The Science of Talent by Kate O’Loughlin

Author:Kate O’Loughlin
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781784521257
Publisher: Panoma Press Ltd

Which psychometric test to use where?

If the decision is reached that psychometric tests should be used, then the question of which one to use often crops up when organisations are trying to improve their conversion rate for applicants to those successfully appointed. The best advice is to ask an impartial expert. The British Psychology Society (BPS) should always be the first port of call because they are able to provide free substantive advice. They have a sub group called The Psychometric Forum who are able to help. Unfortunately, going to a test publisher, or even a test qualified practitioner, is likely to result in the test that the publishing house produces, or that which the expert is accredited in, being recommended. This can have disastrous consequences for all concerned, as using the wrong test for a particular situation will waste money and achieve the wrong result for all concerned.

As we have already seen, these tests are powerful and are used to discriminate between people, so using the right one is critical. There are some that are best suited to selection and there are others that should only ever be used in development. They are not necessarily interchangeable. It is critical to stay with the recommended use of a test if you want to stay out of jail!

If a test has been properly constructed, then it will be able to demonstrate the validity (i.e. how much it is likely to be able to measure what it says it will measure) and predictive scores (i.e. how reliable it is at measuring the same thing over a period of time, or different sample groups) which will show its worth. If you need to develop a test that is bespoke, then you will need a qualified occupational psychologist who has experience of test construction, but this is likely to be costly and time consuming.

Using a professionally developed test allows organisations to defend decisions. This is particularly important in relation to claims at an employment tribunal that a decision was biased. So, if an organisation is going to use a selection test for recruitment, promotion, entry into a talent pool, or onto a development programme, or anything that will infer an advantage to the person being ‘selected’ over those who are not, then it is much safer for organisations to use a valid test that has been professionally produced and externally validated. Using your own tests is problematic; consulting an expert is the safest way to mitigate that risk.

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