Pros and Contras of Psychometric Tests in Selection - Essay Example

Topic: Why, in spite of their many positive features, are there still concerns about the use of psychometric tests in selection? Managing the HumanResources (HR)Function (Student Name) Faculty Name Date Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Discussion III. Conclusion IV. Reference I. Introduction Recruitment and selection are the crucial process for any organisation to meet their human resource requirements. There are various factors influencing this process. These are demand and supply job market, growth in economy and particular industry, growth of the company and many others. There are various tools and techniques used for selection process. One of such tools is psychometric tests in selection process that is widely used by numerous organisations to find suitable candidate for their organisation. However, there have been various debates over the use of psychometric tests. This paper will cover the psychometric test, its positive feature and critics. The discussion section will cover psychometric test and its process first. It will be followed by its benefits, drawbacks and concerns about its use. This paper will try to identify factors relevant to the use of psychometric test and concerns over its use. This will be followed by the conclusion. II. Discussion Psychometric tests are defined in different ways by different academicians. These are variety of tests helping organisations to access the range of behavioural traits of prospective employees. According to Dent & Curd (2004) “Psychometric tests are written, oral or practical tests that quantify different types of human behaviour. They are used to assess people for educational needs, diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions and for employment purposes.” Psychometric test helps in identifying various behavioural traits like skills, ability, intelligence, personality, motivation and interests (Stross, 2002). There are five key attributes to any sound psychometric test. These attributes are essentials for the psychometric test. These are as follows: Objectivity Reliability Validity Standardisation Differentiation Objectivity This factor indicates that the assessment process will not be affected by any kind of biasness of tester and it will be fair for the candidates. Factors like appearance or educational institution of a candidate should not affect the scores. Reliability As stated by Stross (2002) it measures in consistent way. Errors are small and quantifiable. Validity The validity is based on characteristics that psychometric test is designed to test. Standardisation This means these tests are fair and objective. The test items, scoring, questions, instructions and timings are same for every candidate. Differentiation The tests are designed to identify the relevant differences of skills, ability, intelligence, personality, motivation or interests among candidates. It shows the clear difference between candidates on the characteristics being tested (Stross, 2002). For instance for aptitude tests helps in testing verbal, numerical, abstract reasoning, critical thinking or conceptual thinking skills of candidates. These test questions have strict time limits and right answer to each question. This is conducted among the people of same level of educational qualification and employment. Psychometric Test provides best results when the testers are clear about the need, objectives and necessity of the test. He needs to identify and develop effective and clear test tools according to the needs of the recruitment process. All the candidates participating in the test should get proper instruction and have knowledge of how test will be utilised. Proper feedback system and confidentiality are some of the important factors of success of these tests (Dent & Curd, 2004). According to the survey results of Shackleton & Newell (1991(as cited by Jenkins, 2001) or Mabey (1989(as cited by Jenkins, 2001) large firms has high incidences of using psychometric tests. According to Jenkins (2001) small firms are less likely to use psychometric tests. Jenkins (2001) confirms that use of psychological tests by companies has been growing. The increasing acceptance of psychometric test is due to its objectivity, validity, reliability, standardisation and differentiation it offers. It is comparatively easy to administer and ensures unbiased results. Advantage of the Psychometric Tests: There are various reasons of using psychometric tests. These tests are quick, economical, and fair and ensure objectivity. It helps the selectors to ensure that they are able to get the right person for the right job. It also helps in understanding the training needs, future performance and identifying the developmental needs of the candidate. Organisations can ensure the fairness in selection process. It helps creating self awareness among individuals. Disadvantage of the Psychometric Tests Most of the disadvantages of the psychometric tests are related to the candidates participating in the same. Individuals may find uneasy and may have past experience resulting in cynicism. In some cases it can be expensive and time consuming for the organisation to provide initial training. Organisations can not rely on this measure only for the decision making process of selection. Sometimes tests can be faked or learned and provide fake picture of individual (Dent & Curd, 2004). Overall success of psychometric tests depends on how clearly the instructions are given to candidates for taking the test. Concerns of Using Psychometric Tests: Schuler, Farr and Smith (1993) provides following critics for the use of psychometric tests in the selection process: “Selection is only in the interest of the organization. Selection is an untimely expression of differences in social power: Applicants are forced to undergo procedures arbitrarily imposed on them if they do not want to lose their chance to get the job. Selection and assessment situations are non transparent, that is, candidates are not given the relevant information about what is measured and what conclusions are made. Selection and assessment is stressful to the candidate.” To understand further, each of these factors can be discussed individually. The first factor states that selection is only in the interest of the organisation. The process of selection of individual is aimed at getting right person for the right job. Organisations conduct this selection procedure in order to meet the requirements of suitable candidate. In such case, the only interest an organisation will have is selecting the right candidate. In the present scenario, applying for a particular job is on the hands of applicants. Organisations utilises various sources of contacting prospective employees like media, referrals, employment agencies and others. They can advertise vacancy in local or national newspaper. In most of the cases, the selection process is given in the advertisement. It is up to the candidate whether he wants to apply for a particular job or not. Applicant applies for the job by sending his resume or curriculum vita (CV). In the case, where numbers of applicants are