Darany Associates
Public Sector Selections Solutions

Selection Thoughts

 

Welcome to PSST.  This is a space where we share thoughts that we have gained by having the privilege of working for and with many of those who helped to shape our profession, such as our founder, Ted Darany.  If you read Ted’s biography (provided in the "Our Founder" section on this site), you will note that he worked for State and Federal agencies during the critical development period following passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  During that time, he was instrumental in founding professional organizations that continue to serve as vital resources to practitioners. He was a true advocate of the value and importance of sound selection, instilling in us a love of our profession and a passion for pursuing excellence in it.  Through his teaching and his encouragement of professional involvement, we have had the opportunity to learn from so many of those brilliant, dedicated people who were "in the room" so to speak as much of our profession was taking shape.

Whether you are new to selection, a seasoned professional, or someone who fits into the wide range of selection program customers, it is our hope that these brief insights will provide perspective and, perhaps, even inspiration.  In the end, it is our objective to promote and preserve the ideas and values that have shaped our profession.  Using Ted’s own words from a presentation to the Personnel Testing Council of Arizona in 2006, "We have the best story around.  We need to discover and develop the best ways to tell it."

This is our effort to preserve and continue the story.  The acronym "PSST" was chosen for two reasons.  First, it reflects the idea that the power of sound selection tends to remain one of the "best kept secrets" and we need to pass it on.  Also, Ted loved acronyms.  Much of his work (WRIB, DELPOE, DELFE, . . .) has an acronym associated with it.  Rumor has it that he would sometimes start with the acronym and then come up with words to fit.  We had some pretty lively discussions as some of them evolved since they occasionally took humorous (and less printable) turns.  Thus, it is in keeping with Ted’s spirit and his dedication to public sector selection that we offer PSST.

Note: The PSST offerings are written by Darany Associate, Kristine Smith with input and insight from fellow associates, Christie Jacques and Jennifer French. If you’d like to comment on the content or suggest ideas for future topics, please contact Kristine at ksmith@daranyassociates.com.

 
 
 
 

PSST #2 - Why Test? Part 2: Public Accountability

In the previous PSST entry, we initiated discussion related to the purpose of selection testing in a public sector environment.  Here we continue with the second installment and another resounding answer to "Why test?".

The linkage between the work that we do and public accountability is fundamental, so much so that it could easily be glossed over.  If any of you have ever had teenagers in your life, or can remember being one, think back to a time when an adult felt the need to restate critical information that had been shared previously (maybe frequently) and then picture the teenager’s reaction.  I have a new driver in my household, so lets go with that for an image.  Mom says for the umpteenth time, "Be sure to stay within the speed limit."   Now picture said teenager’s response.  "I knnnowww . . . (eye roll included)".

Now let us return to selection and public accountability.   Do we sometimes risk becoming the proverbial teenager by not pausing to reflect upon accountability because it is such a given?  As public sector selection professionals, we should consider what that accountability means every day that we walk in the door.  First is the obvious and most commonly expressed form of accountability - the expenditure of public funds.  Sparing you the civics recap, suffice it to say that the funds that pay for the workforce that we create are public, derived from the taxes paid by citizens.  To take it a step further, for most organizations, employee-related expenses account for the largest portion of the budget.  Therefore, it could be argued that the greatest amount of public expenditure is directly tied to the work that we do.  Think about that! What a consequential responsibility and what an opportunity for creating value within our organizations.

The next facet of accountability focuses on the public, not as a tax-paying entity, but as individual applicants.  We have a responsibility to ensure that those who compete for public jobs have a fair and impartial opportunity to succeed.  Every person who submits an application essentially places the bulk of their life before us and allows us to judge it.   Everything that a person brings to the table, their education, work history, knowledge, skills, abilities, and personal characteristics is placed before us to examine.  Work is essential to our being:  it is where we spend the bulk of our lives, it is how we define ourselves, and it is how we sustain ourselves and our families.  Those individuals who may look like mere data points in a selection process have put everything on the table with everything at stake.  Again, what a tremendous responsibility and opportunity for impact!

As a trainee analyst working for a county government (Ted was my manager), I was assigned to conduct a selection process for Building Inspector.  I remember sitting at my desk looking at each application and seeing the people - their histories, where they lived, what they studied, where they worked, and being struck by the fact that only a handful of people from the stack in front of me would get the job they sought and that whoever got the job would be a direct result of whatever process I developed.  It was humbling and daunting to say the least, but it was also a beginning.  It created the intense realization of how important it is to "get it right". Fortunately, with Ted and Jennifer French (see "About us" on this site) as my guides, I was given the spectacular opportunity to learn how to develop fair and valid processes.

The work we do carries such great responsibility and has a profound impact on individuals and organizations.  The reason we work to perfect our craft and maximize the validity of assessment is to fulfill the trust placed in us.  It is hard to think of a reason as compelling as that, but tune in to the next installment - there’s even more ahead.

Darany Associates