Selecting the right candidate for a job is part of a process that includesrecruitment, as shown in Exhibit 9-4. Recruiting sources such as Web sitesand print ads typically generate hundreds of unqualified applicants and afew valuable candidates. A hiring decision is based on information gatheredin two or more of these steps. For instance, a person might receive a joboffer if he or she was impressive in the interview, scored well on the tests,and had good references. Another important feature of this selection modelallows for an applicant to be rejected at any point. An applicant who is abusiveto the employment specialist might not be asked to fill out an applicationform.Preliminary Screening InterviewSelection begins when candidates come to the attention of the recruiter, oftenby cover letter and job résumé. If candidates come close to fitting the jobspecifications, a brief screening interview follows, frequently by telephone.The purpose of the screening interview is to determine whether the candidateshould be given further consideration. One area of disqualification wouldbe for the candidate to demonstrate such poor oral communication skills,especially for a job requiring considerable customer contact. “Knockout”questions are sometimes used to quickly disqualify candidates. Assume a personapplying for a supervisory position in a nursing home is asked, “Howwell do you get along with senior citizens?” A candidate who responds,“Very poorly” is immediately disqualified.An important suggestion here is to be at your best for the telephoneinterview, including total concentration on the tasks at hand. Rehearse yourpresentation in advancePsychological TestingHundreds of different tests are used in employment testing, and such testing isstandard practice in about one-half of firms. All tests are psychological testsin the sense that measuring human ability is an important part of psychology.Types of Psychological TestsThe four principle types of psychological tests used in employment screeningare situational judgment, aptitude, personality, and honesty and integrity.1. Situational judgment tests measure the potential for success in situationsor scenarios that describe a dilemma or problem representative of the jobunder consideration. Dealing with the problem requires the applicationof relevant knowledge, skills, abilities, and perhaps personality characteristics.Situational judgment tasks may be presented in written, oral,video-based, or computer-based formats. The applicant often mustchoose among alternatives, such as the best way to deal with an angrycustomer. Areas of competence typically measured by situational judgmenttests include job knowledge and skills, interpersonal skills, teamwork,leadership, and personality tendencies such as agreeableness.20 Anadvantage of situational judgment tests is that they tend to be perceivedas fair by job applicants because the simulations appear to be relevant.
2. Aptitude tests measure the potential for performing satisfactorily on the
job, given sufficient training. Mental ability tests, the best-known variety
of aptitude tests, measure the ability to solve problems and learn new
material. Mental ability tests measure such specific aptitudes as verbal
reasoning, numerical reasoning, and spatial relations (the ability to visualize
in three dimensions). Tests of emotional intelligence are gaining in popularity;
in these, the candidate is measured on the ability to deal with people’s
feelings and emotions. Emotional intelligence can also be classified as an
aspect of personality.
3. Personality tests measure personal traits and characteristics that could be
related to job performance. The use of personality tests still sparks controversy,
but research during the past decade shows a positive connection
between certain personality tests and subsequent job performance. Critics
express concern that these tests invade privacy and are too imprecise to
be useful. Nevertheless, personality factors can profoundly influence job
performance. Personality tests are increasingly used to screen applicants
for entry-level jobs at call centers, retail stores, and other customer contact
positions.21 Exhibit 9-5 lists the major personality factors related
to job performance. A recent study with middle managers in an energy company suggests
that personality tests are good predictors of management performance
with respect to both the task and interpersonal aspects of the job. The
personality factors measured were those presented in Exhibit 9-5. Management
performance was measured in terms of judgments by both
superiors and subordinates, providing more insight into performance
than judgments of performance made by superiors only. Subordinate
judgments were made using 360 degree feedback ratings (described later
in this chapter).22
4. Honesty and integrity tests are designed to measure a person’s honesty or
integrity as it relates to job behavior. (Honesty relates most specifically
to lying, whereas integrity refers to sticking with your principles.) These
tests are frequently used in workplaces such as retail stores, banks, and
warehouses where employees have access to cash or merchandise. Other
work, in which employees could damage computers or access secret
documents, for example, also requires a prediction of employee honesty.
A major factor measured by integrity tests is social conscientiousness.
People who score high on this personality factor show a much greater
likelihood of following organizational rules. Despite controversy, honesty
and integrity tests are widely used. Years of experience with integrity
and honesty tests indicates that these tests can help identify job candidates with a propensity to steal and engage in other counterproductive
behavior (such as computer hacking).23
Validity and Equal Employment Opportunity
The EEOC insists that psychological tests (integrity tests included) be scientifically
accurate, job-related, and not discriminatory against any group.
These rules also apply to other selection instruments, including application
forms and interviews. A specific provision requires a validity study when a
selection procedure shows an adverse impact on any race, sex, or ethnic
group. A validity study is a statistical and scientific method of seeing whether
a selection device does predict job performance. Do high scorers perform
well on the job? Do low scorers tend to be poor performers? An adverse
impact as defined by the EEOC occurs when the selection ratio (acceptance
rate) for protected groups is less than four-fifths of the selection ratio for the
unprotected group. For example, if 80 out of 100 white males are accepted
through a company-wide selection procedure, then 64 out of 100 Latino
males should be accepted (4/5 × 80 = 64).
A 2009 Supreme Court ruling favored white firefighters in New Haven,
Connecticut, who challenged the city’s decision to reject the results of a promotion
exam because none of the specific group of black applicants scored
high enough to advance. The court also stated that employers must ensure
that employment tests do not discriminate, yet they cannot modify the results
to favor one ethnic group over others. Many human resource professionals
interpreted the new ruling to mean that the use of valid psychological tests
continues to be acceptable employment practice.24
The most consistent finding about the effectiveness of psychological tests
in predicting job performance stems from a long series of studies concerning
general intelligence and conscientiousness. In general, employees who have
good problem-solving ability and are conscientious are likely to perform
well in most jobs.25 (These findings assume that the employee also has the
necessary education and job skills. Yet for basic jobs, dependability and the
ability to learn are more important than experience and existing skills.) General
problem-solving ability is measured by mental ability tests and conscientiousness
by a Big Five personality test. A straightforward explanation of
these findings is that a bright person will learn quickly, and a conscientious
person will try hard to get the job done.
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