The Right Match

The Right Match

Strategies for Realistic Recruitment and Selection

Nancy S. Dickinson

Staying Power! Recruitment and Selection Toolkits Jordan Institute for Families, UNC Chapel Hill School of Social Work

NC Child Welfare Workers Say

Intention to remain on the job is related significantly to:

Accurate job portrayalMatch between their skills and the job


Agenda

Recruitment StrategiesRealistic Job PreviewsCompetency-Based Selection


Recruitment Standards for Supervisors in Child Welfare

Pursue recruitment opportunitiesParticipate in agency sponsored recruitment activitiesMaintain communication links with prospective candidates and present the agency in a positive lightCoordinate and support filed placements and internships to attract qualified staff


Realistic Recruitment

Presents an accurate picture of the job and the organizationPromotes a more informed decision by the applicant


How Realistic Recruitment Works

Vaccination against unrealistic expectations

Self-selectioncandidate makes a more informed choice

Copingnewcomer able to develop coping strategies

Personal Commitmentto the decision and the agency

Wanous (1992)


Research-based Recruiting PracticesRecruitment source

Job survival was 24% higher for employees recruited using inside sources than for employees using outside sources (Wanous, 1992,

in a summary of 12 studies).

Significantly more new hires who stayed 12 months had heard about the job from an inside source, compared with new hires who left (Larson, Lakin, & Bruininks, 1998).


Promising Recruitment Practices

Increased prehire knowledge associated with lower turnover (Williams, Labig, & Stone, 1993).

Use of inside recruitment sources results in increased information about the job, improving the extent to which prehire expectations are met and improving job survival (Saks, 1994; Taylor, 1994; Zottoli & Wanous, 2000).


Promising Recruitment PracticesUsing correlational research results—

such as “desire to help”—to craft recruitment practices:Colorado Association of Community Centered Boards developed a statewide recruitment campaign to look for people who wanted to “make a difference in the lives of others” (Collins, 2000 as reported in Larson & Hewitt, 2005).



Recruitment Strategies

Link to agency’s mission and public imageWhat specific values, vision, mission and history set this agency apart from others?What is important about this agency that would attract potential job applicants?What does this agency want to be known for, in comparison with other community agencies?


Sample AdvertisementSample Advertisement

CW Agency is a fast paced, supportive and stimulating place to work. We are looking for child welfare workers who desire challenging, meaningful work and welcome the opportunity to make a difference for families and children. If this describes you, consider applying for a public child welfare position at….

You’ll never be bored!


More Recruitment Strategies

Expand outreacholder workers, racial diversity, immigrants, international

Expand strategiesprint, TV, internet

Agency staff as recruiters Streamline the process


Best Practices in Streamlining the Recruitment Process

South Carolina Eliminated merit systemCentral job bank of position announcements

WisconsinContinuous recruitment practices

Michigan and DelawarePool of pre-screened and trained workers

Federal governmentOn-the-spot job offers to candidates with needed skills


Recruitment Strategies Checklist

Recruitment bonus for current employeesHiring bonus for new recruitsComprehensive and targeted marketing plan and materialsTV and radio adsWebsite recruitmentMarketing to nontraditional sourcesPresentations about careers in human servicesOpen housesVolunteer programs


Expand the Pool of Recruits

StudentsHigh school and young college students

Older workersApplicants of colorMillenial/emergent workers


Expand the Pool: Students

Agency/university partnershipsInternships: Paid and unpaidClassroom visits/guest lecturesService LearningLoan forgiveness


Expand the Pool: Older Workers 1. 17% of 2010 workforce will be 55 and

older (BLS)

2. Many want to continue working (Civic Ventures, 2005)

3. Reasons: be productive, health benefits, extra income, enhance well-being of others (Pynes, 2008)

4. Older workers stay longer (Rosenthal,

McDowell & White, 1998)


Strategies to Recruit/Retain Older Workers

Targeted advertising (message & placement of ad) (Doverspike et al 2000)

Job security and benefits, phased retirement plansFlexible/reduced schedules, part-time positions, telecommuting, job sharing


Expand the Pool: Diversity

Client population: By 2025, 32% of US population will be non-white (US Census Bureau, 2004)

Workforce: More than half of new entrants to workforce in next 15 years will be non-white (Judy & D’Amico, 2007)


Recruiting/Retaining a Diverse Workforce

Leadership commitment (Pease & Associates, 2003)

Feature diversity in recruitment materials (Doverspike et al, 2000)

Deploy diverse recruitment teams (New Haven, CT)Develop a work environment that welcomes diversity (El Paso County, CO)Establish cultural competency as a qualification & award salary differential(Sacramento County, CA ) Internships for minorities representative of local area (426 funding)


What Emergent Workers Want 1. Variety in daily work & exciting experiences 2. Fun atmosphere, friendly people, caring about

staff as individuals3. Respect and seek their input4. Game plan on how and when they will advance5. Multiple training & development opportunities6. Strong Leadership; Mentoring programs7. A diverse workforce8. Work/life balance

