Solutions for occupations based solely on a requirements analysis

Concept

With the aim of creating a platform that provides scientifically sound answers to as many different career and training-related questions as possible, the following approach was designed:

Requirements analysis

The data from SFS Test Solutions on over 1,700 job titles in German-speaking and American regions comes from two different sources. Based on the AMS job register (AMS Berufslexikon – Berufe von A-Z, n.d. (website in German only)), an attempt was made to approximate the occupations and job titles in the DACH region. The occupational register comprises a total of 1,733 occupations and is continuously maintained by the AMS. The AMS (Arbeitsmarktservice) is a service provider on the Austrian labor market. It fulfills the functions of a public employment service and places workers in vacant positions and supports the initiative of job seekers and companies as employers through advice, information, training, and financial support.

Data from the O*NET platform (O*NET OnLine, n.d.) was also used to represent US occupations and job titles. The O*NET program is the most important source of occupational information in the US. At its core is the O*NET database, which contains hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptions for nearly 1,000 occupations across the US economy. The database, which is freely available to the public, is continuously updated based on a broad spectrum of employees in each occupation. The data is collected in a two-step process. In the first step, a random statistical sample of companies that are likely to employ people in the target occupations is determined. A random sample of employees within these companies is then selected. The information is then collected using standardized questionnaires.

The final data pool was supplemented with SCHUHFRIED's own validation studies. For example, one study has already shown that computer-based test batteries have high criterion validity when it comes to predicting safe driving behavior among professional bus drivers (Vetter et al., 2018). The analysis of data on aptitude testing for African mine workers also demonstrated criterion validity (SCHUHFRIED, 2013).

Comparison of requirements x tests

The data was prepared in a matrix (job titles x requirements). O*Net provides information on 231 different requirements. These include skills such as cognitive abilities (visual-spatial ability, selective attention, logical reasoning, etc.) or psychomotor skills (dexterity, eye-hand coordination, etc.), as well as social or technical competencies. Data on work values and work contexts is also available (e.g., how much time must be spent sitting/kneeling on average? Are you exposed to workplace hazards such as radiation or diseases?).

This extensive list was compared with the SCHUHFRIED Selection. Currently, 61 requirements can be covered with tests from the SCHUHFRIED Selection. In this table, the requirements are sorted alphabetically and paired with the appropriate SCHUHFRIED tests that measure the respective requirement. Due to the strong differentiation by O*Net, similar requirements are covered by the same (sub)test in SFS Test Solutions.

