Employee Testing and Selection: Education, LTD

6 Employee Testing
and Selection
4-
Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Education, Ltd. 6-1
Learning Objectives
6-1. Answer the question: Why is it

important to test and select employees?
6-2. Explain what is meant by reliability and
validity. 4-
6-3. List and briefly describe the basic

categories of selection tests, with
examples.

6-2
Education, Ltd.
Learning Objectives
6-4. Explain how to use two work

simulations for selection.
6-5. Describe four ways
4- to improve an
employer’s background checking
process.

6-3
Education, Ltd.
I.
Answer the question:
Why is it important to
test and select
4-
employees?

6-4
Education, Ltd.
Why Employee Selection Is
Important
• Performance
• Cost
4-
• Legal obligations
• Person and
job/organization fit

6-5
Education, Ltd.
AVOIDING NEGLIGENT HIRING
• Carefully scrutinize information on employment

applications.
• Get written authorization for reference checks, and check
references.
• Save all records and information about the applicant.
• Reject applicants for false statements or conviction
records for offenses related to the job.
• Balance the applicant’s privacy rights with others’ “need
to know.”
• Take immediate disciplinary action if problems arise.
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing

6–6
as Prentice Hall
II.
Explain what is meant by
reliability and validity.
4-

6-7
Education, Ltd.
The Basic of Testing and
Selecting Employees
• Reliability
• Validity
o Criterion validity 4-
o Content validity
o Construct validity

6-8
Education, Ltd.
Test Reliability
• Reliability- is a selection tool’s first

requirement. It is defined as the
consistency of scores obtained by the
same person when4-retested with the
identical tests or with alternate forms of
the same test.

1-9
Education, Ltd.
What Can Cause a Test to be Unreliable?
• physical conditions
• differences in the test taker
• differences in test 4-
administration
• the questions may do a poor

job of sampling the material

1-10
Education, Ltd.
Test Validity
• Validity- is a selection tool’s defined as the

accuracy with which a test, interview, and
so on, measure what is purports to
measure or fulfills the function it was
4-
designed to fill.
1. Criterion Validity
2. Content Validity
3. Construct Validity
1-11
Education, Ltd.
Evidence-Based HR: How to Validate a Test
Step 1: Analyze The Job

Step 2: Choose The Test
Step 3: Administer The
4- Test

1-12
Education, Ltd.
Evidence-Based HR: How to Validate a Test
Step 4: Relate Your Test Scores and Criteria

Step 5: Cross-Validate and Revalidate
4-

1-13
Education, Ltd.
Know Your Employment Law
Testing and EEO
With respect to testing, the EEO laws boil down to

two things: 4-
(1)You must be able to prove that your tests are

related to success or failure on the job, and
(2)You must prove that your tests don’t unfairly

discriminate against either minority or
nonminority subgroups.
5-14
Education, Ltd.
How Do Employers Use
Test at Work?
41% of companies in one survey tested applicants for basic skills
(defined as the ability to read instructions, write reports, and do
arithmetic).
4-
67% of the respondents required employees to take job skills tests,
and 29% required some form of psychological measurement.
Tests are not just for lower-level workers. In general, as work

demands increase(in terms of skill requirements, training, and pay),
employers tend to rely more on selection testing.
And, employers don’t use tests just to find good employees, but also
to screen out bad ones.

1-15
Education, Ltd.
III.
List and briefly describe the
basic categories4-
of selection
tests, with examples.

6-16
Education, Ltd.
Types of Tests
1. Test of Cognitive Abilities

o Intelligence tests (IQ)
o Specific cognitive abilities
4-
2. Test of Motor & physical abilities

3. Measuring Personality and Interests
o Interest inventories
4. Achievement tests

6-17
Education, Ltd.
THE “BIG FIVE”
Extraversion
Emotional stability/
Conscientiousness
Neuroticism
Openness to
Agreeableness
experience

6–18
as Prentice Hall
Improving Performance:
The Strategic Context
Crowdsourcing at Google
4-
Let’s talk about it…

1-19
Education, Ltd.
IV.
Explain how to use two
work simulations
4-
for
selection.

