BusinessIQ is one of the companies that are dedicated to providing in-depth data-driven insight that can be used to provide emerging and ever-evolving problems in the business environment. To gain a competitive advantage in the market and to effectively differentiate itself from the main rivals, the company is determined to improve its customer support and services. As a result, BusinessIQ wants to increase the number of Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) by 170. To hire highly qualified and competent employees, the company must design a new selection system that can assist in selecting the best applicants while adhering to the legal requirements and fairness. Creating an effective selection system is a challenge for many companies. Therefore, the main purpose of the paper is to recommend and design the best selection system for BusinessIQ after conducting a literature review, including how to evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen selection system.
Background
Many CRSs are not able to understand and explain complex data-analytics and management concepts because they lack technical skills in such areas. Like many companies, BusinessIQ does not have CSRs who can explain complex concepts to customers. Its 85 CSRs do not have the required knowledge and skills to offer high quality and technical customers. As a result, the company is worried about the quality of its customer services and services, as they may affect its competitiveness in the market. The first step towards getting CSRs with the required knowledge and skills is to use the appropriate selection system or process (Kattara, Weheba & El-Said, 2008). Importantly, based on job specification, the selected CSRs should have knowledge of database management software and mathematics and statistics among other requirements. One of the main tasks of CSRs is to explain data-analytics and data-management concepts to customers, even though the available CSRs lack knowledge and skills in this area. Therefore, the created selection system should help in addressing this gap that is now being experienced by BuisnessIQ.
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Interpretation and Recommendations
The use of new technologies such as the internet to search for jobs and hire employees has increased significantly over the past years. As a result, the number of job seekers and organizations that are joining social networking websites (SNWs) is rapidly increasing. Human resource professionals have realized the importance of using SNWs to hire employees, especially because they are associated with efficiency and cost-effectiveness (Nikolaou, 2014). Even though enjoyment is one of the primary reasons why many people join SNWs, the job search is the leading reason why such online platforms are increasingly becoming popular across the globe. Employers have also realized the importance of WNWs, particularly concerning the easy accessibility of a vast pool of databases of resumes that can be used to select potential job applicants (Nikolaou, 2014). Thus, one of the main advantages of using SNWs to select employees is that they significantly reduce the recruiting cycle time that is linked to the traditional selection systems. Initially, SNWs were mainly attractive to lower quality job seekers or applicant, even though this trend is changing as high-quality professionals are using such sites to look for jobs.
However, employers should know that gender and age plays a vital role in the use of SNWs. Older job seekers, as well as men, prefer to use LinkedIn while young potential applicants rely more on Facebook. Besides, people with high levels of education are more likely to use LinkedIn than other SNWs like Facebook. Apart from LinkedIn, the traditional online job boards such as careerbuilder.com are still popular among many job seekers, although they have been in existence for many years (Nikolaou, 2014). The traditional online job boards are more popular among older job seekers than their younger counterparts. Active job seekers are more frequent in SNWs that their passive colleagues. Many HR professionals prefer to use LinkedIn than any other SNWs because it is effective and reliable (Nikolaou, 2014). LinkedIn is more effective than Facebook in the selection and screening of potential applicants.
Discrimination during the hiring process is an area that has been researched by many scholars, and it is a concern to many governments. The use of modern technologies has made it difficult for people to detect cases of employment discrimination, especially during the hiring process. Structure interview is one of the strategies that are used by many HR professionals to reduce the adverse effects of a given selection process (Kroll & Ziegler, 2016). Nonetheless, it can be ineffective during the early stages of the selection process, especially when many stages are involved (Kroll & Ziegler, 2016). Consequently, many HR professionals are now resorting to internet-based interview does not only enhance the validity and fairness of the selection process but also to reduce the cost and save time. One of the main advantages why many HR professionals now prefer the internet-based interview during the selection process is because it gives the opportunity to watch the video at a later date, leading to proper evaluation of the applicants before making the final decision (Kroll & Ziegler, 2016). It allows to valid preselection of applicants. Also, internet- or video-based interview can be used to enhance fairness during the selection process.
A study that was conducted by Kroll & Ziegler (2016) that the use of video-based interview during the selection process does not result in gender discrimination, especially against women applicants. The same research also revealed that video-based interview does not lead to migration against immigrants and minority racial groups because of improved or better evaluation. However, findings by Kroll & Ziegler (2016) contradict result from previous studies that revealed that video-based interviews had been used to discriminate applicant from low social status. The in-group feelings can lead to some level of discrimination when the internet-or video-based interview is used during the selection process. Therefore, the video-based interview may not be immune to bias during the selection process.
