Read "Case Study 2 - Pros and Cons of Cleaning Up the Resu-mess" on page 241 in the textbook. Answer the following questions:

1. Why might organizations use resume-screening tools?

2. What impact do you think resume-screening tools are having on HR departments? What about line managers?

3. Do you think the use software to screen resumes is valid? Why or why not?

4. How might the drawbacks associated with resume-screening software be addressed?

allowing candidates to experience the work of a call centre employee while simultaneously having their skills assessed by CIBC recruiters. At Toyota, applicants participating in simula- tions read dials and gauges1 spot safety problems, and use their ability to solve problems; at the same time, their general ability to learn is assessed. The candidates can see and hear about the job they are applying for from current Toyota employees. National City Bank has used virtual assessments to test call centre candidates and branch manager candidates. Call centre candidates are given customer service problems to solve, and branch manager candidates go through a simulation that assesses their ability to foster relationships with clients and make personnel decisions. Virtual assessment tools, which are produced by companies such as Shaker Group Consulting and Profiles International, do not come cheap. Although they can cost tens of thousands of dollars, larger companies that can afford them are saying they are worth it. The benets are betterqualied candidates, faster recruiting, and lower turnover among employees hired. KeyBank says that by using virtual testing tools, it realized savings of more than $1.75 million per year due to lower turn- over. Candidates also seem to like the assessments because they provide a more realistic job preview and make them feel as if they are being chosen for jobs based on more than just their personali ties or how they performed during an interview. \"It was a very insightful experience that made you think about what exactly you like and dislike in the workplace and if you really enjoy helping custom- ers and have patience to do so,\" says one candidate tested for a customer service job. HR experts warn that companies need to be sure they are not simply buying glitzy simulations that do not translate well to the jobs for which they are hiring. Also, the screening tools could potentially eliminate candidates who have trouble with simulations or computers but might make good employees. You should ask the vendor to provide evidence that these methods are reliable and valid. Questions 1. What do you think are the prime advantages and disadvantages of \"virtual tryouts\"? 2. Do you think there would be any employ- ment equity concerns regarding this system? 3. Do you think virtual job tryouts might be better suited for some jobs than others? If so, which ones? Case Study 2 NL PROS AND CONS OF CLEANING UP THE \"HESU-MESS" Electronic job-application submission systems can leave HR and hiring managers drowning in a sea of resumes and applications. Some large retailers can get a million or more resumes a year. Even small businesses can find themselves ooded with them. For example, one rm needed to hire 35 people and received 1{II,l')l'.}|{]I rsume's and had to hire an Outside firm to help sort through them. It's not surprising that harried HR personnel, managers, and business owners are increasingly using applicationtracking systems and other types of rsum-screem'ng software. Ayax Systems and Kenexa are two firms that offer close to a. thousand online assessments, with prices rang- ing from a couple of bucks to $50 a test. Many job boards now feature prescreening questions as well and have algorithms to recommend candi dates simjlar to the way Amazon.com recom- mends products based on what a person has purchased in the past. Not all HR professionals are fans of rsum- screening software, however. Managers tend to pile on huge numbers of key words so that very few applicants can make it past the screen, says Peter Cappelli, a University of Pennsylvania professor who has written a book called Why Good Pbople Can't Gerfobs. Different kinds of soft- ware also have different kinds of glitches. Many of them don't read serif-type styles such as Times 24