Employee Testing and Selection

CHAPTER 05

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Why Careful Selection is Important

The importance of selecting the right employees
Organizational performance always depends in part on subordinates having the right skills and attributes. Recruiting and hiring employees is costly. The legal implications of incompetent hiring
EEO laws and court decisions related to nondiscriminatory selection procedures The liability of negligent hiring of workers with questionable backgrounds.

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Avoiding Negligent Hiring Claims

Carefully scrutinize information supplied by the applicant on his or her employment application. Get the applicants written authorization for reference checks, and carefully check references. Save all records and information you obtain about the applicant. Reject applicants who make false statements of material facts or who have conviction records for offenses directly related and important to the job in question. Balance the applicants privacy rights with others need to know, especially when you discover damaging information.

Take immediate disciplinary action if problems arise.

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Basic Testing Concepts

Reliability
The consistency of scores obtained by the same person when retested with the identical or equivalent tests. Are the test results stable over time?

Test validity
The accuracy with which a test, interview, and so on measures what it purports to measure or fulfills the function it was designed to fill. Does the test actually measure what we need for it to measure?
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How to Validate a Test

Step 1: Analyze the job
Predictors: job specification (KSAOs) Criterion: quantitative and qualitative measures of job success

Step 2: Choose the tests

Test battery or single test?

Step 3: Administer the test

Concurrent validation
Current employees scores with current performance

Predictive validation
Later-measured performance with prior scores
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How to Validate a Test (contd)

Step 4: Relate Test Scores and Criteria
Correlation analysis
Actual scores on the test with actual performance

Step 5: Cross-Validate and Revalidate

Repeat Step 3 and Step 4 with a different sample of employees.

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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.

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Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Aspects of Testing

A organization must be able to prove:
That its tests are related to success or failure on the job (validity) That its tests dont unfairly discriminate against minority or nonminority subgroups (disparate impact).

EEO guidelines and laws apply to all selection devices, including interviews, applications, and references.

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Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Aspects of Testing (contd)

Testing alternatives if a selection device has disparate impact:
Institute a different, valid selection procedure that does not have an adverse impact. Show that the test is validin other words, that it is a valid predictor of performance on the job. Monitor the selection test to see if it has disparate impact.

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Sample Test

Source: Courtesy of NYT Permissions.

Figure 54
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Test Takers Individual Rights and Test Security

Under the American Psychological Associations standard for educational and psychological tests, test takers have the right:
To privacy and information. To the confidentiality of test results. To informed consent regarding use of these results. To expect that only people qualified to interpret the scores will have access to them. To expect the test is fair to all.
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Using Tests at Work

Major types of tests used by employers
Basic skills tests (45%) Drug tests (47%) Psychological tests (33%)

Use of testing
Less overall testing now but more testing is used as specific job skills and work demands increase.
Screen out bad or dishonest employees Reduce turnover by personality profiling

Source of tests
Test publishers
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Computer-Interactive Testing
Types of tests
Specialized work sample tests Numerical ability tests Reading comprehension tests Clerical comparing and checking tests Telephone prescreening Offline computer tests Virtual inbox tests Online problem solving tests

Online tests

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Types of Tests
Tests of cognitive abilities
Intelligence Tests
Tests of general intellectual abilities that measure a range of abilities, including memory, vocabulary, verbal fluency, and numerical ability.

Aptitude tests
Tests that measure specific mental abilities, such as inductive and deductive reasoning, verbal comprehension, memory, and numerical ability.

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Types of Tests (contd)

Tests of motor abilities
Tests that measure motor abilities, such as finger dexterity, manual dexterity, and reaction time.

Tests of physical abilities

Tests that measure static strength, dynamic strength, body coordination, and stamina.

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Problem from the Test of Mechanical Comprehension

Which gear will turn the same way as the driver?

Source: Reproduced by permission. Copyright 1967, 1969 by The Psychological Corporation, New York, NY. All rights reserved. Authors note: 1969 is the latest copyright on this test, which is still the main one used for this purpose.

