HRM (Past Year Question + Answer) APRIL 2010 [Question 3]

APRIL 2010

Part A

Question 3

a) Briefly explain two (2) types of information requested in an application form or resume for employment

Many source of information are used by organisation to assist them in the selection process. There are several types of information requested in an application form or resume for employment. The two types of information requested are:

1. Personal details of applicants

The candidate who applying a job need to provide his/ her personal details in the application form. All the personal details of the applicants must be written accurately. The application form with false and lack information about the applicant's details will be rejected. Personal details of applicants should include their home address, phone numbers, Identification Card (IC) numbers, reference and other related information.

2. Education qualifications

The education level of the applicants need to be written accurately according to their achieved result during their schools, colleges and universities. The higher level of education qualifications will be promoted with a better job positions. Therefore, the information regarding their education qualifications need to be stated correctly or otherwise the application form will be rejected by the companies.

b) Elaborate four (4) types of selection tests

Testing is an attempt to introduce some objectivity. Tests conducted must be valid and reliable and also must be culturally appropriate and use language understandable to the test- takers. There are several types of selection tests which are:

1. Performance tests

The purpose of performance tests is to check that a candidate has specific abilities that he says he has, even when he is able to show some certificate of competency. Examples of the tests are driving tests, keyboarding tests, computer usage tests and other such tests are easy to construct and they give a clear picture of the candidate's abilities and skills. For example, if the applicants applying for acting, they will be ask the candidates to act like an actor.

2. Medical tests

This test is conducted to determine whether they are physically fit for the job offered and whether they have any diseases that could be a problem once they are employed. Medical tests should be customised meaning the tests should go with the job. For example, if employing a worker in manufacturing of cupboards, medical tests to check that he is not having asthma because asthma person cannot withstand with dust.

3. The Polygraph

The 'lie detector' is a device that measures changes in certain physiological functions believed to be corrected between telling the truth or lie. For example, the polygraph is used in employing workers in the sector of police and lawyer.

4. Drug testing

Drug testing is used to screen out drug users from employment and take corrective action with employees who test positive. The positive drug test workers will be banned from their jobs because it will harm other workers in term of working conditions. The productivity will decreases of the workers are drug addicted because of absenteeism problem.

c) Briefly discuss the following method of training:

[i] Mentoring

This method of training is when the trainee works directly with a senior manager who is the trainee's mentor. It is the process of learning from a senior worker or more experienced employee. Mentoring establishes a formal relationship between a junior and senior colleagues or between a person with superior knowledge a less experienced employee. The employee will observes what he experienced the senior does. The advantages of this method are; person learns through experience and it will enable the trainee to fill the post when it is vacant. This method also has it disadvantages which are; the trainee will also learns bad habits of the experienced worker and the senior will withholds knowledge because he may see trainee as a threat to his position.

[ii] Role playing

Role playing refers to trainees which have to act out of characters that assigned to them. To be an effective worker, the trainers need to engage in several activities. The trainers need to explain the purpose and characters to the trainees before starting the activities. During the activities, trainers need to monitor the time, intensity, focus on the group's attention. Finally, debriefing process need to be done by the trainers after the activities come to the end.

[iii] Simulation

It is a training approach that uses a training site set up to be identified to the work site. Trainees can learn under realistic conditions but be away from the pressures of the production schedule. The example of training using this method is the test driving among drivers.

HRM (Past Year Question + Answer) APRIL 2010 [Question 2]

APRIL 2010

Part A

Question 2
a) Discuss two (2) advantages and two (2) disadvantages of external recruitment

Filling position with external candidates have many advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages of external recruitment is the organisation possible to widen choice of applicants by having pool of candidates. Therefore, the manager can choose the better person for the job. For example, a manager has many choices to choose person with better skills and qualification in order to be appoint as his workers.

Another advantage of external recruitment is new insights skills and know-how can be introduced into organisation. New workers from outside organisation will bring new ideas and insight to solve problem in the organisation with different method. Different method will bring different impact on the problem.

On the other hand, one disadvantage of external recruitment is high cost of recruitment process. More money is needed for the advertisement in the newspaper. Providing training to new workers also used a lot of money.

Another disadvantage of external recruitment is frustration among existing employees. Existing workers will frustrate if they are not being promoted with their favour job position. Their frustration will lead to the problem of absenteeism which will affect the productivity of the organisation.

b) Differentiate between job description and job satisfaction

Job description is a written statement that describes the list of job duties, responsibilities, reporting relationships, working conditions and supervisory responsibilities whereas job specification is a list of human requirements, skills and abilities of an individual needed in a particular job that is the requisite education, skills, personality and so on that the job holder requires to perform the job satisfactory.

Besides, job description describe the nature of the job providing information on the tasks, duties and what employees are expected to do on the job while job specification describe about the skills needed to perform a job satisfactorily.

Apart from that, job description is supposed to be given to the new worker when he/she first time reports duty while job specification does not need to be given to new workers.

Last but not least, job description will be given on the first day when the new workers start working. It tells who is supposed to do what and hand report to whom. It also tells the category and location of the job. On the other hand, job specification will be given to interviewee during the process of interview. It lists specifically the workers characteristics needed to perform a job.

c) Explain four (4) uses of job analysis information

The result of the job analysis process helps the human resource manager to carry out human resource management functions. There are several uses of job analysis which are:

1. Selection

The manager and supervisor will use job description and job specification to select and orientate the employees. They select the workers that can work for them. For example, manager will select qualified workers that can work efficiently using their available skills and experience in working.

2. Compensation

Management must estimate the value of one's job in term of employee's skills, effort and responsibilities as well as the environment, hazard at the work place so that the management could provide accurate compensation for the particular post. For example, managers need to identify their employees before providing company's car to them. The managers also need to know the salary of their workers.

3. Performance Appraisal

The requirement contained in the job description can help explain the criteria to evaluate the post holder's performance. Performance standard against which the job holder's performance need to be determined in order to judge employee for promotion and etc. For instance, the manager will evaluate his workers in term of their efficiency toward finishing their given task before they can be promoted to other job positions.

4. Career Development

Job analysis provides information needed for succession planning and career. For example, if the worker do job as a clerk, the manager needs to know what type of work and task that the clerk can do and where can the clerk further his/her career.