9.1 Introduction
A structured interview can measure knowledge, skills, abilities, and other attributes (KSAOs). However, in-depth interviews can be time-consuming and costly. Even in the best of cases, they remain subjective, and biases can influence the interviewers. Testing scores are much more objective and relatively inexpensive. Testing is a perfect complement to interviewing. Using both assessments during the selection process helps choose the best candidate for the job.
Choosing a test
Several tests can be administered. The job for which a test is selected should be very similar to the job for which the test was initially developed. Determining the degree of similarity will require a job analysis. Job analysis is a systematic process to identify the tasks, duties, responsibilities (TDRs) and working conditions associated with a job and the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) required to perform that job. Job analysis information is central in deciding what to test for and which tests to use.
Employment tests can confirm that the applicant possesses the KSAOs related to the job description and measure an applicant’s KSAOs about another applicant. An aptitude test measures a person’s ability to learn new skills. Personality and behavioural tests can help determine if an applicant’s values, work style, and personality align with the company’s culture and job demands.
Reliability and validity are essential to the legal defensibility of any selection procedure. Using an employment test with known reliability and validity helps to make your hiring decisions legally defensible. Information on thousands of employment tests can be found on the internet. Any HR manager responsible for choosing employment tests must know the various standards and technical documents related to their use. They need to ensure the tests used are suitable for employee selection. HR professionals need to be able to defend their work.
Selection Testing
This chapter will cover the most common tests used for selection decisions, listed below.
- Cognitive ability tests
- Aptitude tests
- Personality tests
- Emotional intelligence
- Job knowledge tests
- Work samples
- Honesty/integrity tests
- Physical ability tests and sensory/perceptual ability tests
- Physical/ medical exams
- Pre-employment drug and alcohol testing
What do you think?
Many argue that employees can learn new technical skills, but changing interpersonal work attitudes can be more difficult. Hiring managers can learn how individuals will interact with their coworkers, customers, and supervisors through behavioural assessments and personality profiles. Many organizations use assessment tools, such as the Big Five, to predict candidates’ performance in jobs requiring interpersonal interactions.
- Should employers hire candidates based on their work attitudes rather than their skills?
- What does the Big Five personality test tell us about an applicant?
Elizabeth D. De Armond, a professor of legal research and writing at Chicago-Kent College of Law, likens personality tests (in hiring selections) to an “MRI scan of the soul” and suggests banning them, except in cases where a business can convincingly argue that hiring for a specific personality is essential (for example, police officers must be able to handle highly stressful situations) (Leck, 2019).
“Testing and Other Selection Methods” from Human Resources Management – Canadian Edition by Stéphane Brutus and Nora Baronian is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Used paragraph one, edited.
“Testing and Selecting” from Introduction to Human Resource Management – First Canadian Edition by Zelda Craig and College of New Caledonia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Used section Testing, edited, and summarized.
“Selecting the Right People” from Human Resource Management by Saylor Academy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Used section Selection tests; Added additional content.
