Selection Procedure
The selection procedure consists of a series of methods or steps or stages by which additional information is secured about an applicant. At each stage facts may come to light which may lead to the rejection of an applicant. Selection procedure may be compared to a series of barriersnwhich an applicant is required to cross before he is finally selected.
Essentials of a Selection Procedure
The selection procedure should be prepared in such a way that suits the organisation’s needs. The procedure will be successful if it satisfies the following requirements:
1.There should be some person who is assigned the authority to select. The authority is given on the basis of type of persons’ to be selected and the nature of work they will take up.
2.There should be some standard of personnel with which a prospective employee may be compared i.e.there should be available before hand a comprehensive job specification as developed by job analysis.
3.There should be sufficient number of applicants from whom the required number of candidates may be secandidates is less.
Significance of Selection Procedure
The success of an organisation depends on the quality of personnel selected for the jobs. Thus, selection of personnel is a very important function of management. The importance of selection can be judged from the following
factors:
1. Procurement of Skilled Workers. Only the suit-
able candidates who are fit for the job are selected from among the prospective candidates for employment. In this may, selection is a process by which only desirable candidates are hired and others are denied the opportunities.
2. Reduction in the Cost of Training. Proper selection of candidates reduces the cost of training because
1.Qualified personnel have better grasping power, they can understand the techniques of work better and in no time;
2.The organisation can develop different training programmes for different persons on the basis of their individual differences, thus, reducing the time and cost of training considerably.
3. Solution to Personnel Problems. Proper selection of personnel reduces personnel problems in the organisation. Many problems like labour turnover, absenteeism and monotony shall not be experienced in severity in the organisation. Labour relations will be better because workers will be fully satisfied by their work.
Thus, selection of proper personnel, helps the management in getting the work done by the people effectively.
Organisation for Selection
Till recently, in many organisations, selection was
done in a rather unplanned manner. The departments screened and hired their own employees, because the managers were sure that no one could choose employees for them as efficiently as they themselves could. But now-a-days, the scenario has changed. Selection is now centralised and handled by the human resource department. The centralised selection has the following advantages.
1.Applicants find it easier to send their applications to a single centralised department, rather than sending the applications to different departments.
2.All the issues pertaining to employment can be
cleared through one central location.
3.The departmental managers can concentrate on their departmental responsibilities. Centralised selection is particularly helpful during peak hiring periods.
4.Selection will be bound to be more effective as it is done by specialists trained in staffing techniques.
5.The applicant will be assured of consideration for a greater variety of jobs.
6.Duplication of efforts is minimized because of centralised selection, which will result in lower hiring costs.
7.With increased government regulations in the selection process, it is essential that people who know about these rules handle a major part of the selection process.
Ideally a selection process involves mutual decision making. The organisation decides whether or not to make a job offer and how attractive the offer should be. The candidate decides whether or not the organisation and the job offer fit his needs and goals.
