Selection Methods

Glossary of HR Terms What are Selection Methods

What are Selection Methods?

Selection Methods are the tools and techniques organizations use to evaluate and choose candidates during the hiring process. They include interviews, assessments, work samples, reference checks, and background screenings.

Why they matter

Effective selection methods ensure that the best candidates are chosen fairly and consistently. They improve quality-of-hire, reduce turnover, and enhance legal defensibility. Poor selection methods lead to hiring mistakes, bias, and wasted resources.

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How they affect HR

Selection methods are a core responsibility of HR, shaping both the quality and fairness of hiring decisions. HR designs processes that balance efficiency with predictive accuracy, often integrating structured interviews, assessments, work samples, and references. By ensuring methods are valid, reliable, and job-related, HR reduces bias and improves quality-of-hire. Selection methods also affect candidate experience: clear, fair, and engaging processes improve employer branding and reduce drop-off rates. Ultimately, HR’s role is to select tools and processes that are cost-effective, scalable, and inclusive, while aligning closely with long-term organizational goals.

Common use cases/Examples

  • Using structured behavioral interviews to assess cultural and competency fit.
  • Applying cognitive or personality assessments to predict success.
  • Conducting realistic job previews or simulations.
  • Performing reference and background checks.
  • Combining multiple selection methods for a holistic evaluation.

FAQ

Interviews, pre-employment tests, work samples, reference checks, and background screenings.

High validity, reliability, fairness, and alignment with job requirements.

Yes. Using a combination of structured interviews, assessments, and references increases predictive accuracy.

Structured and validated methods reduce bias and improve fairness compared to unstructured interviews.

Only if they are job-related, validated, and applied consistently across candidates.