Situational Judgment and Competency Assessment Flashcards

A hiring manager receives two equally qualified candidates but must choose only one. What is the MOST appropriate basis for making the final decision?

Answer: Documented competency ratings from structured interviews

Structured, documented competency ratings ensure the selection is defensible, consistent, and based on job-related criteria.

During a situational judgment test (SJT), a candidate is asked how they would handle a conflict with a coworker. What does this primarily assess?

Answer: Interpersonal and problem-solving competencies

SJTs measure behavioral competencies such as interpersonal skills, judgment, and conflict resolution rather than technical knowledge.

Which type of validity evidence is demonstrated when a test's content matches the actual tasks performed in the job?

Answer: Content validity

Content validity confirms that assessment items accurately represent the tasks, duties, and knowledge required by the position.

A competency-based assessment for a federal job focuses on 'problem solving.' Which question best measures this competency?

Answer: Describe a time you identified the root cause of a recurring issue and resolved it.

Behavioral questions asking candidates to describe past actions directly assess demonstrated competencies like problem solving.

What does 'adverse impact' mean in the context of federal hiring assessments?

Answer: When a selection procedure disproportionately screens out a protected group

Adverse impact occurs when a substantially higher proportion of a protected class is rejected compared to the highest-passing group, potentially indicating discriminatory effect.

Which of the following best describes a structured assessment center used in federal hiring?

Answer: A standardized set of job-simulated exercises evaluated by trained assessors

Assessment centers use multiple standardized, job-simulated exercises scored by trained raters to predict candidate performance.