During the resent Fairness Conference presented by UNISA and TTS-Top Talent Solutions Dr. Outtz discussed innovations in selection practices. He spoke about bridge testing, Apprenticeship Qualifications Form, AQF, and the Job Perception Index, JPI.

He started by discussing the Apprenticeship Qualifications Form, AQF. The AQF is designed to provide a way for candidates to present information about their background. The information that they present may increase their chances of passing the written test. An applicant who fails the second phase of the written test, but whose score is near the required passing score, is allowed to earn additional points based on the information on his or her AQF. Scores near the required passing score are considered to be within, what Dr. Outtz termed as, the “Zone of Consideration,” ZOC. Each point earned from the AQF is equivalent to one‐tenth of a point on the Phase II written test.

The information the candidates provide determine the extent to which they are given additional test points. The form consists of the following seven sections:

The practical experience the candidates provide in a particular area must include a reference and they are made aware that these references may be validated.

Dr. Outtz then discussed a very unique and exciting tool that he and his associates have developed called the Job Perception Index, JPI. The basic principal of the JPI is that the closer the candidate’s perception of the job is to the actual job the better. Employees often leave their jobs because they realise that the job they are doing isn’t really for them. The purpose of the JPI is to determine whether a candidate has an accurate understanding of what the job s/he is seeking entails. A higher score on the JPI indicates a more accurate perception of the job and indicates a good match for the position as the individual knows which abilities and personal characteristics are essential for the position. The questionnaire contains 80 statements. Each statement describes an ability or personal characteristic that may be among the most critical for success in the job the candidate is seeking. For any job there may be certain abilities or personal characteristics that are much more useful than others. If the candidate knows which abilities and personal are necessary for the job then they are a good match for the position. Benefits of the JPI include;

Hopefully in this heated topic tools with the cool breeze of science should help.