An Approach to Optimising the Selection of Technical Staff

Abstract

Aptitude tests, as a part of recruitment, are generally used to maximise the potential skill of new entrants. Paradoxically, maximising potential skill can actually contribute to the loss of skills from an organisation because the people with the most potential are also the ones most likely to be dissatisfied with the work A strategy for using the discrimination power of aptitude tests was developed and discussed. This involved an optimising process whereby a lower cut off score was set on a test that predicted maximum job dissatisfaction. Such a strategy should be valuable in optimising both performance and personnel retention, however, its effective implementation would require considerably more rigour concerning test use and validation than is the usual practice in industry.