Recruitment and Selection
What the exam tests
Recruitment and selection runs from job analysis to offer: job analysis, job descriptions, sourcing, screening, selection, and onboarding. Know the difference between validity, which means a tool measures what it claims, and reliability, which means it produces consistent results. A test can be reliable but not valid; it cannot be valid without being reliable.
Structured interviews, job-related work samples, and validated tests generally have higher validity and lower legal risk than unstructured chats. The four-fifths rule flags adverse impact when a protected group's selection rate is less than 80% of the highest group's rate. Background checks under the FCRA require disclosure and authorization, and adverse action notices if the information is used. Negligent hiring creates liability when an employer fails to check reasonably for foreseeable risk. Bona fide occupational qualifications are narrow and must relate to essential job functions.
Traps: "Culture fit" can mask bias; credit checks are restricted in many jurisdictions; social media screening can reveal protected information; and unstructured interviews feel fair but are less predictive.
Worked example: A protected group's selection rate is 40%, and the highest group's rate is 60%. Divide 40 by 60 to get 0.67, which is below 0.80, so adverse impact is indicated. Compare rates, not raw counts.
Rule of thumb: If a selection tool is not demonstrably job-related and consistently applied, do not use it as a gate.