Aren't candidates more likely to inflate their scores/responses on occupational questionnaires? Are there any methods to mitigate that?
Score inflation is a concern for many aspects of the assessment process – with self-report measures such as occupational questionnaires being no exception. One way to address this is to notify candidates on the job announcement (for example, within the HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED section) that their answers are subject to verification and if it is found they have knowingly provided false information, their ratings may be altered and/or their application may no longer be considered.
It is also advisable to use additional or follow-up procedures to verify an applicant’s ratings, such as additional assessments or reference checks. All reviews should be conducted according to your agency's standardized procedures.
If you have additional questions regarding score inflation, please contact us at Assessment_Information@opm.gov.