Specialists in:
Employee Selection,
Retention &
Development

Frequently Asked Questions

Topic Areas:

Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Reasons to Use Assessments
Implementation of an Assessment Program and Issues to Consider
Normative Data
Computerized Assessments
Test Proctor
Selection of Exempt Associates

What is Industrial/Organizational Psychology?

Industrial/Organizational Psychology is the application of methods and principles of psychology to people at work.

Industrial/Organizational psychologists are measurement specialists who utilize scientific and objective methods in studying jobs and the people who fill the jobs.

The "industrial" side of industrial/organizational psychology includes:

Job analysis through the identification of knowledge, skills and abilities
Job evaluation & compensation
Performance appraisal & feedback
Staffing, recruiting, selection & placement
Training & development

The "organizational" side of industrial/organizational psychology includes:

Organizational culture
Coaching
Motivation
Leadership
Organizational structure
Conflict management

Why should organizations consider using assessments?

Assessments provide:

	An Objective Method of Determining Strengths and Weaknesses of Individuals for Selection and Promotion.
	Human Resource Planning and Career Development through the Identification of: High potential personnel whose strengths and potential may go unnoticed Development and training needs for employees Individual interests that can match corporate needs
	Enhancement to Training Programs by: Objectively identifying training needs Identifying trainees who possess the aptitudes to learn new skills Reducing the training time needed for employees to become fully productive
	A Basis for Producing an Organizational Analysis Permits senior management to identify strengths and weaknesses of specific functional areas and hierarchical levels within the organization Allows senior management to pinpoint effective intervention strategies for new acquisitions Provides senior management with a method for analyzing and diagnosing variations in productivity across various organizations

What issues do I need to consider when implementing an assessment program?

When implementing an assessment program it is vital to ensure that assessment practices and procedures are consistent with legal, professional and ethical standards.

Two technical properties that reflect the most important features of a test are:

Validity: evidence of job-relatedness of the test to the job
Reliability: assessment provides dependable and consistent information.

Other issues to consider besides test validity and reliability evidence of your assessment program include:

Adverse impact
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
Cut-off scores
Test security
Test administration considerations

As you can see, there are a multitude of considerations when implementing an assessment program. Applied Assessments can partner with you to evaluate and select tests for your intended use. We can assist you in designing an assessment program that will ensure assessment practices are consistent with legal, professional and ethical standards.

What do you mean by normative data?

Normative data give meaning to scores whereby they provide a basis for comparing one individual's scores with the scores of others who have taken the test. In other words, how did the person compare to others in the group?

Are your assessments computerized?

The Professional Assessment Series, Administrative Support Battery and Professional Pre-Employment Screen can be conducted at any location either through CD Rom or paper and pencil format. Some of our assessments may also be completed on-line.

Is a test proctor always necessary in administering the assessments?

Test administration always requires a test proctor for several reasons:

The test must be administered to applicants in a standardized manner; i.e. in a controlled setting, free of distractions and interruptions.
A test proctor ensures that all applicants are given the same instructions.
A test proctor is needed to verify the candidate's identity and ensure that he/she is not receiving outside assistance on the test.

I need a quick, yet thorough assessment for the selection of exempt associates. What does Applied Assessments offer?

The Professional Pre-Employment Screen is a rapid and efficient tool for the selection of managerial, professional and supervisory candidates. This battery provides valid predictors of job performance including measures of general cognitive ability and personal conscientiousness. The test administration is under one hour .