Deck 5: Personnel Planning and Recruiting

Question 1

________ contain data on employees' performance records, educational backgrounds, and promotion recommendations.

A) Computerized forecasting tools
B) Replacement charts
C) Qualifications inventories
D) HR scorecards

Answer 1

C
Explanation: C) Qualifications or skills inventories are used by managers when determining which employees should be promoted or transferred. A skills inventory contains data on an employee's performance, education, and promotability.

Question 2

What is the purpose of recruiting?

A) forecasting the supply of candidates
B) developing an applicant pool
C) establishing a strategic plan
D) developing qualifications inventories

Answer 2

B
Explanation: B) The purpose of recruiting is to develop an applicant pool using both internal and external sources. Recruitment should make sense in terms of a firm's strategic plans, but the purpose is not to establish a strategy.

Question 3

Job posting refers to all of the following EXCEPT ________.

A) listing the job's work schedule and pay rate
B) publicizing the job to current employees
C) listing the job's required qualifications
D) listing the number of desired applicants

Answer 3

D
Explanation: D) The term "job posting" means posting the open job on company bulletin boards and/or on the Web and listing its attributes, such as qualifications, supervisor, working schedule, and pay rate. A job posting would most likely not indicate the desired number of applicants.

Question 4

________ is the process of deciding what positions the firm will have to fill and how to fill them.

A) Employee selection
B) Talent management
C) Personnel planning
D) Trend analysis

Question 5

Which of the following refers to an online vendor that uses its own servers to compile application information, prescreen applicants, and help employers set job interview appointments?

A) headhunter
B) recruitment specialist
C) employment agency
D) application service provider

Question 6

A ________ shows graphically how two variables are related.

A) trend analysis
B) ratio analysis
C) scatter plot
D) correlation analysis

Question 7

When managers need to determine which employees are available for promotion or transfer, they will most likely use ________.

A) position replacement charts
B) qualifications inventories
C) personnel trend records
D) succession plans

Question 8

Marie Boyd has been hired by Barnum Hotels to manage staffing for the regional hotel chain. Barnum intends to open two new hotels within the next 3 years and will have many job positions to fill. Historically, employee turnover is high at Barnum as employees remain with the company for less than 2 years before quitting. Marie realizes that Barnum needs to make significant changes in its personnel strategy in order to meet the company's goals for the future and improve employee retention rates. Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that Marie should use a computerized skills inventory database?

A) Barnum executives would like to transfer the firm's most qualified employees to the new hotels to fill supervisory positions.
B) Barnum primarily recruits for management trainee positions at college campuses and through online job boards.
C) Barnum's HR managers frequently receive discrimination complaints that must be investigated by the EEOC.
D) Barnum offers its employees many opportunities to participate in job rotation and job expansion experiences.

Question 9

Newton Building Supplies hopes to generate an extra $4 million in sales next year. A salesperson traditionally generates $800,000 in sales each year. Using ratio analysis, how many new salespeople should Newton hire?

A) 2
B) 5
C) 10
D) 12

Question 10

Which of the following is LEAST likely to be considered by employers during the process of workforce planning?

A) personnel needs
B) organizational culture
C) supply of inside candidates
D) supply of outside candidates

Question 11

Which of the following refers to studying variations in a firm's past employment levels to predict future needs?

A) ratio analysis
B) trend analysis
C) job analysis
D) graphical analysis

Question 12

Which of the following is an advantage for employers that use Internet recruiting?

A) guaranteed compliance with EEOC laws
B) oversight by the U.S. Department of Labor
C) quick responses from many job applicants
D) screening of unqualified applicants

Question 13

Marie Boyd has been hired by Barnum Hotels to manage staffing for the regional hotel chain. Barnum intends to open two new hotels within the next 3 years and will have many job positions to fill. Historically, employee turnover is high at Barnum as employees usually remain with the company for less than 2 years before quitting. Marie realizes that Barnum needs to make significant changes in its personnel strategy in order to meet the company's goals for the future and to improve employee retention rates. Which of the following, if true, best supports the argument that a scatter plot is the most appropriate tool for Marie to use in estimating future personnel needs?

A) Productivity levels for Barnum employees typically vary from month to month.
B) The size of the two new Barnum hotels will be similar to the chain's other hotels.
C) Barnum requires HR to maintain qualifications inventories for all current employees.
D) Barnum's marketing department will develop a new promotional campaign for the new hotels.

