In the interview process, the best way to properly have performance appraisals and employee reviews filled out and used for evaluation is to stay formal in the structured interview. It really is necessary to stay with formal tests, because while interviewing a candidate, some informal tests or questions could prove to be illegal violations of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act.
“Formal and Informal Testing:
There are many vendors that offer formal testing in the areas of:
- Aptitude: measures an individual’s aptitude or ability to solve problems, digest and apply information, learn new skills, think critically, or apply mechanical skills.
- Personality: Designed to identify behavioral patterns.
- Skills: Such as math, verbal, data entry, typing.
- Psychological: Some firms conduct a full battery of psychological tests on candidates.
If you decide to purchase any formal tests that you are specifically going to use to screen-out candidates, be sure that you receive in writing from the vendor selling the test that the test is validated for the specific purpose for which you want to use it. Also, identify what support the test vendor will provide to you for you to legally defend a test if it is challenged. As an example, if you are going to use a specific test to screen-out candidates for a Payroll Clerk position, be sure that you receive in writing from the vendor that the test is validated for that specific position. Otherwise, the test may have an adverse impact on a particular protected class such as minorities, people over age 40, etc. Preferably if you use any formal testing with candidates, the tests will simply be one of many tools that you will be using to assess the acceptability of a candidate.
In truth, any informal tool (e.g., a question, a ranking, etc.) that you use to screen-out a candidate becomes a test through which you run the risk of violating EEO laws that are designed to prevent an adverse impact (discriminatory impact) on a protected class.“
Using these tests will allow for the best results to come out of the interviews. Without properly assessing candidates, it is far more likely that the best candidates will not be hired.
