Along with application forms, resumes and interviews, some companies or recruitment agencies use numerous tests in pre-employment selection. Although not all employers rely on testing while looking for suitable candidates, tests can help significantly save time and money by decreasing the number of applicants based on their personal or professional skills. Moreover, if conducted properly, test is supposed to generate more objective and unbiased results as it minimizes the personal contact between the applicant and the recruiter. The fact that the same test is offered to all job candidates also can contribute to validity of the test. However, tests may (and often do) still provide inaccurate information about a person tested. That’s why companies that rely only on tests in candidates search risk to end up having poor selection results. Personal interviews and other information about candidates must be equally considered during the selection process.

Among the wide range of pre-employment tests, most popular of them can be divided into three main categories:

• Professional tests or job knowledge tests: they check candidates’ professional knowledge and skills; (e.g. ability, cognitive ability tests etc.)
• Psychological tests – test personality
• Others: Besides job knowledge or psychological tests job applicants can be offered to take medical, physical, HIV tests, genetic tests, etc. Certain jobs entail physical demands and therefore employers can check candidates’ physical fitness to the job in order to ensure safety in the workplace. However, medical exams or physical fitness tests should be given only after a job offer has been presented to a candidate conditional on satisfactory health or physical fitness check.

In Canada, tests on the good command of the language necessary to perform the job are also popular. As far as Canada has two official languages you have a right to demand a test in the language you are the most comfortable with (either English or French) even if a good command of the English language is a Bona Fide Occupational Requirement for the job you apply for.

In order for tests to be legitimate there are certain rules that should be followed:

• Before testing job applicants must be informed about the reason for testing: what particularly is going to be tested and why, and scoring procedure. Also, as a job applicant you may ask about test results confidentiality policy (i.e. who will have access to your test results).
• Generally, applicants have a right to access their test results, unless there are legal implications that you as an applicant should be informed about before the test.
• Before providing any personal or other confidential information during the test, job applicants have a right to ask how the information will be used, stored and who will have access to this information. We would highly recommend specifying all these details even if you deal with reputable employers or employment agencies.

Amongst other human traits, honesty and integrity can also be measured, thus integrity test may also be a part of the selection process. One of the techniques that were used intensively in the pre-employment screening in the past was Polygraph test. Lately, it lost its popularity as Polygraph did not prove to produce valid and reliable results. In Ontario, Canada, for instance, the mandatory use of polygraph test is prohibited under the Employment Standards Act. Opposed to polygraph test, paper-and pencil honesty tests may be offered to job candidates.

Different viewpoints exist in respect of using psychological tests in pre-employment selection. Some say that personality is hardly a good predictor of how the person will do in the job. Many studies suggest that personality tests (such as Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) are good for career development, but not recommended in applicants selection process.

Testing for psychological compatibility may look justifiable for employers. It is understood that any manager would prefer to work with those like him- or herself. Very often it may lead to similar-to-me effect and may also cause problems in the workplace. Whatever type of testing the employer chooses, all they need is to test qualifications required for the job regardless what personal preferences of the employer are. For instance, even if the employer is an outgoing, sociable person and would be most comfortable to work with those like him or her, but the job involves high concentration and little interaction with others, preference should be given to those who enjoy working on their own.

If you feel that tests you are taking are not determined to assess traits, skills and abilities needed for the job, do not hesitate to bring up your concerns during the personal conversation with the recruiter. Remember about the informed consent and access to test results.

If there are any doubts in validity and legitimacy of the testing, CHRC has jurisdiction over hiring decisions. Moreover, there is Guidelines for Educational and Psychological Testing which regulate all testing processes including those for personnel selection.

A certain prejudice exists against tests in personnel selection, because test results, no matter how reliable they are, cannot guarantee absolutely accurate information about the candidate’s ability to do the job. For a better outcome, test results should be considered in combination with other information obtained through job interviews and resumes.

Also, whatever test is used in the selection process, it would not generate accurate and valid results unless it is professionally administered.