B 370 - Sample Semester Hypothetical Problem Paper (Jan 15)

8/9/2019 B 370 - Sample Semester Hypothetical Problem Paper (Jan 15)

1/12

Doohickeys U Need Inc.

Candidate selection, interviewing, training and career development are all problems that

Doohickeys U Need, Inc. is facing in their administration day-to-day operations. We have

addressed each of these issues individually and found what we feel will be an end to their

struggles in each of these areas if they can implement the solutions into each of these areas.

Implementing these solutions will give them an advantage in hiring employees and also making

the ones they have better.Candidate Selection

Candidate selection is an important part of having a successful company. An organization needs

to ensure they are hiring individuals that are best fit for the available positions and the company

as a whole. The process of selecting candidates for the job takes time and effort, which is

something that Doohickeys has been lacking completely.

Problem: Doohickey's U Need Inc. is currently not choosing candidates based on fit but they are

only choosing those who are acquainted with the current staff; which does not allow for a diverse

group of individuals. Because of the need for additional seasonal help the new HR manager will

need to hire more people within the next two weeks to support the seasonal demand. Therefore,

the company needs to start an appropriate candidate selection process that will meet the needs of

the company.

Solution: Doohickeys U Need, Inc. must begin to make it publicly known when a job becomes

available. When a company advertises job opportunities, they will receive many more potential

candidates. It would increase their chances of finding an employee who is better qualified to

conduct the duties required of the position. Advertising job opportunities also creates a more

level playing field because others who are interested in these positions are given the chance to

compete for them.

Doohickeys U Need, Inc. could inform the public of new job openings in several ways, including

putting an advertisement in the local newspaper or posting a wanted advertisement in an online

job search website. Although the internet has become the leading venue for posting job


2/12

openings, publications for specific industries also prove to be a powerful means of

advertisement (Recruiting and Hiring Top-Quality Employees). Local advertisements in the

newspaper will allow people nearby to see the job listings, but internet databases and industry

publications will allow for a wider, nationwide candidate base to choose from.

Solution: To create equality for attaining the open job position, the company should advertise

open positions within the company as well. Human resource management can send out a

company email to all employees informing them of any open positions with their job

descriptions, requirements, and instructions for how to apply. Human resource management

could also use other means of intercommunication through corporate social media software such

as Bluekiwi, employee meetings, company blogs, or a bulletin board that is in a public work area

(Hyatt). Making these improvements to the hiring process will instill a sense of fairness within

the company, giving current employees confidence in the process and motivation to be

promoted.

Solution: Doohickeyswould most certainly be looking for certain things when it came time to

look at applications. Cover letters would be good for them because they explain a bit about

yourself and your interest in the company. Resumes would include current contact information,

work history with brief detailed descriptions about the work performed, education and

achievements, and anything else that would aid in the hiring process. Resumes could include

how some of your certifications are relevant to the job being performed. Also included would be

a personality profile that would have an online link that would be emailed with a confirmation

receiving the application(Ellis-Christensen).All of this would help Doohickeys be able to find

people who would fit the job with their experience and education but also finds the people they

would like to bring in to start the interview process.

Solution: Doohickeys U Need Inc. must be sure that it creates an adequate job description.

Descriptions should start from the most relevant or most frequent duties to the more once in a

while duties. An office manager at Doohickeys will, most importantly, ensure that the office

duties are completed with minimal mistakes and interference. A description should then go into

the finer details. Details could be who your boss would be, how often you need to evaluate


3/12

performance, and how often your performance needs to be presented. After the job has been

covered you need to add certain attributes that the candidate should have such as character traits,

education, or experience. Once you have an adequate job description it can be turned into a job

listing in a minimal amount of time (Logorio).

Interviewing

Interviewing is a good way to see if an interviewee will be a benefit for the organization.

Although candidate selection is important, it is through the interview process that a company can

really gain further insight about a candidate. Interviewing allows the employer to achieve a better

understanding of the applicants qualifications, personality and behavior; all of these things can

be predictors of good job placement.

Problem: Currently there is an inadequate interviewing process. The CEO does much of the

interviewing and has never been trained in different interviewing approaches. In order to bring

organization and stability to the hiring process Doohickey's U Need Inc. will need to address

these issues.

