ANALYSIS OF SELECTION METHODS

Method Reliability Validity Generalizability Utility Legality

Interviews Low when Low if Low Low, especially Low because of subjectivity and
unstructured and unstructured and because of potential interviewer bias; also lack
when assessing non- non-behavioral expense of validity make job-relatedness low
observable traits
Reference Low, especially when Low because of Low Low, although Those writing letters may be
Checks obtained from letters lack of range in not expensive to concerned with charges of libel
evaluations obtain
Biographical High test-retest, High criterion Usually job High; May have adverse impact: thus
Information especially for related validity; specific, but have inexpensive way often develop separate scoring keys
verifiable low in content been successfully to collect vast based on sex and race
information validity developed for amounts of
many job types potentially
relevant data
Physical Ability High Moderate criterion Low; pertain only Moderate for Often have adverse impact on
Tests related validity; to physically some physical women and people with disabilities;
high content demanding jobs jobs; may need to establish job-relatedness
validity for some prevent
jobs expensive
injuries and
disability
Cognitive Ability High Moderate criterion High; predictive High; low cost Research indicates adverse impact
Tests related validity for most jobs, and wide on minority groups in the United
content validation although best for application States although decreasing over
inappropriate complex jobs across diverse time
jobs in
companies
Personalities High Low to moderate Low; few traits Low, although Low because of cultural and sex
Inventories criterion related predictive for inexpensive for differences on most traits, and low
validity for most many jobs, except jobs where job-relatedness in general
traits; content conscientiousness specific traits
validation are relevant
inappropriate
 Method Reliability Validity Generalizability Utility Legality
Work- Sample High High criterion and Usually job High, despite High because of low adverse impact
Tests content validity specific, but have the relatively and high job-relatedness
been successfully high cost to
developed for develop
many job types
Honesty/ Insufficient Insufficient Insufficient Inexpensive, but No apparent legislative barriers;
Integrity Tests independent independent independent insufficient however, one human rights
evidence evidence evidence independent complaint filed in Nova Scotia in the
evidence late 1990’s
Drug Tests Low; often unreliable Low due to lack of Low due to lack Expensive, but To meet legal scrutiny, testing policy
and many are reliability of reliability and perceived to must have a clear and legitimate
considered validity yield high purpose; highly invasive and violates
inaccurate regarding payoffs for human rights unless a direct
current impairment health and relationship to job performance
or usage level; safety -related exits; also risks being discriminatory
conditions under risks to
which test is organization;
administered can must first
also affect reliability establish direct
relationship to
job to justify
testing

Reference

Noe, Raymond, John Hollenbeck, Barry Gerhart, Patrick Wright and Linda Eligh. (2016) Strategic Human Resource Management. McGraw Hill
Ryerson, Toronto, Canada.