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Paige Oja

Science series blog: The truth about fake answers

When candidates take a self-report assessment, also known as a preference test, they often want to present themselves in the best possible light. This natural tendency – which is known as socially desirable responding – occurs in many aspects of the hiring process, from resumes to interviews.  Sometimes, it’s unintentional, simply reflecting how candidates see themselves or what they believe are positive traits. Other times, it’s more deliberate. This is what we refer to as faking. Faking occurs

The truth about faking on self-report tests

This blog post explains what behavioral competencies are, why they're important, and how to test for them. The Behavioral Competencies Profiler is in development and will be available to use soon. Click here to sign up for the wait list. The modern workplace is often described as VUCA: Volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. To successfully navigate this challenging environment, organizations need employees whose knowledge, skills, and behaviors enable them to thrive in such contexts.  The 

Behavioral competencies: Why they matter and how to test for them using TestGorilla's Behavioral Competencies Profiler (BCP)

Introducing our new Abstract Reasoning test. Designed to identify candidates who can recognize patterns, solve problems, and make logical decisions on the fly, this test helps you future-proof your workforce by identifying agile learners and innovative thinkers.

Introducing TestGorilla's Abstract Reasoning test

Understanding adverse impact featured image

Building a diverse and inclusive workplace starts with fair hiring practices. While policies may be created with the best intentions, they can occasionally lead to unintended bias, known as adverse impact. This is what occurs when certain groups are unintentionally disadvantaged in the hiring process.  By understanding how adverse impact happens, how it differs from intentional discrimination, and how to monitor and adjust for it, you can continuously improve fairness in your hiring process. In 

Understanding adverse impact: Examples, best practices, and FAQ

An introduction to percentile scores featured image

HR professionals often face the challenge of hiring for diverse roles, many of which they might not be intimately familiar with. In a week, you might have ongoing processes for a software engineer, a marketing coordinator, and a graphic designer. It can be difficult to know, understand, and apply criteria and standards that are a) role-specific and suited to your organization and b) broad enough to have universal relevance. That’s where TestGorilla assessments step in, helping you evaluate both 

An introduction to percentile scores: What are they, and what are the benefits?

content validity everything you need to know featured image

Skills assessments are a valuable method for evaluating candidates' skills, traits, and abilities prior to making hiring decisions. However, it's important to ensure that the tools you use are precise, accurate, and valid.  Test validity is a complex concept that encompasses different areas like criterion validity, construct validity, and content validity. Content validity is a type of validity that helps you determine whether your tests adequately cover the relevant knowledge and skills you aim

Understanding content validity: Examples and FAQ

Understanding gender Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in test analysis graphic

Gender bias is everywhere. At TestGorilla, we recognize that removing barriers for women within the labor market is vital if we want to create a fairer world. But what does that mean in the context of pre-employment testing, and what are we doing to ensure our tests don’t discriminate against gender? This blog post explores the concept of Differential Item Functioning (DIF) and its role in ensuring fairness in testing. We will also discuss the results of DIF analysis of TestGorilla tests and how

Understanding gender Differential Item Functioning (DIF) in test analysis

When it comes to finding the best candidates, IQ tests are a common topic discussed by HR professionals, recruiters, and hiring managers. However, the newest science on identifying high-potential candidates and job-relevant skills suggests there are better alternatives. These modern tools provide better insights into job-relevant qualities that truly matter for success in the workplace. Read on to find out how you can leverage these innovative methods to improve your hiring process and select th

IQ tests for employment are obsolete – here’s what to do instead

Cognitive ability tests are a great tool for identifying top candidates when used appropriately. However, while they certainly are popular and useful, tests of cognitive abilities should be used carefully. Using these tests haphazardly can potentially create unfair disadvantages or biases toward some groups, meaning you may overlook high-quality candidates or open your organization to legal risk.  This blog will walk you through some best practices, based on the latest scientific insights,  for 

5 science-backed best practices for cognitive ability testing

Skills tests are an excellent way to measure candidates’ skills and traits before hiring them. However, you need to ensure that the tools you use are accurate. Construct validity is one type of validity that helps you determine if your tests are measuring what you intend them to measure. In this article, we examine the construct validity definition, explore construct validity examples, discuss how TestGorilla evaluates the construct validity of our tests, and explain the importance of using vali

Understanding construct validity: Examples and FAQ 

Without effective cutoff testing, hiring managers often struggle to filter candidates. As a result, you might recruit unqualified applicants or overlook top talent, which wastes time and resources. Whether you are looking for a business operation manager, DevOps engineer, or marketing specialist, skills tests with appropriate cutoff scores can significantly improve the quality of your hires. Let’s see what a cutoff score is and what factors you should consider before setting one when recruiting 

What is a cutoff score in skill testing, and how do you set it correctly?