Figure 55
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Measuring Personality and Interests

Personality tests
Tests that use projective techniques and trait inventories to measure basic aspects of an applicants personality, such as introversion, stability, and motivation. Disadvantage
Personality testsparticularly the projective typeare the most difficult tests to evaluate and use.

Advantage
Tests have been used successfully to predict dysfunctional job behaviors and identify successful candidates for overseas assignments.

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The Big Five

Extraversion
The tendency to be sociable, assertive, active, and to experience positive effects, such as energy and zeal.

Emotional stability/neuroticism
The tendency to exhibit poor emotional adjustment and experience negative effects, such as anxiety, insecurity, and hostility.

Openness to experience
The disposition to be imaginative, nonconforming, unconventional, and autonomous.

Agreeableness
The tendency to be trusting, compliant, caring, and gentle.

Conscientiousness
Is comprised of two related facets: achievement and dependability.
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Other Tests
Interest inventories
Personal development and selection devices that compare the persons current interests with those of others now in various occupations so as to determine the preferred occupation for the individual.

Achievement tests
Test that measure what a person has already learnedjob knowledge in areas like accounting, marketing, or personnel.

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Other Tests (contd)

Web-Based (Online) testing
Eliminates costly and inefficient paper-and-pencil testing processes. Allows for role-playing by applicants. Use of computer-based scoring eliminates rater bias. Provides immediate scoring and feedback of results to applicants. Can be readily customized for specific jobs.

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Work Samples
Work samples
Actual job tasks are used in testing applicants performance.

Work sampling technique

A testing method based on measuring an applicants performance on actual basic job tasks.

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Sample Picture Card from Thematic Apperception Test

How do you interpret this picture?

Source: Harvard University Press. Used with permission.

Figure 51
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Examples of Web Sites Offering Information on Tests or Testing Programs

www.hr-guide.com/data/G371.htm
Provides general information and sources for all types of employment tests.

http://buros.unl.edu/buros/jsp/search.jsp
Provides technical information on all types of employment and nonemployment tests.

www.ets.org/testcoll/index.html
Provides information on over 20,000 tests.

www.kaplan.com/
Information from Kaplan test preparation on how various admissions tests work.

www.assessments.biz/default.asp?source=GW-emptest
One of many firms offering employment tests.
Figure 52
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Background Investigations and Reference Checks

Extent of investigations and checks
Reference checks (87%) Background employment checks (69%) Criminal records (61%) Driving records (56%) Credit checks (35%)

Reasons for investigations and checks

To verify factual information provided by applicants. To uncover damaging information.
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Reference Checking Form

(Verify that the applicant has provided permission before conducting reference checks)
Candidate Name: Reference Name: Dates of Employment: Position(s) Held: Reason for Leaving: Explain the reason for your call and verify the above information with the supervisor (including the reason for leaving) 1. Please describe the type of work for which the candidate was responsible. 2. How would you describe the applicants relationships with coworkers, subordinates (if applicable), and with superiors? 3. Did the candidate have a positive or negative work attitude? Please elaborate 4. How would you describe the quantity and quality of output generated by the former employee? 5. What were his/her strengths on the job? 6. What were his/her weaknesses on the job? 7. What is your overall assessment of the candidate? 8. Would you recommend him/her for this position? Why or why not? 9. Would this individual be eligible for rehire? Why or why not? Other comments?
Source: Society for Human Resource Management, 2004.

Company Name: (From: and To:) Salary History:

Figure 57
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Background Investigations and Reference Checks (contd)

Sources of information for background checks:
Former employers Current supervisors Commercial credit rating companies Written references

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Background Investigations and Reference Checks (contd)

Legal limitations on background checks
Privacy Act of 1974
Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (and Buckley Amendment of 1974) Freedom of Information Act of 1966 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

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Background Investigations and Reference Checks (contd)

Reference providers concerns
Fear of legal reprisal for defamation
Not wanting to damage the applicants chances Helping to get rid an incompetent employees

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Making Background Checks More Useful

Include on the application form a statement for applicants to sign explicitly authorizing a background check. Use telephone references if possible. Be persistent in obtaining information. Ask open-ended questions to elicit more information from references. Use references provided by the candidate as a source for other references.

