Organizations use selection methods, such as cognitive tests, personality tests, and credit checks, for employment and promotion. These tests can be effective in determining qualifications and predicting job success when used properly. Many organizations have adopted selection methods to keep up with the rate of online applications and to manage increased concerns about workplace safety. Yet, organizations can violate federal antidiscrimination laws if they use these tests to discriminate upon factors such as race, sex, or disability (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2010). What, then, makes a test valid? Validity is demonstrated for a selection method when it can be shown to predict successful job performance. The Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission et al., 1978) were designed for several federal government agencies that conduct compliance reviews concerning discrimination. In this framework, there are three acceptable legal strategies to test for validity: criterion-related validity, content validity, and construct validity (Biddle Consulting Group, 2011).