Question 14

The process of making forecasts based on the relationship between some causal factor like sales volume and the number of employees required is called ________.

A) ratio analysis
B) trend analysis
C) graphical analysis
D) computer analysis

Question 15

Which of the following factors plays the greatest role in determining the best medium for a job advertisement?

A) job wages and benefits
B) skills needed for the job
C) length of the employment ad
D) time allowed to fill the position

Question 16

Which of the following is used by employers to schedule interviews, match candidates with positions, and compile resume information?

A) applicant tracking systems
B) executive support systems
C) online job boards
D) O*NET

Question 17

When constructing a job advertisement, all of the following are aspects of the AIDA guide EXCEPT ________.

A) attracting attention to the ad
B) developing interest in the job
C) prompting applicant action
D) implying applicant challenges

Question 18

A firm's ________ should guide employment planning and determine the types of skills and competencies the firm needs.

A) organizational chart
B) recruitment process
C) marketing plan
D) strategic plan

Question 19

The process of identifying, assessing, and developing organizational leadership to enhance performance is known as ________.

A) internal recruiting
B) succession planning
C) team building
D) job forecasting

Question 20

Steve, an HR manager for IBM, must decide what positions the firm should fill in the next 6 months, which means Steve is currently working on ________.

A) candidate screening
B) workforce planning
C) employee contracting
D) department training

Question 21

Which of the following would be the best option for a business that needs to attract local applicants for hourly jobs?

A) employee referral campaigns
B) college recruiting
C) headhunters
D) walk-ins

Question 22

Jackie, a nurse, works on temporary assignment for local hospitals on an as-needed basis. Jackie is ________.

A) on job rotation
B) a contingent worker
C) using job enlargement
D) in a benchmark position

Question 23

Which of the following statements from a hypothetical job advertisement is intended to develop interest in a job?

A) "You'll thrive on challenging work."
B) "Ideal candidates will possess a four-year degree."
C) "Familiarity with various software applications is required."
D) "Responsibilities include event planning and relationship management."

Question 24

An employer will most likely use a private employment agency to ________.

A) receive assistance writing catchy ads
B) adhere to federal hiring practices
C) fill a specific job opening quickly
D) reach unemployed individuals

Question 25

Which of the following is an advantage of college recruiting?

A) access to a source of management trainees
B) inexpensive method of screening applicants
C) highly effective candidate screening process
D) minimal preparation required by firms

Question 26

Which of the following is a disadvantage of using an executive recruiter?

A) limited contacts in high-tech industries
B) inability to approach employed prospects
C) unfamiliarity with a company's needs
D) legally required to reveal firm's identity

Question 27

Which of the following is typically responsible for paying the fees charged by a private employment agency when an applicant is placed in a job?

A) employees
B) employers
C) independent recruiters
D) U.S. Department of Labor

Question 28

Which of the following is a service provided by many state employment service agencies?

A) workforce planning guidelines
B) employee training programs
C) employee orientation programs
D) applicant tracking systems

Question 29

All of the following are benefits associated with applicant tracking systems EXCEPT ________.

A) reducing recruiting costs
B) implementing training programs
C) finding and hiring better employees
D) identifying effective recruitment sources

Question 30

An applicant tracking system allows an HR manager to ________.

A) develop training programs for new hires
B) identify the best recruitment sources
C) conduct online appraisals
D) post new positions

Question 31

Which of the following terms refers to the use of nontraditional recruitment sources?

A) HR management
B) negligent hiring
C) personnel planning
D) alternative staffing

Question 32

Which of the following best explains the rising trend of businesses using temporary workers?

A) workers' desires for flexible schedules
B) desire of businesses to avoid paying overtime
C) high cost of workers' compensation insurance
D) low economic confidence among employers

Question 33

Counselors in state-run employment agencies conduct all of the following activities EXCEPT ________.

A) reviewing an employer's job requirements
B) visiting employer work sites
C) filing employer tax reports
D) writing job descriptions

Question 34

Which of the following generates the highest quality of job applicants for most firms?

A) employee referrals
B) internal job postings
C) regional career fairs
D) national online job boards

Question 35

What is the primary goal of college recruiters?

A) supporting employment diversity programs
B) attracting good candidates to the firm
C) cutting future recruiting costs for the firm
D) developing a pool of temporary workers

Question 36

Which of the following is NOT a term used to describe the contingent workforce of an organization?

