Broadly speaking, validation is an expression of how well a test actually measures what it claims to. In the case of pre-hire assessments, how well does a test demonstrate that a candidate is a good fit for the role in question?
In addition to verifying that an assessment is non-discriminatory, and, as such, is EEOC compliant, selecting a validated test will ensure that you receive an accurate picture of whether or not someone is likely to succeed on the job.
The HireArt assessment has been developed and is continuously revised to achieve three types of validity:
Content Validity describes how comprehensively an assessment tests the candidate. In the case of pre-hire assessments, that means the test needs to measure a representative sampling of the skills, traits, tasks, or knowledge necessary for the job.
The HireArt assessment relies heavily on work sample questions, which require candidates to perform realistic tasks similar to those they would encounter on the job. Our question sets are constructed to bring out as many skills as possible to provide a comprehensive picture of the candidate’s relevant abilities.
Criterion Validity is a measure of a test’s predictive value. At HireArt, we keep track of hires and follow-up on their job performance after a significant amount of time has elapsed. Our assessment team reviews completed tests for both high- and low-performing hires to verify that their scores were in-line with our recommendation to the employer. We also engage in continuous improvement of the scoring rubrics where discrepancies have occurred.
Construct Validity indicates how accurately an assessment measures individual skills or traits, based on an established understanding of what each of those are. HireArt questions and grading rubrics were developed in partnership with subject-matter experts to ensure that high scores correlate with successful demonstration of a given skill or trait. For example, on our assessment, a high or passing score for “detail-orientedness” means that the person has behaved or answered the way we expect a detail-oriented person to.
During the development of each assessment, we implement redundant grading across multiple evaluators to ensure that the rubric produces consistent results. We also calibrate the graders scores against scores determined by an expert to ensure that we achieve accurate results.
Selecting a validated assessment is just one part of ensuring a fair and objective hiring process. Employers that want to employ pre-hire assessments are also advised to follow best practices to maintain the integrity of the test.