There are many organizations that offer employment tests over the internet. Some of these companies do not have any evidence that their tests actually predict job performance.  Some of these companies do not have staff with technical skills in employment testing.  Below we list three questions that you may wish to ask test vendors to help you evaluate their testing products

1.  Does the test vendor have any criterion-related validity information for the test?

2. Does the test vendor have any PhD-level industrial and organizational psychologists on staff and was an industrial and organizational psychologist involved in the test development and validation?

3. Will the test vendor assist your company in conducting a validation study for your company?

Some users of employment tests prefer to have validity information specific to their organizations.  Work Skills First has industrial/organizational psychologists who can conduct such validation studies.

The technical documentation for Work Skills First's tests is available for free at these links:

Judgment at Work Technical Documentation

Judgment at Work for Customer Service Technical Documentation

Attendance and Turnover Test Technical Documentation

Employment Test Technical Documentation

Nursing Assistant Test Technical Documentation

1.  Does the test vendor have any criterion-related validity information for the test?

Criterion-related validity refers to statistical evidence that a test predicts job performance. Criterion-related validity is described using a correlation coefficient that assesses the relationship between scores on a test and job performance. If the test vendor states that they have this information, ask for it. There is nothing proprietary about criterion-related validity information and reputable test vendors will routinely release it.  Sometimes they will charge a small amount of money (about $20) to send you a technical manual containing criterion-related information. 

We know of one test vendor who claims to have four decades of validity data but will not release it.

Disreputable test vendors will tell you only about validity studies where the test was able to predict job performance, but will not provide results that show their test in a poor light. If the test vendor only provides results that are statistically significant, these results likely overestimate the value of the test.  Ask the test vendor for all the validity data.

2. Does the test vendor have any PhD-level industrial and organizational psychologists on staff and was an industrial and organizational psychologist involved in the test development and validation?

Some organizations that offer employment tests on the internet do not have staff with doctoral level training in industrial and organizational psychology.  You should ask whether the industrial and organizational psychologists on staff developed the tests that are being sold.  You should ask about the testing expertise of the individuals who developed the tests.

3. Will the test vendor assist your company in conducting a validation study for your company?

Companies who use employment tests sometimes want to conduct a validation study to determine the usefulness of the test for their company. To do this, they will need the assistance of an industrial and organizational psychologist.  Work Skills First has industrial and organizational psychologists who can provide such services.