A) part-time employees
B) just-in-time workers
C) collateral employees
D) temporary workers

Question 37

________ are special employment agencies retained by employers to seek out top management talent for their clients.

A) State-run employment agencies
B) Private employment agencies
C) Executive recruiters
D) Temporary agencies

Question 38

Pamlico River Productions is seeking a top-level executive to oversee its finance division. Qualified candidates can be difficult to find, so the firm would most likely benefit from using a(n) ________ to recruit potential candidates.

A) state employment agency
B) executive recruiter
C) temporary agency
D) online job site

Question 39

Haley, an HR specialist, needs to determine which hiring source produces the best candidates for her firm. Which of the following would most likely help Haley with her task?

A) HR scorecard
B) high performance work system
C) applicant tracking system
D) transaction processing system

Question 40

In regard to on-campus recruiting, which of the following will most likely help sell the employer to the interviewee?

A) simplified application forms
B) well-written job descriptions
C) recruiter's professional attire
D) personable nature of the recruiter

Question 41

Which of the following factors is LEAST relevant to forecasting personnel needs?

A) productivity changes
B) marketing methods
C) projected turnover
D) financial resources

Question 42

The HR manager at Falco Industries knows from past experience that generating 1,200 leads will most likely lead to 150 candidate interviews and 50 new hires. The HR manager most likely relies on a(n) ________.

A) recruiting yield pyramid
B) qualifications inventory
C) employment position matrix
D) personnel replacement chart

Question 43

What was a result of Valero Energy implementing a labor supply chain to monitor recruitment and hiring?

A) reduced hiring costs
B) increased internal hires
C) reduced need for recruiting yield pyramids
D) increased use of organizational development

Question 44

Theresa, an HR manager, works for a firm that is planning to expand overseas. Theresa is in the process of workforce planning and has already forecasted the firm's labor demand. What should Theresa do next?

A) create a job competencies matrix of all positions
B) establish training and development plans
C) identify labor supply-demand gaps
D) determine recruitment methods

Question 45

Once a firm has a pool of applicants, the first step in prescreening is the ________.

A) in-person interview
B) on-site visit
C) application form
D) worker orientation

Question 46

Mandatory alternative dispute resolution agreements require ________.

A) applicants to take unpaid leaves of absence during employment disputes
B) employees to contact the local EEOC office prior to filing formal complaints
C) applicants to agree to arbitrate certain legal disputes related to employment or dismissal
D) employees to meet with human resources representatives prior to submitting resignations

Question 47

Which term refers to finding and/or attracting applicants for the employer's open positions?

A) employee recruiting
B) applicant tracking
C) employee selection
D) job development

Question 48

What is the primary goal of the recruitment and selection process?

A) filling top executive positions
B) forecasting future personnel needs
C) hiring the best candidates for positions
D) increasing the retention of key employees

Question 49

Which of the following is created for each position in a company to show possible replacement candidates and their qualifications?

A) computerized forecast
B) skills inventory record
C) position replacement card
D) personnel replacement matrix

Question 50

Which term refers to paying continuous attention to workforce planning issues?

A) talent management and development
B) predictive workforce monitoring
C) strategic personnel planning
D) external labor forecasting

Question 51

All of the following terms refer to the process of deciding how to fill positions at an organization EXCEPT ________ planning.

A) succession
B) workforce
C) personnel
D) employment

Question 52

What is an advantage of filling open positions with internal candidates?

A) orientation needs reduced
B) interviewing streamlined
C) job postings publicized
D) status quo maintained

Question 53

Which of the following is NOT information that should be requested on application forms?

A) level of education
B) work experience
C) technical skills
D) marital status

Question 54

Which of the following would most likely improve the security of employee data?

A) ensuring that all files are read-only and write-only
B) minimizing the use of qualifications inventories
C) performing random background checks
D) reducing the number of firewalls

Question 55

Smith Industries has set a goal of recruiting older workers, minorities, and single parents. Which of the following methods is LEAST likely to be successful for Smith Industries?

A) utilizing executive recruiters
B) offering flexible work schedules
C) providing flexible benefits plans
D) redesigning jobs and personnel policies

Question 56

What is the primary way that a firm builds a brand that improves recruiting efforts?

A) investing in the local community
B) creating a positive work environment
C) encouraging diversity in the workplace
D) developing environmentally-friendly ads

Question 57

A manager who needs to forecast the external labor supply will most likely use all of the following resources EXCEPT ________.

