Sigma Survey for Security Officers

Author(s): Douglas N. Jackson, Ph.D.

Publisher: Sigma Assessment Systems, 1993, 2003

The Sigma Survey for Security Officers (SSSO) is an objective, reliable, and highly valid assessment for screening job applicants for the position of security officer. The SSSO uses job-relevant questions to identify individuals with the cognitive skills necessary to use sound judgment in security situations and to write credible incident reports.

Content

The ability to write good incident reports is important in security work because their accuracy and credibility are often crucial as court evidence in the administration of justice. Research has found that the SSSO distinguishes between job candidates who can and cannot prepare satisfactory incident reports. The SSSO also measures general cognitive ability, which has been found to be one of the best predictors of job performance for virtually all jobs. More effective than resumes, education, reference or interviews.

Questions were carefully selected to be job relevant, both because such items are more acceptable to candidates and employers, and because the use of job-relevant content in applicant screening tests is very much more likely to be resistant to legal challenge.

Sections

Situations: Consists of descriptions of five events requiring decisions by a security officer, such as providing directions at a corporate property entrance, observing a theft suspect at a mall, interpreting a work schedule, and adhering to company policy regarding permitting access to corporate headquarters at night. Every situation is followed by a series of questions each requiring a correct answer from the job applicant.

 

Language Use: Consists of items that allow for the evaluation of typical sentences contained in incident reports for correct grammatical usage (Sentences subsection), and assesses knowledge of the correct spelling of words (such as suspect) likely to be found in an incident report (Spelling subsection).

Australian data is now available:

Click here to download the SSSO Australian data supplement

Note: Sigma Survey for Security Officers must be scored by ACER Test Scoring Services. Manual is free and supplied by email (PDF).