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Using Preemployment Information Services

Concerns about checking applicant histories
Various equal employment laws discourage or prohibit the use of such information in employee screening. Courts view making employment decisions based on someones arrest record as unfairly discriminatory. The EEOC says a poor credit history should not by itself preclude someone from getting a job.

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Checking Background Information

Step 1Disclosure and authorization.
Inform the employee/applicant that a report will be requested and obtain written authorization.

Step 2Certification.
The employer must certify to the reporting agency that the employer will comply with the federal and state legal requirements.

Step 3Providing copies of reports.

The employer must provide copies of the report to the applicant or employee if adverse action is contemplated.
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Checking Background Information (contd)

Step 4Notice after adverse action.
After the employer provides the employee or applicant with copies of the investigative reports and a reasonable period has elapsed, the employer may take an adverse action.

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Collecting Background Information

1. 2. Check all applicable state laws. Review the impact of federal equal employment laws.

3.
4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Remember the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Do not obtain information that youre not going to use. Remember that using arrest information will be highly suspect. Avoid blanket policies (such as we hire no one with a record of workers compensation claims). Use information that is specific and job related. Keep information confidential and up to date. Never authorize an unreasonable investigation.

Source: Adapted from Jeffrey M. Hahn, Pre-Employment Services: Employers Beware? Employee Relations Law Journal 17, no. 1 (Summer 1991), pp. 4569; and Shari Caudron, Who are you really hiring?, Workforce, November 2002, pp. 2832.

Figure 58
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Collecting Background Information (contd)

10. Make sure you always get at least two forms of identification from the applicant. 11. Always require applicants to fill out a job application. 12. Compare the application to the rsum 13. Particularly for executive candidates, include background checks of such things as involvement in lawsuits, and of articles about the candidate in local or national newspapers. 14. Separate the tasks of (1) hiring and (2) doing the background check.

Source: Adapted from Jeffrey M. Hahn, Pre-Employment Services: Employers Beware? Employee Relations Law Journal 17, no. 1 (Summer 1991), pp. 4569; and Shari Caudron, Who are you really hiring?, Workforce, November 2002, pp. 2832.

Figure 58 (contd)
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The Polygraph and Honesty Testing

The polygraph (or lie detector)
A device that measures physiological changes, The assumption is that such changes reflect changes in emotional state that accompany lying.

Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988.

Prohibits employers (in most all cases) from conducting polygraph examinations of all job applicants and most employees. Also prohibited are other mechanical or electrical devices including psychological stress evaluators and voice stress analyzers.
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Permitted Users of the Polygraph

Employers with contracts involving:
National defense or security Nuclear-power (Department of Energy) Access to highly classified information Counterintelligence (the FBI or Department of Justice)

Other exceptions
Hiring of private security personnel Hiring persons with access to drugs Conducting ongoing investigations involving economic loss or injury to an employers business.
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Paper-and-Pencil Honesty Tests

Paper-and-pencil honesty tests
Psychological tests designed to predict job applicants proneness to dishonesty and other forms of counterproductivity. Measure attitudes regarding things like tolerance of others who steal, acceptance of rationalizations for theft, and admission of theft-related activities.

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Physical Examination
Reasons for preemployment medical examinations:
To verify that the applicant meets the physical requirements of the position To discover any medical limitations you should take into account in placing the applicant. To establish a record and baseline of the applicants health for future insurance or compensation claims. To reduce absenteeism and accidents To detect communicable diseases that may be unknown to the applicant.
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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

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Substance Abuse in the Workplace

Issues
Impairment versus presence Recreational use versus habituation Intrusiveness of procedures Accuracy of tests Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 Americans with Disabilities Act

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Complying with Immigration Law Post 9/11

1. Hire only citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States. 2. Advise all new job applicants of your policy. 3. Require all new employees to complete and sign the INS I-9 form to certify that they are eligible for employment. 4. Examine documentation presented by new employees, record information about the documents on the verification form, and sign the form. 5. Retain the form for three years or for one year past the employment of the individual, whichever is longer. 6. If requested, present the form for inspection by INS or Department of Labor officers.
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