Question 1

Which of the following most accurately represents the typical steps in the selection process?

Accepted Answer

The typical steps in the selection process involve initial interviews followed by later stage interviews, which indicates that candidates are interviewed more than once. Option A may not be accurate as employment testing is not always a part of the selection process. Option B is incorrect as HR departments may be involved in interviews earlier than supervisors. Option D is incorrect as background investigations are usually carried out later in the selection process once a candidate has been identified as a potential hire.

Question 2

If an organization did not hire a person who was described as low in predicted success and low in job performance, that situation would be called which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A "hit" in selection refers to correctly identifying and not hiring a candidate who is predicted to have low success and performance, aligning with the organization's selection goals.

Question 3

Which of the following refers to the use of selection tests to measure applicant KSAOs against competencies for the job?

Accepted Answer

Person-job fit refers to the match between an applicant's KSAOs and the job requirements. The use of selection tests is a common method to measure this fit. Employment equity compliance refers to ensuring that hiring practices do not discriminate against certain groups. Person-organization fit refers to the match between an applicant's values and the organizational culture. Indirect expense refers to expenses not directly related to creating a product or service, such as overhead costs.

Question 4

Organization B is using an interview that requires a panel of three interviewers to complete. The company has found that about half of the time, the interviewers disagree in their ratings such that some members of the panel give the candidate a high rating, while others give the same candidate a low rating. What is the best way to describe the situation?

Accepted Answer

The situation in which interviewers disagree in their ratings suggests that the interview used by Organization B is not reliable. Reliability refers to the consistency of scores or ratings that are obtained from an assessment tool, such as an interview. If different interviewers give significantly different ratings for the same candidate, it means that the tool is not reliable in producing consistent results. Validity, on the other hand, refers to the extent to which the tool measures what it is intended to measure, which cannot be determined from the given information.

Question 5

Organization C has developed a new selection system. The company is interested in determining if the system predicts performance on the job, so Organization C gave the selection tests to 100 existing employees. What is the best way to describe this process?

Accepted Answer

Concurrent validity is assessed when a new test is administered to current employees to see how well it correlates with their current job performance, making it a criterion-related validity study. Predictive validity would involve testing new applicants and comparing their test results to their future job performance, which is not the scenario described. Cross-validation typically refers to using the test in a different sample to see if it still predicts job performance, which is also not the scenario described.

Question 6

Which of the following correlation coefficients is indicative of the strongest correlation?

Accepted Answer

The correlation coefficient of -0.9 is the strongest correlation because it is a negative value closest to -1, indicating a strong negative relationship between the two variables.

Question 7

A scatter plot that represents the relationship between test scores and performance on the job with a test that is NOT valid would look like which of the following descriptions?

Accepted Answer

A scatter plot representing a relationship between a non-valid test and job performance would not show any clear pattern or correlation between the two variables.

Question 8

Which of the following conditions represents a test that could be described as "construct valid"?

Accepted Answer

A construct valid test measures the theoretical construct that it is intended to measure, and the researcher in option C is checking if their measure of job satisfaction correlates with other measures of job satisfaction. This checks the construct validity of the test. Option A is an example of content validity because the professor is choosing questions that cover the most important content. Option B is an example of criterion validity because it measures the facets of the job that are relevant to job performance. Option D is an example of predictive validity because it assesses the effectiveness of the selection test in predicting future job performance.

Question 9

Why has interest in person-organization fit been increasing?

Accepted Answer

With organizations' increased need for teamwork and flexibility, the fit between employees and the organization has become more crucial. As a result, interest in person-organization fit has increased.

Question 10

Which of the following represents an essential factor in the selection procedure, regardless of the selection methods used?

Accepted Answer

Regardless of the selection methods used, it is essential that the selection procedure is reliable and valid. Reliability means that the selection method is consistent and produces consistent results over time, while validity means that the selection method measures what it's intended to measure and accurately predicts job performance. Without reliability and validity, the selection procedure may not result in hiring the best candidates for the job. While lengthy and thorough procedures or a positive applicant experience may be desirable, they are not essential factors in the selection procedure. Being quick and efficient may be desirable, but not at the expense of reliability and validity.

