Intelligence Testing and the Job Selection Process

1. Discuss the Benefits and Limitations of intelligence testing. Include a discussion on the validity and reliability of intelligence test.
There are many benefits and limitations for using intelligence testing in the job selection process. Benefits may include the employ is informed about who is intelligently suited for the role. The employer is shown who has the intelligence to keep up with the standard of work that may need to be produced. They then can pick the candidate whose knowledge best suited for the position. Intelligence tests are excellent predictors of academic achievement and provide an outline of a person 's mental strengths and weaknesses. Many times the scores have revealed talents in many people, which have led to an improvement in their educational opportunities.
With intelligent testing there are also limitations to this process. Although the employer can see who is intelligent enough to do the work, the job may also involve other skills such as people skills. The intelligent tests would not tell the employer the person with more people or organizational skills. Because the person is intelligent it doesn’t mean they are necessary best suited for the position. The intelligent tests also do not show different types of intelligence. The candidate could have a mathematical brain and the tests are testing them on spelling. This would cause the person not to score as well as they would have. Another limitation includes that it may not be a true reflection on intelligence. One the day of the testing the candidate could be unwell, exhausted or hungry, these facts could greatly impact on the results of the test. So therefore the tests would be incorrect.
If the tests are to be conducted on candidates for employment they must me valid and reliable. If not then the tests are unfair to anyone that takes them and should not be trusts to help the employer chose a possible employee.

2. Consider and discuss the ethical issues that arise when using intelligent tests to screen applicants for and employment position.
There are ethical issues to be considered before a candidate takes and intelligence test. The employer must take into consideration the psychological damage they may inflict on the participant if they give them back the results of the intelligence test. This could affect the participant mentally is they did not receive the score that they were expecting. It could also affect them if they did not get the job as they could believe they were not smart enough to secure the position. The test must be valid and reliable for this test to be ethical or else the employee would not have a fair chance of doing well in the test.
Other Ethical issues such as confidentiality and the right to withdraw should also be taken into consideration.

3. Based on the evidence presented in the report, decide whether or not this kind of testing should be used in the job selection process.
I believe that intelligent testing should not be a part of the job selection process. I feel that intelligence is much more than just academic achievement and the different type of intelligences should be taken into consideration. I feel that the Limitations outweigh the benefits and this is a reason that intelligent testing should not be used in the job selection process. I would be more willing to accept the intelligence test if a personality test was accompanied and the test was completed many times over a period of time to eliminate the chance of something such as sleep deprivation or hunger affect the test results. If all of these factors were taken into consideration then the intelligence test would be more appealing to potential employees.

Bibliography
(Unknown). Workplace Intelligence:. Available: http://www.trainersdirect.com/resources/articles/Organizational%20Development/WorkplaceIntelligence.htm. Last accessed 25 May 2010.

Bibliography: (Unknown). Workplace Intelligence:. Available: http://www.trainersdirect.com/resources/articles/Organizational%20Development/WorkplaceIntelligence.htm. Last accessed 25 May 2010.