When using any hiring tool—be it internally developed structured interviews or TestGorilla’s pre-employment tests—one of the most significant challenges organizations face is figuring out how scores obtained on these hiring tools ultimately translate into job success. For example, we often get the question, “What scores are associated with high performance?” or “How do I know what’s a ‘good’ score?” In this blog, we’ll explore some strategies and techniques that will help you interpret test scor

An introduction to: Benchmarking

One of the most frequent questions our Science team gets is about setting cut-off scores: What they are, how they are set, and their benefits and risks.  In this introductory guide, we’ll explain why TestGorilla does not recommend cut-off scores to our customers and take a look into the intricacies of setting cut-off scores for pre-employment tests. We’ll discuss the importance of considering their legal defensibility and fairness in hiring. We’ll also offer insights into common misconceptions a

An introduction to: Cut-off scores

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just an innovative tool but a fundamental skill set across various roles. As a result, hiring people skilled at understanding and leveraging AI tools has become essential.  In response to this, we’ve been focussed on developing cutting edge, industry-leading AI-related skills tests. This science series blog delves into the importance of AI skills, and the role of multi-measure assessments in hiring for them. It also provides insights into how to use Test

How to hire for AI proficiency with TestGorilla

Today, making accurate predictions about job candidates’ potential success is the cornerstone of an HR professional’s work – but such predictions are difficult to make.  Psychometric psychology is a field of study that can help you quantify the knowledge, abilities, personality characteristics, and attitudes of job applicants. In this article, we explain psychometric psychology and how you can use psychometric assessments to strengthen and simplify your hiring process. We also look at what psych

Psychometric psychology in recruitment: Everything you need to know 

How to interpret test fact sheets: validity

At TestGorilla, we are committed to providing assessments that are not only reliable but also valid, ensuring that they are practical, relevant, and impactful tools for talent assessment.  In the first installment of our series on how to interpret test fact sheets, we delved into the complexities of reliability, shedding light on how it underscores the consistency and dependability of our assessments. Building on that foundation, Part 2 of this series ventures into another cornerstone of psychom

How to interpret test fact sheets, Part 2: Validity

Understanding test timing cognitive load theory and talent assessment

Have you ever wondered why our Culture Add test is 10 minutes long? Or why our Coding: Data Structures – Arrays test is 35?  There’s more behind test timing than you might think: This seemingly simple aspect of talent assessment plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance between assessing candidate abilities and ensuring an efficient recruitment process.  But why is this the case, and how do we maintain a balance? In this science series blog, we’ll explore cognitive load theory (CLT) and it

Understanding test timing: Cognitive load theory and talent assessment

Establishing the reliability and validity of assessments is a complex process, involving the meticulous and ongoing examination of various pieces of evidence. Several psychometric measures contribute to this evidence, including reliability, content validity, construct validity, and criterion validity.  Since our goal is to provide you with reliable and valid assessments, we've developed Test Fact Sheets (find examples here of Test Fact Sheets for our Communication test, English B1 test, and Atte

How to interpret test fact sheets, Part 1: Reliability

Revisiting the validity of different hiring tools: New insights into what works bet

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s Assessment Team: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometric experts and assessment development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. 
Predicting the future is a difficult task, usually done only by skilled oracles, recruiters, and hiring managers. You read that right. Employers looking to hire top candidates are aiming to predict the future success of a candidate in their role. While

Revisiting the validity of different hiring tools: New insights into what works best - Part 2

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. In the dynamic world of hiring, finding the right candidate isn't just a stroke of luck – it's a science.  While landing a top performer can feel magical, there is nothing elusive or mystical about the selection process that can help you consistently hi

What is predictor-criterion congruence and how can it help me hire successfully?

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. If you've ever sat for an exam, at school, during a job application, or for a professional certification, you've encountered the principles of test design firsthand. Although taking tests might be a routine experience, the underlying framework that ensu

A brief introduction to classical test theory

The science of structured interviews featured image

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. In the fast-paced world of talent acquisition, staying ahead of the curve is essential for hiring managers and recruiters alike. To identify the right candidates and make informed decisions, understanding the science of structured interviews and Frame o

Mastering the art of structured interviews: The science behind frame of reference training

Revisiting the validity of different hiring tools featured image

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. Employers are in the prediction business: They have to predict whether a candidate will be successful in a job based on limited information about their capabilities. To improve the accuracy of these predictions, it helps to prioritize hiring tools (e.g.

