Klaus G. Melchers
Structure is good – but is more structure really better? An evaluation of the effects of rater training and behavioral scoring guides on rating accuracy and interrater-agreement in a selection interview
Authors
Klaus G. Melchers (University of Zurich)
Nadja Odermatt (University of Zurich)
Miriam von Aarburg (University of Zurich)
Martin Kleinmann (University of Zurich)
Various studies have confirmed that structured selection interviews have much better criterion-related validity than unstructured interviews. The increase in rating accuracy is considered as one of the main reasons for this superiority of structured interviews. Accordingly, various measures to increase the degree of structure have been suggested. However, hardly any studies have compared the effectiveness of the different measures yet. Similarly, it is unclear whether combinations of different measures lead to improvements in rating accuracy beyond the effects of the individual measures, meaning that it is open whether more structure is really better. In the present study (N = 134), we were interested to which degree rating accuracy and interrater-agreement in a situational interview can be improved by each of two possible measures. We used a 2 × 2 between-participants design in which we manipulated whether behavioral scoring guides were provided or not to rate answers to each question and whether raters took part in a frame-of-reference rater training or in a control training. For both dependent variables, we found that each measure led to considerable improvements. However, we also found that a combination of both measures hardly improved accuracy beyond the effects of either measure alone.
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Martin Kleinmann
Impression management techniques during structured interviews: Unwanted or inevitable?
Authors
Martin Kleinmann (University of Zurich)
Ute-Christine Klehe (University of Amsterdam)
The biographic interview and the situatational interview are prognostically valid selection procedures. It is known that the assessment dimensions can’t be measured with satisfactory convergent and divergent validity. It is widely unknown why the interviews are prognostically valid. Likewise it is known that the assessments are influenced by impression management tactics of the applicants. This applies in particular to the assertive techniques self-promotion and ingratiation, while the defensive techniques justification and apologies are used less often. It is unknown, however, which role these impression management tactics play for construct validity and prognostic validity. In the following study we wanted first to replicate the findings. Second we postulated that the four impression management tactics show more construct validity than the evaluated behavioural dimensions. Third we had the prediction that the criterion related validity to a behaviour oriented criterion for the impression management dimensions is stronger than the prediction for the evaluated behaviour dimensions. The study was carried out as a double blind study with 129 participants. The results essentially confirm the hypotheses.
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Anette Wittekind
Individual and organisational predictors of perceived employability
Authors
Anette Wittekind (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich)
Sabine Raeder (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich )
Gudela Grote (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich)
Employability is of high importance for both organizations and individuals in order to meet flexibility demands or to cope with job insecurity. Although many employability models have been developed, very few studies have tested determinants of employability empirically. This longitudinal study aimed at analyzing individual and organizational determinants of perceived employability. The sample consisted of 465 employees (time 1) of four companies in Switzerland. Participants filled in three questionnaires within two years time. In order to include data of all participants, we analyzed data by means of multilevel analysis (level 1: time, level 2: person). Independent variables on level 1 were employers’ inducements (support for career and skill development), current level of job-related skills, willingness to develop competencies, willingness to change jobs, opportunity awareness, self-awareness and presentation, and age. On level 2, we considered firm and education. Perceived employability served as an outcome variable. Results showed that employers’ inducements in terms of support for career and skill development, current level of job-related skills, and the willingness to change jobs were the most important predictors of perceived employability. The current level of job-related skills mediated the relationship between employers’ inducements and perceived employability. The study will be discussed considering implications for future research and practice.
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Anne Jansen
Faking in personality inventories: The combined effects of applicants’ cognition and impression motivation
Authors
Anne Jansen (University of Zurich)
Cornelius J. König (University of Zurich)
Klaus G. Melchers (University of Zurich)
Martin Kleinmann (University of Zurich)
It is beyond doubt that applicants try to put their best foot forward in selection procedures. Particularly, numerous studies have shown that people inflate their scores in personality inventories when administered in an applicant situation. Several authors try to explain these findings with a high impression motivation of applicants and therefore their attempts to match the ideal profile. However, people are known to differ in the extent in which they fake a personality inventory. This study addressed the questions what exactly happens in people when answering a personality inventory. In particular, we argue that applicants fake more on facets that they consider relevant for the job than facets they consider irrelevant. We also argue that those applicants who are high in impression motivation fake more. In addition, we tested the interaction between the applicants’ cognition (e.g., relevance rating) and impression motivation: For those who score high on impression motivation, faking behavior depends more on relevance ratings than it does for those who score lower on impression motivation. Data of 200 persons were analyzed with hierarchical linear modeling (HLM). Results indicated that both impression motivation and relevance ratings have a significant effect on faking behavior. Furthermore, the effect of applicant’s cognition on faking was moderated by impression motivation.
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Adrian Bangerter
The myth of graphology in personnel selection
Authors
Adrian Bangerter (University of Neuchâtel)
Sandrine Blatti (University of Neuchâtel)
Cornelius König (University of Zürich)
On the French-speaking job market, the use of graphology as a personnel selection device still seems to be widespread. Is this really the case? We present a series of studies (surveys, media analyses and an experiment) suggesting that (1) the use of handwritten letters and graphology in selection is much lower than it seems and has been declining over time, that (2), contrary to this trend, the mass media transmit the false belief that graphology is still frequently used, and that (3) applicants on the job market, but also recruiters, overestimate the link between use of handwritten letters in selection and graphological analysis. These phenomena lead us to conclude in the existence of a "myth of graphology". We discuss the potential negative effects of this myth on applicant perceptions of organizations, the (previously unstudied) role of the media in creating and perpetuating false beliefs about the job market, and the possible role of our findings as an explanation for the persistence of this obsolete selection practice.
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