Do you seek third-party guidance before investing in a major item? How do you balance your personal preferences with product reviews? Do you tend to seek out unbiased advice from outside resources such as Kelley Blue Book or Consumer Reports, or do you prefer to go it alone?

A primary reason for reaching beyond our individual preferences is the problem of bias. According to this article by Forbes Magazine, personal bias is everywhere. No one is immune. It’s not personal; it’s science!

Also, subject matter experts understand elements of the product or service that may not be obvious to the consumer. For example, when I’m in the market for a new house, I may be drawn to a certain property based on its curb appeal. A trusted contractor will look beyond the surface and advise me on its structural integrity.

When it comes to researching talent assessments,  SIOP (Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology) is a globally-recognized source for unbiased advice.

For this post, we will take a closer look at the “structural integrity” of employment assessments, using guidance from this SIOP article.

We’ve organized the list by categories that organizations might consider when comparing test vendors. To give context to each point, we’ve added a response that shares Employment Technologies’ approach in each category.

RESEARCH APPROACH AND EXPERTISE

SIOP Insight : Be wary of a vendor who describes their test as measuring many seemingly unrelated factors.

Additional Context: Each Employment Technologies simulation is developed and validated for specific jobs. For instance, if the job requires problem solving, we measure that competency directly in the context of the target job. This immersive, job-relevant approach gives our clients the strongest predictive accuracy and legal defensibility.

EVIDENCE OF VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY

SIOP Insight: Experienced and knowledgeable test publishers have (and are happy to provide) information on the validity of their testing products.

Additional Context: Validity and reliability are the most critical aspects of test development. Validity provides your protection and the legal defensibility of the test. Employment Technologies has intentionally developed a validation strategy that offers double validation, two avenues of proof and scientific rigor that are not even possible with most other tests. This allows Employment Technologies to protect your organization at the highest level of legal scrutiny and predictive accuracy. All of our assessments are designed according to the highest professional, legal, and ethical standards, and this process is documented with comprehensive technical development and validation reports available to our clients.

EXTENSIVE DATABASE OF RESULTS

SIOP Insight: The test publisher should provide information about the different norm groups that are available for the test being considered.

Additional Context: Employment Technologies’ simulations are developed with a panel of subject matter experts and normed against incumbents in the target job. This scientific approach provides a solid foundation for score interpretation and predictive precision.

EVIDENCE OF FAIRNESS AND LACK OF BIAS

SIOP Insight: Look for evidence that the test does not contain bias on the basis of race or sex, that is, that the test is related to outcomes in a similar manner for all individuals.

Additional Context: Our best-in-class test development techniques work to eliminate harmful bias in our assessments. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have reviewed methodologies used by Employment Technologies and concur that our assessments are fair and accurate predictors of job performance.

If we can help you apply SIOP’s insights to your assessment search, we invite you to reach out for a no obligation consultation with one of our testing experts. Why not take advantage of our 30+ years of experience in employment testing and predictive analytics? Call 888-332-0648.

 

RESOURCES

Seven Questions to Ask a Vendor Before Purchasing a Test

Unconscious Bias: How It Affects Us More Than We Know

Summary of the Office of Personnel Managements’ Comparison of Assessment Types