Revisiting the validity of different hiring tools: New insights into what works best

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. At TestGorilla, we take a deeply scientific and rigorous approach to the development, monitoring, and improvement of the tests in our test library. There’s a bunch of assessment science-related jargon related to these processes, so we’ve put together th

Science glossary

How to select tests for an assessment and avoid a skill overlap

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. If you’re using TestGorilla to create an assessment and you’re seeking guidance in selecting tests, then this is the blog post for you. Read on for concise recommendations from our Assessment Team regarding how to select tests for an assessment – and ho

How to select tests for an assessment (and avoid a skill overlap)

Best practices for setting up asynchronous video interviews FI

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. Over the years, organizations have introduced various technologies to their recruitment and personnel selection processes in an effort to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the likelihood of a successful hire.  As one of the most widely utili

Best practices for setting up asynchronous video interviews

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. If you read our previous blog post about selection error, you’ll remember that we defined exactly what it is and explained that you can make better hiring decisions by reducing it.  Here, we’re taking it one step further. In this post, we’ll expand on t

How can valid, reliable employee selection tests minimize selection errors and increase selection hits?

Legal defensibility and skills-based hiring

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. In order to maintain legal compliance, avoid potential legal challenges, and participate ethically and responsibly in assessment practices, organizations must ensure that their assessment practices are legally defensible.  If assessment practices are co

Legal risk and skills-based hiring: The legal defensibility of TestGorilla’s assessments 

What is selection error and how do you minimize it during hiring?

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. When making selection decisions about applicants, organizations aim to maximize selection hits (a correct hiring decision) and minimize selection misses (an incorrect hiring decision). Hiring a candidate who will perform well, or declining to hire a can

How to prepare for a criterion-related validation study

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. Criterion-related validity is essential to ensuring that pre-employment tests are predictive of an employee's job performance. Criterion-related validation studies help to scientifically evaluate and confirm what we typically assume in the selection con

A brief introduction to test validation - Featured image

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. At TestGorilla, we’re always working to improve the accuracy and reliability of our pre-hiring assessments to ensure a fair and bias-free screening experience for both candidates and employers. In this science series article, we’ll take a look at why te

A brief introduction to: Test validation

A brief introduction to behavioral competencies - featured image

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. Over the past months, we have been hard at work experimenting with the best way to integrate comprehensive behavioral competencies into our talent assessment software.  Read on to find out why we embarked on this initiative, what exciting offerings we h

A brief introduction to: Behavioral competencies

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. TestGorilla takes a deeply scientific and multi-layered approach to creating tests for skills-based hiring. This series of brief introductions aims to conjure transparency when it comes to how we build our tests and how we advise they are used. In this 

A brief introduction to: Test order

Science series materials are brought to you by TestGorilla’s team of assessment experts: A group of IO psychology, data science, psychometricians, and IP development specialists with a deep understanding of the science behind skills-based hiring. TestGorilla takes a deeply scientific and multi-layered approach to creating tests for skills-based hiring. This series of brief introductions aims to conjure transparency when it comes to how we build our tests and how we advise they are used.  In this

A brief introduction to: Candidate satisfaction

Do you need a way to determine whether your skills assessments have the right validity? Are you looking for methods to confirm the reliability of your candidates’ or workers’ skills? Validity studies offer several advantages when it comes to assessing your applicants and employees. In this article, we’ve covered a few essential points about validity studies. First, we’ll explain what a validity study is. Then we’ll go over the four main advantages of using validity studies in the workplace. Let’

What are the key benefits of validity studies in the workplace?

Psychometrics – a scientific field focused on testing personality traits and cognitive ability via skill assessments, measurements, and models – makes the difference between an average hire and a great one. Assessing skills and traits helps you understand the strengths and abilities of your candidates, enabling you to make better hiring decisions. Still, you must be careful not to rely on a single psychometric test for recruitment because it can give you an incomplete picture of a candidate’s ab

Psychometric testing: Complete guide with examples and tips

Percentages and percentiles are important metrics that play a key role in helping you understand your shortlisting test results and what they mean for hiring the best candidate. Percentages are relatively easy to understand, as they are generally used to calculate a range of numbers in everyday life, while percentiles can seem more intimidating to people who are not mathematically inclined.
 Find out why knowing the difference is important for understanding recruitment tests and how to distingui

The difference between percentages vs. percentiles (and why it matters)

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