Solution: First and foremost, Doohickeys U Need, Inc. needs to create a standard interview

process for all new hires. Joseph Sefcik discusses the importance of structure in the interview

process in his article entitled Seven Tips for Improving Your Interview Process. In regard to an

unstructured interview experience, he admonishes, Random processes produce random results

(Sefcik). Interview protocol should include such information as how people will be recruited or

informed of job openings, how many interviews a potential candidate must go through and what

type of interview they will be, approximately how many people will be asked to each round of

interviews, who will be asked to conduct the interviews, and who will ultimately decide on the

new hire. These things should be decided upon by the CEO, managers, and human resources

representative. Interview structure should not only be discussed but also should be documented

so that there will not be any confusion in the future. Creating structure in the interview will

increase objectivity in decision-making because each applicant goes through the same process

and can more easily be compared.


4/12

Solution: Before the interview is conducted there must be an ideal fit for the position.

Interviewers should know what kind of person they are looking for. This gives the employer, as

well as the employee, an opportunity for satisfactory employment. A job analysis of all of the

duties and responsibilities for this position must be created. Those who are conducting the

interview must be familiar with these responsibilities in order to judge responses given by the

applicant during the interview. Interviewers should look for an applicant who would perform

well because of accomplishment and aptitude in relation to the opening being applied for. There

must be a list of pre-requisite training or experience that will be required to be considered for

that position. Entry-level positions may not require any higher education, but managerial

positions should. In cases where an applicant from within the company applies and he/she does

not have higher education, it would be wise to consider them still because of their experience,

expertise, and familiarity with the company culture. In this case the company could save on

training and recruitment costs. When filling any position there should be a list of minimum

requirements that shall be fulfilled in order to be employed or promoted.

Solution: Prepare for the interview. This gives you the opportunity to be able to control the

conversation and topics that will be discussed. Objectiveness is essential in the interview

process. Final decisions of who the best applicant is should not be made until all applicants have

been considered and have passed an extensive screening process that can only be achieved

through preparing for the interview. Ideally, the interviewer wants to speak 20 percent of the

time leaving the applicant the remaining 80 percent of the time to respond to pre-determined

questions that were prepared based on information found in the applicants resumes. A list of

questions that is the same for every applicant should be developed in order to be able to compare

the applicants responses. When the candidate answers your questions, ask for an example of

past behavior that illustrates his/her answer. Based on the responses, applicants should be

probed if further information is needed.

Solution: For the best possible outcome of the interviews, the interviewers should develop a

decision-making matrix. This will allow the interviewers to visually compare each candidates

qualifications to the job requirements needed to fill that particular position. On a grid, to the left

side list the candidates top to bottom, list the job requirements on the top, left to right. Score each


5/12

candidate in each job requirement appropriately, according to the interview notes. Possible job

requirements could be: Education, Personal achievements, Compatibility with organizational

culture and management style, etc. Once all of the data is displayed on the decision-making

matrix, based on the numbers, you have a possible selection to fill that position.

Solution: Interviewers must be trained to interview effectively and prepare and to interview the

applicant. Another thing they must be informed of is certain questions that they must ask that

would be more effective in asserting the applicantspotential fit in the organization. Another

important thing that must never be overlooked is avoiding the wrong questions. Interviewers

must be trained to avoid questions which could be perceived as discriminatory towards sex, race,

ethnicity, age, religion, disability, etc. so as to avoid possible law suits. Interviewers must be

trained to be prepared and understand that applicants are also judging an organization by its

people who interview them. If we desire the best possible fit for the organization we need to have

a prepared and professional demeanor so as to be worthy of the good fit that we are looking

for. HR will be responsible for interview training. Interviewers will oversee the quality of the

interviews by keeping record of them, and having documented and suggested requirements for

all existing positions. This interview policy will be available for reference. It is the job of HR to

make sure that a demeanor of professionalism resides in the workplace; this includes and is not

limited to the interviews of potential employees.

Solution: For applicants who are applying for higher positions in management, they will

undergo a great deal more scrutiny than would lower level positions. Because their position

would require more responsibility, stress and possibly risk, this interview must be as thorough as

possible. This would require a two-stage interview. Managers for the open position will conduct

the first interview along with a representative from HR. Final interviews will be a panel

interview. According to Lou Adler, panel interviews are very useful for several reasons, some of

which include:

- They're more objective since there is less personal interaction.

- You have a chance to think more about the candidate's responses since you're not the only

one asking questions.

- You don't make instant judgments about the quality of an answer while the candidate is


6/12

answering because others are asking for clarifying information.

- It saves time. It only takes three or four people one to two hours to conduct a complete

interview versus a whole day.