A) O*NET
B) Bloomberg Businessweek
C) Bureau of Labor Statistics
D) The New York Times

Question 58

Which of the following refers to company records that show the present performance and promotability of inside candidates for the most important positions?

A) employee ratio analysis
B) qualifications inventory
C) employee replacement card
D) personnel replacement chart

Question 59

Which law includes a provision that protects the privacy of employee medical records?

A) ADA
B) Title VII
C) ADEA
D) HIPAA

Question 60

What is the first step in the recruitment and selection process?

A) assessing training requirements
B) forecasting employment needs
C) developing job applications
D) building an applicant pool

Question 61

Which online recruiting method best enables candidates to get a feel for a company's working environment?

A) applicant tracking
B) virtual office tour
C) career interests game
D) intelligent automated resume screening

Question 62

Which term refers to the number of employees leaving the firm divided by the total number of positions in the company?

A) turnover rate
B) vacancy rate
C) time to fill
D) selection ratio

Question 63

Which term refers to special vendors that handle all or most of an employer's recruiting tasks and needs?

A) applicant tracking system
B) integrated recruiting system
C) requisition management system
D) recruitment process outsourcer

Question 64

Based on recruitment research, which of the following management practices would LEAST likely improve recruiting effectiveness?

A) ensuring that the company website is attractive and updated
B) using applicant referrals from current employees
C) providing applicants with salary information
D) emphasizing positive aspects of the job

Question 65

In the succession planning process, creating candidates involves providing candidates with ________.

A) team-building competencies and skills
B) organizational development activities
C) important developmental experiences
D) lucrative compensation packages

Question 66

Which component of a firm's integrated computerized recruitment system handles the approval and posting of job openings?

A) recruitment process outsourcer
B) requisition management system
C) hiring management software
D) screening service

Question 67

According to the text, GE Medical has improved its recruiting effectiveness by ________.

A) relying on more headhunters
B) encouraging employee referrals
C) improving its career website
D) eliminating private recruiters

Question 68

When seeking internal candidates, managers are likely to use ________ to find employees with the necessary requirements for open positions.

A) job postings
B) labor forecasts
C) qualifications skills banks
D) recruiting yield pyramids

Question 69

What is a potential drawback of rehiring former employees?

A) inability to learn policies and procedures
B) mismatch to the organizational culture
C) demand for a higher compensation
D) negative attitude about the firm

Question 70

Which of the following factors about new hires is LEAST relevant when measuring recruiting effectiveness?

A) turnover
B) failure rate
C) interview time
D) job performance

Question 71

According to recruitment research, which of the following is a true statement?

A) Recruitment materials with general job information improve recruiting.
B) The recruitment source has a significant effect on the reduction of turnover.
C) Job previews that address positive and negative aspects of a job increase turnover.
D) Organizational image has little if any effect on an applicant's initial reaction to a firm

Question 72

What is the first step of the succession planning process?

A) creating personnel replacement cards for available positions
B) identifying needs based on the firm's strategic and business plans
C) developing a pool of qualified and experienced inside candidates
D) assessing and selecting internal candidates for executive positions

Question 73

What is the benefit of intelligent automated resume screening?

A) finding keywords and phrases of applicants
B) encouraging applicant-employer interaction
C) understanding an applicant's job preferences
D) posting highly detailed job descriptions

Question 74

Ratio analysis and trend analysis are rarely used to forecast personnel needs because they are complicated methods that produce historically unreliable results.

Question 75

The assumption shared by both trend analysis and ratio analysis is that productivity remains about the same from year to year.

Question 76

A scatter plot is a personnel forecasting method that analyzes a firm's past employment needs to predict future needs.

Question 77

Suzanne is reviewing the completed job application of a person applying for a marketing position. Which of the following questions would LEAST likely be answered by the application form?

A) Does the applicant have the education and experience to perform the job?
B) What job-related progress and growth has the applicant experienced?
C) Does the applicant have any significant health conditions?
D) Has the applicant experienced job stability?

Question 78

Todd has been identified by Markam Industries as a high-potential employee in the firm's succession planning process. Which of the following activities would most likely aid in developing Todd's potential?

A) job rotation
B) employee orientation
C) performance appraisal
D) multicultural training

Question 79

Projected turnover, employee skills, financial resources, and technological changes are significant factors that managers must consider when determining future workforce needs.

Question 80

Employment planning should be an integral part of a firm's strategic and HR planning process.