Staffing Organizations: Key Employee Assessment Methods

Introduction to Hiring Assessment Methods

Various techniques are available to assist in making sound hiring decisions. Just as we consider multiple factors when making any purchasing decision, the same care applies to employee selection. The assessment methods discussed in this paper are each useful in their own distinct ways, and all carry general empirical validity — meaning they can reliably indicate how well an individual is likely to perform on the job. Methods such as polygraphs and graphology are excluded here due to the lack of evidence supporting their validity for selection decision-making purposes. The following five techniques are considered because each has demonstrated a meaningful connection to important employment outcomes in organizational settings (Heneman, Judge & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2012).

A job knowledge test typically applies multiple questions to evaluate the professional or technical knowledge and expertise required for a specific role. This type of test is appropriate when there is adequate evidence of a close relationship between what the test measures and what the job demands. However, it may be less suitable for positions that require only brief training to acquire the necessary knowledge. The decision to use this test should therefore depend on the nature of the job and the level of specialized knowledge it requires (Flamholtz, 2009).

Job Knowledge Test

This test is appropriate for assessing experiences and attitudes related to an applicant's trustworthiness, honesty, pro-social behavior, and reliability. Direct questions are typically posed about prior experiences connected to integrity and ethics. Additional questions about interests and preferences are used to draw inferences about an applicant's likely future behavior. This test is valuable for identifying candidates who may have a higher likelihood of engaging in inappropriate, antisocial, or dishonest behavior in the workplace. It can be administered through paper-and-pencil or computer-based methods, either individually or in a group setting. This method is favored because it produces valid inferences for a range of organizational outcomes (Prien & Goodstein, 2006).

Paper-and-Pencil Integrity Test

General cognitive ability tests use problems or questions to measure logical reasoning, the ability to learn quickly, and reading comprehension. These tests analyze an applicant's aptitude for solving job-related problems by revealing details about their mental capabilities, including mathematical and verbal reasoning, as well as speed in processing information. This type of test is particularly valuable because it has consistently produced valid inferences for a broad range of organizational benefits (Heneman, Judge & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2012).

In the selection process, measuring personality traits in work-related contexts is an important component of a comprehensive assessment strategy. Relevant traits include conscientiousness, extraversion, stress tolerance, openness to new experiences, productivity, and emotional stability. A personal characteristics inventory is well suited to measuring these traits, as they are directly associated with workplace behavior, job satisfaction, and interpersonal interactions. This type of test helps assess whether applicants have the potential to succeed in roles that require significant teamwork or a high level of interpersonal engagement (Heneman, Judge & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2012). Research on the Big Five personality traits provides a strong empirical foundation for the use of such inventories in employment contexts.