*ONet requirement**	Description	SCHUHFRIED test
Analytical thinking	The activity requires the analysis of information and the application of logic to solve work-related issues and problems.	INT – Logical reasoning
Attention to Detail	The activity requires attention to detail and thoroughness in completing work tasks.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Categorical Flexibility	Describes the ability to create or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.	INT – Logical reasoning
Complex problem-solving ability	Describes the ability to identify complex problems and examine related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.	INT – Logical reasoning
Concern for Others	The job requires being sensitive to the needs and feelings of others and being understanding and helpful in one's work.	FCB5 – Agreeableness
Cooperation	The activity requires pleasant interaction with others and a good-natured, cooperative attitude.	FCB5 – Agreeableness
Critical thinking	Describes the ability to apply logic and reasoning to determine the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.	INT – Logical reasoning
Deductive reasoning	Describes the ability to apply general rules to specific problems to find meaningful answers.	INT – Logical reasoning
Depth Perception	Describes the ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away, as well as being able to judge the distance between oneself and an object.	INT – Visual-spatial ability
Flexibility	The activity requires openness to change (positive and negative) and to great variety in the workplace.	FCB5 – Openness
Independence	The job requires developing your own methods, managing yourself with little or no supervision, and relying on yourself to get things done.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Inductive reasoning	Describes the ability to combine information and derive general rules or conclusions from it (for example, to establish a relationship between seemingly unrelated events)	INT – Logical reasoning
Initiative	The activity requires a willingness to take responsibility and accept challenges.	FCB5 - Conscientiousness
Innovation	The activity requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas and solutions to work-related problems.	FCB5 – Openness
Instructing	The activity requires teaching others how to do things.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Integrity	The job requires honesty and ethical behavior.	FCB5 - Conscientiousness
Judgment and decision-making ability	Describes the ability to weigh the relative costs and benefits of potential actions in order to choose the most appropriate one.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Leadership Ability	The activity requires a willingness to lead, take responsibility, and give opinion and direction.	FCB5 – Extraversion
Learning Strategies	Describes the selection and use of situationally appropriate teaching and learning methods and procedures when learning or learning new things.	INT – Logical reasoning
Management of Financial Resources	Includes determining how much money to spend to accomplish work and accounting for this spending.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Management of Human Resources	Includes motivating, developing, and directing employees on the job and identifying the best employees for the job.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Management of Material Resources	Includes the acquisition and proper use of equipment, facilities, and materials required to perform specific work.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Mathematical Reasoning Ability	Describes the ability to choose the correct mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem	INT – Numerical ability
Mathematics	Describes the ability to use mathematics to solve problems.	INT – Numerical ability
Memorization	Describes the ability to memorize information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.	INT - Long-term memory
Monitoring	Describes the ability to monitor/assess own performance, the performance of others, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Multi-unit Coordination	Describes the ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down.	2HAND
Negotiating Skills	Describes the ability to bring others together and try to reconcile differences.	FCB5 – Agreeableness
Numerical ability	Describes the ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.	INT – Numerical ability
Operation and Control	Describes controlling the operation of equipment or systems.	DT
Operational Analysis	Describes the analysis of needs and product requirements to produce a design.	INT – Logical reasoning
Operational Monitoring	Describes the observation of gauges, dials, or other indicators to ensure that a machine is operating properly.	VIGIL
Oral Language Comprehension	Describes the ability to hear and understand information and ideas presented in spoken words and sentences.	INT – Verbal ability
Organizing Information	Describes the ability to arrange things or actions in a specific order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (for example, patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).	INT – Logical reasoning
Originality	Describes the ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a particular topic or situation or to find creative ways to solve a problem.	FCB5 – Openness
Pattern Recognition	Describes the ability to identify or recognize a familiar pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.	TACO
Perceptual Skills	Describes the ability to quickly grasp, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.	INT – Logical reasoning
Perceptual Speed	Describes the ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among groups of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The items being compared may be presented simultaneously or sequentially. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.	TACO
Performance Orientation	The activity requires setting and maintaining personally challenging performance goals and striving to accomplish tasks.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Persistence	The activity requires persistence in the face of obstacles.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Persuasion	Describes the ability to persuade others to change their mind or behavior.	FCB5 – Extraversion
Precision Control	Describes the ability to quickly and repeatedly move the controls of a machine or vehicle into precise positions.	2HAND
Problem-based Learning	Describes understanding the impact of new information on current and future problem-solving and decision-making.	INT – Logical reasoning
Quality Control Analysis	Activity requires performing tests and inspection of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Reaction Speed	Describes the ability to respond quickly (with hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, image) when it appears.	RT
Reading Competency	Describes the ability to understand written sentences in work-related documents.	INT – Verbal ability
Reliability	The job requires reliability, a sense of responsibility and dependability, and the fulfillment of obligations.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Response Orientation	Describes the ability to quickly choose between two or more different movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). This includes the speed with which the correct response is initiated with the hand, foot, or other body part.	DT
Selective Attention	Describes the ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.	TACO
Self-control	The job requires one to maintain composure, keep emotions in check, control anger, and avoid aggressive behavior even in difficult situations.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Service Orientation	The activity requires actively looking for ways to help people.	FCB5 – Agreeableness
Social Orientation	The activity requires preferring to work with others rather than alone.	FCB5 – Extraversion
Social Perception	Describes the ability to be aware of the reaction of others and to understand why they react the way they do.	FCB5 – Openness
Spatial Orientation	Describes the ability to know one's location in relation to the environment or where other objects are in relation to oneself.	INT – Visual-spatial ability
Speed of Limb Movement	Describes the ability to move arms and legs quickly.	RT
Stress Tolerance	The activity requires accepting criticism and being able to handle stressful situations calmly and effectively.	FCB5 – Emotional stability
System Evaluation	The activity requires identifying measures or indicators of system performance and actions needed to improve or correct performance relative to system goals.	FCB5 – Conscientiousness
Troubleshooting	The activity requires identifying causes of operator errors and deciding what to do about them.	INT - logical reasoning
Time Sharing	The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information.	M-TASK
Visualization	Describes the ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved or its parts are moved or rearranged.	INT – Visual-spatial ability
Written Comprehension	Describes the ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.	INT – Verbal ability

Creation of the test batteries

In the first step, the AMS and O*Net designations were paired with each other. The job descriptions and requirement profiles on the websites were used as a basis for this. From more than 1700 job titles, 631 clusters were then created. For example, 15 different designations for retail salespersons (retail salesperson – focus on interior design consulting, retail salesperson – focus on food retail, etc.) were combined into a cluster called retail salesperson. In principle, an effort was made to limit the clusters to those that were practically meaningful. Preliminary, data-based requirement profiles and, subsequently, test batteries were then created. O*Net assigns a value between 0 and 1 for all requirements per occupation. This value is intended to indicate how important this requirement is for the occupation. For the requirement profiles, all requirements with a value in the 60th percentile were taken into account.

The automatically generated profiles and batteries were then reviewed and adjusted in several feedback rounds by DIN 33430-certified occupational, organizational, and business psychologists. In addition, the results were compared with empirical evidence and existing validation studies and adapted where necessary.

References can be found here: Literature