Candidate Selection: A Definitive Guide
Learn of candidate selection to improve your candidate selection process and build a high-performing workforce.
PAGE CONTENTS
section one
Introduction
A large proportion of employing organisations have tangible, specific goals for diversity and inclusion, which are key to their operational strategy. These can be broad and far-reaching, incorporating many areas of difference, including gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, neurodiversity, etc.
The goals that organisations set for themselves can often be very ambitious, requiring considerable time, money, and resources to achieve.
However, despite these ambitious goals and good intentions, organisations are simply unaware of how employee selection impacts diversity and inclusion.
Organisations typically rely solely on CV sifting and interviews, two of the most bias-prone assessment methodologies known to occupational psychology. Even more ironic is that organisations with diversity and inclusion aims often intentionally avoid diversifying their selection tools by incorporating recruitment tests, fearing that other assessments will negatively impact their goals.
In this article, we will outline how best to use recruitment tests to improve the quality of hire, streamline the selection process, and support diversity and inclusion initiatives by avoiding unconscious bias.
section two
Aptitude Testing
Aptitude tests, also known as ability tests or cognitive assessments, rank among the most commonly used screening tools, especially for early careers hiring. Aptitude tests are designed to measure specific cognitive abilities, such as verbal, numerical, or logical reasoning, and collectively measure a person's general cognitive ability. They are normally multiple-choice assessments which can be completed online from any location, making them especially convenient for early-stage screening and shortlisting. Although they can be used at any level, they add the most value in high-volume selection settings, as they are extremely scalable and efficient tools.
The primary advantage is their ability to provide a richer and more comprehensive evaluation of candidates.
The best way to use aptitude tests from a diversity and inclusion perspective is to use them in lieu of educational requirements. Research shows that screening based on academic achievement, i.e. UCAS points, degree classification, etc., tends to be highly discriminatory across a number of protected groups.
This is because candidates from high socioeconomic status backgrounds tend to have significant advantages in education, irrespective of their cognitive ability.
Ultimately, organisations ask for educational achievements as a proxy for cognitive ability, but by measuring it directly you can avoid setting strenuous educational requirements, levelling the playing field.
section three
Personality Questionnaires
Personality questionnaires are behavioural assessments designed to measure the essential behavioural characteristics which underpin performance and fit in the workplace. Organisations are often quick to identify the behavioural characteristics which matter in the workplace, and many are ubiquitously useful, regardless of the role or organisation, i.e. resilience, organisational ability, industriousness, work ethic, social skills, etc. As recruitment tests, personality questionnaires typically follow a multiple-choice format using Likert scale style questions, giving a very laid-back testing experience.
"Research shows that many personality traits are consistent predictors of performance in the workplace, showing low to moderate associations."
However, the real advantage of personality questionnaires is that they measure a wide range of behavioural characteristics, which in aggregate show far stronger predictions for job performance. For example, although conscientiousness may be modestly associated with performance on its own, conscientiousness and resilience together are far stronger predictors than either in isolation, making personality questionnaires powerful tools to improve quality of hire.
Personality questionnaires are perhaps the most useful tool to support diversity and inclusion in recruitment.
Across many legally protected groups, personality questionnaires show no adverse impact, and may even have some slight advantages for certain demographics. For example, we have some evidence that candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to develop more resilience and industriousness, which can be captured accurately with personality questionnaires. Therefore, any organisation looking to improve diversity and inclusion should strongly consider using these kinds of recruitment tests, as they help level the playing field.
section four
Situational Judgement Tests
Situational judgement tests are effectively a hybrid approach to recruitment testing, representing a middle ground between ability and behavioural assessment. Situational judgement tests present candidates with hypothetical situations, along with potential courses of action to deal with those situations.
Candidates are then required to either rate, rank, or select the best course of action from the list, highlighting their judgement and decision-making ability.
Because effective judgement and decision-making require both cognitive ability and the right behavioural characteristics, situational judgement tests are partial measures of both, offering several advantages.
Research shows that situational judgement tests are effective predictors of performance in the workplace, owing to the fact that they measure a number of characteristics which independently predict performance. This makes them an especially useful tool for organisations who can’t or won’t use ability tests or personality questionnaires in recruitment.
Situational judgement tests typically show high levels of "face validity" and are thus particularly likely to be accepted by stakeholders and candidates who are unfamiliar with psychometric testing.
Situational judgement tests also have a useful niche at assessment centres, alongside a battery of other tests, exercises, and interviews. Situational judgement tests effectively serve as realistic job previews, and they offer a very laid-back testing experience, making them a great addition to assessment centres, giving the candidate somewhat of a break.
However, when it comes to diversity and inclusion, organisations must be judicious with their use of situational judgement tests, as assessment design matters significantly. People with autism often struggle with hypothetical situations and may take things overly literally. For example, if a situational judgement test asks, "Which of the following actions would you take?", an autistic candidate may refuse to answer, as they personally wouldn’t follow any of the listed actions.
Therefore, from a neurodiversity perspective, situational judgement tests must be thoroughly vetted before use, and only used if ability and personality testing isn’t an option.
section five
Conclusion and Summary
In human resources management, there is a stark academic-practitioner divide, especially when it comes to employee selection.
Even highly experienced talent acquisition professionals simply don’t know how employee selection tools relate to performance, retention, and diversity in the workplace, and are simply too afraid to rock the boat. The reality, however, is that traditional hiring practices, i.e. interviews and CV sifting, are the most bias-prone assessment methods, and anything you can do to minimise their impact is worth considering. Psychometric testing removes the potential for assessor bias, helping to level the playing field while dramatically improving quality of hire.
For more information on how Test Partnership could help improve the fairness, effectiveness, and scalability of your employee selection processes, feel free to book a call with us to discuss your requirements.
