The human resources department of a company plans to have potential

Question

The human resources department of a company plans to have potential employees spend two paid days in the company’s offices before a hiring decision is made. The belief is that this will lead to more hiring of qualified job applicants, since it will be easier to see how well the applicant fits into the company’s business culture.

Which of the following, if true, would most strongly indicate that the plan put forth by the human resources department will be successful?

(A) The company has had to fire an increasing number of people over the last five years.
(B) The company’s offices are well-known to be an unusually pleasant working environment in comparison to those of other similar companies.
(C) Potential applicants who hear of the plan believe that it is in their own benefit to spend the two days at the offices.
(D) The level of competition for job applicants has become more intense since a local university began operating near the company ten years ago.
(E) The amount of pay received by the applicants during the two days is less than what they would receive if hired.

EMPOWER  gmat    CR Question Pack 2

Question 44: New HR Plans

48 Hour Answer & Explanation Window  
 Earn KUDOS!  Have your explanations evaluated to help boost your learning. Post your reasoning why the answer you chose is correct, and why the other 4 options are incorrect within 48 hours of this post.

Scroll Down For Official Explanation

◀ Question 43 
 ▶ Question 45 
 ⏏ CR Library Pack 2 Home

EMPOWERgmatVerbal · Accepted Answer

Official Explanation:

The human resources department of a company plans to have potential employees spend two paid days in the company’s offices before a hiring decision is made. The belief is that this will lead to more hiring of qualified job applicants, since it will be easier to see how well the applicant fits into the company’s business culture.
 
 Which of the following, if true, would most strongly indicate that the plan put forth by the human resources department will be successful? 
 
 (A) The company has had to fire an increasing number of people over the last five years. 
 (B) The company’s offices are well-known to be an unusually pleasant working environment in comparison to those of other similar companies. 
 (C) Potential applicants who hear of the plan believe that it is in their own benefit to spend the two days at the offices. 
 (D) The level of competition for job applicants has become more intense since a local university began operating near the company ten years ago. 
 (E) The amount of pay received by the applicants during the two days is less than what they would receive if hired.

Question Type:   Strengthen
  Boil It Down:   Company wants to make sure any new hires fit the company’s culture. Their solution is to have potential hires spend two days in the office, and they would be paid for their time whether they end up hired or not.
  Goal:    Find the option that will help prove that this plan will succeed.

Analysis:  
 
This question asks for a piece of information that would strengthen the effectiveness of the human resources department’s plan.
 
 Conclusion:  More qualified people will be hired once the plan is implemented.
 Evidence:  It will be easier to see how well the applicant fits into the company’s business culture.
 Assumption:  Potential applicants will not mind having to spend the two day in the office.
 
If, as choice C states, potential applicants like the plan because they see it as benefiting themselves, they will want to apply.

(A) The company has had to fire an increasing number of people over the last five years.
 This only points out a need for more qualified applicants.

(B) The company’s offices are well-known to be an unusually pleasant working environment in comparison to those of other similar companies.
 This might make the company more attractive to applicants, but it doesn’t indicate whether they’ll be more qualified.

(C) Potential applicants who hear of the plan believe that it is in their own benefit to spend the two days at the offices.
 This is the correct choice. The plan is more likely to succeed if everyone - the company, HR, and the potential employees, are all on board.

(D) The level of competition for job applicants has become more intense since a local university began operating near the company ten years ago.
 This only indicates a need to compete for applicants.

(E) The amount of pay received by the applicants during the two days is less than what they would receive if hired.
 If anything, this would weaken the conclusion.

Don’t study for the GMAT. Train for it.

callmeDP · Answer

I felt this was a tough question because on my first glance, I eliminated all the options.

After a more thorough reading, I eliminated A and B were first due to irrelevant data. Next, I eliminated E & C because one talks about pay and other talks about applicants belief both of which are not dependent on plan. That's how I arrived at D, but to be honest even D looks suspicious

But I will take that among the rest IMO D

raveesh8 · Answer

The human resources department of a company plans to have potential employees spend two paid days in the company’s offices before a hiring decision is made. The belief is that this will lead to more hiring of qualified job applicants, since it will be easier to see how well the applicant fits into the company’s business culture.

The potential employee work for 2 days and somehow they can get that the employee is qualified or not . Hmmm! 
 
Which of the following, if true, would most strongly indicate that the plan put forth by the human resources department will be successful?

(A) The company has had to fire an increasing number of people over the last five years. 
 So what ! we are not looking at firing stats. We are looking to hire.

(B) The company’s offices are well-known to be an unusually pleasant working environment in comparison to those of other similar companies.
 Hmm this is nice. So if the working environment is nice. He/She can't blame environment if he/she doesn't make the cut.
 
(C) Potential applicants who hear of the plan believe that it is in their own benefit to spend the two days at the offices.
 We are not concerned what they are thinking. We want qualified employees.

(D) The level of competition for job applicants has become more intense since a local university began operating near the company ten years ago.
 Long shot -- This could explain why company have to come up with new method for hiring.(Too many candidates). Doesn't tell whether new plan will be successful.

(E) The amount of pay received by the applicants during the two days is less than what they would receive if hired.
 Money can't buy happiness(unless it's a boat) . And we sure can't tell if a person is qualified if he works for less money on first 2 days.

I think B seems to be a good choice for this.

winterschool · Answer

The human resources department of a company plans to have potential employees spend two paid days in the company’s offices before a hiring decision is made. The belief is that this will lead to more hiring of qualified job applicants, since it will be easier to see how well the applicant fits into the company’s business culture.

Which of the following, if true, would most strongly indicate that the plan put forth by the human resources department will be successful?

(A) The company has had to fire an increasing number of people over the last five years.  Incorrect

it cant say why new plan is helpful to hire qualified applicants

(B) The company’s offices are well-known to be an unusually pleasant working environment in comparison to those of other similar companies.  Correct

company’s working environment different from other company's, so two day will help the company's to find better applicants

(C) Potential applicants who hear of the plan believe that it is in their own benefit to spend the two days at the offices.  Incorrect

weakens argument

(D) The level of competition for job applicants has become more intense since a local university began operating near the company ten years ago.  Incorrect

this choice cant help to find qualified job applicants

(E) The amount of pay received by the applicants during the two days is less than what they would receive if hired.  Incorrect

weakens argument

madhavmehtafin · Answer

I still don't understand why C was chosen over B.

Potential applicants who hear of the plan believe that it is in their own benefit to spend two days at the offices does not necessarily equate to more qualified candidates being hired. Please do clarify.

guddo · Answer

I think your concern is valid:  (C) does not directly show that more qualified candidates will be hired . It only strengthens one necessary part of the plan, namely that applicants will be willing to participate in the two-day evaluation.

That still makes (C) better than (B). (B) says the office is pleasant, but  a pleasant office does not show that the two-day trial will help HR evaluate applicants or that applicants will accept the process . (C) at least removes a potential obstacle to implementing the plan.

So (C) is the intended answer, but it is  only an indirect strengthener , which is why the question is not especially airtight.

The human resources department of a company plans to have potential

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

The human resources department of a company plans to have potential

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards