Harrison Assessment Tests Suitability vs. Eligibility 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A hiring manager finds that a new hire was fully eligible but quit within 90 days due to role dissatisfaction. Which pre-hire assessment dimension was most likely underweighted?
- Eligibility
- Suitability (Correct answer)
- Background verification
- Cognitive ability
Correct answer: Suitability
Early attrition due to dissatisfaction typically signals a suitability mismatch that wasn't identified before hiring.
Question 2: In Harrison's framework, which of the following traits would be captured under suitability but NOT under eligibility?
- Years of software development experience
- Preference for taking calculated risks (Correct answer)
- Number of managed direct reports
- Educational degrees earned
Correct answer: Preference for taking calculated risks
Risk-taking preference is a behavioral tendency measured by suitability, not a verifiable credential.
Question 3: An applicant for a customer service role scores high on eligibility but the Harrison Assessment reveals strong preference for working alone and low tolerance for interruptions. What should the recruiter conclude?
- The candidate is an ideal hire since eligibility is sufficient
- The candidate may struggle due to a suitability mismatch with the role's demands (Correct answer)
- The candidate should be disqualified based on eligibility alone
- The candidate needs additional technical training before hiring
Correct answer: The candidate may struggle due to a suitability mismatch with the role's demands
High eligibility doesn't compensate for a suitability mismatch when behavioral preferences conflict with core job demands.
Question 4: Which statement best describes the relationship between eligibility and suitability in the Harrison model?
- Eligibility predicts long-term performance; suitability predicts short-term results
- Both dimensions are required together for a complete picture of hiring success (Correct answer)
- Suitability replaces the need for eligibility screening in modern hiring
- Eligibility is only relevant for executive-level positions
Correct answer: Both dimensions are required together for a complete picture of hiring success
Harrison's model treats eligibility and suitability as complementary—both are necessary for predicting hiring success.
Question 5: A company uses Harrison Assessments and finds a candidate scores in the top 10% for eligibility but only 30th percentile for suitability. What is the most appropriate next step?
- Hire immediately based on the strong eligibility score
- Investigate the suitability gap to determine if the role can be adjusted or if the risk is acceptable (Correct answer)
- Reject the candidate without further discussion
- Re-administer only the eligibility portion of the assessment
Correct answer: Investigate the suitability gap to determine if the role can be adjusted or if the risk is acceptable
A suitability gap warrants further exploration to determine whether the role or support structures can compensate for the mismatch.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of using suitability data for development purposes rather than selection?
- Verifying a candidate's college degree before extending an offer
- Coaching an existing employee on tasks they find demotivating to build engagement (Correct answer)
- Running a background check on a new hire's employment history
- Confirming a candidate holds a valid commercial driver's license
Correct answer: Coaching an existing employee on tasks they find demotivating to build engagement
Using behavioral preference data to coach and engage existing employees is a suitability-based development application.
Question 7: Harrison's suitability scoring often includes a 'task preference' component. What does this component measure?
- Whether a candidate has performed a task in a previous role
- How much a candidate enjoys performing specific types of tasks (Correct answer)
- The speed at which a candidate completes assigned tasks
- The accuracy rate of a candidate's task completion history
Correct answer: How much a candidate enjoys performing specific types of tasks
Task preference measures the degree to which a candidate enjoys certain activities, linking enjoyment to expected performance.
Harrison Assessment Tests Suitability vs. Eligibility 3
A hiring manager finds that a new hire was fully eligible but quit within 90 days due to role dissatisfaction.
Which pre-hire assessment dimension was most likely underweighted?