Using Gibbs’ Model to Reflect on Observed Skills Exercise
Description
As a team of three, we prepared and planned a structured behavioral job selection interview for an HR administrator. We also conducted a mock interview, where roles of interchanged between the interviewer, interviewee, and observer. The preparation involved several tasks. We began with conducting a job analysis to identify the appropriate requirements of HR administrator and competencies required to undertake them. We got this information from organizational charts, position descriptions, previous advertisements, LinkedIn, and job portals. We also determined competencies that would be assessed during the interview, including administrative skills, communication skills, clerical skills, routine calculations, mastery of English, and team working abilities. We also developed interview questions, interview format and rating skills. We developed ten questions that sought to test at least one specified competencies. All competencies were assigned a proficiency level range of 1-5. Each score had specific behaviors to demonstrate. We also drew a guide to the interview process.
The interview process involved the interviewer, interviewee, and the observer. The interviewer welcomed the interviewee and explained the standard procedure in conducting the interview. The interviewer would then ask questions as the interviewee response. Ratings for every competency were done instantly. After the interview, the marks were calculated and with the help of the observer a feedback process would commence.
Feelings
It was the most intense exercise I have done campus. During preparation, I felt tired as we were forced to concentrate on a minor details. Though the selection of the competencies and skills did not prove to be a hard task, proficiency- level ratings were not only engaging but also annoying. We had to go back and forth to try and reach acceptable balance among the five proficiency levels. I felt like abandoning the entire process when we spent three hours without reaching a conclusion on the appropriate behavioral skills for each range. I also felt vulnerable since we knew each other and could easily make judgments regarding my behaviors in certain circumstances. Though I wished to say some things and we had agreed not to judge one another, I found myself not saying all the things that I would have said in a normal interview.
Evaluation
At last, I felt that I had not done my best in the interviewer and guessed that if it was a normal interview, it would not have reflected my true capabilities. The other students also expressed the same concerns, feeling that several controls could have helped to deliver a better interview and bring out the best skills and competencies. I realized that there were several measures that we failed to put in place to avoid biases and errors of judgment. Amadu (2014) noted that selection is strategic, implying that it must involve a range of activities that are effective plans to achieve the desired end. An effective selection process is similar to a total quality approach, in which measurement is akin, specifications are clear, and every activity is carefully orchestrated to play a specific function in the grand design. More importantly, the key elements in the selection should be clear and concise, permits the use of multiple techniques, eliminates redundant processes, measurements, evaluation, and assures continuous improvement. In our selection process, the interview setting was not effectively planned. For instance, whereas we set similar probes for every candidate to excel, we did not anticipate that it might be necessary to probe a specific aspect of competence. Amadu (2014) recommends that, prior to the interview, the interview panel should decide on the desired range of problem. For instance, they might decide on no problems, limited probes, or unlimited probes. If probes are deemed necessary, the panel should decide on specific probes for each question.
Analysis
The inability to effectively demonstrate our best abilities in the interview process can be traced both to planning and interview process. First, the assessment of the capabilities was open to perpetual bias and distortion. In our team, we have known each other since we joined campus. We have spent time and shared a lot about our capabilities and failures. When coming up with the proficiency levels, one could easily tell where each one of us lies. Hence, even when one demonstrated better skills and competencies, the scoring would more vulnerable to bias. Bach and Edwards (2013) observes that the problem can be eliminated by imposing higher rationality in planning. For instance, the use of multiple methods to test the ability of the interviewee can heighten validity and reliability. Moreover, it became apparent that several performance measures for HR administrator did not come out as expected. For instance, while it was possible to determine communication and collaborative skills in the responses, we could not determine the competency in the use of IT resources. CIPD suggests that proficiency measures should be treated with caution since they are highly affected by the performance indicators used and the way tools are applied. In our case, the tools used to determine certain competencies could not bring out expected competencies.
Despite being our first time to participate in such an intense activity, we could have done several things differently. To begin with, we could have used multiple approaches to examine interviewee capabilities in order to remove biases. Moreover, setting more appropriate proficiency levels, such as excellent, satisfactory, poor and others instead of scales could have improved accuracy of the performance measures.
Action plan
Moving forward, I am confident that we have learned a lot from the exercise to be able to conduct a better structured behavioral job selection interview. In future, preparation will be more detailed and take into account various contingencies. More importantly, I have to read widely to determine emerging evidence on how to improve structured interviews. As it emerged, small details are critical to effective development.
