| Course | HRM-5500 Strategic Recruitment and Selection |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 7 |
| Paper type | Discussion forum: initial response and two comments |
| Length | About 501 words |
| Format | Discussion post with APA 7 citations |
| School | Thomas Edison State University |
| Program | Master of Science in Human Resources Management |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for HRM 5500 Module 7
Module 7 Discussion: Improving the Hiring Process
One Cycle at a Time: Testing a Realistic Job Preview With Plan, Do, Study, Act
Throughout this course I have used our 41 percent first-year turnover among warehouse associates as my example. The module's material on continuous improvement showed me how to act on it one step at a time.
Deming (1986) held that better results come from fixing the process rather than faulting people, and the plan, do, study, act loop is the working method for doing so. O'Meara and Petzall (2013) apply the same thinking to recruitment and selection: the system should be measured and improved continuously, with the feedback loop I said in Module 1 we were missing.
Plan: Our data from Module 3 show that most early leavers quit within the first three weeks and often say the job was harder than expected. My hypothesis is that a realistic job preview will reduce early quits. We will make a four-minute video filmed in our cold storage area and on a peak-season night shift, showing the pace, the temperature and the overtime rules, and show it to every candidate before the interview. Phillips (1998) found realistic previews were associated with lower turnover, so the idea has support, but we need to see whether it works for us.
Do: Rather than change all six buildings, we will use the video in two buildings for three months and keep the current process in the other four.
Study: The main outcome measure is the share of new associates still employed at ninety days. A process measure will track whether the video was actually shown, and a balancing measure will track the number of applicants who drop out after the video, since a preview that drives away too many candidates could leave shifts unfilled in peak season. If ninety-day retention improves by at least ten points in the test buildings without a large drop in applicants, we will treat the change as an improvement.
Act: If the results hold, we will roll the video out to all buildings and start the next cycle, perhaps on onboarding in the first week. If not, we will learn why from exit interviews before trying something else.
Comment on Jamal's Post
Jamal, you proposed surveying all candidates about their application experience. That could reveal problems we never see, such as a confusing online form. I would add one question asking whether the job turned out as described, sent to new hires at thirty days, because that would show whether the recruiting message matches reality. Do you plan to survey candidates who were rejected as well?
Comment on Sofia's Post
Sofia, you noted that hiring managers in your hospital resist new steps because they slow hiring. A small test like plan, do, study, act might help, since managers in the test unit can see the results before anyone else is asked to change. Involving one respected manager in designing the test might also make the results more credible to the others. Which unit would you start with?
References
Deming, W. E. (1986). Out of the crisis. MIT Press.
O'Meara, B., & Petzall, S. (2013). The handbook of strategic recruitment and selection: A systems approach. Emerald Group Publishing.
Phillips, J. M. (1998). Effects of realistic job previews on multiple organizational outcomes: A meta-analysis. Academy of Management Journal, 41(6), 673-690. https://doi.org/10.5465/256964
Reading the HRM 5500 Module 7 assignment instructions
The Module 7 forum asks how continuous quality improvement applies to recruitment and selection, linked to the course objective on supporting continuous improvement of the hiring process. Expect a prompt asking you to identify a problem in a hiring process, propose how to improve it using a quality method and explain how you would measure the result. Apply a recognized cycle such as plan, do, study, act, use data where possible and reply to classmates with substance. The seven discussions together carry 25 percent of the grade. Cite sources in APA style. Choose a problem with data you can measure, since quality improvement depends on comparing before and after.
How the HRM 5500 Module 7 example is put together
The initial post builds on the problem and data from earlier modules. It explains the quality cycle from Deming and the textbook, then applies each stage: a hypothesis from turnover data, a small test in two buildings against four, outcome, process and balancing measures with a success threshold, and next steps for either result. Research on realistic previews supports the change. The comments strengthen a classmate's candidate survey idea with a question about expectations and suggest a small test to overcome manager resistance. The plan includes a comparison group, so the result can be attributed to the change rather than to seasonal swings. A short paragraph on next steps shows the cycle continuing.
Reading the HRM 5500 Module 7 grading rubric
Mentors grade this discussion on correct application of quality improvement concepts, a realistic and measurable plan, use of evidence and engagement with classmates. Posts that design a small test with defined measures earn more than posts that recommend a change in general terms. Including a balancing measure or comparison group shows sophistication. Replies earn credit by adding a practical improvement or question. Tone and citation still count toward the mark. Mentors also credit posts that consider how to spread a successful change and how to handle a failed test, since continuous improvement is a cycle rather than a single project. Linking the test to earlier course data shows integration across modules. Replies that suggest practical measures for a classmate's plan earn full credit.
Common HRM 5500 Module 7 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Quality improvement posts lose points when they describe a large change with no test, when they name no measures, or when they assume the change will work. Others define plan, do, study, act without applying it. State a hypothesis from data. Test on a small scale. Name the outcome you will measure and what counts as success. Watch for side effects. In replies, help classmates make their idea testable. A free first sample of your own HRM-5500 Module 7 post is available on request. Keep the test small and time-limited. Choose a comparison group if possible. Decide in advance what result will count as success, so the data, not hopes, decide.
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HRM 5500 Module 7 questions, answered
Where can I find a free HRM 5500 Module 7 sample paper?
The full Module 7 discussion is above: an initial post applying plan, do, study, act to hiring and two comments on classmates' posts.
What is plan, do, study, act?
A quality improvement cycle in which a change is planned, tested on a small scale, studied with data and then adopted, adapted or abandoned.
What is a balancing measure?
A number you watch to make sure a fix in one place is not quietly breaking something else.
How can continuous improvement apply to hiring?
By measuring hiring outcomes, testing changes to steps such as job ads or interviews, and keeping the changes that improve results.
Who developed the plan, do, study, act cycle?
It is associated with W. Edwards Deming, who built on Walter Shewhart's earlier work on quality control.