Describe the different selection devices with their respective advantages and disadvantages.

Different types of positions require different kinds of selection techniques. Choosing the right techniques will help to recruit the best person for the position. Choosing selection techniques will depend on the particular skills, attributes, and knowledge required for the position.

A variety of methods are available, and consideration needs to be given as to which are suitable for a particular post. The most commonly used selection techniques include assessing written applications, conducting panel interviews and checking referee reports.

The six selection devices/ methods are:

1. Application forms
2. Background investigation
3. Interview
4. Performance simulation test
5. Physical Examination
6. Written test

There are also several other selection devices/ methods:

1. Ability and aptitude tests
2. Assessment centers
3. Group exercises
4. Online screening and shortlisting
5. Personality profiling
6. Presentations
7. Psychometric testing
8. References etc.

Selecting candidates involves two main processes: shortlisting, and assessing applicants to decide who should be made a job offer. Candidates’ applications may arrive as curriculum vitae (CV) or an application form. Technology plays an increasingly important role in recruitment ranging from attracting candidates through to the selection process. Using online recruitment can mean employers receive large numbers of applications from unsuitable candidates. To help manage this, electronic techniques can be used to slim down the number of potential candidates.

Table 1: Selection devices description, advantages and disadvantages

Selection devices	Advantages	Disadvantages
1. Application forms: Application forms are a means of collecting written information about an applicant's education, work and non-work experiences, both past, and present.	-It is the standardized format, so it is easier for employers to scan the information and make comparisons. -They get all the info to schedule an interview, schooling to see if we have the degrees they want, and work experience to see if we have the experience, they want.	-Some require SSN, which is seriously unsafe, especially if in the paper. -We don't have the space like CV, so applicants can’t write as much info as they want to or add a cover letter that if they don’t have enough experience or the right kind might convince the employer to interview them anyway
2. Background investigation: A background check or background investigation is the process of looking up and compiling criminal records, commercial records and financial records of an individual or an organization. Background checks are often requested by employers on job candidates for employment screening, especially on candidates seeking a position that requires high security or a position of trust, such as in a school, hospital, financial institution, airport, and government. These checks are traditionally administered by a government agency for a nominal fee, but can also be administered by private companies.	-Background checks reveal lies in resumes or CV and fill in the 'blanks' at interviews. This helps the job selection process and ensures employment of only legitimate and honest candidates with no criminal history. -Carrying out thorough background checks protects an employer against possible, future lawsuits. -Globalization has made it easier for people to leave behind their former lives and identities, and carry on, fresh, in another town, state or even country, erasing any stains on their character as they go. Records and data are scattered and do not always link up. It is pretty, futile, relying on the information supplied by an applicant for a job. So background checking is necessary	-Background checks are expensive regarding money and time, and for this reason, many employers fail to carry out thorough checks. -Many companies have faced litigation for not performing pre-employment, background checks. Wal-Mart was once, involved in a negligence lawsuit. They have since revised their company policy and now perform stringent background checks on all potential employees. -Failure to deal with private information or data in a responsible manner can result in penalties for the employer. Fines for fraudulent activity and misplacing or losing personal data are heavy.
3. Interview: A selection procedure designed to predict future job performance by applicants' oral responses to oral inquiries. Interviews are a standard part of qualitative research. The qualitative research interview seeks to describe and the meanings of central themes in the life world of the subjects. The main task of interviewing is to understand the meaning of what the interviewees say. Interviewing, when considered as a method for conducting qualitative research, is a technique used to understand the experiences of others.	-Useful for determining if the applicant has requisite communicative or social skills, which may be necessary for the job. -Interviewer can obtain supplementary information -used to appraise candidates' verbal fluency -can assess the applicant's job knowledge -can be used for selection among equally qualified applicants - allows the applicant to ask questions that may reveal additional information useful for making a selection decision -the interview may be modified as needed to gather important information	-subjective evaluations are made -decisions tend to be made within the first few minutes of the interview with the remainder of the interview used to validate or justify the original decision -interviewers form stereotypes concerning the characteristics required for success on the job -research has shown disproportionate rates of selection between minority and non-minority members using interviews -negative information seems to be given more weight -not much evidence of the validity of the selection procedure -not as reliable as tests
4. Performance simulation test: Performance simulation provides a simulated business environment in which to test the impact of critical business decisions and gives individuals the opportunity to practice making these decisions in a risk-free environment. The effectiveness of performance simulation derives from some carefully developed characteristics. Employees are provided with a virtual environment that looks and feels like their workplace opportunities to make decisions and experience the consequences they learn by doing	-There are two big advantages to performing a simulation rather than building the design and testing it. The biggest of these advantages is money. Designing, building, testing, redesigning, rebuilding, retesting for anything can be an expensive project. Simulations take the building/rebuilding phase out of the loop by using the model already created in the design phase. Most of the time the simulation testing is cheaper and faster than performing the multiple tests of the design each time. -The second biggest advantage of a simulation is the level of detail that we can get from a simulation. A simulation can give you results that are not experimentally measurable with our current level of technology. Results such as surface interactions on an atomic level, flow at the exit of a micro electric thruster, or molecular flow inside of a star are not measurable by any current devices. A simulation can give these results when problems such as it is too small to measure, the probe is too big and is skewing the results, and any instrument would turn to a gas at those temperatures come into the conversation.	- There are two big disadvantages to performing a simulation as well. The first of these disadvantages is simulation errors. Any incorrect keystroke has the potential to alter the results of the simulation and give you the wrong results. Also usually, we are programming using theories of the way things work not laws and theories are not often 100% correct. For the simulation to be accepted in the general community, we have to take experimental results and simulate them. If the two data sets compare, then any simulation we do of our design will have some credibility. -The other large disadvantage is the fact that it is a simulation. Many people do not consider what they do engineering unless they can see, hear, feel, and taste the project. The virtual world is difficult to get used to the first time we use it for design.
5. Physical Examination: Tests typically test applicants on some physical requirement such as lifting strength, rope climbing, or obstacle course completion, etc.	-identify individuals who are physically unable to perform the essential functions of a job without risking injury to themselves or others -can result in decreased costs related to disability/medical claims, insurance, and workers compensation	-costly to administer -requirements must be shown to be job-related through a thorough job analysis -may have an age-based disparate impact against older applicants
6. Written test: Written examination is the most commonly used type of assessment for certification purposes. This exam assesses candidates’ knowledge in specific areas, as defined in the blueprint. Written examination is best suited for initial certification as it enables a wide coverage of content and it can be used to assess both knowledge and its application. Other advantages that explain the popularity of this method include its low cost for candidates and its decreased cost to administrators as the number of candidates increase. It also can be delivered online, and it has a high degree of candidate acceptance.	Multiple Choice Exams advantages: -Sound psychometric qualities -Wide coverage of domain content -Can assess both pieces of knowledge as well as application of knowledge -Can be scored quickly -Can be administered more than once -Low cost for candidate and decreases as the number of candidates increases -Possibility of online delivery -Well accepted by candidates Essays/Short Answer/Answer Completion advantages: -Can assess both pieces of knowledge as well as application of knowledge, can obtain more	Multiple Choice Exams disadvantages: -Need large pool of questions to ensure their rotation. Measuring practical skills is not always possible -Initial development costs are high, therefore requiring significant investment capital -Requires the creation of various versions of the exam to prevent question over-exposure and to ensure the security of the test. Essays/Short Answer/Answer Completion  disadvantages: -Need to revise content after each administration -Attention needs to be paid to development of scoring key -Measuring practical skills is not always possible -Scoring can be time-consuming and challenging