This document discusses the use of selection tests in hiring. It states that selection tests measure abilities and skills that can't be determined from applications alone. The different types of tests mentioned include aptitude, intelligence, achievement, situational, interest, personality, and honesty tests. Selection tests are described as an unbiased tool that can predict future job performance if well-designed. The document emphasizes that effective selection depends on tests being both reliable, in giving consistent results, and valid, in actually measuring the skills required for the job.

1. Tutsmaster.org

2.  Individuals differ in many respects including job-related
abilities and skills.
 In order to select a right person for the job, their abilities and
skills need to be equally measured. That is done through
selection tests.
 A selection test is a device that uncovers the information
about the candidate, which are not known through
application blank.
 They can measure certain abilities, aptitudes and skills that
provide objective information how well the applicant can be
expected to perform the job.

3.  Aptitude Test : Learning capacity
 Intelligence Tests : Reasoning, verbal , number, memory
 Achievement Tests : Theoretical and practical knowledge
 Situational Tests : Situational problems
 Interest Tests : Likes and dislikes of candidates
 Personality Tests : Relationship, Talkative, Reliability, Self-
confident
 Honesty Tests : The “Polygraph” a lie detector mechanical
device that measure honesty of the candidate. Reduce losses
and Employee theft

4.  Predict Future Performance : A well designed test can predict
future performance of an individual.
 Unbiased Tool : Standard, Eliminate biasness in selection
process.
 Measure the Aptitude : Psychological test measure the
aptitude of candidates and predict their success.
 Basis for Comparison : Test provide a reliable basis for
comparing applicants ability.

5.  Organization should have to select best candidates for the
job.
 Selecting the right employees important for at least three
main reasons.
◦ First Performance : Employee with the right skills and attributes will de
better.
◦ Recruiting and hiring is the costly process.
◦ Important because of legal implications.
 Effective selection is therefore important and depends to a
large degree on the testing concepts of reliability and validity.
◦ Reliability
◦ Validity

6.  Selection process must be valid or reliable and consistent.
 Reliability can be measured by several different statistical
methods.
 The most frequent ones are test-retest. Alternate forms
represented by a correlation coefficient, which ranges 0 to 1.
 No selection test achieves perfect reliability, but the goal is to
reduce error in measurement as much as possible.
 High reliability is a necessary condition for high validity, but
reliability does not ensure that a test is valid.

7.  Test-retest reliability is a measure of
reliability obtained by administering the same
test twice over a period of time to a group of
individuals. The scores from Time 1 and
Time 2 can then be correlated in order to
evaluate the test for stability over time.
 Can determine if and how much data a
student memorizes on a test.

8. The term validity refers to whether or not a
test measures what it intends to measure.
On a test with high validity the items will be
closely linked to the test’s intended focus. For
many certification and licensure tests this
means that the items will be highly related to a
specific job or occupation. If a test has poor
validity then it does not measure the job-

9.  A test has content validity, if it reflects an
actual sample of the work done on the job.
 The basic procedure is to identify job tasks
and behaviors that are critical to performance
and then randomly select a sample of these
tasks and behaviors to be tested.
 The test should measure tasks and skills
actually needed for the job.

10.  Construct Validity is used to ensure that the measure, actually
measures what it is intended to measure and not other
variables.
 Using a panel of “experts” familiar with the construct is a way
in which this type of validity can be assessed.
 They bring out the qualities and weaknesses of candidates.

11.  Criterion validity means who do well on the test also do well
on the job and those who do poorly on the test do poorly on
the job.
 Concurrent validity – a test is given to current employees and
the scores are correlated with their performance ratings.
 Predictive validity – test results of applicants are compared
with their subsequent job performance.