6-20
Education, Ltd.
Using Work Sampling for
Employee Selection
1. Basic procedure
2. Situational judgment tests
4-
3. Management Assessment Centers
4. Situational Testing and Video-Based
Situational Testing

6-21
Education, Ltd.
Using Work Sampling for
Employee Selection
5. The Miniature Job Training and Evaluation

Approach
4-
6. Realistic Job Preview

6-22
Education, Ltd.
TABLE 6–1 Evaluation of Assessment Methods on Four Key Criteria
Costs (Develop/
Assessment Method Validity Adverse Impact Administer) Applicant Reactions
Cognitive ability tests High High (against minorities) Low/low Somewhat favorable
Job knowledge test High High (against minorities) Low/low More favorable
Personality tests Low to Low Low/low Less favorable
moderate
Biographical data inventories Moderate Low to high for different High/low Less favorable
types
Integrity tests Moderate to Low Low/low Less favorable
high
Structured interviews High Low High/high More favorable
Physical fitness tests Moderate to High (against females and High/high More favorable
high older workers) 4-
Situational judgment tests Moderate Moderate (against High/low More favorable
minorities)
Work samples High Low High/high More favorable

Assessment centers Moderate to Low to moderate, High/high More favorable
high depending on exercise
Physical ability tests Moderate to High (against females and High/high More favorable
high older workers)
Note: There was limited research evidence available on applicant reactions to situational judgment tests and physical ability tests. However,
because these tests tend to appear very relevant to the job, it is likely that applicant reactions to them would be favorable.
Choosing a Selection Method

6–23
as Prentice Hall
Improving Performance: HR Tools for
Line Managers and Small Businesses
Employee Testing and

Selection
4-
Let’s talk about it…

1-24
Education, Ltd.
V.
Describe four ways to improve
4-
an employer’s background
checking process.

6-25
Education, Ltd.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS AND
OTHER SELECTION METHODS
• Why?
• To verify factual information provided by applicants
• To uncover damaging information
• Investigations and Checks

• Reference checks
• Background employment checks
• Criminal records
• Driving records
• Credit checks

6–26
as Prentice Hall
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS
AND REFERENCE CHECKS
Former Employers
Current Supervisors
Sources of Commercial Credit

Information Rating Companies
Written References
Social Networking Sites

6–27
as Prentice Hall
MAKING BACKGROUND CHECKS MORE
USEFUL
1. Include on the application form a statement for
applicants to sign explicitly authorizing a
background check.
2. Use telephone references if possible.
3. Be persistent in obtaining information.
4. Compare the submitted résumé to the application.
5. Ask open-ended questions to elicit more
information from references.
6. Use references provided by the candidate as a
source for other references.

6–28
as Prentice Hall
The Polygraph and Honesty Testing
• Meet Standards
• Written Honest Test
• Testing for Honesty4-
Guidelines

6-29
Education, Ltd.
Graphology
4-
Graphology - is the use of handwriting analysis to determine
the writer’s basic personality traits.
It thus has some resemblance to projective personality tests,

although graphology’s validity is highly suspect. The handwriting
analyst studies an applicant’s handwriting and signature to
discover the person’s needs, desires, and psychological makeup.

6-30
Education, Ltd.
“Human Lie Detectors”
4-
Some employers are using so-called “human lie detectors,”

experts who may (or may not) be able to identify lying just by
watching candidates.

6-31
Education, Ltd.
Physical Exams
4-

6-32
Education, Ltd.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS
• Reasons for preemployment medical

examinations:
• To verify that the applicant meets the physical
requirements of the position.
• To discover any medical limitations to be taken into
account in placing the applicant.
• To establish a record and baseline of the applicant’s
health for future insurance or compensation claims.
• To reduce absenteeism and accidents.
• To detect communicable diseases that may be unknown
to the applicant.

6–33
as Prentice Hall
Substance Abuse Screening
and
Drug Testing Legal Issues
4-

6-34
Education, Ltd.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE SCREENING
• Types of Screening
• Before formal hiring
• After a work accident
• Presence of obvious behavioral symptoms
• Random or periodic basis
• Transfer or promotion to new position
• Types of Tests
• Urinalysis
• Hair follicle testing

6–35
as Prentice Hall
SUBSTANCE ABUSE SCREENING ISSUES
Safety:
impairment vs.
presence
American with Recreational use

Disabilities Act vs. addiction
Ethical and
Legal Issues
Drug Free
Intrusiveness of
Workplace Act of
testing procedures
1998
Accuracy of tests

6–36
as Prentice Hall
Comply with Immigration Law
4-

6-37
Education, Ltd.

Employee Testing and Selection: Education, LTD

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Employee Testing and Selection: Education, LTD

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

6 Employee Testing

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

6-1. Answer the question: Why is it

6-3. List and briefly describe the basic

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

6-4. Explain how to use two work

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

• Carefully scrutinize information on employment

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

• Reliability- is a selection tool’s first

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

• differences in the test taker

• the questions may do a poor

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

• Validity- is a selection tool’s defined as the

Step 1: Analyze The Job

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Step 4: Relate Your Test Scores and Criteria

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

With respect to testing, the EEO laws boil down to

(1)You must be able to prove that your tests are

(2)You must prove that your tests don’t unfairly

Tests are not just for lower-level workers. In general, as work

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

1. Test of Cognitive Abilities

2. Test of Motor & physical abilities

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

5. The Miniature Job Training and Evaluation

Copyright © 2017 Pearson

Work samples High Low High/high More favorable

Choosing a Selection Method