HRM FPX 5025 Assessment 4 CapraTek Recruiting and Hiring Plan

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Capella University

HRM-FPX5025 Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning

Prof. Name:

Date

CapraTek Recruiting and Hiring Plan

CapraTek has long been a leader in the design and manufacture of computer server components. Recently, the Georgia-based facility made a strategic decision to diversify its products by entering the emerging wireless technologies market. The company has begun producing a smart home technology system called Alfred, which integrates all electrical appliances. Alfred allows users to control home appliances through a single wireless device and a web interface. To distribute Alfred, the company needs to hire sales representatives, particularly in the Southwest region. As a result, the company must develop a recruiting and hiring plan for the sales representative position. The first step is to create a job description for the position using older job descriptions and the ONet online website to identify the position’s KSAs.

Sales Representative Job Description

Job Summary

The qualified candidate for the sales representative position must be a quick learner, possess a positive attitude, and be self-driven to excel. The successful candidate must also have previous experience selling in retail or business-to-business environments. They will be responsible for account development, prospect communication, negotiation with buyers, and growing an account base.

Roles

The main roles for the sales representative include:

Negotiating prices and terms of sales and agreements.
Preparing and submitting sales contracts for the delivery of orders.
Visiting consumer sites to evaluate needs and promote Alfred.
Using automated computer systems to maintain records.
Completing expense and sales reports.
Ensuring that customers receive products within stipulated times.
Providing customers with ongoing technical support.
Attending sales and trade meetings to obtain information on market, industry developments, and environmental regulations, among others.
Answering customer questions about Alfred’s installation, availability, and credit terms.

Requirements

The ideal candidate must have a bachelor’s degree and five years of experience in computer or consumer electronics sales, with a proven track record of exceeding annual revenue and profit targets. The candidate must also possess a robust consultative sales approach and cold-calling experience and be able to travel to up to 50% of consumer sites.

Knowledge and Skills

The candidate must possess strong communication skills, persuasion, active listening, negotiation, and social perceptiveness. Moreover, the candidate must be a seasoned negotiator and closer, express themselves both orally and in written form, and comprehend messages in both verbal and written formats. Additionally, the candidate must have problem sensitivity, fluent ideas, and reasoning ability. They must also be capable of building “C” level executive relationships within named accounts.

In terms of knowledge, the candidate must be skilled in analytical software like IBM SPSS Statistics, customer relationship management (CRM) software like Salesforce, electronic mail software like Microsoft Outlook, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software such as NetSuite ERP, and database user interface and query software like Microsoft Access. The candidate should also be knowledgeable in customer and personnel service, sales and marketing, the English language, administration and management, mathematics, computer processing, and computers and electronics.

Competency Model

A competency model is necessary in HRM functions, not just in hiring and selection, but also to support performance management, training, and succession planning (Biech, 2010). Developing a competency model involves identifying job requirements and the actions required to help employees acquire the skills needed for the job. In other words, competency modeling connects individual competency requirements with organizational objectives (Biech, 2010).

To be successful as a sales representative, candidates must be able to develop customer relationships. The position places the candidate at the forefront of dealing with customers in the field, requiring effective communication skills. Additionally, the candidate must possess emotional intelligence and the ability to identify and address customer concerns.

The second competency is closing sales. The ideal candidate must be able to persuade customers and negotiate with them, perceiving customer needs and offering solutions. They must also have excellent communication skills to explain the product to customers and answer their questions.

The next competency required for the position is sales and marketing expertise and market knowledge. The candidate must stay updated on labor market, industry, and environmental regulatory developments.

CapraTek has the option to hire candidates who possess these competencies or to train them after hiring. However, since CapraTek is a relatively small organization with limited resources, especially during its expansion phase, it may be more affordable and convenient to hire individuals with the necessary competencies. Therefore, the company will only need to conduct onboarding and orientation.

Labor Market Analysis

CapraTek has expressed interest in expanding into the Southwestern region of the U.S. One potential location for expansion is Austin, Texas. In Austin, 93.9% of households have a computer, and 85.8% have a broadband internet connection, which is higher than the state statistics of 89.2% and 79.3%, respectively (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). Since Alfred is managed through a web interface, Austin seems like a good location for CapraTek to base its operations.

The unemployment rate in Texas currently stands at 12.8% due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, before the pandemic, the unemployment rate was 5.1%. Assuming that CapraTek’s operations have also been affected by the pandemic, the organization may only be able to hire after the pandemic. During that time, most people will likely have returned to work, and the unemployment rate may revert to pre-pandemic levels or slightly higher. Consequently, it may not be difficult for CapraTek to find candidates for the sales representative position in Texas.

In Texas, females make up 50.3% of the total population. White people are still the majority at 78.8%, African Americans account for 12.8%, and about 10% of the population is made up of other minority groups (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). Additionally, 83.3% of people in Texas have a high school diploma, and 29.3% have a bachelor’s degree (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). Since a degree is a qualification for the sales representative position, CapraTek will focus on the latter group. It may not be difficult to find a qualified candidate in Texas based on educational qualifications.

Currently, CapraTek only needs four sales representatives. While it may be challenging to balance the hiring of minorities, CapraTek should still ensure that minority groups and protected classes are represented among the four sales representatives hired.

