validity and reliability in assessment methods

Employers frequently use these tools, but critics say they are an invasion of privacy and unrelated to job performance. Personality tests measure characteristics such as attitudes, emotional adjustment, interests, interpersonal relations and motivation. Physical ability tests measure strength, endurance and muscular movement.Īptitude tests measure an applicant's ability to learn a new skill. Other tests gauge verbal ability, math skills, spatial perception, or inductive and deductive reasoning. The most common types, IQ tests, measure general mental ability. Types of selection tools and test methodsĬognitive ability tests measure intelligence. However, according to the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures of 1978 issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), any employment requirement set by an employer is considered to be a 'test.' Tests used in the selection process must be legal, reliable, valid and equitable, and HR professionals need to stay aware of any developing trends.Įmployment tests usually are standardized devices designed to measure skills, intellect, personality or other characteristics, and they yield a score, rating, description or category. Pre-employment tests need to be selected and monitored with care employers run the risk of litigation if a selection decision is challenged and determined to be discriminatory or in violation of state or federal regulations.

Pre-employment testing and new screening tools and technology can help HR professionals minimize hiring time and select the most qualified individual who best fits the organization. Hiring the wrong people can have a negative impact on employee morale and management time and can waste valuable training and development dollars. An organization that makes good hiring decisions tends to have higher productivity and lower turnover, which positively affects the bottom line.

Validity and reliability in assessment methods