVS, which also confirmed an adjustment in the spelling of their name. Once this name adjustment was discovered, the result of the background check revealed a lengthy criminal record that included a prison term for fraud whilst working at a bank. This case reveals the crucial part that ID verification plays in a police check when following up on applicants who avoid providing the information needed to run the required check. It also highlights how social media and internet searches can assist in the verification of an applicant’s identity
Important Readings
Read the following article by Victoria Legal Aid titled ‘Working with Children check’
Watch the following video by GreggU titled 'Selection Screening'.
Check your understanding of the content so far!
In the student forum, discuss the benefits and risks associated with conducting social media and online identity checks. How can these be used positively? How can you ensure unconscious or conscious biases are removed through this process?
The assessment and the short-listing process involve determining the applicants that meet the selection criteria and who can perform the various tasks and meet the role requirements.
Screening and assessing the candidate's intake form in a ranking process to determine which candidates may progress to the next stage of the selection process and be short-listed. At the short-listing stage, candidates have met specific criteria as part of the assessment process. This has been achieved by ascertaining if the candidates meet the initial relevant criteria and allowing the recruiter to reduce the candidate applications.
Candidates should be provided with clear instructions on addressing the selection criteria. This should include information on how the applications must be able to verify the information provided. This, along with a scoring procedure, can then be used to evaluate whether candidates have met the selection criteria.
Conducting reference checks can be one of the most essential steps in the selection process. Often, an applicant's past performance can be the best indicator of future performance. It can confirm that the applicant has the required skills and experience in working in the role, as they have directly observed the applicant perform in their previous position.
By speaking directly to a previous supervisor, you can obtain valuable information. For example, it can help identify any misleading information provided in the covering letter, resume or during an interview, such as an exaggeration or incorrect length of employment or the applicant's responsibility in their previous role.
It is recommended that at least two referees are contacted to provide insight into the applicant's character and skills. Line managers, particularly the applicant's most recent employers, are likely to give you the most accurate information.
During the interview process, you must obtain consent from the applicant to contact their references and ask employment-related questions. Be sure that you tell the applicant that you wish to speak to the people who supervised them in their previous roles and that they must be work-related referees.
An example of an assessment and selection process is demonstrated in the diagram below:
Organisations have different processes that they use to assess candidates against specified selection criteria and referee reports. It is important to know the relevant procedures and consult with and confirm these with the relevant stakeholders. An example of an interview scoring record is listed below:
| Candidate Name: | Position: |
| Interview Name: | Date: |
Scoring
Candidate evaluation forms are to be completed by the interviewer to rank the candidate's overall qualifications for the position to which they have applied. Under each heading, the interviewer should give the candidate a numerical rating and write specific job-related comments in the space provided. The numerical rating system is based on the following:
| 5: Exceptional | 4: Above average | 3: Average | 2: Below average | 1: Unsatisfactory | |
| Selection Criteria | Rating | ||||
| Educational background: Does the candidate have the appropriate educational qualifications or training for this position? Comments: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Work experience: Does the candidate have the relevant work experience? Comments: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Criteria 1: Significant experience in the successful implementation of strategic and operational plans which have achieved specific objectives of the organisation. Comments: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Criteria 2: Experience in the oversight of contemporary human resources and cultural change management programs designed to maximise organisational effectiveness. Comments: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Criteria 3: Exceptional customer service. Comments: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Read the following article by CHRON titled ‘The Employee Selection Process’
Read the following information by Selection-Criteria titled ‘What is the Merit Principle?’ in relation to selection criteria.
Check your understanding of the content so far!
When making recommendations for a preferred candidate, the decisions must be documented. It must demonstrate and outline how the candidate has met the selection criteria and achieved any other required assessments.
A recommendation report must explain the basis on which an interview panel has decided to recommend a candidate. The recommendations that are to be prepared for the relevant stakeholders should be documented according to organisational procedures and provide details that may include:
- the abilities of the candidate
- the skills of the candidate
- qualifications
- knowledge
- experience that is relevant to the role.
The report may include a table summary of the shortlisted and final candidates through the last part of the screening and interviewing process. As noted above, this consists of a summary report or table comparing other shortlisted applicants with the successful applicant. A summary report example is provided below:
| Education Background | Work Experience | Criteria 1 | Criteria 2 | Criteria 3 | Total proceed Yes/No | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate 1 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 22/25 Yes |
| Candidate 2 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 15/25 No |
| Candidate 3 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 14/25 No |
| Candidate 4 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 13/25 No |
The recommendation report should provide detailed information for the relevant hiring manager to make an informed decision.
An example of a recommendation report is provided below:
| Vacancy details | |
| Insert relevant vacancy details | |
| Vacancy candidate pool | |
| Insert details information about the candidates such as the number of candidate applications and the number of candidates that were short-listed. | |
| Assessments strategies | |
| List all assessment strategies that were used such as screening processes, short-listing processes, assessments and interviews. Attach any relevant selection panel documentation from each selection strategy | |
| Pre-employment checks | |
| List all pre-employment checks undertaken, including referee reports such as police history checks, qualification checks and licenses. | |
| Assessment and referees | |
| Name | Insert name of referee |
| Overview | Overview of the applicant's skills and experience relevant to the role |
| Assessment | Summary of referee report. |
| Recommendation | Provide a summary of why the candidate is suitable for appointment. Include all selection techniques that includes any pre-employment. |
Important Readings
Read the following information from the Western Australia Government titled 'Writing a selection report'.
View an example of a selection report by Macquarie University titled ‘Selection committee report’.
View another example of a selection report by the Western Australia Government titled 'Selection report template'.
Check your understanding of the content so far!
Prior to moving on to the next topic, have a conversation with someone that is not in Human Resources or studying this qualification and in your own words:
- Describe some of the ways that you can select a candidate.
- Describe the other types of assessment that can be used when selecting a candidate to be short-listed or interviewed.
- Explain why you would conduct an identity check of a candidate.
- Using two examples, explain what the assessment and short-listing process involves.
- Explain why you should conduct referee checks.
