Testing...Why Bother?
Testing for Selection
Presented by:William (Chip) Valutis, PhD
When would business organizations benefit
from the use of testing?
Scenario:
You’re having trouble hiring good help.
You’ve dabbled in some testing but it hasn’t
made your problems go away.
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Engage in a job description process.
Specify what qualities are needed in successful applicants.
Seek valid ways to assess those qualities.
Use multiple methods to help evaluate candidate/job match (tests are one tool).
If unsure about legal parameters and test usage, seek consultation.
Solution: Assess Applicants During Selection Process
As much as 40% of applicants lie about work history and educational background on resumes
About 20% of applicants present false credentials and licenses during the interview process
Replacing a full-time, private sector employee costs at least 25% of their total annual salary
About 90% of behaviors are explained by factors that cannot be easily observed on the surface
Some Statistics...
Too many companies rely on an interview to predict an applicant’s job performance
An unstructured interview does not ensure the most qualified person gets the job
Inherent Flaws in Traditional Selection Process
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Many studies have shown that the validity of choosing candidates by only using an unstructured interview process is about the same as simply picking someone at random
Interviews are rarely done consistently from interviewer to interviewer or candidate to candidate
Inherent Flaws in Traditional Selection Process
Cannot believe everything written in a resume or said in an interview. Candidates will always try to present themselves in a favorable light and may even lie to get the position
A well-structured behavioral interview can be effective, but will not measure personality factors or a willingness to do the work
Inherent Flaws in Traditional Selection Process
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Research has shown three main personality traits that relate to high performance in almost all jobs:
Conscientiousness
Extroversion
Low neuroticism
Personality tests are able to assess applicants on those and many more dimensions
How Testing Can help
Cost Saving: Save by hiring the right person the first time
Time Savings: Screen out unsuitable candidates earlier in the process in order to focus time on more suitable candidates
Ensures Objectivity: Assessments offer greater objectivity, reliability and validity than interviews
Predicts behavior: Assessments have the potential to predict future behavior which may impact the job
How Testing Can help
Assessments can provide consistent, in-depth objective information about candidates’:
Fit with organizational culture, job, manager and team
Knowledge, skills and developmental needs
Preferred learning and communication style
Response to conflict, stress and frustration
How Testing Can help
Better evaluate prospective employees or current employees being considered for promotion or redeployment
Highlight areas into which a manager should probe during the interview
Identify “high-potential” candidates and place them on specialized career tracks
How Testing Can help
High reliability and validity
Tests that meet all EEO laws
Job related
Accuracy
Testing - What to Look For
The extent to which a test/measure yields the same results on repeated trials.
Equivalency Reliability: two items measure identical concepts at an identical level of difficulty.
Test:Retest Reliability: the agreement over time.
Inter-rater Reliability: two or more individuals agree.
Reliability
The degree to which a tool accurately reflects or assesses the specific concept that the developer is attempting to measure.
Face Validity: Appearance - what’s it “look” like?
Criterion Validity: Demonstrated accuracy by comparing it to another proven measure
Construct Validity: Seeks agreement between a theoretical concept and specific measure (ex. Must define “intelligence” before measuring it)
Content Validity: The degree to which a measure reflects the specific intended domain - “are you measuring what you say you are measuring”
Validity
Must not cause an adverse impact
“4/5ths rule” - Compare hiring rates for different groups; if selection rate for a protected group (race, ethnic origin, sex, etc.) is less than 4/5ths of that for the group with highest selection rate, procedure is considered discriminatory
Must adhere to employment provisions of ADA
Compliance with EEO Laws
Known and unknown variables
Requirements/Fit for the job
Strength and Applicability of the tool(s)
Accuracy
Test questions which are overly personal, or non-related to the job
“Quick-hit” assessments that claim to analyze the value of an individual with a “10 minute online test”
Testing - What to Look Out For
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Conduct a job analysis to understand what skills, competencies and knowledge are needed for the job
Learn about different assessments and what assessments measure the competencies needed
Feel free to contact us to learn more about the different assessments offered and how they may benefit your organization
Suggestions to Start
Be sure to check out the rest of this series here:
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