ABSTRACT
In this chapter attention is focused primarily on the selection of people from outside the employing organization. These may be employees, contractors or capabilities taken into the organization under a variety of contractual arrangements. The systematic approach to the selection of employees may and also should apply to people who are already employed by the appointing organization, for example in promotion decisions and in the clarity of criteria required to subcontractors. Two basic questions provide the foundation for an effective system:
What are the criteria for effective performance against which selectors and other decision-makers judge the suitability of candidates for appointment or to provide services?
What methods are most likely to reveal the evidence needed to make judgements and decisions about the suitability of candidates and any other person applying to provide the capabilities?
The crucial importance of selecting people who can meet the requirements prescribed in the job description and person specification is apparent to all experienced managers. It is equally evident that mistakes in selection decisions can have very serious consequences for corporate effectiveness. Such mistakes may well adversely affect output quality and quantity, as well as cause difficulties for colleagues, subordinates and clients. Incompetence may lead to costly mistakes, loss and waste of valuable resources, accidents, avoidable expenditure on training, stress on staff and reputational damage.