Situational judgment is an important part of everyday life and it is one of the core skills that will be tested in a professional context such as a job interview or career review. Situational judgments are very similar to mental tests in that they require the individual to evaluate a series of statements about which course of action would be best for them. The main difference between situational judgment tests and psychological tests is that situational assessments are designed to predict future behavior and are not based on personal preferences or on a particular job requirement. A medical assistant who applied for a job in a burn unit would not likely be asked to complete situational judgment tests regarding what shoes to wear to work. This is because the workplace is not typically a place where a medical assistant can make snap judgments about their clothing choices or medical assistant training.
However, there are certain features of situational judgment tests that are quite similar to those used in job performance situations. These include items that have been referred to as criterion-related validities, which are standards of behavior or competencies that are used to predict behavior. In many cases, the criterion-related validity is not directly related to job performance because the person being judged did not meet the standard in the first place. Rather, the standards help managers decide whether or not to take a person into consideration when making a decision about a job applicant. The most common criterion-related validities include honesty, integrity, adaptability, and conscientiousness.
A good example of a criterion-related validity is the Sjts category, which is a numerical measure of an individual’s consistency with various tasks. This category is used in all kinds of job situations and it is possible to apply the concept of consistency to various job functions such as completing surveys or providing customer service. In a situation where a person’s consistency with various task functions is crucial to a manager, they may apply the concept of Sjts to situational judgment. For instance, if an individual consistently completes surveys without giving false answers or providing faulty service, this is a strong indication of a good job candidate.
How can situational judgment affect a job applicant’s candidacy? Some job applicants are obviously talented but may be over-qualified for the job. The concept of situational judgment can be used to evaluate such candidates by asking them to rate themselves on aesty, integrity, and adaptability. An applicant who is truly skilled at completing surveys or providing good customer service may be under-qualified for the job. Using the construct, the interviewer can detect whether the candidate was faking his answers or using fabricated qualities during the interview process.
How should managers make use of situational analysis? They should consider applying the concept of judgement to their everyday decision-making. Assessing people on their decisions helps managers make better decisions. For instance, a manager should evaluate how well a salesperson prioritized tasks during a job interview by judging their performance on a scale of one to five. If the candidate prioritized tasks that did not contribute to the company’s revenue, he or she may not be the best fit for the job.
How should managers apply this technique in their everyday decision-making? They should first create a judgment test by using the Sjt metric and then ask job applicants to answer it under hypothetical circumstances. Job applicants should then be given two scenarios (one with an accurate answer and one with an incorrect answer) to judge their performance on. Sometimes the scenario with the incorrect answer might be the most difficult to answer because it will force the candidate to really answer truthfully and to justify their answers.
situational analysis has many practical applications. It can be used to assess job candidates on whether they have the aptitude for a particular position by judging their answers under a specific scenario. It can also be applied to evaluate organizational leaders to determine their behavioral fit with the organization by means of the Sjts metric. Finally, it can be used in order to compare the behavioral fits of individuals to organizational goals. Situational judgment tests can be used by both managers and individuals to facilitate their decision making process.
