OPTIMUM SOFTWARE INC. At Optimum Software Inc., there is no organized approach to selecting candidates. The company hires salespeople, administrators, programmers and other office staff. Three members, Jamie, Ahad (Administrators), and Raphael (Raphael is from the Board of Directors) interview each candidate, and the three then get together for a discussion. Unfortunately, they usually reach strikingly different conclusions. For example, Raphael thought a particular candidate was "stellar" and would not only be able to sell but also eventually assume various administrative responsibilities to take the load off Jamie and Ahad. Ahad thought this particular candidate was hopeless: "I've been selling for eight years and have hired many salespeople, and there's no way this person's going to be a closer," he said. Jamie, noting that a friend of her mother had recommended this particular candidate, was willing to take a walt-and-see attitude; "Let's hire her and see how she does," she said. Ahad replied that this was no way to hire a salesperson, and, in any case, hiring another administrator was pretty far down their priority list. "I wish Raphael would stick to the problem at hand, namely hiring a 100-percent salesperson." All three are also skeptical about employment tests, stating that in a "ten-minute face-to-face meeting with candidates," they should be able to judge the candidates' potential. They concluded that all this fuss about employment testing is unnecessary." Jamie was sure that inadequate formal interviewing/selection practices, procedures, and training accounted for at least some of the problems they were having in hiring and keeping good salespeople. They did hire one salesperson whom they thought was going to be terrific, based on the praise provided by her references and how they assessed her previous sales experience; she stayed for a month and a half, hardly sold anything, cost the company almost $10,000 of its precious cash, and then left for another job. The problem wasn't just with the salespeople. For one thing they hired a programmer largely based on his assertion that he was an expert in various web-related programming. The questions they asked were mostly based on the applicant's self evaluation of what he did well. While they were not sure, Jamie and Ahad ended up hiring the programmer-only to have him leave three weeks later, more or less by mutual consent "This is a total disaster," said Jamie, and Ahad could only agree. It was obvious that in some respects their interviews were worse than not interviewing at all. In any case, they now want you, their recently hired human resource consultant, to tell them what to do. You are knowledgeable of various assessments, their uses, validity, and reliability, CASE STUDY-Use case evidence and specific concepts to support your answers-Answer all questions that follow Question 1: 1a) What advice would you give the selection team at Optimum Software Inc on the importance of conducting employment tests and well-structured interviews? (3 Marks) b) Explain relevant screening tools (predictors) you would recommend to assess critical KSAOs for the job of salespeople and programmers at Optimum Software Inc. (2 Marks) Question 2: At Optimum Software Inc., there is no standard way of assessing applicants in a valid or reliable manner. However, you are aware of the impact of collecting and combining applicant information 2a) Recommend a way to collect and combine applicant information and explain why that method would be best in this situation. (2 Marks) 26) Write two behaviour interview questions that would be appropriate for a sales position at Optimum Software Inc (2 marks) 20 What important things would you recommend Optimum Software Inc do while conducting reference checks for prospective applicants. (1 Marks)