Subjective Sources of Information

vs

Objective Sources of Information

Subjective sources of information about a candidate are based on someone’s opinion, and opinions vary in reliability.

Objective sources of information about an applicant are based on verifiable fact. Facts don’t vary in reliability.

Let’s look at sources of information:

• Résumé– Subjective, written by the candidate, or with Artificial Intelligence
• Application form – Subjective (completed by the candidate) unless verified
• Cover letter – Subjective (written by the candidate)
• References – Subjective (one person’s opinion)
• Interview(s) – Subjective – conducted by a human(s)
• Background checks – Objective but somewhat limited– facts obtained from a reliable source
• Drug testing – Objective – results obtained by chemical tests
• Social media – Subjective – zero authenticity, and can be actively misleading
• Objective tests and assessments – Objective – rigorously and empirically validated