It is important for the selection methods that are used by employers to be sensitive to applicants across cultural backgrounds. The selection process that is used in western countries may differ from those utilized in Asian regions due to cultural difference. Many employee section systems that are used in Asian countries are majorly influenced by the Confucian, which is the mainstream culture in the continent. According to many Chinese job seekers, interviews and written ability tests are the fairest employee selection techniques ( Liu, Potočnik & Anderson, 2016) . However, Chinese job applicants do not perceive personality tests and the use of resumes as fair. Even though many western countries perceive ability tests to be moderately fair, it rates high among Chinese job applicants regarding fairness ( Liu, Potočnik & Anderson, 2016) . Companies should consider the fact that a given selection system may be unfair to one country but fair to another. The creation of a selection system that sensitive to a different culture is important and should be used by firms to get the best applicants in the job market.
According to the information from the literature review, many job seekers are now using the internet to search for jobs. Liu, Potočnik, and Anderson (2016) point out that t he use of SNWs is now common among younger and older job seekers. At the same time, findings from the literature review indicate that HR professionals are turning to SWNs to select the best employees. LinkedIn is the best SWN that employers can use during the selection process. Although the video-based interview is valid, effective, and fair, it can result in in-group bias during the selection process. The effectiveness of a selection process varies from one culture to another.
Therefore, the first recommendation is the use of video-based selection system. There is no significant difference between the traditional structure interviews and video-based interview as selection techniques only that the latter is based on the use of modern technologies like computers and the internet. The selection team should first predefine interview questions before sending interview invitations to chosen applicants. Applicants should be given an opportunity to select the appropriate time to participate in the interview, especially after some discussion with the selection panel. The answers given by interviewee should be recorded for further evaluation before making the final decision. The selection system is advantageous because it is fair, valid, and cost-effective (Ozcakar et al ., 2009) . However, the selection team should maintain a high level of objectivity to reduce in-group biases.
The second recommendation is the use of LinkedIn as the source of a database of resumes. Both older and younger generations use LinkedIn to look for jobs, which is an indication that the selection team can find diverse CSRs who have the required knowledge and skills. People across cultures also use LinkedIn. Nevertheless, the section team should ensure that only relevant resumes are reviewed to save time and to get the best potential applicants. LinkedIn is not only effective but also cost-effective (Ozcakar et al ., 2009) .
Evaluation
The success of the selection process will mainly be evaluated based on the ability of the applicant to perform the main tasks of CSRs that will be assigned to them. Specifically, the selection system will be deemed successful if the applicants will be able to explain data-analytics and data-management concepts, which is challenging to many CSRs, including those who are already employed by BuisnessIQ. Secondly, the success of the selection process will be evaluated based on the ability of applicants to provide quality customer support and services. BusinessIQ expects the quality of its customer service to improve after employing additional 170 CSRs. Also, the effectiveness of the selection system will be evaluated based on the rate of turnover in the company. The chosen employee selection system is expected to be effective in meeting the set objectives.
Executive Summary
BusinessIQ is experiencing rapid growth and is rapidly expanding. However, the quality of its customer service and support is still low, mainly because its CSRs cannot comprehensively explain data-analytics and data-management concepts to clients. Therefore, it is necessary for the company to create a new selection system to hire the best CSRs who can provide quality customer support. The use if internet to seek jobs and hire employees is rapidly gaining momentum. HR professionals are using the internet, especially social networks to select and screen potential employees. LinkedIn is the leading social media that is used by both job seekers and employers. It is recommendable for BusinessIQ to use the video-based interview technique when selecting potential employees because of its many advantages. The selection team should also rely on LinkedIn to find the best and highly-qualified potential applicants.
References
Kattara, H. S., Weheba, D., & El-Said, O. A. (2008). The impact of employee behavior on customers' service quality perceptions and overall satisfaction. Tourism and Hospitality Research , 8 (4), 309-323.
Kroll, E., & Ziegler, M. (2016). Discrimination due to ethnicity and gender: How susceptible are video ‐ based job interviews? International Journal of Selection and Assessment , 24 (2), 161-171.
Liu, X., Potočnik, K., & Anderson, N. (2016). Applicant reactions to selection methods in China. International Journal of Selection and Assessment , 24 (3), 296-303.
Nikolaou, I. (2014). Social networking websites in job search and employee recruitment. International Journal of Selection and Assessment , 22 (2), 179-189.
Ozcakar, N., Mevsim, V., Guldal, D., Gunvar, T., Yildirim, E., Sisli, Z., & Semin, I. (2009). Is the use of videotape recording superior to verbal feedback alone in the teaching of clinical skills? BMC Public Health , 9 (1).
