Question

Abel has been having trouble selecting quality accounting people. Everyone claims to be able to use Excel spreadsheets, but few actually can once they get on the job. In the end, he has had to terminate people because of poor performance. He is thinking he will use a test he saw at the local office-supply warehouse. As Abel's HR recruiting liaison, what advice would you give him about his plans for testing?

A. It sounds like a good idea. It certainly could control the cost of turnover. We should try it.
B. It sounds like a good idea. Will he be able to show that the test actually predicts success on the jobs he wants to use it for? If not, he should find a different screening tool.
C. It doesn't sound like a good idea. With everyone talking about the liability of written tests these days, we can't take that risk for any job.
D. It doesn't sound like a good idea. It is going to create more paperwork for HR, and we can't stand any workload increase.

Answer 1

Abel should consider whether the test actually predicts success on the job and look for a different screening tool if there is no evidence to support the test's validity.

Step-by-step explanation:

As Abel's HR recruiting liaison, my advice to him would be option B. It sounds like a good idea to use a test to evaluate candidates' Excel spreadsheet skills. However, the key question is whether the test actually predicts success on the job. Abel should ensure that the test has been validated and that there is evidence to show that high scores on the test correlate with good performance in using Excel spreadsheets. If there is no such evidence, he should consider using a different screening tool.