A situational judgement test (SJT) is a psychological assessment tool used to evaluate how individuals respond to hypothetical, job-relevant situations. Test takers are presented with realistic scenarios and must indicate how they would typically behave. This method reveals personal tendencies, behavioral patterns, and job-related competencies that go beyond what a CV or traditional interview can capture.
At Cebir, situational judgement testing plays a crucial role in evidence-based talent selection. Drawing from established psychological theories and validated frameworks, our SJT solutions are tailored to reflect specific competencies and organizational contexts—resulting in reliable, fair, and predictive assessments.
The Flemish government partnered with Cebir to develop an SJT focused on proactive personality and personal initiative—two constructs closely associated with job performance, career adaptability, and engagement. This custom-made test integrated both theoretical models into a unified framework and followed a rigorous development protocol:
Test Objective Definition: Clear alignment between measurement goals and selection needs.
Critical Incident Collection: Structured interviews with 16 subject-matter experts (SMEs) from the Flemish government to ensure real-world relevance.
Item Construction and Validation: Items were reviewed by professional psychologists and evaluated for representativeness by a panel of 22 SMEs.
The final situational judgement test consists of 60 normative items and 15 ipsative items, requiring candidates to assess behavioral trends and choose the responses that best reflect their typical actions. It targets applicants and employees with a Bachelor or Master degree and takes approximately 33 minutes to complete.
Two types of responses are used:
Likert scale rating: Test takers rate the suitability of different reactions.
Forced-choice selection: Identifying both the most and least likely behaviors.
The situational judgement test has been evaluated through robust psychometric procedures:
Internal consistency: λ₂ = 0.82
Test-retest reliability: r = 0.72 (N = 128)
Construct validity: Positive correlations with related constructs like:
Proactive personality (.44)
Personal initiative (.45)
Organizational citizenship behavior (.46)
Importantly, the test showed minimal subgroup effects, ensuring fairness across gender, age, and education levels.
In a predictive study with 92 Flemish government employees, the test scores were positively correlated with:
Job performance: r = .28
Job engagement: r = .29
These findings confirm that the SJT provides valuable insights into real-world work behavior—helping employers select individuals who are more likely to thrive in their roles.
With over 35 years of psychometric research, Cebir is uniquely positioned to design situational judgement tests that are:
Scientifically grounded
Custom-built for organizational needs
Validated for fairness and predictive accuracy
If you’re seeking selection tools that go beyond the surface and genuinely predict success on the job, Cebir’s SJT development expertise offers the competitive edge you need.
With 37 years of expertise in psychometric testing, Cebir provides trusted, scientifically validated solutions tailored to your needs:
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