Future Development
Based on the reflections, several issues have emerged as imperative to future development. First, updated knowledge is key to a successful HR career. For this reason, I wish to engage with different materials, including scholarly journals and reputable publications, such as The Wall Street Journal and Forbes, to acquire relevant knowledge. PricewaterhouseCoopers (2014) notes that disruptive changes to business models will have a significant impact on the employment landscapes over the coming years. The changes, which are motivated by developments, such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, robotics, 3D printing, and genetics, have resulted in a near-simultaneous impact on employment and need for new skill sets (World Economic Forum 2016). In selecting competencies and skills, we identified that competencies and skills required for HR professionals continue to change. The skills require greater attention to changes in the global workforce, diversity, especially gender dimension, and trends in the global environment. PricewaterhouseCoopers (2014) predicts that by 2022, three worlds of work: Blue, Green, and Orange will have emerged. The Green world emphasizes social corporate society, with concerns about demographic changes, climate and sustainability becoming key. The Orange World will focus on companies breaking down into collaborative networks of smaller organizations. Lastly, the Blue world will insist on big company capitalism as globalization push companies to grow bigger and individual preferences trump benefits regarding social responsibility. Amidst these changes, HR role must transform from a passive, service oriented function into a proactive function meant to support business strategy and corporate social responsibility (Garrow and Hirsh 2008). Evidently, it will be futile to try and escape this development.
Secondly, I intend to apply for an internship in one of the leading HR firms to gain firsthand knowledge through participation in selection and interview process. As identified in the reflection, it is not possible to foresee certain details unless you have participated in the interview. Considering that our interview was not real yet we managed to identify so many gaps in the interview, I wish to extend the knowledge by enrolling in an HR firm. In this way, I will be able to identify issues in selection and recruitment and learn on most appropriate strategies to come up with best candidate. Besides, it is apparent that competition for talent among organizations is set to intensify amidst increased competition (Garrow and Hirsh 2008). During the interviews, most of us got average scores in most of the competencies since we could not demonstrate satisfactory skills, such as teamwork, commitment, and flexibility. These skills are rare, and companies strive to have such personalities join their team (Storey 2014). Hence, the selection and recruitment process should be designed in a way that it can attract and retain superior talent.
I also will enroll in the next level of academic learning to be able to participate in research in the field of human resources, and especially selection and recruitment. For instance, recent studies suggest that 75 percent of companies use their corporate website as a common method of attracting candidates (World Economic Forum 2016). Besides, candidates also have begun to use the internet to search for jobs, with 89 percent of the graduates only going to the internet to search for jobs. However, there is inadequate research regarding the effectiveness of the method and quality of their candidates (Storey 2014). I feel that these are areas that will significantly influence the selection and recruitment process in future. I can contribute through research, which I can sufficiently gain through continued education.
Moreover, I would like to learn different strategies that enhance diversity in the workplace. These skills ca be gained through an internship program that I wish to enroll in, as well as conducting case studies of organizations, such as Google, that have successfully embraced diversity (Carter and Scarbrough 2001). During planning and implementation of structured behavioral job interview, it was apparent that some competencies can lead to discrimination against men. For instance, regarding competencies in the use of IT resources, it was possible to discriminate among women since men are believed to have better skills in IT than women. According to CIPD (2011), more than half of the organizations have a diversity strategy. Hence, it will be prudent that every professional regards diversity as a key area of development.
I have also decided to reevaluate my values and goals human resource profession. As HR continues to transform, people working in that space have to develop a new mindset and set new goals for themselves. For instance, I decided to join HR since I love working with people. My goal was to establish my HR firm after working in the corporate world for about ten years. However, with the rapid changes, I feel that I should work for another company for just five years before starting my own. As an independent practitioner, I will be able to solve problems affecting the profession directly and contribute more significantly to its advancement. As World Economic Forum 2016 acknowledged, HR professionals must assist companies to develop strong social conscience and a sense of environmental responsibility, stronger control over their supplier networks by enforcing ethical values across the supply chain.
Observed Skill Exercise and Resourcing and Talent Management Module
To begin with, reflection exercise provides evidence that structured behavioral interviews improve reliability and validity than unstructured interviews. According to Carter and Scarbrough (2001), structured interviews provide the candidates with equal opportunities to provide information and are assessed consistently and accurately. Creating a format for the interview ensures that the interviewer has similar information regarding all the candidates, leading to higher reliability. Gilmore & Williams (2013) notes that unstructured interviews can appear attractive due to its loose framework, conversational flow, and discretionary content. However, it increases subjectivity, which subsequently reduces its accuracy and invites legal challenges. Hence, it has little value in predicting job performance. In fact, Taylor (2014) suggests that unstructured interviews are half as effective as structured interviews. He adds that standardized scoring systems provide to compare applicants in an objective manner, thereby eliminating biases associated with selection interviews.
The observed skills exercise also brought to various light biases that can emerge in the recruitment process. The biases can take the form of gender, first impression, and the extent to which a candidate matches the stereotypes formed by the interviewers before the interviewer. Horton (2010) notes that recruitment should be perceived as fair and admissible to every party, including people that have been rejected. Evidence suggests that applicants have great interest in procedural justice and distributive justice. Justice is highly dependent on the selection methods. Fairness in recruitment extends to the area of equal opportunities and discrimination.
Torrington, et al. (2014) found out that sex stereotyping occurs during shortlisting. Armstrong and Taylor (2014) recommend that the panel should come up with acceptable criteria, rate candidates individually and ensure candidates chosen by majority of the members are invited for the interviews. CIPD (2011) adds that discrimination occurs at the wider level where people are rejected due to age, gender reassignment, disability, marriage, maternity, religion, race, and sexual orientation. The Equality Act of 2010 prohibits discrimination based on these factors. To prevent legal repercussions, many organizations have put in place diversity strategies. For instance, most organizations consistently monitor recruitment and or staffing to obtain data regarding ethnicity, gender, disability, and age. Other organizations also strive to attract talents of all ages (Gilmore and Williams 2013).
According to Cappelli and Keller (2014), high- performing organizations prefer to go beyond compliance with the law towards a policy of managing diversity. In this strategy, the company seeks to ensure that employees have an equal opportunity to maximize their potential and improve their self-development and contribution to the organization. Such organizations recognize that people from the diverse background can bring fresh ideas and perceptions capable of igniting innovation and efficiency in the workplace. Bach and Edwards (2013) proposes four steps that can enable the company manage diversity effectively. First, it must ensure no discrimination takes place during selection and recruitment process. Secondly, the organization should set measures to attract people from groups that are underrepresented in various departments. Thirdly, it should consult with the employees when new procedures are introduced or existing ones reviewed to ensure that they do not discriminate against certain groups in the organization (Guthridge, Komm, and Lawson 2008). Lastly, make reasonable adjustments to the workplace to ensure all people feel comfortable to work in that specific area.
Moreover, observed skills exercise showed that selection and recruitment process should be placed within the larger organization context. As observed, disruptive changes have caused significance changes in the business models, leading to changes in the role of HR in the organization (Guthridge, Komm, and Lawson 2008). For instance, changes in the work environments and flexible working environments have prompted new workplace innovations, such as co-working spaces and teleconferencing (Armstrong and Taylor 2014). Moreover, climate change, natural resource constraints and transition to a greener economy have also inspired innovations as organization search for measures to adjust their effects and efficient ways of extraction without degrading resources. Moreover, the rising aspirations and economic power of women have prompted laws that guarantee their effective participation in the workplace. More importantly, disruptive technologies, such as The Internet of Things, cloud computing and big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and robotics have enormous impacts in the arrangement of the workplace. Cannon and McGee (2007) notes that a decade ago people emphasized the significance of defining and communicating as a powerful employee value proposition. Resultantly, the sought to recruit energetic, ambitious, and smart person. While most organizations continue to use this model, many others have adapted their employer brands to target segments with different ambitions, values, and expectations (Patterson 2013).
Further, online recruitments are gaining momentum (Bach and Edwards, 2013). As the use of internet intensifies, the extent of online recruitment is bound to rise. In our observed skill exercise, we realized that most organizations announce vacancies through their website. CIPD survey shows that nearly 75 percent of the companies preferred attracting people through the internet. Nonetheless, they continue to combine more traditional and online recruitment by using printed adverts to refer job seekers to an internet vacancy. On the one hand, companies cite speed, reduced administrative costs, and absence of geographical limits as the greatest advantages of online recruitment (Guedes 2015). Besides, companies, such as Microsoft have resulted in improving their credibility and visibility by having a vibrant online recruitment process. Hence, online recruitment can be one of the tools that companies can use to improve their public image and reach a wider audience (Cappelli and Keller, 2014). On the other hand, applicants have easier, faster and more convenient way to post their CV or search for a job (Cannon and McGee, 2007). However, online posting of jobs still poses a challenge as the applicants have to navigate thousands of websites to find companies requiring people with their knowledge and skills. Besides, some people do not have readily available Internet. Therefore, it needs to be investigated further to determine whether it is possible for the company to attract the right talents by maximizing on the internet and whether people searching for jobs have better chances if the jobs are posted over the internet (Dessler 1999). Nevertheless, the internet is set to be the next frontier and researchers might be forced to look for ways of increasing convenience and efficiency for both organizations and applicants, rather than examining its usefulness (Guedes 2015).
Moreover, observed skill exercise has affirmed that best practice in selection involves a systematic approach. According to Pilbeam and Corbridge (2010), the selection process involves a series of steps through which applications must pass to get a job in an organization. As observed, planning and preparing for a behavioral job interview is just as intense as conducting the interview itself. Preparation serves to ensure that all candidates have equal opportunities to prove to the panel that they have the requisite skills and competencies, while interview process involves actual implementation of plan and allocating marks. Nonetheless, interview is heavily influenced by whether the applications were picked from within or outside the organization.
From the preceding, the observed skill exercise provided me with exposure to the selection and recruitment process. Through participation, I learned challenges in planning, preparation, and implementation of structured behavioral interviews and areas for improvement. In this reflection, I have set goals for future development, especially about keeping abreast with changes HR, advancing my career to another level, internship program, and set new goals. More importantly, I was able to relate the exercise to elements of Talent and Resource Management module. These areas include appropriate steps for conducting structured behavioral interviews, move to online recruitments, diversity, and aligning HR to business strategy.
References
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