HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
1) Is it really necessary to have a formal job analysis before writing a job description? (100 words)
A formal job analysis is the process of describing and recording job aspects while specifying the skills and other requirements that are necessary to perform a job. It is very necessary to have a formal job analysis before writing a job description because job analysis helps in preparing job description and specifications necessary for hiring the right quality of human resource into an organization. Job analysis documents the requirements of a job and the work being performed. If a proper job analysis is not done, then the staffing of an organization would be haphazard. Job analysis therefore is very vital as it ensures that all the requirements of the staff are stated and taken into consideration during recruitment to avoid hiring less competent staff. (Wayne & Wayne F. Cascio (Author)
2) For several years, employers have been moving toward a more flexible workforce and limiting the number of full-time permanent employees in favor of temporary and part-time employees. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend for:
a. Employers?
i. Advantages
They spend less in maintaining their employees (they do not pay for their health insurance)
Employees can work all the time without worrying about leave. The employees are not paid if they are on leave thus saving money for the organization and increasing the organization’s productivity. (Huw, Damian, Jill & Kevin, 2002 p. 188)
There is no long term commitment and if a person is not performing as expected, he/she can be dismissed and a better person brought into the company.
ii. Disadvantages
There is no long term commitment and therefore an employee can leave the organization just after the organization has spent resources in training him/her.
b. Employees?
i. Advantages
An employee can leave the premises at will since there is no long term commitment to the organization.
ii. Disadvantages
They are not entitled to several benefits like insurance and pension plans
They do not get a formal paid leave or bereavement leave.
3) Would you be more or less attracted to an organization that used online recruiting only? Explain your answer.
I would be more attracted to organization’s that perform online recruitment only due to the following reasons:
It gives the candidates a chance to fairly compete with other interested parties for the same job. In cases of personal contacts with the recruitment managers, there is usually a likelihood of biasness based on personality and corruption. When using online recruitment, the major considerations used are one’s qualifications and not the physical appearance or mode of presentation. Online recruitment can give the applicants equal opportunities whereby one’s testimonials and certificates determine if a person gets a job or not. (Weddle, 2003 p.9)
Online recruitment is also cheap as a person can apply for a position without having to travel to the organization physically to present his/her qualifications or to attend an interview. This will help the candidates save on the cost involved when seeking for jobs.
Online recruitment is also faster than the traditional methods whereby the job recruiters go through the presented candidates manually. The old traditional method is usually cumbersome and time consuming. When using the online recruitment, candidates can get the feedback very easily without wasting time.
Online recruitments also give the candidates an opportunity to apply for more than one position without worrying of the interview dates clashing. A person can apply and wait for the confirmation whether to take up the job or not.
4) How do you feel being limited to "what's in the box” on a standardized application?
Standardized applications involve the use of testing instruments which are administered to the candidate and scored in a pre-established standard and consistent manner. When using standardized testing, the examinee’s scores are compared to that of the representative sample or comparing an examinee’s score to some predetermined criterion. Using standardized testing is not a very effective way of administering tests to the candidates as it limits the students on their scores. The answers are limited and if a candidate does not respond in the exact manner as the reference material then he/she is deemed to have failed. This may however not be a true representation of the candidate’s capability. Candidates should be given the opportunity to respond to scenarios using their own skills and that is when one can establish the true capabilities of a candidate. (Popham, 1999 p.9)
5) Are there any methods described in Chapter 5 that could be adapted for online screening?
The online screening is a recruitment and selection method which is used for reviewing the candidates, screening their knowledge and skills through online means.
It has the following advantages:
i. Helps in quick filtering through a huge volume of applications which have been received thereby making short listing faster.
ii. Helps in achieving a better and non-biased recruiting method.
Some of the methods that can be adapted for online screening include:
i. Job analysis – online screening can establish whether a candidate meets the laid requirements
ii. Online recruiting- online screening can be used for filtering the applications received online so that the short listing is done.
iii. Video resume – most of the video resumes are sent online. Online screening can therefore be used to filter the resumes received and the best one adopted.
6) What are the legal implications for using a standardized application?
There are several legal implications that are encountered when using the standardized applications. Usually the courts defer academic judgments to universities as they say that the admission standards cannot be high-handed, arbitrary or formulated in bad faith and they must be within some constitutionally permissible parameters. There is need to apply equal protection when using the standardized method. There is biasness which is likely to occur when a person is using the standardized methods and the courts have said that the standardized methods of testing should not be the sole criteria for admission to a university. Therefore administrators who wish to protect themselves from legal actions should not use the standardized tests as an important part of the admissions process. (Popham, 1999)
7) Would you be more or less attracted to an organization that required a “video resume" Explain your answer.
Many organizations prefer the use of video resume to the traditional use of the paper resume by the candidates. This is because it gives a better picture of the individual to be interviewed. I would prefer the use of the video resume for the following reasons:
It gives the job seekers an opportunity to showcase their abilities beyond the capabilities of a traditional paper resume. A jobseeker can sufficiently show his/her skills especially for candidates who want to establish themselves in acting, sports or singing. It gives the employers an opportunity to view the practical experience of the applicants. (Lambert, 2010)
It gives the job seeker an opportunity to present their presentation skills, auditory skills, show their body language and their degree of confidence and composure. It helps in eliminating the employer’s doubts and gets the facts right about a candidate. (Lambert, 2010 p.52)
References
Fine, Sidney A. & Cronshaw, Steven F.(1999). Functional Job Analysis: A Foundation for
Human Resources Management. Erlbaum: Mahwah, NJ.
Popham, W.J. (1999). Why standardized tests don’t measure educational quality. Educational
Leadership, 56(6), 8–15
Wayne F. C. & Wayne F. Cascio (Author)
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John W. B. (2008) Investing in People: Financial Impact of Human Resource
Initiatives John W. Boudreau (Author)
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Prentice Hall; 1 edition
Huw B., Damian G., Jill R. & Kevin W. (2002) Managing Employment Change: The New
Realities of Work. OUP Oxford Publishers
Weddle, P. (2003) Postcards from Space: Being the Best in Online Recruitment and HR
Management Weddle's Publishers
Lambert M. S. (2010) Video Resume. Betascript Publishing
