Recruitment and Selection
Self-study and Tutorial Assignments
This section lists the self-study tasks and assignments offered at various points in the BOLA Recruitment and Selection package. These are available to learners and HRM tutors (learners!) to use as they see fit. Incorporating them into study plans and group activities.
The assignments are not listed in any particular order (yet!) - it is a matter of looking at each.
- Assignment 1
Research the avenues into a job for
- bar staff?
- A brick-layer?
- Someone wanting to be a social worker or teacher?
- Someone wanting to become a theatre stage manager?
Compare the formality and procedures involved in the recruitment process.
- Assignment 2
Create a scrap book of 10-15 job advertisements found in various newspapers/journals. Evaluate each of the adverts in term.
- why was the newspaper appropriate to the job
- which of the basic items are covered?
- Why may have some items been left out.
- Evaluate the good and bad points of each advertisement. Consider
- content
- style/tone
- layout
- Which adverts may breach rules on discrimination?
- Recommend ways in which each could be improved.
Use the following example layout for the exercise.
Job 1 etc Good points Improvements needed statement of qualifications required is clear. not 'sold' as an attractive place to work. closing date given. no description of what the job involves. logo and address/phone no benefits package mentioned.
- Assignment 3
SUPERSHOP SUPERSHOP is setting the pace in retailing - Britain's fastest growing business sector. The company is investing non-stop to make shopping a better experience for its customers and to create more opportunities for staff. New stores and superstores - with masses of partking space - are being opened every week. Inside them are new products and ideas. And behind the scenes there's first class management training and staff development to back up these exciting evelopments. As a new graduate about the enter the job market, would these descriptions inspire you to inquire after a job vacancy with this organisation? If not, why not?
- Assignment 4
What recruitment methods are used in your organisation for
- unskilled jobs
- skilled jobs
- administrative
- sales
- professional
- managerial jobs.
- Assignment 5
This is a simple role-playing, interview practice assignment - useful for HRM students working in a trio.
- Assignment 6
- Follow the link to the Keirsey-Temperament Sorter and complete the test.
- Consider your test result in terms of face-validity.
- Do you recognise any aspects of yourself in the results? What are these?
- Read the narrative description of your Meyers-Briggs type e.g. ENTJ and compare it with other descriptions.
- Assignment 7
Consider the proposition arising from Hittleman's "Glass ceiling" study (Johnson Graduate School of Management) i.e.that the "ceiling" is really a glass door that opens only to jobs already held by women . Then in debate with others:
- Add to and modify the propositions given on ../../bola/recruitment/glass.html.
What valid statements emerge from your debate? Any? None? New statements?
- Build these into a personnel policy statement for a large organisation that is concerned about its responsibilities to staff, to society.
- Assignment 8
Compare a "lip-service, cosmetic approach" to implementing an anti-grass-ceiling policy with an active, conscious, "change the mould, break the glass approach". What will you see happening in an organisation which has removed the glass ceilings or opened the door?
- Assignment 9
Read the findings of the Cornell University - Glass Ceiling Report. Prepare a set of overhead projector slides and present your summary of the Cornell report findings as your next HRM seminar paper or at the next management development group meeting.
- Assignment 10
Investigate and report on who is usually involved when a new member of staff needs to be found.
- Assignment 11
Identify and describe the activities you involved are in when new staff are being recruited?
- Assignment 12
- Evaluate how well questions listed on BOLA page ../../bola/recruitment/questionning.html are constructed and oriented.
- Identify the problems and pitfalls in the way the question is constructed.
- Will the question do its job?
- Evaluate possible gaps between expectations of what a question should deliver and likely variations in the "content" and level of response.
- Assignment 12
- Review the questions offered by the BOLA Page on job analysis.
- Choose a job in your place of work and proceed to analyse the job. use the questions as a checklist.
- Add to or modify the questions to fit your specific requirements.
- Assignment 13
A group of senior staff of a university department recently undertook a day-long interview programme to select a new academic colleague. On discussing all candidates at the close of the day it was apparent that each had a different picture of the job they felt applicants were applying for. The Head of department felt that the best candidate could occupy a number of different roles in the department. It was pointed out that each candidate had specifically stated their career and job aspirations and preferences.Evaluate the approach taken.
- Assignment 14
Use the Rodger 7-point planning approach to draw up a Personnel specification for the sales representative post.
- Assignment 15
Use the Munro Fraser 5-point planning approach to draw up a Personnel specification for the Media Relations Manager.
- Assignment 15
BOLA is developed and maintained by Chris Jarvis