- An assessment is more accurate and consistent. Since everyone is using the same

information to make an assessment, consistency is achieved.

A panel interview will be done with these managers, but will be conducted by the CEO. There

will be at least three interviewers and no more than five in a panel interview. In this interview all

of the interviewers will be assigned a category of criteria that they are looking for in the

applicant responses. With all of the interviewers taking notes, it will be much more likely to

reach an objective decision and make the best possible selection.

Training

Training is crucial for establishing a successful company, each employee needs to know their

responsibilities to ensure they are contributing to the company as a whole. Studies have shown

that the most successful, productive employees are those who have received extensive training.

Theyre the cream of the crop,often having the strongest stake in the companys future (Dun &

Bradstreet, 2012). It is important for companies to invest in the proper training of its employees

so that the company can reap the greatest rewards.

Problem: Doohickeys U Need Inc. has not established any specific training procedures. Your

new employee training consisted of an introduction to "the gang" and someone showing you the

location of the bathrooms and break room. On the third day of work the new HR manager has

discovered that there is not sufficient training for employees within the company. Because of

this he decides to go on a self-guided tour of the factory. This shows that Doohickeys U Need

Inc. is sufficiently lacking in the area of training, below are a few solutions to their problem.

Solution:Doohickeys needs to come up with a policy making sure that all new employees are

trained adequately. We recommend the policy to include a new employee orientation that will

last 2-4 days and not just a couple hours. Training can be expensive for a company but proper

training helps to reduce employee turnover and has many other added benefits. The article

Training and Turnover in theEvolution of Organizationstates numerous studies have shown


7/12

that un-trained workers change jobs more often than trained ones. Making sure all employees

are trained adequately will help with retention rates; which will reduce cost of training new

employees after the loss of an existing employee. The article continues to say, An organization's

decision whether or not to train its workers also affects the economy, even if the firm does not

factor the economy into its decision. If all firms within an industry fail to train their workers, the

whole economy suffers. Hence, training workers is a type of public good (OECD, 1993), a

category that encompasses a broad range of social dilemmas from the support of public radio to

the so-called "tragedy of the commons" (Hardin, 1968) to recycling programs. If Doohickey

wants to continue to be successful and retain their employees, proper training is necessary.

One of the advantages to properly training employees is that they are able to increase their

productivity because of the skills they have learned through training programs. Employees who

have received adequate training are also able to complete new tasks and take on more

responsibility, employees can learn advanced techniques to help them complete everyday tasks

more efficiently (Dun & Bradstreet, 2012). This leads to greater benefits to the company

because they are able to maximize the productivity of their employees and achieve greater

success as a whole.

Solution: Doohickey needs to train its employees to be trainers. A member of senior

management should be appointed to train new employees. By having someone who works at the

organization train new employees unity will develop between the trainer and the trainee.

Trainees will have someone in the organization that they can turn to when they have further

questions after training has been completed. Also the organization should develop a training

program that is consistent among trainers. A sort of in-service or training workshop would be

beneficial for managers to learn how to effectively train a new employee.

Solution:Another way to address the training issue is for managers and employees to complete

online training programs monthly. This will help them to keep up on their skills. An article about

online training said, Online training (i.e., Internet training) is one emerging technology-based

learning delivery method available that is gaining increased amounts of attention for its cost-

effectiveness, efficiency, and accessibility. The article continues to say, Technology-based

training (TBT), specifically online training, is the future of workforce training in both


8/12

educational and corporate institutions. Demands for lifelong learning will make the accessibility

of the Internet very attractive as a training, educational, and instructional delivery method. The

potential for cost and time savings will bring this method into the forefront of training options.

Doohickeys needsto insure positive training experiences for their employees by working on

implementing online training.

Solution:Doohickeys should establish job training for each of its employees based on their job

description. When an employee knows what jobs they are responsible for and how to

accomplish them correctly it leads to improved job satisfaction for the employee, which makes

employees feel valued and appreciated. Supervisors are also able to reduce the amount of time

they spend supervising their employees because they have been able to demonstrate that they

know how and what to do. Feeling valued helps the employee work more independently and

develops the attitude that they can do their job well.

Career Development

Career development is classified as an organized approach used to match employee goals with

the needs of the company; it is an essential part of a successful business. There are three main

purposes of career development: to enhance each employees currentjob performance, enable

individuals to take advantage of future job opportunities, and to fulfill the companys goals for a

dynamic and effective workforce (Virginia.gov). Ones ability to advance in a company brings

more job satisfaction and promotes more commitment and loyalty. When an employee is on a

career path, they are more likely to feel invested in the overall success of the company and their

future within the organization.

