Question

What is the difference between a false positive and a false negative selection decisions. Which one has more negative consequences for an organization? Which one has more negative consequences for a job applicant? Explain.

Answer 1

Answer.

There are two types of selection error which can be committed by job selectors in accepting or declining a candidate for a job profile in their organisation. A false positive error is a decision to hire an applicant based on predicted success, but which results in the appointed employee’s failure to meet the job requirements. However, the false negative error is made when an applicant who would have succeeded at the job is otherwise rejected based on predictions of failure. In false negative error, the company risks losing a competent employee and in false positive error , the company can incur a setback in terms of poor level of performance by selecting a less efficient candidate.

Thus, the overall costs of false positive error are more for the organisation. These include profit losses, damaged public relations or company reputation, accidents due to ineptitude or negligence, absenteeism, costs associated with training, transfer, or terminating the employee. Then there can be Costs of replacing the employee, recruiting, selecting, and training a replacement.

On the other hand, false negative error implies greater risks or negative consequences for the job applicant as the applicant could have succeeded but gets rejected because failure was predicted.