Employee Testing and

Selection

Part Two | Recruitment and Placement

LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Explain what is meant by reliability and validity.
2. Explain how you would go about validating a test.
3. Cite and illustrate our testing guidelines.
4. Give examples of some of the ethical and legal
considerations in testing.
5. List eight tests you could use for employee selection
and how you would use them.
6. Give two examples of work sample/simulation tests.
7. Explain the key points to remember in conducting
background investigations.

6–2
Why Careful Selection is Important

The Importance of Selecting

the Right Employees

Organizational Costs of recruiting Legal obligations

performance and hiring and liability

6–3
Avoiding Negligent Hiring Claims
• Carefully check 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.

6–4
Basic Testing Concepts
• Reliability
 Describes the consistency of scores obtained by the same person when retested with
the identical or alternate forms of the same test.
 Are test results stable over time?

• Validity
 Indicates whether a test is measuring what it is supposed to be measuring.
 Does the test actually measure what it is intended to measure?

6–5
 Types of Validity

Types of
Test Validity

Criterion validity Content validity

6–6
Evidence-Based HR: How to Validate a Test

Steps in Test Validation

1 Analyze the Job: predictors and criteria

2 Choose the Tests: test battery or single test

3 Administer the Test: concurrent or predictive validation

4
Relate Your Test Scores and Criteria: scores versus actual performance

5
Cross-Validate and Revalidate: repeat Steps 3 and 4 with a different sample

6–7
TABLE 6–1 Testing Program Guidelines

1. Use tests as supplements.

2. Validate the tests.
3. Monitor your testing/selection program.
4. Keep accurate records.
5. Use a certified psychologist.
6. Manage test conditions.
7. Revalidate periodically.

6–8
Legal Privacy Issues
• Defamation
 Libeling or slandering of employees or former employees
by an employer.
• Avoiding Employee Defamation Suits
1. Train supervisors regarding the importance of employee
confidentiality.
2. Adopt a “need to know” policy.
3. Disclose procedures impacting confidentially of information
to employees.

6–9
How Do Employers Use Tests at Work?
• Major Types of Tests
 Basic skills tests

 Job skills tests

 Psychological tests

• Why Use Testing?

 Increased work demands = more testing

 Screen out bad or dishonest employees

 Reduce turnover by personality profiling

6–10
FIGURE 6–4 Sample Test

6–11
Computerized and Online Testing
• Online tests
 Telephone prescreening
 Offline computer tests
 Virtual “inbox” tests
 Online problem-solving tests

• Types of Tests
 Specialized work sample tests
 Numerical ability tests
 Reading comprehension tests
 Clerical comparing and checking tests

6–12
 Types of Tests

What Different Tests

Measure

Motor and
Cognitive Personality Current
physical
abilities and interests achievement
abilities

6–13
FIGURE 6–5 Type of Question Applicant Might Expect
on a Test of Mechanical Comprehension

6–14
 The “Big Five”

Extraversion

Conscientiousnes Emotional stability/

s Neuroticism

Openness to
Agreeableness
experience

6–15
 Work Samples and
Simulations
Measuring Work
Performance Directly

Management Video-based Miniature job

Work
assessment situational training and
samples
centers testing evaluation

6–16
Background Investigations and
Other Selection Methods
• Investigations and Checks
 Reference checks
 Background employment checks
 Criminal records
 Driving records
 Credit checks

• Why?
 To verify factual information provided by applicants
 To uncover damaging information

6–17
Background Investigations and
Reference Checks

Former Employers

Current Supervisors

Sources of Commercial Credit

Information Rating Companies

Written References

Social Networking
Sites

6–18
 Limitations on Background
Investigations and Reference
Checks
Legal Issues:
Defamation

Background
Employer Legal Issues:
Guidelines
Investigations and Privacy
Reference Checks

Supervisor
Reluctance

6–19
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.

6–20
Using Preemployment Information Services

Acquisition and Use of Background Information

1 Disclosure to and authorization by applicant/employee

2 Employer certification to reporting agency

3 Providing copies of reports to applicant/employee

4 Notice of adverse action to applicant/employee

6–21
Honesty Testing Programs:
What Employers Can Do
• Antitheft Screening Procedure:
 Ask blunt questions.
 Listen, rather than talk.
 Do a credit check.
 Check all employment and personal references.
 Use paper-and-pencil honesty tests and psychological tests.
 Test for drugs.
 Establish a search-and-seizure policy and conduct searches.

6–22
FIGURE 6–9 “The Uptight Personality”

6–23
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.

6–24
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

6–25
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
1998 procedures

Accuracy of
tests

6–26
 Improving Productivity Through HRIS:
Using Automated Applicant Tracking
and Screening Systems (ATS)

Benefits of Applicant
Tracking Systems

Can match
“Knock out” Allows employers
“hidden talents”
applicants who to extensively
of applicants to
do not meet job test and screen
available
requirements applicants online
openings

6–27