5.7 Validity And Reliability
The validity and reliability of assessment methods are the two most important characteristics of the assessment procedure.
Validity
Validity: The degree to which a test accurately measures what it is intended to measure.
Validity is arguably the most important criterion for a test’s quality. The term validity refers to whether or not the test measures what it claims to measure. On a test with high validity, the items will be closely linked to the test’s intended focus. For example, if you are interested in measuring intelligence, the test you are using must demonstrate that those who score high are more intelligent than those who score low.
Validity refers to how useful the selection tool is in measuring a person’s attributes for a specific job opening. A selection tool may include any of the following:
- Résumé-scanning software
- Reference checks
- Cognitive ability tests
- Work samples
- Credit reports
- Weighted application forms
- Personality tests
- Interview Questions
Reliability
Reliability: The dependability of assessment methods used in the hiring process ensures consistent results over time.
Reliability, however, refers to whether a selection tool gives the same results each time used in the same setting with the same subjects. Reliability essentially means consistent or dependable results. For example, if you ask every applicant for the project management position the same interview question, and the “right” answer always yields similar, positive results, such as hiring a successful employee every time, the question would be considered reliable.
An example of an unreliable test might occur with reference checks. Most candidates would not include a reference on their resume, which might give them a poor review, making this a less reliable method for determining the skills and abilities of applicants. To compensate for this potential bias, most organizations request 3 to 5 references and stipulate that references must include at least one direct report, one or two immediate supervisors, and colleagues.
“5.2 Criteria Development and Résumé Review” from Human Resource Management by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Used section Validity and Reliability, edited, reorganized, weighted applications expanded on and example added.
