
Work sample exams are employee selection tools that represent actual or highly similar job task characteristics (i.e., writing a sample response email to a customer for a customer service job). These selection tools are good predictors of job performance, and job applicants tend to respond favorably to them, largely because they are easily linked to the job.
Another reason work sample exams are highly regarded is that they are less likely to lead to adverse impact for racial/ethnic groups than other popular selection tools such as cognitive ability tests. A potential problem with work sample exams, however, is that they may lead to gender-based adverse impact against women. In general, adverse impact occurs when a selection tool leads to meaningfully different hiring outcomes for legally-protected groups of people (e.g., based on race or gender).
THE RESEARCH STUDY
According to a recent article (Roth et al., 2010) the likelihood of gender-based adverse impact due to work sample exams depends on the specific skills these tests measure. The researchers conducted two studies where job applicants for a civil engineer manager and a civil engineer administrator position each utilized several work samples measuring various skills necessary for the job.
The results suggest that adverse impact against women was most likely to occur for work sample exams of technical skills, but only for the civil engineer manager position. The researchers speculate that the vast majority of people qualified to apply for the administrator position had high levels of technical expertise regardless of gender. Interestingly, however, women scored substantially higher on work samples of interpersonal skills and writing skills. Taken together, the researchers conclude that the potential for adverse impact against women is unlikely, especially if work samples involving social skills and writing skills are employed in conjunction with technical skills. Clearly then, work sample exams do not disadvantage women across the board.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Perhaps the biggest drawback to work sample exams is their cost. The researchers reported on the cost of using work sample exams, and estimated that the battery of work samples employed in their study of civil engineer manager jobs would cost an organization a whopping $1500 per applicant tested. So the big question is: are the advantages of work sample exams worth their cost?
Roth, P.L., Buster, M.A., & Barnes-Farrell, J. (2010). Work sample exams and gender adverse impact potential: The influence of self-concept, social skills, and written skills. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 18(2), 117-130.
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