Slide PSI 209 Pertemuan VII

Reference and Testing

Reference
• An expression of opinion regarding an applicant’s
ability, previous performance, work habits,
characters or potential for future success
▫ Reference : determined by the person / organization
asking for it
▫ Letter of Recommendation : determined by the person
/ organization writing it

• Reference Check

▫ Confirming the accuracy of information provided by
the applicant

Reference
• To confirm details on the resume
▫ Resume fraud: lying on experience or education

• To check for discipline problems

▫ Negligence hiring: hiring without checking

• To discover new information about the applicant
▫ Opinion may not be accurate…

• To predict future performance
▫ Validity

Problems (cont.)
• Leniency
▫ Most letter of recommendation are positive…
▫ Confidentiality
▫ Fear of legal ramifications
 Defamation  behavioral information
 Negligent reference

• Knowledge of the applicant
▫ Accurate?
▫ All aspects of behavior?

Problems (cont.)
• Low reliability
▫ Lack of agreement between providers of
references

• Extraneous factors
▫ Specific example

Ethical Issues
• State of relationship
▫ Sometimes people have dual roles…

• Honesty
▫ Dilemma

• Chance to see the reference before
▫ The content may not always be positive…

Predicting Performance
• Using Applicant Training & Education

▫ Minimum level of education
▫ Student’s GPA

• Using Applicant Knowledge
▫ How much a person knows about the job

Predicting Performance (cont.)
• Using Applicant Ability
▫ Cognitive Ability Tests
 Passing score?

▫ Perceptual Ability
 Vision, color discrimination, depth perception, glare
sensitivity, etc.

Predicting Performance (cont.)
• Using Applicant Ability (cont.)
▫ Psychomotor Ability
 Finger dexterity, arm-hand steadiness, etc.

▫ Physical Ability
 Strength and stamina
 Job relatedness: necessary?
 Passing Scores: minimum amount?
 When the ability must be present: monitoring?

Predicting Performance (cont.)
• Using Applicant Skill
▫ Work Samples





Directly related
Predict actual performance
Relevant
Minimum bias

▫ Assessment Centers

 In-basket technique
 Simulation
 Business games

Predicting Performance (cont.)
• Using Applicant Skill (cont.)
▫ Assessment Centers

 Multiple assessment methods
 Multiple assessors
 Observe applicant perform simulated job tasks
 In-basket technique
▫ Types of daily information on the desk

 Simulation
▫ In a situation as similar as possible

 Work Sample
 Leaderless Group Discussion
 Business games

Predicting Performance (cont.)
• Using Prior Experience
▫ Experience ratings
 Quality of experience
 Type of experience

▫ Biodata
 Questionnaire that considers an applicant’s life,
school, military, community, work experience, etc.

Predicting Performance (cont.)
• Using Personality, Interest & Character
▫ Personality Inventories
 Normal personality
 Normal individuals in everyday life

 Psychopathology (abnormal behavior)
 Serious psychological problems

▫ Interest Inventories
 Likes-dislikes
 Vocational counseling

Predicting Performance (cont.)
• Using Personality, Interest & Character (cont.)
▫ Integrity Test / Honesty Test
 Steal from the company

▫ Graphology
 Handwriting analysis
 The content rather than the quality of the
handwriting

Predicting Performance Limitation
• Drug Testing
▫ Random sampling
▫ Random times
▫ Targeted

• Psychological Exams
• Medical Exams