How can you create reliable selection tests and assessments?

2 Choose or create relevant tests and assessments

Once you have defined the job requirements, you can select or create tests and assessments that measure the KSAOs that are relevant for the job. You should avoid using tests and assessments that are not related to the job or that measure general traits that are not specific to the job. For example, if you are hiring a software developer, you might use a coding test, a work sample, and a technical interview, but not a personality inventory or a general cognitive ability test. You should also consider the level of difficulty, the format, the length, and the cost of the tests and assessments, and how they fit into your hiring process.

4 Ensure the fairness and legality of the tests and assessments

Fairness and legality are two ethical and legal aspects that you need to consider when using tests and assessments. Fairness refers to the absence of bias and discrimination in the test content, administration, scoring, and interpretation, meaning that the test does not favor or disadvantage any group of candidates based on their demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, or religion. Legality refers to the compliance with the laws and regulations that govern the use of tests and assessments in employment, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures. You can ensure the fairness and legality of the tests and assessments by reviewing the test content, providing reasonable accommodations, standardizing the test procedures, applying the same scoring and interpretation criteria, and documenting the test results and decisions.

5 Monitor and improve the tests and assessments

Finally, you should not assume that the tests and assessments you use are reliable, valid, fair, and legal forever. You should monitor and improve the tests and assessments regularly, based on the feedback from the candidates, the hiring managers, and the test developers, as well as the changes in the job requirements, the labor market, the technology, and the legal environment. You should collect and analyze data on the test scores, the test quality, the test outcomes, and the test impact, and use this information to identify and address any issues or gaps in the tests and assessments. You should also update or replace the tests and assessments as needed, to ensure that they reflect the current and future needs of the job and the organization.