Human Resources Management MATHGUY

12 November 2017

Southwood Case Study

Introduction

Southwood School cannot rely on a single selection method to select teachers. There are a number of characteristics and skills which are necessary in the applicants. In order to incorporate all these characteristics into the analysis process the institution should be able to use several selection processes as opposed to relying exclusively on interviews. One of the selection methods that can be used is psychometric tests. These tests can help the school administration have a better idea of the personality traits of the applicants (Cook, 2014). This knowledge can be used to strengthen the shortlist of people who make it to the actual interview stage. In this paper I will analyze the methods currently used by Southwood School and make recommendations to improve the school’s recruitment and selection process.

Teaching Observation

Teaching observation is a very important selection technique in this context. It will enable the school administration to have a look at the teaching skills of the applicants. The manner in which the applicants relate with the students can also be used to infer if they will enjoy their stay in the institution (Cook, 2014). A sample class can be selected from one of the classes in the institution. However, this has to take place before the students leave for the holiday. The applicants will be required to teach a 30 minute lesson to this class and answer any questions that the students may have. Members of the administration will look closely and how each applicant presents information to the students and the degree to which the students actually learn from the applicant. This selection method is very effective as it will help to determine the actual suitability of the applicants for the given position.

References

The use of references is another selection method that is likely to work well for the institution. As opposed to having the applicants state two referees the members of the panel can reach out to their professional colleagues and ask them for contact details of competent professionals who may fit the roles that they seek to fill (Films Media Group, 2016). This method is likely to get people with a high degree of experience in the field. It is also likely to get a pool of highly competent professionals who are well versed with all the intricacies of working in an institution such as Southwood School.

Online Testing

The largest pool of applicants can be reached via online testing. The school can have an online test that is open for a period of one week. The potential applicants will be required to upload their resumes and then take the test. If they perform well on the test then their resumes will be forwarded for review by the committee. If their performance is substandard then their resumes will be discarded. This method is likely to attract a large pool of applicants (Hakemulder, 2015). However, the applicants have to be further evaluated through methods such as the formal interview and teaching observation methods. These methods can be arranged in a chronological order in order to make the large pool of applicants narrower until the right person is found.

The Panel Interview

The interview panel also needs some specialized training. The status quo is that the interview panel has been interviewing applicants with no skill backing at all. The use of panel interviews is still a significant method. It helps determine how the applicants react in a tense situation and also helps the selection panel to pose questions they may have to the applicants. It also ensures that there is objectivity in the selection process since the viewpoint from different panelists has to be taken into account. However, without specialized training this panel has been very ineffective. The panelists are not armed with the appropriate skills to mine information from the applicants. This is one of the main reasons why this method has been a failure for the school. Revamping the panel by ensuring that the panelists are trained a week before the exercise is essential for the success of the process. You should have a source to support what you are writing here.

Conclusion

The compound skills that the recruiters are looking for in the school cannot be identified using a single selection process. A single selection process looks at a single trait in the applicants and turns a blind eye to all the others. The selection process needs to be more involving and involve a series of activities such as online tests, psychometric tests, formal interviews and teaching observation. All these methods are likely to ensure that the right applicant is selected for the position.

References

Cook, M. F. (2014). The AMA handbook for employee recruitment and retention. New York: American Management Association.

Films Media Group. (2016). Recruitment and Selection. Films on Demand.

Hakemulder, R. (2015). Value Chain Development for Decent Work: How to create employment and improve working conditions in targeted sectors. Geneva: ILO.

Good work on this assignment. You have included all of the major elements. Your critique is good and you make some good recommendations.

Try using subheadings per APA style to break up the text for the reader and help the reader to track the flow of the paper.

For the most your use of outside sources is good. There are a few places that you could have added additional research to support your writing.

Regards,

Professor Keelty