Problem: After speaking with the VP of manufacturing, the HR Manager discovers that career

development within the company is nonexistent. The manufacturing VP informs the HR

Manager, that nobody has ever been promoted from within the companyall management hiring

decisions are made by the CEO without input from anyone else. He says he has some very smart,

dedicated workers who could be great managers, but theres basically no chance for promotion.

As far as you can determine, management positions are never posted.Doohickeys U Need, Inc.


9/12

does not have a career development program established and it is evident that this has created

various problems within the company.

Solution:The absence of a performance appraisal system at Doohickeys U Need, Inc. makes it

difficult to enhance each employees current job performance. This negatively affects the

company and hinders proper career development. Worcester Polytechnic Institute teaches that

an, appraisal is based on results obtained by the employee in his/her job measures skills and

accomplishments with reasonable accuracy and uniformity. It provides a way to help identify

areas for performance enhancement and to help promote professional growth. They also go on

to say that, The goal of the review process is to recognize achievement, to evaluate job

progress, and then to design training for the further development of skills and strengths. A

careful review will stimulate employees interest and improve job performance. If Doohickeys

U Need Inc. establishes an effective performance appraisal system they will improve career

development by enhancing each employees job performance(Worcester Polytechnic Institute).

Solution: Doohickeys U Need, Inc. needs to perform skill assessments in order to use the right

people for the right job. From the case study we learn that too many employees are working in

the wrong areas. For example, the CEO is the one hiring people rather than the HR manager. If

skill assessments were used in training it would promote career development by establishing

proper job placement. This would result in increased productivity and retention, ease of

promotion, and overall job satisfaction (First Advantage).

Solution: Promoting from within a company can be very beneficial and efficient. When

employees are promoted to higher positions they bring much more knowledge of the company to

the new position. Not only do these existing employees understand the culture of the company

but they are more acquainted with the day to day operations of the organization. General

Electrics is a company well known for their career development programs. There is simply no

other company in the world with such a development-focused culture in which to grow (GE,

2012). One example of their career development programs is their Entry-Level Leadership

Program. This program allows new employees the opportunity to learn broad and valuable

experience in a short amount of time; preparing for career growth in many different aspects of


10/12

General Electric. Doohickeys U Need Inc. needs to start incorporating a careerdevelopment

program within their organization. With the help of senior management and job evaluations, the

new HR Manager can develop programs that allow for progression and promotion for current

employees.

Solution: Career development is the way in which an individual manages their career to better

themselves for themselves/ or their company. As an individual a person can acquire many skills

or talents and abilities through on the job training, schooling, and life skills. A company can

play a large role in helping an employee develop their career. One way in which a company can

help in the career development for their employee's is through continuing education with their

employee's. Qwest, which recently became Century Link, has offered their employee's an

opportunity to continue their education after a bachelor's degree. This allows employees to

further their training and develop new skills. It also, allows an individual to bring more

attributes to the organization (Century Link Inc., 2012). Both individuals and companies are

striving for career development. Through career development individuals are continually

working on areas of opportunities and turning those opportunities into strengths. Employers are

the same way in large in the fact that they want their business to be the best it can possibly

be. And being the best is achieved through career development.

Conclusion

Candidate selection can become a more valuable asset to Doohickeysbusiness operations

because they will find more qualified employees that will know how to do the job they are hired

to do. If Doohickeys publicizes the job opening to the public and current employees it will help

them find the candidate that will make the company better. A way for Doohickeys to narrow

down the candidates is by looking at resumes and creating an adequate description of the job

when they publicize it.

Interviewing should be done strategically to enhance the level of employees that work for the

company. Interviews should have a process that makes them effective and when that is created

the company should train interviewers on how to do use the process effectively. Interviewers

should go into an interview prepared by knowing the ideal candidate with the necessary skills


11/12

that they would want for the job. A uniformed way to make a decision about an interviewee

would help interviewers be prepared and help them hire who the company needs.

Training is important in every department of the company. Training effectively can be done

through creating a training plan for each job that should be completed on a regular basis like

monthly or bi-monthly. Training can be done more efficiently if every employee is trained to be

a trainer of other employees because it helps them feel valued and takes some of the pressure off

the managers to put more effort into other areas of their work.

