Skills tests
Skill testing is a genuine minimum qualification model. You must know if applicants have the skill to perform the job. The problem; however, is even the most technical job is at best 30% technical. Even if there was a perfect match of the skill test to the job, there is still 70% of the job that has not been measured. For example, all teachers are certified yet there are good teachers and poor ones. All attorneys have passed the bar exam and yet there is still a difference in performance. Physicians, electricians and auto mechanics also fit this example. Skill tests are more narrowly focused measures restricting performance domain coverage. They are usually impractical to administer to large groups. These limitations on content validity and the selection ratio result in very low utility at predicting superior workers.
Select Advantage’s worker competency tests sample from the entire domain of work behaviors and distinguish superior workers. Our assessment methods provide a practical to administer program for very large numbers of applicants. High validity and selection ratios translate into a very high success at selecting superior workers.
Aptitude tests
Aptitude tests are far too general and usually focus on measuring cognitive abilities. They may be helpful indicators of an individual's interests and/or potential for certain tasks, but are not effective predictors of worker performance. Aptitude tests are not job specific and assume a huge leap in logic in how it affects performance. For example, a group of physicists would score high in mechanical aptitude, but they would make terrible pipe fitters.
Aptitude tests have serious legal problems when used to select workers, as they have historically produced insurmountable adverse impact on minority groups (Griggs vs. Duke Power Co, Albemarle vs. Moody, Connecticut vs. Teal). By including all elements of the work (interests, willingness, desires, work habits, character and other characteristics, in addition to knowledge, skills and abilities) Select's methods have historically produced insignificant levels of adverse impact, so that targeted recruiting of low performing group(s) can easily ensure their representation among the best qualified applicants.
Psychological tests (Personality Tests)
Personality tests have been developed and validated for clinical diagnostics and counseling, and they are very useful for those purposes. However, their use as predictors of job performance is very questionable and probably inappropriate. While it may be advantageous to know what type of personality an individual can bring to a company, it will not predict performance. In every job there are what seem to be contradictory behaviors. For instance, police officers must be aggressive and yet still hold themselves in check. A personality test cannot measure both of these behaviors at the same time. Another example would be sales representatives. The false assumption is that all extroverts make great sales people. In fact, most sales forces have a variety of personalities within their top performers. The bottom line is personality and psychological tests are not key indicators of performance.
Select’s tests are designed to measure all aspects of a job. That is why our tools are superior to personality or psychological testing. We can take the seemingly contradictory behaviors of a job and measure both behaviors as they contribute to the success of the individual.