Everything you ever wanted to know about selection and placement.

Knowledge: What the person has to know about a job.

Skill: Something a person needs to be able to do.

Abilities: Capability to learn new things.

Others: Every other human attribute not covered by the first three.

Hence, an organization that knows the characteristics about a job can better direct its assessment methods. If you know what the KSAO's for a job are before you apply, you can make better decisions about which jobs to apply for. The goal being, trying to fit your personal characteristics to a jobs characteristics. One can also better prepare for the assessment process.

An organization can use many different types of assessment methods to evaluate how well you will fit to the specific job. There are several important aspects that one should know about assessment tests. If a test is to be used by an organization, it should be a reliable and valid test. However, not all organizations are so concerned with issues of reliability and validity. A test used to select employees must predict how well that employee will do on the job. Having said that, here is a list of possible test types you may face in your quest for employment.

Psychological Tests:

A psychological test (PT) is a standardized series of problems or questions that assesses a particular individual characteristic (Spector 1996).

A multiple item PT increases validity and reliability by taking into account the errors one may make in answering certain questions.

In addition, there are several other characteristics of a PT-

• They can be administered to an individual or a group.
• Exams can be multiple choice or essay.
• The tests can be actual paper or pencil, or a performance test in which the applicant will have to manipulate an apparatus of some sort, such as a typing test.
• Tests can be timed or you can have an unlimited time to take them.

A PT can also be divided into different types of psychological tests. For example an ability test, a knowledge or skills test, a personality test, an integrity test, or a vocational interest test.

• The most often thought of PT test is an IQ test. An IQ test falls under the category of a cognitive ability test. If you have never taken an IQ test, and are interested in how you might score, take this sample on-line IQ Test It takes about thirty to forty minutes to complete.
• A PT can also be a psychomotor ability test. These tests try to determine how well you can manipulate objects and use tools, like putting the square peg in the square hole.
• An achievement test designed to assess your present level of proficiency falls under the category of knowledge and skill.
• What most people think of when they hear that they are taking a PT is a personality test. A personality test is also a knowledge and skills test. It is designed to assess personality traits which are tendencies to behave in a particular way across many different situations.
  • Some personality traits for certain classes of behavior can be relevant to an organization.
    • Are you interested in some of your personality traits? Take the Kiersey Personality Test and see how you do.
• The last two types of PT's are integrity tests and vocational interest tests.
  • Integrity tests try to asses the amount of counterproductive or dishonest behavior you might engage in on the job.
  • Vocational interest tests try to asses your interests in a variety of occupations.

Biographical Information

Outside of PT's, the most common way an organization learns about you, is to just ask. The simplest example being an application form. There are some legal issues regarding application blanks. The main issue is the legality of questions asked; they all must be job relevant. Unfortunately, some questions that may give employers very useful information are illegal to ask (Spector 1996). For Example:

• Do you have a family?
• How many children do you have?
• Are you married?
• What kind of name is ___?
• Where were you born?
• Is English your first language?

There are many differing investigative materials available by which your potential employer can learn more about you. Here are examples of information you could be asked for, as well as some tips to make the process go more smoothly:

Letters of recommendation-

• You will have to ask a professional or a friend to write a letter of recommendation describing the qualities you have that make you a good candidate for the job.
• Tips:Be sure to express to the writer which aspects you would like him or her to stress in the letter. Also, ask that the letter be sealed after you review it. Employers will value the letter more if they think that you have not seen it.

Telephone references-

• Most businesses will require that you provide a list of references with phone numbers so that the employer can talk to them without you having any influences on the reference's response (such as in the recommendation letter).
• Tips:Tell the people that you listed as references that they may be receiving a phone call about you in the future. No one likes surprises.

Physical exams-

• You could be asked to take a physical when applying for higher-paid, long-term positions.
• Tips:These exams must be job relevant, so if you are asked to take an exam that you do not think is necessary, question the employer's intentions (but do so nicely).

Work samples-

• Applicants may be required to provide sample of their work abilities.
• Tips:Work samples are good predictors of work performance, so they can influence an employer's decision on whether or not to hire you.Keep all papers and projects that you have completed for further use (Spector 1996).

The final aspect of pre-hiring assessment we will look at are interviews.Interviews are by far the most often used method of selecting employees. If you have been in the work world at any level, chances are you have already been to an interview.An interview is any face to face meeting between you and a representative from your potential employer (Spector 1996).There are several different ways an interview can be conducted:In an unstructured interview, the process may seem more like a casual conversation than a formal gathering of facts.

A structured interview is where the employer follows a pre-planned series of questions that are asked of all applicants.

Board interviews are when you are interviewed by a panel of several people at the same time.

Sometimes several applicants will be interviewed at the same time. This is called a group interview.

Interviews have many disadvantages that organizations sometimes ignore. One problem is the effect the interviewer has on the applicant. An interviewer can have a profound impact on answers given by an applicant. In addition, the interaction between different interviewers and applicants differs, thus affecting the reliability of interviews (Spector 1996).

Once you have been hired (thanks to our web page advice!) you may be asked or have the opportunity to attend an assessment center. Often this method of assessment and selection is used for employees who have been with the company for a period of time and are looking to move up, possibly to a managerial position. It may also be used for training purposes.

If you are interested in learning more about selection and placement or are a recent college grad check out these links.

Good Luck!