Fit Assessment FAQ
What is "testing for fit"?
It's a simple truth. Workers tend to gravitate to occupations with characteristics that match their personal preferences. For example, people who like talking to others and working indoors, and who value opportunities to influence others, are more likely to be found in sales than in construction.
Testing for fit typically involves comparing a person's interests and values to the characteristics of an occupation, such as settings or work tasks. Fit can range from low to high and refers to how closely an occupation matches the attributes of a person and vice versa.
Why is testing for fit important?
Employee selection professionals recognize that so-called "hard skills," although essential to employee effectiveness, are only one piece of the puzzle. Employees who have the ability to do the work may still be underproductive if they don't find the work personally rewarding. In contrast, employees who fit their jobs find the work more personally rewarding and are more likely to be satisfied and motivated. Satisfied employees tend to receive more praise and higher performance ratings, contributing to higher productivity and retention.
The WorkKeys Fit Assessment focuses on interests and values, both of which are related to job satisfaction and commitment. For job applicants, the WorkKeys Fit scores identify occupations that permit them to fulfill their interests and values. For employers, the WorkKeys Fit scores identify persons whose interests and values fit the noncognitive requirements of an occupation.
Are measures of fit valid?
Generally, yes. There have been many studies conducted over the years, involving many types of fit measures and job outcomes, such as job satisfaction and commitment. Studies typically measure fit and outcomes together and find modest to moderate relationships between the two.
What does the Fit Assessment measure?
How are Fit Assessment scores determined?
Results of the interest and values inventories are compared to expert ratings for more than 900 occupations in the O*NET database. Ratings are based on occupational ratings developed by the O*NET Consortium for the U.S. Department of Labor. ACT occupation experts expanded and revised those ratings to obtain complete coverage of all O*NET occupations and to ensure that the ratings aligned with the constructs measured in the WorkKeys Fit Assessment.
WorkKeys Fit scores are based on profile similarity. The greater the correspondence between the scores on each inventory and the occupational ratings, the higher the score. The scores are normed based on a sample of adults employed in diverse occupations.