Applicant perspectives during selection

We provide a comprehensive but critical review of research on applicant reactions to selection procedures published since 2000 (n = 145), when the last major review article on applicant reactions appeared in the Journal of Management. We start by addressing the main criticisms levied against the field to determine whether applicant reactions matter to individuals and employers (“So what?”). This is followed by a consideration of “What’s new?” by conducting a comprehensive and detailed review of applicant reaction research centered upon four areas of growth: expansion of the theoretical lens, incorporation of new technology in the selection arena, internationalization of applicant reactions research, and emerging boundary conditions. Our final section focuses on “Where to next?” and offers an updated and integrated conceptual model of applicant reactions, four key challenges, and eight specific future research questions. Our conclusion is that the field demonstrates stronger research designs, with studies incorporating greater control, broader constructs, and multiple time points. There is also solid evidence that applicant reactions have significant and meaningful effects on attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. At the same time, we identify some remaining gaps in the literature and a number of critical questions that remain to be explored, particularly in light of technological and societal changes

Scientific principles versus practical realities: insights from organizational theory to individual psychological assessment

Individual psychological assessment (IPA) for executive and top management positions isn´t an easy job. Still, knowledge gained over decades of scientific study suggests that we rely on structured job and organizational analyses; the construction of appropriate high- and low-fidelity simulations, cognitive tests, and affective inventories suitable in content and difficulty (Ones & Dilchert, 2009; Rubenzer, Faschingbauer, & Ones, 2000); as well as a structured and mechanical combination of the resulting information (Aegisdottir et al.,2006; Grove, Zald, Lebow, Snitz, & Nelson, 2000). And we will likely still remain painfully aware of the poor ability of even our most refined assessments for predicting executives´ performance. Silzer and Jeanneret (2011) "disagree with those who have a simplistic view of executive roles" and argue that they "do not think a job-sampling approach to establish job relatedness [...] is feasible, given the complexity of executive jobs and the significant influence of contextual factors" and that "test batteries would only evaluate individuals on very general factors (mostly cognitive factors) that are far too broad to differentiate specific executive success." Rather, they stress the expertise of the assessing psychologist and "the clinician´s genuine creative act of generating a structural-dynamic hypothesis," arguing for assessors´ proposed ability to sort and integrate observations in multiple ways, to identify "broken legs" and to adapt the focus of the testing to the information so far received. Many reasons may explain why even scientist–practitioners discard the advice of their own discipline, ranging from implicit beliefs (Highhouse, 2008), classic attribution errors, and decision-making biases (Phillips & Gully, 2008) to the evolutionary novelty of our statistical decision rules for a task (predicting others´ behavior) as old as man himself (Colarelli & Thompson, 2008). Klimoski and Jones (2008) argued to also consider the context of personnel selection. Already conceptualized (Klehe, 2004) and proven useful (König et al., 2010) for personnel selection in general, this commentary tries to apply this idea to IPA in particular

Job loss as 'Blessing in Disguise': Career activities as predictors of reemployment quality

Job loss is one of the most difficult work related situations that an individual may encounter. Yet, sometimes job loss may also turn into a blessing in disguise. Combining the careers literature with the literature on unemployment, the current paper addresses potential positive outcomes of job loss by focusing on specific career adaptability activities that individuals can undertake to obtain these outcomes. Three hundred and four unemployed outplacement attendees reported their use of self and environmental career exploration and career planning, as well as of job search (general and networking) and the availability of two resources that may foster these activities, general self-efficacy and social support. Six months later, 215 individuals reported their current reemployment status and, when applicable, the quality of that reemployment. Results replicate the positive effects of job search on finding reemployment but moreover outline the relevance of career planning and exploration during unemployment on ensuring the quality of this reemployment. Theoretical implications and directions for practice and future research are discussed