Situational Judgement Tests
How employees behave on the job—how they work with others, manage teams, strive to meet goals, overcome setbacks, or analyze problems—is directly connected to the achievement of job-related objectives. Behavioral assessments identify people with the potential to succeed in a role and can sift out candidates who are not suitable based on the required behaviors.
SJTs measure behavioral fit to a given role by assessing the candidate’s judgment of the most appropriate action in workplace situations. The test presents candidates with real situations they will encounter on the job and viable options for handling each situation. Candidates are asked to select the most and/or least effective ways of handling the situation from the options provided.
In SJT
candidates receive some workplace scenarios and a list of typical, possible answers. They are asked to choose the most appropriate answer for the scenario or to sort their answers in an appropriate order.
The scenarios
may involve disagreements with colleagues / customers, sales scenarios, or organizational issues in order to simulate a realistic situation. Typical skills assessed in SJTs include:
Negotiation and influence
Motivation to achieve
Design and organization
Analytical ability
Interpersonal skills
They are
more helpful early in the assessment process, sifting out candidates who do not possess the minimum level of behavioral fit to the role, company, or culture. SJTs may be combined with other tests to assess behavioral fit and ability in the initial sifting stage to focus managers on the best candidates.