Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Top Tech Companies: You filter on raw IQ, here is how to do it more effectively

nadamhu.wordpress.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–35 of 35 posts

Re: Top Tech Companies: You filter on raw IQ, here is how to do it more effectively

#31

Post by wmil »

tsotha wrote: post #11
streptomycin wrote: post #6

The most effective way to filter on raw IQ would be to... filter on raw IQ. But that's illegal.

It's not technically illegal, just legally perilous. Some companies do it, but they're companies that require a whole lot of other qualifications - "we only hire from Harvard and Yale" or "applicants must have ten years managing at least 150 employees".

It'd actually be pretty safe to do it in the tech industry.

The DoJ and activists are only interested in suing companies where a) it's difficult to rate individual performance and b) judges think that "anyone can do that job"

Re: Top Tech Companies: You filter on raw IQ, here is how to do it more effectively

#32

Post by tsotha »

rlanday wrote: post #25
tsotha wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not technically illegal, just legally perilous. Some companies do it, but they're companies that require a whole lot of other qualifications - "we only hire from Harvard and Yale" or "applicants must have ten years managing at least 150 employees".

I think the situation is basically that it’s allowed, but employers have to jump through probably more hoops than they should be required to to prove it’s fair. The Supreme Court ruled in 1971 in Griggs v. Duke Power Co. that Duke Power Co. had high school graduation and IQ test requirements for all but the lowest-level positions, the IQ requirement having been added after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed and…

>I think the situation is basically that it’s allowed, but employers have to jump through probably more hoops than they should be required to to prove it’s fair.

Actually, no, you're misunderstanding the key to Griggs. It doesn't matter if the test is fair if the outcome is discriminatory.

Re: Top Tech Companies: You filter on raw IQ, here is how to do it more effectively

#33

Post by MDS100 »

edmond_dantes wrote: post #24

My IQ is 136. I can attest that it is not an indicator of anything. I am a lazy, average programmer. Whatever benefit I gain from having a higher IQ is offset by my inability to focus for more than a minute. I don't understand how people can study and lack many basic skills because I aways seemed to sneak by without them. I am a chronic procrastinator, only the fear of having to write a final in 24 hours made me stud…

ADHS?

Re: Top Tech Companies: You filter on raw IQ, here is how to do it more effectively

#35

Post by edmond_dantes »

MDS100 wrote: post #33
edmond_dantes wrote: post #24

My IQ is 136. I can attest that it is not an indicator of anything. I am a lazy, average programmer. Whatever benefit I gain from having a higher IQ is offset by my inability to focus for more than a minute. I don't understand how people can study and lack many basic skills because I aways seemed to sneak by without them. I am a chronic procrastinator, only the fear of having to write a final in 24 hours made me stud…

ADHS?

I've never been diagnosed. In high school I had an uncharacterized organizational learning disability. Out of desperation I wanted to be medicated and have made the huge step, huge for me, of talking to a doctor who referred me -- we'll see. The stories I've seen on HN have soured my opinion of medicating. I don't want to become addicted or unable to function, less than I already do, without drugs.
Post reply on HN