The Unrealized Potential of Technology in Selection Assessment

Technological advances in assessment have radically changed the landscape of employee selection. This paper focuses on three areas where the promise of those technological changes remains undelivered. First, while new ways of measuring constructs are being implemented, new constructs are not being assessed, nor is it always clear what constructs the new ways are measuring. Second, while technology in assessment leads to much greater efficiency, there are also untested assumptions about effectiveness and fairness. There is little consideration of potential negative byproducts of contextual enhancement, removing human judges, and collecting more data. Third, there has been insufficient consideration of the changed nature of work due to technology when assessing candidates. Virtuality, contingent work arrangements, automation, transparency, and globalization should all be having greater impact on selection assessment design. A critique of the current state of affairs is offered and illustrations of future directions with regard to each aspect is provided.