Helping employees develop their careers through promotions and evaluations of their skills for

the job that they currently have will motivate employees to do their best work. Employees need

to know what the requirements are for them to get a promotion so they have something to work

towards or skills that they can develop to get further in their career.

Doohickeys U Need, Inc can very easily solve the problems that they face if they put a little

effort into the areas of candidate selection, interviewing, training and career development.

Planning is the biggest weakness of the company because all of the aforementioned areas require

well prepared processes that help all the employees and potential employees know what they

need to succeed with this company. If Doohickeys can adapt and implement the solutions we

have presented we believe that it will end their struggles in these four areas and they will be

more successful overall.


12/12

Resources:

Adler, Lou. Using the Panel Interview to Save Time and Increase Accuracy.

2007. Web. 17 Feb. 2012.

http://www.adlerconcepts.com/resources/column/newsletter/using_the_panel_

interview_to_s.phpCentury Link Inc. Retrieved from: www.CenturyLink.com

Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. (2012). Ten Employee Training Tips. Retrieved from:

http://smallbusiness.dnb.com/human-resources/careers-job-training/1465-1.html

Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. The Benefits of Skill-Based Training. Retrieved from:

https://smallbusiness.dnb.com/human-resources/careers-job-training/1151-1.html

Ellis-Christensen, Tricia. What Information Should my Resume Include Web. 21 Feb. 2012

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-information-should-my-resume-include.htm

Employer Interview Guide. Wgpeople.com Web. 17 Feb. 2012

http://www.wgpeople.com/ec_einterviewgd.htm

First Advantage. Behavior and skill assessments. Retrieved

from: http://www.fadv.com/screening-and-assessment/assessments/

General Electric Company. Careers: Why GE. Retrieved from:

http://www.ge.com/careers/why_ge.html

Glance, N.S., Hogg, T., & Huberman, B.A. Training and Turnover in the Evolution of

Organizations. Organization Science, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Jan. - Feb., 1997), pp. 84-96

Retrieved from:http://www.jstor.org/stable/2635230

Hyatt, Michael. "How to Improve Communication Inside Your Company."Intentional

Leadership. 2007. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. .Logorio, Christine. How To Write a Job Description.Web. 21 Feb. 2012

http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/writing-job-description.html

"Recruiting and Hiring Top-Quality Employees."Entrepreneur.com. Entrepreneur Media, Inc.,

2012. Web. 16 Feb. 2012.

.

Schmeeckle, J.M. Online Training: An Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Efficiency of

Training Law Enforcement Personnel over the Internet.Journal of Science Education and

Technology, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Sep., 2003), pp. 205-260 Retrieved from:

http://www.jstor.org/stable/40188767

Sefcik, Joseph. Seven Tips for Improving Your Interview Process.Employment TechnologiesCorporation. 1995-2012. Web. 16 Feb. 2012. .

Virginia.gov. What is career development. Retrieved from: http://jobs.virginia.gov/cd_what.html

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, W.Performance appraisal process. Retrieved

from: http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/HR/performance-appraisal.html
http://www.adlerconcepts.com/resources/column/newsletter/using_the_panel_https://smallbusiness.dnb.com/human-resources/careers-job-training/1151-1.htmlhttps://smallbusiness.dnb.com/human-resources/careers-job-training/1151-1.htmlhttp://www.wisegeek.com/what-information-should-my-resume-include.htmhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/2635230http://www.jstor.org/stable/2635230http://michaelhyatt.com/question-how-can-i-improve-http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/writing-job-description.htmlhttp://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/writing-job-description.htmlhttp://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/article76182.htmlhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/40188767http://www.jstor.org/stable/40188767http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/HR/performance-appraisal.htmlhttp://www.wpi.edu/Admin/HR/performance-appraisal.htmlhttp://www.wpi.edu/Admin/HR/performance-appraisal.htmlhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/40188767http://www.entrepreneur.com/humanresources/article76182.htmlhttp://www.inc.com/guides/2010/04/writing-job-description.htmlhttp://michaelhyatt.com/question-how-can-i-improve-http://www.jstor.org/stable/2635230http://www.wisegeek.com/what-information-should-my-resume-include.htmhttps://smallbusiness.dnb.com/human-resources/careers-job-training/1151-1.htmlhttp://www.adlerconcepts.com/resources/column/newsletter/using_the_panel_

Documents

B 370 - Sample Semester Hypothetical Problem Paper (Jan 15)