(Grubb, 2008)


Recruiting Millenials – Embrace Today’s Technology

Distribute flash drives w/ company informationUse text messaging to communicate w/ recruitsAccept video resumesCreate company Facebook and MySpace pages linked to your website Find a reason to be on YouTube Conduct webinars to promote your company Create blogs on your website Host luncheons w/ local colleges where you recruit

(Grubb 2008)


Expand Recruitment Strategies

Comprehensive marketing campaign & materialsInternet recruitmentPrint ads linked to internetTV and radio adsOpen housesVolunteer programsInside recruitingRecruitment bonuses


Internet Recruitment Sites

www.monster.comwww.LiveDeal.comwww.CraigsList.comwww.CareerBuilder.com

www.HotJobs.comwww.MySpace.comwww.LinkedIn.comwww.StudentList.com

Realistic Job Previews

Fewer unmet expectations= higher retention


Research on Realistic Job Previews

RJPs improved retention rates by 9%-17% (McEvoy & Cascio, 1985).

RJPs increased retention of employees 12% for agencies with annual retention rates of 50% and 24% for those with rates of 20% (Premack & Wanous, 1985).

RJPs delivered after a job offer has been made, but before decisions, are more effective in reducing turnover than earlier in the process (Phillips, 1998).


Developing and Using RJPs

Up-to-date and complete job descriptionPositive and negative job characteristics

What do you like best about your job?What is the hardest part about your job?What do you wish you had known about your job before you started working here?

Select the most important topics and strategy to enable an informed decision


RJP Strategies

Structured observation

Meetings with current workers

RJP video

Photo album or scrapbook

Booklet or brochure

Web-based multimedia RJP

Panel of agency staff

Internships or volunteer opportunities


RJP Design Principles

1. Purpose of the RJP must be clear to the applicant2. Must use credible information (real people and

events; not actors and scripts; testimony from job incumbents rather than a discussion with supervisors)

3. Should include info about how current employees feel about their jobs

4. Positive and negative information should be balanced to reflect actual experiences

5. Should be presented before or at the time that a job offer is made.


Impact of a Realistic Job Impact of a Realistic Job Preview: University of MichiganPreview: University of Michigan

Workers who saw the RJP were significantly more likely to:

Indicate a commitment to remain in child welfare for five years

Say that the application and selection process helped them cope with job pressures

Say that the agency’s honesty made them feel more loyal, and

Less likely to say they would “never have taken the job if they had known what it was like.”


NC Realistic Job Preview DVD

On the Recruitment and Retention websitehttp://ssw.unc.edu/jif/rr/rjp.htm

Child Welfare Worker Selection

Attract the best, screen out less qualified


Selection Standards for Supervisors in Child Welfare

Know and comply with law and policy related to fair hiring processesParticipate in selection interviewsSelect people who are able to demonstrate the competencies needed and whose values are consistent with the agency’s missionJustify and document hiring decisions using job-related criteria


Competency-based SelectionThe better the fit between the requirements of

the job and competencies of the jobholder…

The higher job performance and retention will be.


Search & Hiring Model

To do this job

In this organization

Requires this person

Job duties, reporting relationships

Organizational structure, climate, staffing mix

Skills, knowledge, competencies


Best Practice in Screening

Job relatedvalidity

Objectivefocus on competencies

Multiple assessments Consistent


Validity of Research-based Selection Strategies (Hermelin & Robertson, 2001)

Structured interviews: High

Cognitive ability as assessed by standardized test: High

Biographical data: Medium

Personality and integrity tests: Medium

Work sample tests or assessment centers: Low to medium

Unstructured interviews: Low to medium

The “big five” personality traits: Low


Focus on Underlying Competencies

KSs

Attitudes & Values

Motives & Traits


Entry Level Competencies

Predict long term successDifference between average and outstandingMost difficult to change


Underlying Competencies

Interpersonal RelationsAdaptabilityCommunication SkillsObservation SkillsPlanning and Organizing Work

Analytic ThinkingMotivationSelf Awareness/confidenceSense of MissionTeamwork


Multiple Job Related Assessments

Standard InterviewFact Finding InterviewWritten ExerciseReference Check


Consistency: Structure

Time Questions Order

Opportunity

Rating Criteria All

Components


Standard Interview

Opinion Questions: thinking & self-awarenessPast Behavior: past behavior predicts future performance Situational: future intentionsFollow ups and probes


Purpose of Standard Interview

Not only looking for answers but also insights into the competenciesIncluding:

Thinking processes usedWhat motivates the candidate to behave in certain waysCandidate’s self-awareness, including ability to reflect on and learn from experiences


Consistency in Rating

Scoring guides: Examples of unacceptable, average and outstanding answersUse Subject Matter Experts to develop Rate competencies: Behaviors to Look forConsensus discussion

(Bernotavicz, 2008)


This Presentation

Is brought to you by the R&R ProjectA part of the Jordan Institute for FamiliesAt the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social WorkFunded by grant #90CT0114/05 US DHHS Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau

Documents

The Right Match