Selection: Meaning, Definition, and Process of Selection

Selection involves a series of steps by which candidates are screened for choosing the most suitable persons for vacant jobs in the organisation.

Selection leads to employment of personnel and is an integral part of staffing. It facilitates selection of candidates who possess the ability and qualifications to perform the jobs which have fallen vacant in the organisation. It divides the candidates for employment into two categories, namely, 'those who will be offered employment and those who will not be'.
This process could be called be rejection since more candidates may be turned away than those selected. That is why, selection is frequently described as a negative process in contrast with the position nature of recruitment.

 A formal definition is that 'it is the process of differentiating between applicants in order to identify those with the greater likelyhood of success in a job.'  

 Process of Selection

The basis purpose of the selection process is choosing right type of candidates to fill various positions in the organisation. In order to achieve this purpose, a well organised selection procedure involves many steps. At each step more and more information is obtained about the candidates so as to reject the unsuitable candidates. The major steps followed by modern organisations to get right type of persons are listed below:

1. Preliminary Screening:  An application form is designed to get a written record of candidate's qualifications, experiences and other deatils. It helps in securing the necessary information about the candidate's qualifications, training, experience, etc.

The information is useful in determining the suitability of the candidate for the concerned job. A specimen of an application form is given on the next page. 

After the applications have been received, they are properly checked as regards qualifications and experience by the Screening Commitee. The applicants may be asked to attend preliminary interview to provide additional information not mentioned in the application form. 

Unsuitable candidates are rejected altogether. A list of candidates to be called for employment test is made at this stage.

2. Selection Tests: Individuals differ with respect to physical characteristics, capacity, level of mental ability, their likes and dislikes and also with respect to personality traits.

The differences among the individual candidates can be analysed with the help of various psychological and trade tests.  

They bring out the quality and weaknesses of individuals which could be analysed before offering them jobs. 

The tests must be designed properly. If they are biased, they will not be good indicators of one's knowledge and skills. Selections based on them will be faulty. That is why, tests should not be relied upon fully.

3. Employment Interview: Interview is used to secure more information about a candidate. The main purposes of an employment interview are:

1.  To find out the suitability of the candidate.
2.  To seek out more information about the candidate.
3.  To give the candidate an accurate picture of the job with details of terms and conditions and some idea of organisational policies. 

The communication skills of the candidate can be judged in the interview and also that whether the information contained in the application is true or not.

4. Reference and Background Checking: A reference is potentially an important source of information about a candidate's ability and personality if he holds a responsible position in some organisation. 
Prior to final selection, the prospective employer normally makes an investigation on the references supplied by the applicant. He undertakes a thourough search into the candidate's family background, past employment, education, personal reputation, police recorrd, etc.

5. Selection Decision: A list of candidates who clear the employment tests, interview, reference checks, is prepared and then the selected candidates are listed in order of their merit.  
For preparing the final list for each department, the views of the concerned department head are also considered.

6. Medical Examination: The medical test of a candidate is an essential step in the selection procedure. It has three objectives:

1.  It serves to ascertain the applicant's physical capabilities to meet the job requirements.
2.  It serves to protect the organisation against the unwarranted claim under workers' compensation laws or against law suits for damages.
3.  It helps to prevent communicable diseases from entering the organisation.

A proper medical examination will ensure higher standard of health and physical fitness of the employees and will reduce the rates of accident, labour turnover, and absenteeism.

7. Job Offer or Appointment Letter: After a candidate has cleared all the hurdles in the selection procedure, he is formally appointed by issuing him an appointment letter. The date by which the candidate must join the orgainsation is mentioned in the letter. The broad terms and conditions of employment, nature of job, pay scale, etc. are also an integral part of the apointment letter.

8. Contract of Employment: After getting the job offer, the candidate has to give his acceptance within the time period given in the appointment letter. After acceptance, the candidate will have to submit his certificates of qualifications and experience for verification by the personnel department. Both the employer and the employee will also sign a contract of employment which contains important terms and conditions of employment, job title, duties, place and hours of work, leave rules, scale of pay and other benefits, disciplinary procedure and mode or termination of employment.