high, organisations screen the most suitable candidates for the position based on initial screening of resume. These candidates are invited for test. Therefore, the choices are as much with candidates as it is with organisation for going through tests. The second critics talks about the difference of social powers. As discussed earlier, it is all in the hands of applicants whether or not to apply for particular job. In the last few decades, the offers in the job market have increased in many folds due to the globalisation and industrialisation. Applicants have variety of options available in the job market. They can apply on the basis of their qualifications, skills, expertise and interests. The number of offers from best organisations will be always limited as compared to the numbers of applicants applying for such offers. Organisations need to have a process of selection that ensures fairness of selection process. Organisation should be able to get right candidate for the right position using this process. This critic “applicants are forced to undergo procedure arbitrarily imposed on them if they do not want to lose their chance to get the job” can not be justified. Organisation will have some or other method of getting right candidate for the position whether it is based on interview, group discussion or any other method. Candidate will have to undergo the process of selection, if they are looking forward to work with the organisation. Even in the case of examinations or admission at school level, there are systematic admission processes. One can not compare this with differences of social power. A candidate for a particular position comes from the same group of individual undergoing these tests. As candidates have their own right to apply for the best job they feel, organisation do have right to get best candidate from the pool of applicants. Results of such tests are usually retained with the organisation. This is one of the drawbacks of this process. However this is similar to any other kind of selection process like interviews and others. Even in interviews candidates are not informed about the basis of selecting one individual over other applicant. This is the common practice. Candidates wait for the results and do not know the reasons why they have not been selected. It is sometimes impractical to provide reasons of failure to each and every candidate offering his candidature to particular job. In any case selection and assessment is stressful to the candidates. Every individual feels psychological pressure in the process of recruitment. It varies from individual to individual. Different critics has criticised psychometric tests on different basis of sociological, psychological or economical basis. Despite of the above mentioned critics, psychometric tests are proven to be effective tool of selection process. In most of the cases it is combined with other methods of selection like interview, group discussion and others. It is important for an organisation to have an individual with right set of behavioural skills for any particular job. The person should fit in the culture and environment of the organisation. This ensures smooth operations of organisation, minimises conflicts and risk of turnover and absenteeism. Organisation can identify the developmental needs of individual with the help of psychometric tests and design the induction and training program. III. Conclusion Psychometric tests are behavioural tests aimed to test behavioural traits like skills, ability, intelligence, personality, motivation and interest. These tests are standardised test for the all the candidates applying for similar job in terms of time frame, number of questions and types of questions and others. These tests are reliable as similar results can be produced with retests. These provide valid results for the characteristics these tests are designed to test. These tests designed to identify relevant differences of any particular trait psychometric test is designed to test. For instance in the case of job selection interview, the test will be aimed to access the future job performance of the individual. There are still concerns about the use of psychometric tests. These concerns come from various interest groups. Organisations may find it difficult to design and administer. Psychometric tests can be effective for particular jobs or industry and vice versa. Other group looks at it from the sociological perspective linking it to the difference of social powers. They consider candidates to be from lesser power than the organisations. They believe that candidates are compelled to take the psychometric tests. This argument is weak as applying for particular job is choice of candidate. Organisations usually provide a brief of selection procedures in their vacancy requirements. Selection procedure is starting of the understanding the work environment and following the procedures of organisation. In an organisation everyone needs to contribute in same direction. This starts from the selection and recruitment process. Psychometric test helps organisation to find a suitable candidate for particular position. These tests require time from candidate as well as utilises organisational resources. Psychometric tests are cost effective tools. These helps organisations to keep minimise discrimination on the basis of belonging to particular institution, race, ethnic background, age, gender or geographical background. It helps in overcoming problems like nepotism. These can provide valid and reliable results. Results of psychometric test depend on the clarity of aims, purposes and objectives of the test. The tests should be professionally developed. Candidate should be giver proper instructions of the test. Psychometric tests can help assessing numbers of behavioural traits of candidates. It is effective to provide difference among two individual in similar behavioural traits. IV. Reference Dent F & Curd J (2004) Psychometric Tests: An Overview of an Increasingly Complex World, Training Journal, available from http://www.ashridge.org.uk/Website/IC.nsf/wFARATT/Psychometric%20Tests:%20An%20Overview%20of%20an%20Increasingly%20Complex%20World/$File/PsychometricTest.pdf [Cited 15 November 2007] Fisher CD and Boyle GJ (1997) Personality and Employee Selection: Credibility Regained, Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 35 (2) 26–40 Hollway, W. (1991) Work Psychology and Organisational Behaviour, Sage: London Jenkins A (2001) Companies’ Use of Psychometric Testing and the Changing Demand for Skills: A Review of the Literature, London School of Economics and Political Science, ISBN 0 7530 1475 0 available from http://cee.lse.ac.uk/cee%20dps/CEEDP12.pdf. [Cited on November, 15, 2007] Redman, T. & Wilkinson, A. (2006) 3e, Contemporary Human Resource Management, Prentice Hall: Harlow: FT Schuler H., Farr J.L. & Smith M. (1993) Personnel Selection and Assessment: Individual and Organizational Perspectives, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Hillsdale, N.J. Stross, E (2002) Getting Ahead with Psychometric Tests available from http://www.stross-hypatia.com/psychometrictests.doc [Cited on 15 November 2007] Read More