Question 11

How can you obtain a higher validity coefficient?

Accepted Answer

Combining two or more tests or other predictors can increase the validity coefficient by capturing different aspects of the construct being measured, thus providing a more comprehensive assessment.

Question 12

What is one of the most important processes in establishing validity?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is one of the most important...

Question 13

Six months ago, Organization A used a new selection system to hire 100 front-line staff members. With six months of performance data in hand, Organization A is interested in determining if its new selection system predicts performance on the job. What is the best way to describe this process?

Accepted Answer

The situation described involves using performance data from the past six months to determine if the new selection system predicts future job performance. This is an example of assessing predictive validity through a criterion-related validity study, as the goal is to see if there is a relationship between scores on the selection system and performance on the job. Option A (assessing concurrent validity through a cross-validation study) is not the best choice because concurrent validity involves testing the relationship between scores on two measures that are taken at the same time, rather than using past data to predict future performance. Option B (assessing concurrent validity through a criterion-related validity study) is also incorrect because the focus is on predicting future performance, rather than understanding the relationship between scores on the selection system and current job performance. Option D (assessing predictive validity through a cross-validation study) is not the best choice because cross-validation involves using multiple data sets to test the validity of a model, whereas this situation involves using performance data from the same data set to assess the validity of the selection system.

Question 14

Which of the following refers to the degree to which selection procedures yield comparable data over a period of time?

Accepted Answer

Reliability refers to the consistency of selection procedures and their ability to yield comparable data over time. Validity refers to the degree to which selection procedures accurately measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for a job. Conformity is not a relevant concept in selection procedures.

Question 15

Giving applicants a clerical aptitude test and then tracking their performance six months later is an example of which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Predictive validity assesses the ability of a test to predict future performance. In this case, tracking the performance of clerical aptitude test-takers six months later is a way to measure the predictive validity of the test.

Question 16

Organization X applies validity data from another similar job situation to its own organization. What is this process called?

Accepted Answer

This process is called validity generalization, which involves applying the validity data from one job situation to a different, but similar, job situation. It is a way to generalize the validity evidence to new situations without repeating the expensive and time-consuming validation process.

Question 17

Which of the following is the process in which a test or test battery is administered to a different sample (drawn from the same population) for the purpose of verifying the results obtained from the original validation study?

Accepted Answer

Cross-validation is the process of administering the test or test battery to a different sample from the same population to confirm the validity of the results obtained from the original validation study. This process helps to ensure that the results are reliable and consistent across different samples from the same population. Redundancy validation and repeat validation are not commonly used terms in validation studies. Inferential validation refers to the process of using statistical techniques to infer the validity of a test or test battery based on its performance on a different sample or a related measure.

Question 18

Which of the following terms refers to the extent to which good performance on a test correlates with high marks on a performance review?

Accepted Answer

Criterion-related validity assesses the degree to which a test score is related to some measure of job performance, such as a performance review. Content validity evaluates whether a test measures the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for a particular job. Construct validity measures whether a test actually measures the construct it is designed to measure, such as intelligence or creativity. Cross-validation involves testing the same group of individuals with two different tests to see if they produce the same results. Therefore, A is the correct choice.

Question 19

Which of the following terms refers to the degree to which inferences drawn from interviews, test scores, and other selection procedures are supported by evidence (such as good job performance)?

Accepted Answer

Validity refers to the degree to which selection procedures accurately predict job performance. It is the most important aspect of selection and measures whether a selection method measures what it is intended to measure. Reliability refers to the consistency of results obtained from a selection procedure. Evidential is not a recognized term in selection and accuracy refers to the correctness of information rather than the validity of a selection procedure.

Question 20

When would an applicant be rejected during the selection procedure?

Accepted Answer

An applicant may be rejected at any stage in the selection procedure, depending on how well they meet the job requirements or if they are found to be unsuitable or unqualified for the position. Each step of the process, from completing the application to the final interview, is designed to narrow down the pool of applicants and identify the most qualified and suitable candidates for the job.

Quiz 6: Employee Selection