Selection and Screening

Once the human resources department has completed the job analysis and formulated a job description, the company can expect to start receiving applications. As a result, the company must develop a selection plan to identify the right candidate from the pool of applicants. CapraTek can use the following methods to screen candidates.

Resumes

One method companies use to screen and assess candidates is through biographical data, with resumes being the most common source. Biographical data is based on the premise that past performance predicts future performance (Riggio, 2015). Therefore, CapraTek can use biographical data to determine candidates’ past performance and select those who have excelled in previous roles.

Interview

The second method of screening candidates is through interviews, which are the most common form of screening for job positions. While organizations sometimes opt for unstructured interviews, where questions are left to the interviewer’s discretion and no set standards guide the interview, research has shown that unstructured interviews have minimal results in predicting job performance (Pulakos, 2005). Consequently, CapraTek should opt for structured interviews, which can be used to assess the KSAs, but are primarily used to evaluate candidates’ interpersonal skills. Since excellent communication skills are a key competency for the sales representative position, CapraTek can use interviews to test this in candidates.

Cognitive Ability Tests

Another screening method is cognitive ability tests, which measure the mental abilities of candidates (Riggio, 2015). These include verbal and mathematical ability, reading and listening comprehension, and reasoning skills—all necessary for the sales representative position. CapraTek has previously used the benchmark group to assess cognitive ability in its candidates.

Personality Tests

Another tool used in assessment is personality tests, which evaluate personality traits relevant to the position (Riggio, 2015). Personality tests can be administered on paper or a computer. CapraTek has also used personality tests in the past, specifically the Dunlop personality test, which checks for nine personality types relevant to the sales representative position and contributes to success in this role.

Job Knowledge Tests

As mentioned earlier, candidates for the sales representative position must have prior experience and demonstrate knowledge of the position’s requirements, industry conventions, and relevant software. Job knowledge tests are another screening tool CapraTek can use to identify qualified candidates. These tests evaluate candidates’ knowledge of the position and are primarily used to determine where additional training is needed (Pulakos, 2005). Since CapraTek lacks the resources or time to train candidates extensively for the sales representative position, a job knowledge test is necessary to distinguish knowledgeable candidates from those needing more training.

CapraTek also has other screening methods used in the past, including integrity tests and sales simulations.

Impact of Technology on Staffing

Technology plays an essential role in the screening of candidates. For instance, in CapraTek’s screening process, almost all methods utilize technology, primarily computer systems, for administering various tests. This streamlines the process, as tests can be administered remotely, allowing candidates to send their results without needing to be physically present. This efficiency benefits the hiring team, saving time and effort. Moreover, by leveraging technology, CapraTek can reliably predict employee performance (Wang, 2014).

Legal Environment

The selection and hiring process occurs within a legal framework, and CapraTek must ensure compliance with legal guidelines. For example, CapraTek is bound by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964), which prohibits discrimination in hiring decisions based on race, color, religion, gender, or national origin. The company must also comply with the Age Discrimination Act (1967), which prohibits discrimination based on age, particularly for individuals aged 40 years and above (Gitman et al., 2018).

In addition to these legal guidelines, CapraTek is also bound by the uniform guidelines on employee selection procedures, designed to help employers comply with federal laws prohibiting discrimination on various grounds. These procedures can be applied to all selection processes, including interviews, performance evaluations, and experience reviews (Bohlander & Snell, 2010). Some guidelines include the 4/5 rule, which prevents an organization from hiring too many employees from the same demographic at the expense of other groups.

Using the uniform selection procedures will ensure that CapraTek does not discriminate against employees of any demographic in the hiring process. Moreover, these procedures will ensure that all employees are utilized equally and that there is a balanced composition of members from different groups in every department. Regarding the sales representative position, the uniform selection guidelines will ensure that CapraTek hires at least one person from the protected classes, such as a woman or an employee from a minority group.

Recommended Candidates

Twenty candidates submitted their resumes for the sales representative position. Resumes were used as the sole screening method. Three candidates were chosen: Eric Foster, Gary Hammond, and Christina Cho. Both Eric and Gary demonstrated a competitive streak and the ability to achieve results in their resumes. They also showed that they are self-driven, having introduced innovative ways to help their previous companies perform better, and even received awards for their efforts.

Patrick Brown was also a strong candidate, showing competitiveness, innovation, and the ability to deliver results. These candidates demonstrated the necessary interpersonal skills for the project. However, instead of Brown, Christina Cho was chosen due to the need to have a woman on the team to avoid bias. Of the two women who applied, Cho had the most experience, was more knowledgeable, and provided evidence of delivering results in her past performance.

References

Biech, E. (2010). The 2011 Pfeiffer annual: Training. John Wiley and Sons.

Bohlander, W. G., & Snell, S. (2010). Managing human resources. Cengage Learning.

Gitman, J. L., McDaniel, C., Shah, A., Reece, M., Hosuton, L., Talsma, B., & Hyat, C. J. (2018). Introduction to business. OpenStax.

Pulakos, E. D. (2005). Selection assessment methods. Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation.

Riggio, R. (2015). Introduction to industrial and organizational psychology. Routledge.

U.S. Census Bureau. (n.d.). Quick facts, Austin city, Texas. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/austincitytexas,TX/PST045219