Hiring for Google; Manager Human Resources
Alyzae Feroze, MPS
04/12/2016
Employers
take a huge risk every time they hire employees and must be extremely
meticulous during the pre-employment process, partly because of the cost associated
with training and replacing unfit workers. In order to minimize this risk,
assessment tools are used during pre-employment with the goal of measuring
whether or not an employee truly possess the aptitude for the position.
Although pre-employment assessment tools are not perfect, they still have some
degree of validity that can be useful in determining if a candidate is good fit
for the position in question.
This
article will explore three different validated assessment tools that include, The Wonderlic Test for cognitive
ability, The Big Five for
personality testing, and the Situational
Judgment Testing which is customized for each organization and position.
These assessment tools were chosen with a specific organization and position in
mind: Google Inc., HR Manager. The Five Factor Test will
also be used to address leadership, which is a critical skill required for an
HR manager’s success.
Cognitive ability assessments are used
to test candidate’s general mental abilities, this includes mathematical/verbal
reasoning, logic, and perceptual abilities. The Wonderlic test in particular
consists of 50 questions and is to be completed within 12 minutes. This test is
great for measuring problem solving skills as well as team building abilities.
The score is calculated based on the number of correct answers within the given
time frame. For our purposes the average score of an executive is 28 and this
should be considered when scoring the potential HR manager at Google. An
advantage to this type of assessment is that it is one of the most valid
selection methods, it is easy to use, and is good for predicting performance
for more complex jobs, such as HR Manager. There are also 700 job profiles
available and can be custom created for specific jobs if need be.In terms of disadvantages,
the results of this test are more likely to differ based on gender and race
compared to other tests and it can be time-consuming to create if not
purchased.
This test is important tool for this
particular role because it targets a candidate’s ability to use logic,
reasoning, and learn quickly. All of these attributes are essential for an
individual in an HR position because they constantly have adapt to new
situations depending on how they need to interact with various departments. For
example, the Wonderlic is great for assessing mathematical ability, to have an
HR manager who is proficient in math would mean they can understand and relate
better to employees in the finance and accounting departments of the
organization.
Personality assessments are
another great way to evaluate potential employees. Typically, these types of
tests have moderate validity but when created to match specific job criteria
their validity increases. The Big Five or 5-factor personality test usually
consists of fifty statements and each must be rated based on much the candidate
agrees with the statement. The five factors are, extraversion,
conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness and openness to
experience. Google is huge proponent of
personality tests because it “realized that its use of university GPA and
interview performance was not as predicative of employee success as it had
thought, it asked all employees who had been here for at least five months to
complete a (personality) survey.” (Phillips, 2009)They then compared results to
25 measures of employee performance and figured out algorithms in order to
assess a candidate’slevel of success for roles such as human resources. An
advantage of personality tests is that they are less likely to differ by gender
and age, they are cost efficient, and do not require skilled administrators. In
terms of disadvantages, they may consist of questions that seem intrusive and
not very job related. Another criticism is that individuals are often inclined
to respond a way that produces a positive decision outcome rather than speaking
the truth.
This type of assessment test is
important for an HR manager candidate at Google because having a likeable
personality is essential for a person in HR who will inevitably have to deal
with a variety of different people in a variety of different situations. For
example, it is important for the HR Manager to score high on a factor such as
extraversion because extraversion predicts performance in jobs that require
interacting and influencing other people. Agreeableness is also a relevant
factor for this role because it predicts success in interpersonal interaction,
such as nurturing, helping, and cooperating with others. Clearly, these are key
qualities that an HR Manager must use and implement regularly in their
position.
Situational judgment tests are
another great assessment tool because they capture a candidate’s non-cognitive
skills. This test can consist of
scenarios that are presented in writing, verbally, videos, or a combination of
these. It is the candidate’s job to respond with what they believe the most appropriate
and effective course of action would be. Advantages of this type of assessment
are that they are commonly accepted by candidates because they are relatable to
the job, the tests are less like likely to produce “fake responses,” and they
provide a realistic preview of the position and what to expect. In terms of
disadvantages, this type of testing may be time consuming and expensive to
administer.
It is important for an HR manager to
perform well in this type of assessment because HR often requires one to adapt
quickly and think on their feet due to the sheer variety of different
situations they must deal with. A candidate, who is able to come up with appropriate
solutions in a reasonable amount of time, shows hiring managersthat they truly
possess the aptitude to perform well when faced with tricky or adverse
situations. Also, the questions and scenarios presented are extremely job
specific and therefore make it easier for candidates to perform their skills,
as well as for evaluators to rate their abilities.
The Five Factor tool is great way of
addressing leadership, which is a critical skill required for an HR Managers
success. According to the Five Factor Model, there is actually a profile of
what an ideal leader would look like. Based of the acronym for the factors,
NEOAC, a good leader would have the following personality traits; Resilient, Energetic,
Outgoing/Persuasive, Visionary, Competitive, and Dedicated to a Goal.
Scoring high within these specific
areas of the Five Factor test would indicate that the candidate possesses the
personality traits of an ideal leader. It is also important to note that it is
impossible to have the same traits simultaneously. For example, drive for
achieving and leading is contrary to traits for interpersonal sensitivity.
Therefore if Google needs an HR Manager with a strong leadership drive, they
may have to give up some interpersonal sensitivity in this person. In summation,
although these assessment tools are not perfect, they are still excellent ways
for predicting performance success and are a great resource for narrowing down
the best candidates.
What does your pre-employment
assessment look like?
References
1.
Phillips, J., & Gully, S. (2009). Strategic staffing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
2.
What is I-O? (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2015, from http://www.siop.org/workplace/employment
testing/testtypes.aspx
3.
Working Resources - Leadership Personality: Do You Have the
Right Big Five Traits? (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2015, from http://www.workingresources.com/professionaleffectivenessarticles/leadership-personality-do-you-have-the-right-big-five-traits.html
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